CHURCH HISTORY II Lesson 36 History of Dispensationalism

CHURCH HISTORY II Lesson 36 History of Dispensationalism

Church History Ancient Church History Ca. 30 AD Medieval Church History 590 AD Apostolic Church The First Medieval Pope Apostolic Fathers The Rise of the Holy Rom Emp Church Councils The Crusades Golden Age of The Papacy in Decline Church Fathers The Pre-Reformers Charismatic/Pentecostal Keswick/Holiness/Higher Life Modernism/Fundamentalist Dispensationalism Modern Church History 1517 AD Reformation & Counter Reformation Rationalism, Revivalism & Denominationalism Revivalism, Missions, & Modernism ?

Dispensationalism v Qualifications v What is Dispensationalism v How did Dispensationalism Begin v What Has Been the Affect of Dispensationalism on the Church

Qualifications 1. My Source Material An Examination of Dispensationalism by William Cox Dispensationalism Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow by Curtis I Crenshaw & Grover E. Gunn III Continuity & Discountinuity: Perspectives on the Relationship Between the Old & New Testaments Edited by John S. Feinberg The Gospel According to Dispensationalism: A Doctrinal Survey of the System that Permeated Fundamentalism by Reginald C. Kimbro “Church History Lecture Notes #74” by David Merck “The Late Great Planet Church: The Rise of Dispensationalism” by American Vision

Qualifications 2. Charity Many good Christians are/were dispensationalists. J. Vernon Mc. Gee Pat Robertson Billy Graham Warren Wiersbe David Jeremiah John Mac. Arthur

Qualifications 3. Dispensationalism has Evolved – Be careful to define what you mean by the term Dispensationalism. Not all Dispensationalist are alike.

What is Dispensationalism is a system of interpretation that seeks to show God’s plan for understanding the overall flow of the Bible. “Dispensationalism is an organized system by which Christians have tried to explain in an orderly way God's entire plan for the earth from its creation to the ushering in of the eternal state as it is unfolded throughout Scripture. ” Pastor Craig Sietsema

What is Dispensationalism Range of Bible Chapters Schemes 7 or 8 Dispensation al Scheme 4 Dispensation al Scheme 3 Dispensation al Scheme (minimalist) Genesi s 1 -3 Genesis 3 -8 Genesis 9 -11 Genesis 12 to Exodus 19 Exodus 20 to Acts 1 Acts 2 to Revelati on 20 Revelation 20: 4 -6 Revelation 20 -22 Innoc Consci ence or or Edeni Antedil c uvian Civil Govern ment Patriar Mosai chal c or or Law Promi se Grace or Churc h Millennial Kingdom Eternal State or Final Mosai c Eccles ial Zionic Grace Kingdom Patriarchal Law

What is Dispensationalism What are the major tenets of Dispensationalism? Ø Dichotomy (Not Distinction) between the Old Testament Israel and the New Testament church Ø Parenthesis Theory

What is Dispensationalism What are the major tenets of Dispensationalism? Ø Dichotomy (Not Distinction) between the Old Testament Israel and the New Testament church Ø Parenthesis Theory Ø Literal Interpretation of the Bible “Historical-Grammatical Interpretation”

What is Dispensationalism Classic Dispensationalist - the most important feature of classical dispensationalism is its dualistic idea of redemption. In order to understand the Bible, one needs to recognize that God was pursuing two different purposes, one related to heaven and one related to the earth. These two purposes affected God's dealings with humanity. In fact, they resulted in an anthropological dualism: a heavenly humanity and an earthly humanity. "

Revised Dispensationalist -they abandon the eternal dualism of heavenly and earthly peoples. . Instead, they reworked the dualism in more of an organizational sense. There were simply two groups of people. Not heavenly versus earthly, but those represented by Israel and the church. . They are structured differently, with different dispensational prerogatives and responsibilities. . There will be an eternal distinction between Israel and the church, not in metaphysically distinctive kinds of salvation, but in name — the church is always church, Israel is always Israel. "

Progressive Dispensationalists - substituted a more specific distinction between Israel and the Church as two forms of redeemed humanity, destined for the same heavenly or new earthly salvation.

How Did Dispensationalism Begin? Ø J. N. Darby Ø The Brethern Movement Ø The Bible Conference Movement Ø The Bible Institute Movement Ø The Scofield Reference Bible Ø Dallas Theological Seminary

What is the Fruit of Dispensationalism Negative Fruit Neglect of God’s Word Leads to Antinomianism Positive Fruit Clarity forced on distinctions continuity & discontinuity Eschatological Speculation Lessons If you believe something that is new & not found in 2000 years of church history, you had better be careful. No scripture is of any private interpretation. The church is a living organism.