So....Im reading about dispensationalism. Its very broad and boring theology, with many variations. Its difficult to condense its teachings, but it holds the view that we should interpret scripture literally. Especially prophecy. It also holds to the view that Israel and the church are separate entities, even after the atonement of Christ. Dispensational theology teaches that there are two distinct peoples of God: Israel and the church. Dispensationalists believe that salvation has always been by faith—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 the Old Testament promises to Israel have not been transferred to the church. They believe that the promises God made to Israel (for land, many descendants, and blessings) in the Old Testament will be ultimately fulfilled in the 1000-year period spoken of in Revelation chapter 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 (Romans 9-11). Using this system as a basis, 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. 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 clear distinction between Israel and the church, and organizes the Bible into the different dispensations it presents. Much of this theology requires belief in a literal rapture, and the Millennial Kingdom as an understanding of a thousand years. You have to view this theology through the lenses of an evangelical understanding of biblical eschatology to fully understand it. This is ongoing discussion among evangelical groups that is weaving its influence across denominations to be relevant apologetical interpretations.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 06:35:04 +0000
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