Dispensationalism...
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True Israel is grafted into the body of Christ. And within the body of Christ there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Paul is an example.
Dispensationalists repeatedly reference "replacement theology" as an intentional misnomer for "fulfilment theology". Christ fulfils the Law.
Dispensationalists reject Gal 3 and Rom 9. Dispensationalists won't answer the question of whether they consider Paul part of Israel or part of the Church because the obvious conclusion that he is part of both destroys their worldview. Dispensationalism is a heresy.
Dispensationalists repeatedly reference "replacement theology" as an intentional misnomer for "fulfilment theology". Christ fulfils the Law.
Dispensationalists reject Gal 3 and Rom 9. Dispensationalists won't answer the question of whether they consider Paul part of Israel or part of the Church because the obvious conclusion that he is part of both destroys their worldview. Dispensationalism is a heresy.
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I agree if whatever you’re calling “true Israel” has placed their trust in the cross of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
But the Lord is not through with his physical people the nation of Israel. He has made a covenant with them which includes an earthly kingdom and righteousness. When the fullness of the agentikes be come in the Lord will finish his covenant to the nation of Israel.
But the Lord is not through with his physical people the nation of Israel. He has made a covenant with them which includes an earthly kingdom and righteousness. When the fullness of the agentikes be come in the Lord will finish his covenant to the nation of Israel.
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God does not change nor His grace but the way in which He dispenses His grace changes. We no longer are blest or cursed according to whether or not we obey the commandments and observe the ordinances.
God does not treat with the church as He treats of Israel, God treats of Israel as a nation. ALL Israel are chosen, if they do obey the law they are blest, if they do not obey the law they are cursed ... but they still are chosen and beloved. The remnant are set to save the whole, they are kept so that in their time they will turn the whole nation back to Yahweh. This is shown at Mt Carmel.
The time of Israel's vindication draws near.
When people oppose dispensations they are usually opposing the so called secret rapture but they are two distinct factions.
God does not treat with the church as He treats of Israel, God treats of Israel as a nation. ALL Israel are chosen, if they do obey the law they are blest, if they do not obey the law they are cursed ... but they still are chosen and beloved. The remnant are set to save the whole, they are kept so that in their time they will turn the whole nation back to Yahweh. This is shown at Mt Carmel.
The time of Israel's vindication draws near.
When people oppose dispensations they are usually opposing the so called secret rapture but they are two distinct factions.
I agree with virtually everything said here by GotQuestions:
What is dispensationalism and is it biblical?
A dispensation is a way of ordering things—an administration, a system, or a management. In theology, a dispensation is the divine administration of a period of time; each dispensation is a divinely appointed age. Dispensationalism is a theological system that recognizes these ages ordained by God to order the affairs of the world. Dispensationalism has two primary distinctives: 1) a consistently literal interpretation of Scripture, especially Bible prophecy, and 2) a view of the uniqueness of Israel as separate from the Church in God’s program. Classical dispensationalism identifies seven dispensations in God’s plan for humanity.
Dispensationalists hold to a literal interpretation of the Bible as the best hermeneutic. The literal interpretation gives each word the meaning it would commonly have in everyday usage. Allowances are made for symbols, figures of speech, and types, of course. It is understood that even symbols and figurative sayings have literal meanings behind them. So, for example, when the Bible speaks of “a thousand years” in Revelation 20, dispensationalists interpret it as a literal period of 1,000 years (the dispensation of the Kingdom), since there is no compelling reason to interpret it otherwise.
There are at least two reasons why literalism is the best way to view Scripture. First, philosophically, the purpose of language itself requires that we interpret words literally. Language was given by God for the purpose of being able to communicate. Words are vessels of meaning. The second reason is biblical. Every prophecy about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament was fulfilled literally. Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection all occurred exactly as the Old Testament predicted. The prophecies were literal. There is no non-literal fulfillment of messianic prophecies in the New Testament. This argues strongly for the literal method. If a literal interpretation is not used in studying the Scriptures, there is no objective standard by which to understand the Bible. Each person would be able to interpret the Bible as he saw fit. Biblical interpretation would devolve into “what this passage says to me” instead of “the Bible says.” Sadly, this is already the case in much of what is called Bible study today.
Dispensational theology teaches that there are two distinct peoples of God: Israel and the Church. Dispensationalists believe that salvation has always been by grace through faith alone—in God in the Old Testament and specifically in God the Son in the New Testament. Dispensationalists hold that the Church has not replaced Israel in God’s program and that the Old Testament promises to Israel have not been transferred to the Church. Dispensationalism teaches that the promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament (for land, many descendants, and blessings) will be ultimately fulfilled in the 1000-year period spoken of in Revelation 20. Dispensationalists believe that, just as God is in this age focusing His attention on the Church, He will again in the future focus His attention on Israel (see Romans 9–11 and Daniel 9:24).
Dispensationalists understand the Bible to be organized into seven dispensations: Innocence (Genesis 1:1—3:7), Conscience (Genesis 3:8—8:22), Human Government (Genesis 9:1—11:32), Promise (Genesis 12:1—Exodus 19:25), Law (Exodus 20:1—Acts 2:4), Grace (Acts 2:4—Revelation 20:3), and the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:4–6). Again, these dispensations are not paths to salvation, but manners in which God relates to man. Each dispensation includes a recognizable pattern of how God worked with people living in the dispensation. That pattern is 1) a responsibility, 2) a failure, 3) a judgment, and 4) grace to move on.
Dispensationalism, as a system, results in a premillennial interpretation of Christ’s second coming and usually a pretribulational interpretation of the rapture. To summarize, dispensationalism is a theological system that emphasizes the literal interpretation of Bible prophecy, recognizes a distinction between Israel and the Church, and organizes the Bible into different dispensations or administrations.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Dispensationalism
What is dispensationalism and is it biblical?
A dispensation is a way of ordering things—an administration, a system, or a management. In theology, a dispensation is the divine administration of a period of time; each dispensation is a divinely appointed age. Dispensationalism is a theological system that recognizes these ages ordained by God to order the affairs of the world. Dispensationalism has two primary distinctives: 1) a consistently literal interpretation of Scripture, especially Bible prophecy, and 2) a view of the uniqueness of Israel as separate from the Church in God’s program. Classical dispensationalism identifies seven dispensations in God’s plan for humanity.
Dispensationalists hold to a literal interpretation of the Bible as the best hermeneutic. The literal interpretation gives each word the meaning it would commonly have in everyday usage. Allowances are made for symbols, figures of speech, and types, of course. It is understood that even symbols and figurative sayings have literal meanings behind them. So, for example, when the Bible speaks of “a thousand years” in Revelation 20, dispensationalists interpret it as a literal period of 1,000 years (the dispensation of the Kingdom), since there is no compelling reason to interpret it otherwise.
There are at least two reasons why literalism is the best way to view Scripture. First, philosophically, the purpose of language itself requires that we interpret words literally. Language was given by God for the purpose of being able to communicate. Words are vessels of meaning. The second reason is biblical. Every prophecy about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament was fulfilled literally. Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection all occurred exactly as the Old Testament predicted. The prophecies were literal. There is no non-literal fulfillment of messianic prophecies in the New Testament. This argues strongly for the literal method. If a literal interpretation is not used in studying the Scriptures, there is no objective standard by which to understand the Bible. Each person would be able to interpret the Bible as he saw fit. Biblical interpretation would devolve into “what this passage says to me” instead of “the Bible says.” Sadly, this is already the case in much of what is called Bible study today.
Dispensational theology teaches that there are two distinct peoples of God: Israel and the Church. Dispensationalists believe that salvation has always been by grace through faith alone—in God in the Old Testament and specifically in God the Son in the New Testament. Dispensationalists hold that the Church has not replaced Israel in God’s program and that the Old Testament promises to Israel have not been transferred to the Church. Dispensationalism teaches that the promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament (for land, many descendants, and blessings) will be ultimately fulfilled in the 1000-year period spoken of in Revelation 20. Dispensationalists believe that, just as God is in this age focusing His attention on the Church, He will again in the future focus His attention on Israel (see Romans 9–11 and Daniel 9:24).
Dispensationalists understand the Bible to be organized into seven dispensations: Innocence (Genesis 1:1—3:7), Conscience (Genesis 3:8—8:22), Human Government (Genesis 9:1—11:32), Promise (Genesis 12:1—Exodus 19:25), Law (Exodus 20:1—Acts 2:4), Grace (Acts 2:4—Revelation 20:3), and the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:4–6). Again, these dispensations are not paths to salvation, but manners in which God relates to man. Each dispensation includes a recognizable pattern of how God worked with people living in the dispensation. That pattern is 1) a responsibility, 2) a failure, 3) a judgment, and 4) grace to move on.
Dispensationalism, as a system, results in a premillennial interpretation of Christ’s second coming and usually a pretribulational interpretation of the rapture. To summarize, dispensationalism is a theological system that emphasizes the literal interpretation of Bible prophecy, recognizes a distinction between Israel and the Church, and organizes the Bible into different dispensations or administrations.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Dispensationalism
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Dear Brother,
Dispensationalism has some truth and some error and therefore cannot be relied upon for proper hermanuetics/understanding of Truth.
Case in point:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
See! Your house is left to you desolate;
for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Matthew 23:37
For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written:
“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”
28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
The earthbound nation of Israel is lost and in bondage with her children = Galatians ch4
The ISRAEL of GOD is Born of the SPIRIT of GOD = Romans ch9
But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
Dispensationalism has some truth and some error and therefore cannot be relied upon for proper hermanuetics/understanding of Truth.
Case in point:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
See! Your house is left to you desolate;
for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Matthew 23:37
For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written:
“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”
28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
The earthbound nation of Israel is lost and in bondage with her children = Galatians ch4
The ISRAEL of GOD is Born of the SPIRIT of GOD = Romans ch9
But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
Believing the literal Words of God (Scripture) has always been the Standard since the Day the LORD spoke.
Believing he words of satan is what brought the Creation under bondage to sin.
Case in point: God never said "pre-trib rapture" - not once can it be found coming from His Mouth in His Word.
Therefore, 'Dispensationalism' follows the pattern of adding to and taking away from the words of God to form it's own error.
Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
Proverbs 30:5-6
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:18-19
I'm sorry, I do not follow what you are trying to say about Acts 21:26. The men where I quoted from their commentaries, I found to be understandable, but I do not know the point you are making. The BBC series I was watching was about the history of Rome and was not about the early church, until it came to the episode about Constantine. So, whatever the point is that you are making, would not be dealt with in that series.
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When I was studying my way out of the dispensationalist confusion, I noticed that the dispensationalists are selective literalists, when it fits their preconceived, man-made theology. For example, read the timing of the book of Revelation. The timing given in Rv 1. 1, 3 is as clear as can be. In verse 1 and 3 it refers to the signified or symbolized prophecy which starts at chapter 4.
v1
"things which must shortly come to pass" KJV, RV
"what must soon take place" RSV, NRSV, REB
"events which must shortly come to pass" Weymouth
v3
"for the time is at hand" KJV, RV
"for the time is near" RSV, NRSV
"for the time of fulfilment is near" REB
"for its fulfilment is now close at hand" Weymouth
That is at the beginning of Revelation and then that timing is repeated in the last chapter of Revelation, 22:6, 10. Changing "shortly" or "soon" in v1 into "quickly" or "with speed" does not solve the dispensationalists problem because of v3. Starting in chapter 11, reference is made to the temple without any hint it no longer exists which is hard to understand if the temple had been destroyed 25 years previously. I believe not only was Revelation written prior to 70 AD, but I believe the entire NT was written before 70 AD. I DO LOOK FORWARD TO 'THE LAST DAY' WITH THE RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT! The last day is yet future.
It is inconsistent literalism to take the 1000 years in Revelation 20 and then try to explain away the clear timing by saying 'a thousand years are as a day to God'. These type contradictions while trying to claim a consistent literalism exposed the many errors of dispensationalism to me. It is Just like trying to insert a gap between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel 9 without any context to justify that; just so it fits into the man-made theology. I was taught that we wait on the millennium for Jesus Christ to be king on the throne of David. Yet, Peter makes it quite clear that David, speaking as a prophet, spoke of the ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father: Acts 2:29-36, where he now reigns.
v1
"things which must shortly come to pass" KJV, RV
"what must soon take place" RSV, NRSV, REB
"events which must shortly come to pass" Weymouth
v3
"for the time is at hand" KJV, RV
"for the time is near" RSV, NRSV
"for the time of fulfilment is near" REB
"for its fulfilment is now close at hand" Weymouth
That is at the beginning of Revelation and then that timing is repeated in the last chapter of Revelation, 22:6, 10. Changing "shortly" or "soon" in v1 into "quickly" or "with speed" does not solve the dispensationalists problem because of v3. Starting in chapter 11, reference is made to the temple without any hint it no longer exists which is hard to understand if the temple had been destroyed 25 years previously. I believe not only was Revelation written prior to 70 AD, but I believe the entire NT was written before 70 AD. I DO LOOK FORWARD TO 'THE LAST DAY' WITH THE RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT! The last day is yet future.
It is inconsistent literalism to take the 1000 years in Revelation 20 and then try to explain away the clear timing by saying 'a thousand years are as a day to God'. These type contradictions while trying to claim a consistent literalism exposed the many errors of dispensationalism to me. It is Just like trying to insert a gap between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel 9 without any context to justify that; just so it fits into the man-made theology. I was taught that we wait on the millennium for Jesus Christ to be king on the throne of David. Yet, Peter makes it quite clear that David, speaking as a prophet, spoke of the ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father: Acts 2:29-36, where he now reigns.
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The fact that to this day we still see people from all walks of life coming to the truth of Christ speaks to the fact that parts of true Israel are still coming in, just as parts of every nation are still coming in. His "physical people" include those that do not have Jewish ancestry (cf. Rom 9:25-26).
Not all physical Israel will be saved (cf. Rom 9:27). The true Israel that comes to Christ is not all at once at the end of time, it happens throughout time inclusive of Paul and other converts.
The land promises are to Christ the Seed (cf. Gal 3:16).
The covenant is fulfilled in Christ. None come to the Father except through the Jesus.
Not all physical Israel will be saved (cf. Rom 9:27). The true Israel that comes to Christ is not all at once at the end of time, it happens throughout time inclusive of Paul and other converts.
The land promises are to Christ the Seed (cf. Gal 3:16).
The covenant is fulfilled in Christ. None come to the Father except through the Jesus.
If you review my post(the one you quoted) I think you may have misunderstood because I didn't say anything about Acts 21:26(I think you misunderstood that).
In regard to my meaning of Acts 15-16(chapters in Acts) it's best to begin in Luke chapter 1(Luke and Acts both are written by Luke) anyway in Luke 1:2 Luke explains that he was writing the things they believed that were "delivered them to us" by those who were eyewitnesses(notice Luke isn't saying he was an eyewitness but instead is saying that they were delivered to us(them) by those who were eyewitnesses ... Luke then writes the entire book of Luke using terms like "them,they,he ect" and then begins the book of Acts(second letter he wrote) and continues writing using the 2nd,3rd personal pronouns them,they ect. because he himself(Luke) was not eyewitness to those events. Then in Acts 16 Luke shifts from using 2nd,3rd person pronouns to first person pronouns we,us ect. this is because that is the point in time where Luke is no longer reciting what was taught/told to him over to the things he himself witnessed and was part of. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Luke-Chapter-1/ and https://biblehub.com/interlinear/acts/16.htm
About the other issue of the Theologians you quoted I would suggest to begin in Acts 15:1 and notice that the issue the Apostles were looking into is not about all the things these type debates bring up but instead that as stated in Acts 15:1 that some had come down from Judea and were saying that unless they were circumcised according to the custom of Moses they could not be saved. So the entire issue they were discussing is not whether all Jews should stop following the customs,law,Moses ect. but if the others who were believing were to be circumcised and follow the Law that the Jews were. Anyway in Acts 21:20 they(James,the others in Jerusalem who believed) points out that they believed and were Zealous of the Law and is why James is asking Paul about what he was saying/teaching and brings up the events of Acts 15 and the decision to send the letter and witnesses with Barnabas and Paul back to the Gentiles about if they were to do this also. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/acts/21.htm and https://biblehub.com/interlinear/acts/15.htm
What Israel? Israel ceased to be a covenant nation when the Lord judged them for having killed His Son, for having broken His law beyond recognition and for having persecuted believers to death. A.D. 70 was God's judgment that terminated His covenant relationship with Israel forever.
Dispensations are unbiblical and heretical in nature because it separates what God has united in Christ. Judgment against them is clear in the following passages Mat. 23:34-39, Lk 19:41-44, Mark, 13:29-31, 1Thes. 2:14-16.
Finally, there are ZERO promises to Israel in the NT.
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