Dispensationalism: Another gospel?

The world and all its attractions are doomed. Everything, everyone outside of Jesus Christ is doomed . The unbelieving world is not aware of this veritable fact. The Word of God declares it to be so. When one surveys the spiritual condition of the so-called professing Church, we cannot but wonder to what depths she will sink, before the Antichrist is revealed. The incipient apostasy is widespread and the cankered branches are about to be broken off. Deception is rife, so rife that it almost beggars belief. Professing Christians are those who are supposed to be 'people of the Book', yet they venture into strange and fanciful doctrines. In this fast moving age we find ourselves in; many forget the Rock! The Rock of ages; 1 Corinthians 10.4. That Rock is Christ! Immovable, immutable, and eternal, He never changes; we do. He is the same 'yesterday, today, and forever', Hebrews 13.8. An oft quoted Scripture, yet many never quote the next verse; 'Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.'

What happened on Pentecost in Acts 2 is God's truth, penned by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Yet is it not true, that today, the worst excesses of scriptural error are to be found in the Church that bears that very name? Many falsely believe the Church was born on Pentecost, this adds fuel to the Dispensational error. Many professing Christians instead of clinging to the Saviour, and His mediator ship have made a cult out of the Holy Spirit. They even call or Command Him to come down at their beckoning. 

Apostasy can be likened to a runaway train; out of control; if this were not so, I would not think my Bible were true: The New Testament is replete with warnings about the 'latter days'. 'Perilous times shall come' says the Apostle in 2 Timothy 3.1, not; ' might come'. The Bible warns us that 'narrow is the way to life, and few find it'; Matthew 7.14. In this very same chapter,in verses 21- 23, the Lord tells us that many who prophesied, cast out devils, and did many wonderful works in His name, will not enter the kingdom of heaven. The Lord called these professors, 'workers of iniquity'. They never did the will of His Father in heaven. This is very solemn reading indeed. I can only believe that this is the direct result of the error of Dispensational theology, which separates law from grace. This is the springboard that has inspired many into greater error. Of course not every Church, or individual believer that holds to Dispensationalism has sunk to such depths, and many, no doubt would strongly oppose the worst excesses of such behaviour. But what they fail to realise, is that the theological root is the same. Dispensationalism has therefore given rise to many false doctrines, including, sadly, salvation. This false theology needs to severed at it's very root. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit; Matthew 7.18. 

2 Thessalonians 2.3 tells us that a 'falling away' ( Gk. apostasia) will come before the Antichrist is revealed onto the world stage. We are currently alerted and exposed to error on every front, and I believe  that this will increase exponentially. It is the writer's deeply held conviction that the pre trib rapture doctrine will lead many astray, and cause much confusion as the window of opportunity for this manifestation, ever closes.

The Bible clearly reveals that the Lord will come after the 'tribulation of those days', Matthew 24.29.
However, to those whom the Lord has revealed it to, this 'Coming' is not preceded by a separate coming for the Church. This 'any moment coming' is a result of the Dispensational error propagated by John Nelson Darby around 1830. Most Christians who make any effort to study the 'Last Things' are not aware that Dispensational theology brings with it much other error apart from a separate pre tribulational coming. When I first became convicted that the pre trib rapture was not Scriptural, then plainly it must be a lie? There is no other way of describing it. I came to this position about 18 months ago on the basis of much Bible study, and of course, prayer. At this point I thought that the pre trib rapture doctrine was just a 'stand alone' teaching. Sadly it is altogether another gospel. This new gospel teaches that the Old Testament saints have no part with the believing Church; it condemns them to a salvation by the 'blood of bulls and goats'. That they were saved by their obedience to the law! It teaches that these OT saints have a separate destiny. That they are under law and we, the New Testament saints are under grace! (I cringe at making such a lofty comparison!).
The Bible teaches no such thing. Salvation has always been by grace. There is no other salvation apart from Christ. The New Testament is explicit about this salvation. Read the words of the apostle to the gentile Church in Ephesians 2.11-12, 'Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.' What is the Scripture saying? We are told that unless we are incorporated through faith into the Commonwealth of Israel, we are lost. We have no part with Christ. What does the Lord Jesus say? Speaking to some who belonged to the Jewish flock, He said 'Other sheep I have which are not of this (Jewish) fold (but are Gentiles): them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice: and there shall be one flock , and one Shepherd.' John 10.16. I will quote Mr B.W. Newton; 'Shall we then contradict this, and say that there are two flocks, two Shepherds, two Commonwealths, and two Olive-trees? Is there a greater sin than altering God's Holy Word?

Indeed, to those with eyes to see, Gentile Christianity has been wise in its own conceits.
Every single man, woman and child who shall ever be saved from righteous Abel to the last Millennial saint, can, and only will be saved by the 'Lamb slain from the foundation of the world', Revelation 13.8. The Old Testament believers looked to the Atonement, we look back to it. The prophets of old 'inquired and searched diligently' for the coming Saviour; 1 Peter 1.10-12, Matthew 13.17. The Saviour, the Coming One is the promised Redeemer recorded so long ago on the pages of Holy Writ in Genesis 3.15.
The coming of Christ to suffer (Luke 24.25-26) for our redemption was the focus of Old Testament prophecy as depicted most graphically in Isaiah 53.

  

A Brief History of Dispensationalism.

Dispensationalism is without doubt the most widely held system of theology among Bible believers today.

In the vast majority of cases, most believers would be unaware that their beliefs have been shaped by this relatively new theological system. Dispensationalism's conservative history leads many to believe that it is a Biblical doctrine, and thus it's adherents view any other system with skepticism. The labels men give systems of theology are one thing, the only thing we should be concerned with, is whether or not it is founded upon, and agreeable to the Word of God.

Most Dispensational leaders would reject such an early history of Dispensationalism with so recent a figure as J.N.Darby. They have fought hard to convince Christians that its doctrine can be traced right back to the early Church. Without doubt there have been various dispensations in history relative to God's dealings with the human race, such as the 'Mosaic' and 'Church' dispensations. I deliberately use a small 'd' in these two examples as opposed to a capital 'D' as I am not enunciating a theological system.

There have been many throughout history that have marked off various dispensations of periods of time. But something altogether new happened when Darby arrived on the pages of Church history around 1830. Darby taught that the Church and Israel had two entirely different destinies. It was this new doctrine which departed from the historic faith of the Church, which had faithfully held to a common salvation, as taught in the Bible. Thus it was at this juncture in time that the new teaching began to take hold and gain rapid popularity.

Shortly after Darby left the Church of England, he began meeting with the Plymouth Brethren. The Brethren were a group of believers who removed themselves from the established Church and met together without an ordained ministry. They were to all intents and purposes a community of equals. There was no leadership.

However in this vacuum of scriptural leadership, the Brethren movement began to be influenced by those members with the strongest personalities. There followed much strife and fragmentation and Darby soon established himself into a position of strong leadership. He even insisted that the Brethren separate from any who opposed his views. Though starting with a noble and ideological foundation of equality and unity, it was not long before the movement morphed into an organisation which demanded allegiance from it's leader. Darby soon, therefore, became the spokesman for this influential movement.

Darby travelled widely abroad, and made lengthy visits to America, where his views had great influence. Leaders from various denominations began to embrace Darby's teachings.
In America, as Darby's views continued to spread in the years after his death (1882). The Bible Conference movement began to take shape. This movement became known as Fundamentalism; it was born through the efforts of the believing Church to answer the attacks of Liberalism within the Church around the end of the nineteenth century. This was a period of significant trial for the Church, many and various Bible conferences were established to bring preachers and laity together in order to study the Scriptures. Prophecy was the main theme of these conferences, dominated by the Dispensational, pre tribulational prophetic scheme. Dispensationalism gained a large grass roots hearing, and the movement of Fundamentalism found its sounding board. Fundamentalism became, then, largely a Dispensational movement, and Dispensationalism must be credited with being a conservative system. But it does not follow that a modern believer must be Dispensationalist to be a conservative, or a separatist.
In the process of time some of the leaders of the prophetic conference movement began to question the pre tribulation rapture doctrine. Though a large number of men in the movement continued to work together under the banner of premillennialism, two more or less distinct groups formed, with C.I. Scofield and A.C. Gaebelin as the champions of Dispensationalism.
As the prophetic conference movement continued to grow many leaders refused to have those who were not pre millennial and pre tribulational appear on the platform.
The Dispensationalists had won the day so completely that for the next hundred years friend and foe alike largely identified Dispensationalism with pre millennialism.
We should remember that all Dispensationalists are Pre millennialists, but not all pre millennialists are Dispensationalists.

With the rise of the prophetic conference movement popularising Dispensationalism, another chapter in the movement was opening. C.I. Scofield produced the very successful Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. This proved to be a very popular tool, guiding the common man in his study of the Scriptures.
Scofield implied to his readers however that his Reference Bible reflected the major doctrines of the Bible, which a wide range of believers held in common. But this was not the case. In his introduction Scofield relates to his readers how in recent years vast progress had been made in Biblical interpretation. He then cites several eminent Bible scholars, such as Sayce and Margoliouth of Oxford, whom he consulted in preparing his volume. Scofield, however gives his readers little warning that the notes under the scriptures to follow represent the views of one little sect, derived from one man who originated them scarcely eighty years before Scofield published his Bible.
One could hardly exaggerate the influence that the Scofield Reference Bible enjoyed in the continued growth of Dispensationalism. This Bible became by far the most prominent copy of the Scriptures that American Evangelicals carried to both the pulpit and the pew. This tool put the distinctives of the new theology of Dispensationalism into the very hands of a new generation of Bible believers.

The rapid rise of new and independent churches indeed solidified Dispensationalisms dominance in American Evangelicalism. The major denominations at this time were infected by liberalism, and believers began to separate from these now apostate bodies.As a result many of these separatist churches left off their former denominational identity, and came to be known simply as Bible churches. The lack of denominational affiliation created the need for new doctrinal statements to govern these infant churches. Dispensational distinctives figured prominently in the creeds of this new generation of churches. Also evident was a dangerous brevity. This brevity, particularly on the subject of soteriology, paved the way for the controversies over the doctrine of salvation that to this day rage in Dispensational circles.


For the sake of infringement of copyright purposes, I must give credit to Reginald C Kimbro for the inspiration of this article. I have heavily condensed and edited his work, and pray that visitors to my blog would be alerted to the false system of theology known as Dispensationalism. And I heartily recommend visitors to obtain this book, available from the Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony.

Kimbro, does indeed in his book, give credit to others who were wise to the errors of Dispensational theology, and would no doubt desire that many would reject it altogether.

B.W. Newton however, from my limited knowledge of this vast subject was the first to teach against this false gospel, in fact, in his appendix, he compares its doctrine to that of Marcion's heretical teachings!
I will, God willing, write about that another time.

Recommended reading:

The Gospel According To Dispensationalism     Reginald C Kimbro

The Old Testament Saints Not To Be excluded From The Church In Glory B.W. Newton

Like most things in life. If we build on an incorrect foundation then everything that is built thereupon will not stand. The Saviour addressed this in Matthew 7.26 as regards the 'foolish man, which built his house upon the sand'.
I think most would agree with me, that if we build on faulty theology then everything that flows from that teaching cannot be true?
The Christian Church is one of the most divided institutions standing today. This ought not be so. Why is this? To those outside of professing Christianity, we must certainly look farcical and hypocritical. Truth is singular, error is plural. There is a faith 'Once delivered to the saints'. What is this faith? Where is this faith?
The writer has been in diverse types of Christian fellowships in the last 12 years or so since coming to faith. They all profess to worship Jesus, but are they worshipping the true Jesus? The Saviour said in no uncertain terms that it is possible to have a false profession, Matthew 7.21; 'Not everyone that says unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven'.
There is a battle raging at this present time. The Arch deceiver himself, Satan wants to drag as many souls as he can down to hell with him. The parable of 'The Wheat and the Tares' in Matthew 13 teach that there are false Christians growing together with the true.
The Old Paths, have been steadily eroded over the years to the point that it is almost not possible to walk them anymore. The way of truth is ill thought of. The Doctrines of Grace, have been superseded by a movement which has gathered apace, this last 170 years or so, bringing with it lawlessness, false assurance of salvation and an 'any moment' coming of Jesus Christ.
What is this movement? It is called Dispensationalism.

Dispensationalism is a false teaching which rips the heart out of the gospel; and to add to lawlessness, and a false assurance of salvation, it teaches two ways of salvation, divides Israel and the Church into two separate entities, and that law is opposed to grace, when in fact the Scriptures reveal they complement each other.
Of course the rank and file of professing Christianity are ignorant to much of what I have just said. Most are not prepared to dig and search for the truth. They just accept the status quo and will believe what they have been taught. Indeed the blind will lead the blind into a ditch, Matthew 15.14.
The days in which we live are replete with ungodliness, apostasy and confusion. There is so much teaching, writings and preaching today which is false and leading many astray. From my own observations locally and what I can see further afield; those that preach the true gospel have a very small congregation, and those that teach error have large numbers in attendance. The bible tells us that people love to hear false teachers;'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.' 2 Timothy 4.3-4. This echoes what is said in Jeremiah 5.31; 'My people love to have it so'.
If the Lord permits I shall, in the near future, be adding articles and commentaries to expound what I have just written.