Featured Dispensationalism

There are many flavors of CT, as there is the presbie/reformed baptist, premil, and 1689 federalism among others!

 

I hold to a Covenant theology historical premil also!

 

There is only one people of God, as all saved are in the NC!

 

This ^^^ is exactly correct. A good portion of the hostility to dispensationalism has to do with foes of the system being successful in their disinformation/smear campaign and dispensationalists themselves shooting themselves in the foot by making claims that we do not have the authority to make. One thing is certain you will not be a hit in the staff lounge in academia if you take a literal grammatical-historical approach to the Bible.

So one has to make a decision do we trust in the words of the Bible or do we take it as far as we can go a still keep company with with the intellectuals? My opinion on the matter is trust the words of the Bible and don't worry about others say about you. Please God let the chips fall where they may. What the A-Mil, Post Mil, preterists CTs don't realize is academia is laughing at them also just not as loudly as they are at us.

The author James Morris is active on another board. This man takes hit after hit with grace and dignity. It is a lesson in my opinion on how many get their theology from other theologians not the Bible and stubbornly ignore the flaws of their belief system in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Similar to when someone who never met your Grandfather argues with you over details of your Grandfathers life.

 

This may come as a huge surprise to you but just because I'm a dispensationalists doesn't mean that I have no understanding of "the many flavors of CT" The fact of the matter is as a dumb laymen as I am with a few college level Bible College credits and two secular STEM degrees total 227 undergrad credits I have in my personal library many more studies by CTs than dispensationalists. I have studied an example from most of the classic and popular covenant A-MILS and post tribs, enough so that I recognize the cut and past responses some here like to make us think are original.

Incidentally, it takes more faith to believe the allegorical scheme than a literal one because a literal system requires one voice, one outcome and one authority while an allegorical system in the end requires that you trust the validity of the allegory not the actual words of the Bible.

 

Behold, the subject change, insult others, defense of false doctrine.

 

As if the post was directed to the copy and poster who posts disinformation non-stop.

 

Once again Y1 does not grasp the topic.

 

I hold to a CT preMil outlook, so in regards to prophecy, much closer to a Dispy view!

 

Supreme irony in this post!

 

Absolutely true.

Well at least I'm an academic and I sometimes laugh at the ridiculousness of allegorical/spiritual interpretation, especially when the preterists do it.

Glad to hear of the graciousness of Br. Morris. The closer one gets to the Lord, the more gracious one becomes, I believe.

Yeah, very few on the Internet boards actually think for themselves.

 

Yet another off topic personal insult posted by a Calvinist. Everyone knows Calvinists cannot defend their false doctrines, that is why they seek to change the subject to some imagined flaw in the character of those exposing their false doctrine.

Dispensationalism is a theological term used to describe a method of interpreting the Bible. Progressive Dispensation is one version of many that differs from Traditional Dispensationalism. Dispensationalists believe Christ will govern upon David’s throne here on earth for one thousand years, or in other words they take those passages literally. Therefore Dispensationalists like to excoriate the “Reformed, Replacement Theology, Amillennialists” as not interpreting the Bible literally and therefore we stand on higher ground. And so it goes in theological debate.

Sadly the first thing to grasp is that the main difference between Covenant Theology (errant Amillennialists) and we, the virtuous Dispensationalists, has little to do with the idea that God governs man in differing ways. Both schools of thought agree God deals with man in different ways. No the chief difference is in our views of an End Times dispensation. Basically both schools agree on: 1) Dispensation of Innocence or how God dealt with man before the fall; 2) Dispensation of Conscious or how God deals with man without the Law; 3) Dispensation of the Law or how God deals with man with the Law; 4) Dispensation of Grace or how God deals with man in Christ Jesus before the Second Coming; 5) the Millennial Kingdom or how God deals with all Israel on earth after the Second Coming; and 6) the Eternal Kingdom or how God deals with his children in eternity. Now the chief difference is that the Amillennialists believe the fifth age is going on right now in heaven so the Second Coming will inaugurate the sixth dispensation. Hence, Amillennialists are against the idea of a thousand year reign of Christ on earth. Rather, they hold to the idea that the Church replaced Israel (Replacement Theology) and the promises to Israel have been transferred to the Church and are being fulfilled in heaven during the dispensation of grace.

Let me say here that the above represents my understanding of the issue and I am quite sure I have missed the mark in the details, but I believe the above properly represents the general idea. But now to the heart of the post, what is the difference between a traditional dispensationalist and a progressive dispensationalist?

“Traditional dispensationalists typically see the 'church age' as an interruption or parenthetical period in God's dealing with Israel. The church is seen as unrelated to Israel and the new covenant promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34.” (Tim Warner)

Progressive dispensationalists see the Church Age as a progression where God deals with the faithful in a new covenant enabled by the blood of Christ, and this Dispensation of Grace is available to those with the Law (Jews) and those without the Law (Gentiles who have heard the gospel in light of the Old Testament). Some but not all Old Testament promises apply to the church now, and are not being held in abeyance pending the Second Coming. Thus I can read Galatians 3 and it matches my theology perfectly. Same for Romans 9-11.

Another area where I fundamentally disagree with many is that I believe God is using multiple dispensations at the same time. Therefore today, three dispensations are in effect, God is dealing with those without the Law, who have not heard the gospel presented in light of an understanding of the Old Testament (Dispensation of Conscience); God is dealing with those who have the Law which includes Jews and non Jews who have heard the gospel in light of the Old Testament but have not accepted the gospel and have not been born again (Dispensation of the Law); and three, God is dealing with born again believers, the Dispensation of Grace.

 

Dispensationalism is a series of operative principles of God and man and cannot be denied except by the very undiscerning. There seems to be 7 dispensations in the family. They are as follows.

1) innocence
2) consciousness
3) government
4) family
5) law
6) grace
7) righteousness

If the reader is saved then he has experienced each of these dispensations in his family, from his birth to his salvation in Jesus Christ, where he has righteousness of Christ imputed to him when he realizes that the law of God condemns him and the grace of God has made a way where he can be forgiven and cleared of any sin against God and have the perfect righteousness of Christ when he trusts what he did on the cross, dying for us and then being raised from the dead by God almighty.

I don't know why men beat against this truth when it is so obvious.

Adam was the son of God and all we are in the family of Adam. God can look at a single family as a single man. He has done it with Israel and later with the church. It is just the way God is. I have learned this by reading about how he thinks and acts. He is always consistent. He does the same things over and over. We should not be confused. The word God has for his work on behalf of Adam is not "demption," It is "redemption."

Ex 4: 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

Ephesians 2:15
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

1 Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.

The pre-trib rapture of the church is possibly the easiest doctrine to see in the scriptures within the context of dispensationalism. Those who believes and teaches that the church of Jesus Christ, his body and bride, will be punished with the wicked in the tribulation, after he in his body on the cross has already propitiated God for the sins of his church, are saying publicly that his sacrifice was not sufficient to deliver us from God's wrath against sinners.

 

God has 2 Covenants primarily, one of the OT and with national Israel, and the One now in the NT with spiritual israel!

 

You are free to believe whatever you were told, my view is based on what scripture says...

Dispensationalism is a theological term used to describe a method of interpreting the Bible. Progressive Dispensation is one version of many that differs from Traditional Dispensationalism. Dispensationalists believe Christ will govern upon David’s throne here on earth for one thousand years, or in other words they take those passages literally. Therefore Dispensationalists like to excoriate the “Reformed, Replacement Theology, Amillennialists” as not interpreting the Bible literally and therefore we stand on higher ground. And so it goes in theological debate.

Sadly the first thing to grasp is that the main difference between Covenant Theology (errant Amillennialists) and we, the virtuous Dispensationalists, has little to do with the idea that God governs man in differing ways. Both schools of thought agree God deals with man in different ways. No the chief difference is in our views of an End Times dispensation. Basically both schools agree on: 1) Dispensation of Innocence or how God dealt with man before the fall; 2) Dispensation of Conscious or how God deals with man without the Law; 3) Dispensation of the Law or how God deals with man with the Law; 4) Dispensation of Grace or how God deals with man in Christ Jesus before the Second Coming; 5) the Millennial Kingdom or how God deals with all Israel on earth after the Second Coming; and 6) the Eternal Kingdom or how God deals with his children in eternity. Now the chief difference is that the Amillennialists believe the fifth age is going on right now in heaven so the Second Coming will inaugurate the sixth dispensation. Hence, Amillennialists are against the idea of a thousand year reign of Christ on earth. Rather, they hold to the idea that the Church replaced Israel (Replacement Theology) and the promises to Israel have been transferred to the Church and are being fulfilled in heaven during the dispensation of grace.

Let me say here that the above represents my understanding of the issue and I am quite sure I have missed the mark in the details, but I believe the above properly represents the general idea. But now to the heart of the post, what is the difference between a traditional dispensationalist and a progressive dispensationalist?

“Traditional dispensationalists typically see the 'church age' as an interruption or parenthetical period in God's dealing with Israel. The church is seen as unrelated to Israel and the new covenant promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34.” (Tim Warner)

Progressive dispensationalists see the Church Age as a progression where God deals with the faithful in a new covenant enabled by the blood of Christ, and this Dispensation of Grace is available to those with the Law (Jews) and those without the Law (Gentiles who have heard the gospel in light of the Old Testament). Some but not all Old Testament promises apply to the church now, and are not being held in abeyance pending the Second Coming. Thus I can read Galatians 3 and it matches my theology perfectly. Same for Romans 9-11.

Another area where I fundamentally disagree with many is that I believe God is using multiple dispensations at the same time. Therefore today, three dispensations are in effect, God is dealing with those without the Law, who have not heard the gospel presented in light of an understanding of the Old Testament (Dispensation of Conscience); God is dealing with those who have the Law which includes Jews and non Jews who have heard the gospel in light of the Old Testament but have not accepted the gospel and have not been born again (Dispensation of the Law); and three, God is dealing with born again believers, the Dispensation of Grace.

 

In a basic sense of the term, a covenant is a promise. It is however more than just that, in the case of Biblical covenants, there are details.

So it is true that we are saved by grace through faith in the risen Christ and that is taught in the Bible. Trust Christ, become a child of God John 1:12

This however is not to be confused with a few of the actual covenants for example the Abrahamic, Davidic and New Covenants. Those covenants are promises with specific details. The fact that Jesus mentions the new covenant in the upper room and Paul mentions it in his epistles does not replace the Son's of Abraham as the party in the actual New Covenant. Even it it did, which it does not, but if it did, members of the Church in no way do they meet the behavioral requirements of the NC nor does the Church fulfill most of the provisions/promises of the covenant.

If the NT church replaces OT israel by becoming spiritual israel, how could the present body of believers escape the same judgement/divorce for disobedience that israel experienced? Is the church obedient to the requirements of God? Is the church today more deserving based on the churches adherence to the things of God? Given the present state of evangelicalism today, those who are covenant theology fans should in my opinion be glad that they are not israel, spiritual or otherwise because it would be an easy thing to argue that the evangelical church is not any more faithful today than the Jews of the first century.

Covenant theology tries to take the biblical covenants and combine them into 2 or 3 all encompassing covenants by ignoring the actual details of the previously mentioned biblical covenants. It tosses out the provisions it doesn't think it needs or wants, ignores the judgements, then takes ownership. It claims that the Hebrew's were stripped of the covenants and awards it to itself. It keeps the good, ignores the bad.

 

There are many holding to CT as I do, who also hold to a premil eschatology!

 

All who have ever been saved were under the NC of Grace, for even in the OT times, there were saved Jews under it, while the rest were under the Old Covenant!

 

All who are saved, from Adam to the last man are saved by trusting in the shed blood of the risen Christ. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" John 14:6

Adam predates the "Old Covenant". Abraham was not saved by the Covenant, he was saved by faith. Habakkuk, who lived before the captivity, stated it this way "....But the just shall live by his faith" Habakkuk 2:4b

 

Not at issue, there are many born anew Calvinists, but that does not mean their false doctrines do not hinder Christ's ministry.
Scripture says Jesus will sit on David's throne and reign for 1000 years. You claim scripture does not mean what it says. Nonsense.