The core of dispensationalism is twofold.
1. A literal approach to Scripture.
2. A distinction between Israel and the Church.
I hold to both.
=====>>> DISPENSATIONALISM IS FALSE!!!!! Why? Because "Israel" is NOT distinct from "church".
Here are 10 reasons which disconfirm Dispensationalism. Please engage these Scriptural truths!
1. The church is the collective body (Col. 1:18,24) of individuals (1 Cor. 12:27) in the Messiah who inaugurated the New Covenant (Lk. 22:20). But only ISRAEL (Jer. 31:31; Heb. 8:8) participates in the New Covenant with YHVH. Therefore, the church IS the Israel of Jer. 31. Thus, there is no distinction between "Israel" and "church". Thus, Dispensationalism is false.
2. The covenants BELONG TO ISRAEL (Eph. 2:12); but then, all covenant participants are necessarily ISRAELITES in covenant with God!
***You can’t participate in a covenant between God and Israel…unless you ARE an Israelite!
Thus, all Christians are Israelites. The Church is Israel. Therefore, the church is NOT a new dispensation, but it existed prior to the inauguration of the New Covenant (Mt. 18:17), and it extends even to Sinai (Gr. “ekklesia”, Ac. 7:38). See, also, “ekklesia” (in the Septuagint) used in reference to the assembly of Israel.
3. The Old Covenant and New Covenant can BOTH continue to be in force simultaneously. The promises of the New Covenant need not require the cancellation of the Old Covenant. Thus, the Old Covenant is ready (Gr. “engoos”, Heb. 8:13) to pass away, implying that it had not yet passed away as of the New-Covenant-Era time of the writing of the book of Hebrews. We function within both the new AND (Gr. “kai”, Mt. 13:52) old. “New and old”, not “new replaces old”.
NOT everything in the Torah (e.g., Dt. 30:8; 4:30) or Prophets (e.g., Jer. 16; Jer. 23; Jer. 33; Eze. 40-47; Zec. 14; Mal. 2-Mal. 3; etc.) is fulfilled. And, heaven and earth have not yet passed away (Mt. 5:18; Rev. 21:1 is yet future); thus, the Old Covenant must still be force (Mt. 5:18), even though the New Covenant is already inaugurated (Lk. 22:20). “New AND old”, not “new replaces old”.
4. All four covenants (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New) are in force simultaneously. Therefore, if we must use the term “dispensation”, we could say that all dispensations are simultaneously in force. But then traditional "dispensationalism" is false, because it assumes that the Mosaic dispensation is replaced by the Church dispensation.
5. Dispensationalism assumes the Mosaic Covenant (i.e., Torah) is replaced by the New Covenant and, thus, terminated.
My response: Heb. 8:13 (see above) confirms that both covenants function simultaneously.
And, Mt. 5:19 confirms that our obedience to Mosaic Covenant Torah is not only in force, but determines our position in the coming kingdom.
And, Torah (for Jeremiah) is Mosaic Torah; this Mosaic Torah passes directly into the New Covenant (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10).
Dispensationalists agree that the word of God certainly includes the Law and temple ordinances. Yet they reject the word of God (via the claim that the Mosaic Covenant is terminated). Again, this is a blatant internal inconsistency within dispensationalism.
And, since Dt. 30:1-8 (and Zec. 14; Eze. 40-47; Mal. 2-3; Jer. 16; Jer. 23; Jer. 33; etc.) are not yet fulfilled, the Mosaic Covenant must still be in force, because NOT EVERYTHING in the Torah (or prophets) is yet fulfilled (Mt. 5:18).
In fact, Paul took part in a temple/sacrificial/Levitical vow to prove his SUPPORT for Torah-obedience (in general) and support for infant circumcision (in particular, Ac. 21:21-24). In imitation of Paul, Christians should promote (not oppose!) this support for infant circumcision and Torah-obedience (1 Cor. 11:1; Php. 4:9). Paul simply opposed adult male Gentile convert circumcision because: (a) it is not required to be initially saved (Ac. 15:1,11), and (b) it is not required as part of ongoing growth in obedience to the Torah of the covenants (1 Cor. 7:19). Thus, physically uncircumcised adult male Gentile converts can (and should) walk in obedience to the Torah of the covenants, even though they are physically uncircumcised (Rom. 2:26-27).
Torah defines holiness (Rom. 7:12), and Christians should be holy. Thus, Christians should obey Torah. This explains why Peter applies Lev. 11 to Christians (1 Pe. 1:16), and Paul applies Lev. 11:8 (2 Cor. 6:17) to Christians.
Torah defines righteousness (Rom. 7:12), and Christians should do righteous works of Torah-obedience (Dt 8:3; Mt. 4:4; 5:20, 1 Jn. 2:29; 3:7).
Torah defines goodness (Rom. 7:12), and Christians should do good. Thus, Christians should obey Torah.
We walk not in the flesh (which is incapable of, and opposes, Torah-obedience, Rom. 8:7), but in the Spirit (which, by implication, is a walk of Torah-obedience, cf. Heb. 10:15-16; Eze. 11:19-20; Eze. 36:26-27; Eze. 37:14,24; Is. 59:21). Thus, Paul obeyed God’s law (Torah, Rom. 7:22), but not so as to be justified by faithless (Gal. 3:12) Torah-obedience (Gal. 5:4), but to exemplify a true walk of righteous faithfulness (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. “emunah”, Hab. 2:4), that is, faithful Torah-obedience (see “emunah” in Ps. 119:30,86,138).
Christ is the end (i.e., purpose or aim) of Torah (Rom. 10:4). He is NOT the termination of the Torah, because Paul says that faithful Torah-obedience (Dt. 30:14) IS the very word of faith which he preaches (Dt. 30:14 subsumed in Rom. 10:8).
The Psalms are not abolished (Eph. 5:19), but are Scripture which can not be broken (Jn. 10:34-35). Thus, Christians should obey the Psalms; this entails Torah-obedience (Ps. 1; Ps. 19; Ps. 119; etc.)
The Prophets are not abolished, but comprise the very foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20). The prophets require Torah-obedience. (Anti-Torah prophets are FALSE prophets! Mt. 7:15,22-23; Dt. 13:1-5; 18:20. Pentecostals/Charismatics…I love you…but beware! Many false (anti-Torah) prophets will arise, Mt. 24:11).
Torah-disobedience (Eze. 36:19; Dt. 30:17-18) is shameful (Eze. 36:32), and leads to a terrible (Mt. 7:21-23) fiery (Mt. 13:41-42) fate. Thus, Christians promote (and grow in) faithful Torah-obedience (not promotion of Torah-termination!).
And, Jesus taught obedience to the greater AND lesser commands of Torah (Mt. 23:23), and even taught obedience to Torah-based judgments issued by Pharisees (Mt. 23:2-3). Jesus even sent Torah-teachers (Gr. “grammateus”, Mt. 23:34) to properly represent His ministry. Hence, faithful Torah-obedience is a sufficient condition for eternal life (Mt. 19:16-17). Jesus obeyed Torah and expected His disciples to do likewise (Lk. 6:40). And, these Torah-obedient teachings of Jesus should not be opposed, but should be spread to His disciples throughout the world (Mt. 28:19-20).
Jesus plainly affirmed that Torah-obedience is a sufficient condition of eternal life (Lk. 10:25-28).
These reasons jointly confirm that dispensationalism is WRONG in claiming that the Mosaic Covenant is terminated/abolished/replaced/not applicable.
6. Dispensationalists claim the (allegedly racially divisive) Mosaic Covenant is replaced by the (allegedly racially nondivisive) New Covenant.
My response: Racial inclusiveness in the New Covenant is NOT NEW!
The Mosaic Covenant does not require a dividing wall or barrier (Eph. 2:14, p. 195); rather, this dividing wall was a man-made dogmatic decree (Gr. “dogma”, Eph. 2:15). Mosaic Torah rejects such an ordinance, and INCLUDES any Gentile/Foreigner who desires to walk in faithful obedience to the covenant (Dt. 29:11-13; Dt. 31:12; Is. 56:6). Indeed, one-law-for-all (regardless of race) is the general theme in Mosaic Torah. “Your people shall be my people” is consistent with Torah (Ruth. 1:16).
What is newly revealed is the fact that racial inclusiveness (in ALL covenants, Eph. 2:11-12) is properly and fully implemented “in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (Eph. 3:6). And, the anti-Torah racial divisions dogmatically asserted by the religious establishment must be understood as forever ultimately abolished “in Christ Jesus through the Gospel”.
7. Dispensationalists claim the Mosaic Covenant is fulfilled in (and replaced by) the New Covenant. They claim the Davidic Covenant is fulfilled in the New Covenant.
My response: We agree the Davidic Covenant and Mosaic Covenant are fulfilled in the New Covenant. But, the Davidic Covenant is fulfilled in conjunction with the Mosaic Covenant (1 Ki. 2:3-4). Therefore, the Davidic Covenant must be fulfilled in conjunction with BOTH the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant. But, dispensationalists deny the ongoing force of Mosaic Covenant. Thus, dispensationalism is disconfirmed.
And, the Davidic Covenant is fulfilled in a covenant of peace in which God’s ordinances and statutes are in force (Eze. 37:24-26). We agree that terms such as “commandments”, “statutes”, “judgments/ordinances” refer to Mosaic Torah in passages such as Dt. 6:1-2,17; 7:11; 8:11; 11:1; 12:1; 28:1,15; 30:10,16. So, the Davidic Covenant will be fully fulfilled in conjunction with obedience to Mosaic Torah. Thus, dispensationalism is inconsistent because it affirms passages which entail a Mosaic-Torah-obedient future fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, yet it simultaneously denies the ongoing force of the Mosaic Torah Covenant.
8. Dispensationalists concede that the Mosaic Covenant depends upon the Abrahamic Covenant, and that the Mosaic Covenant is given to fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant, and that this is, indeed, the message of all the prophets.
My response: Then the Mosaic Covenant is still in force! The Abrahamic Covenant is not yet fully fulfilled; and the Abrahamic Covenant is to be fulfilled IN CONJUNCTION WITH the Mosaic Covenant (Jer. 11:1-5; Dt. 6:10-25; Dt. 30:1-8), but not until “the latter days” (Dt. 4:30) when an even greater exodus back to the Promised Land shall occur (Jer. 16:14-16; Jer. 23:1-8).
Therefore, the Mosaic Covenant has not yet been fully fulfilled as the Torah and prophets have declared that it will be fulfilled in the future. The Mosaic Covenant must, then, still be in force. Again, dispensationalism is disconfirmed.
9. Dispensationalists affirm that the new covenant is the form in which Abrahamic covenant blessing will be fulfilled. And, they also affirm that the new covenant will be given precisely to bring the Abrahamic covenant promise to fulfillment.
My response: Abrahamic Covenant blessing is fulfilled in conjunction with the Mosaic Covenant (Jer. 11:1-5; Dt. 6:10-25; Dt. 30:1-8). And, dispensationalists concede that the Abrahamic Covenant is fulfilled in the New Covenant. It follows that the Abrahamic Covenant is fulfilled in conjunction with both the Mosaic Covenant AND New Covenant. Yet dispensationalists claim the Mosaic Covenant is not in force. Thus, dispensationalism is again disconfirmed.
10. Dispensationalists affirm that the prophets who predicted the new covenant often spoke of the fulfillment of the covenant to David in the reign of a future king.
My response: Yes. The Messiah functions to fulfill the Davidic Covenant in the New Covenant. But Davidic Covenant fulfillment entails that the Mosaic Covenant is in force (1 Ki. 2:3-4) complete with sacrificial/ceremonial/Levitical Torah (Jer. 33:17-22) which the Messiah comes to restore (i.e., He comes to restore the Torah-obedient covenant with Levi, see Mal. 3:1-4). This brings fulfillment to the Abrahamic Covenant (Jer. 33:25-26).
***WE THUS INFER ----> ALL FOUR COVENANTS ARE NOW INTERDEPENDENT AND IN FORCE!
So again, Dispensationalism (due to its termination of the Mosaic Covenant) is disconfirmed.
======>>>>> CONCLUSION: Dispensationalism fails by affirming the three following FALSE claims:
1. The “church” is a dispensation distinct from the dispensation with “Israel”.
2. The already-inaugurated Abrahamic, Davidic, and New covenants are to be fully fulfilled in a future dispensation, and the Mosaic Covenant is fulfilled by Messiah and no longer in force.
3. The Torah of the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants is not applicable to the “church”. The Torah of the New Covenant is applicable to the “church”, but is a Torah that is distinct from the Torah of the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants.
APPLICATION: Let us affirm the following TRUTHS of Scripture!
1. "Church" is NOT distinct from "Israel".
2. The covenants (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New) are not yet all FULLY fulfilled...and they WILL be more fully fulfilled in the future....thus, they are all still in force, and none is terminated (or abolished or no longer applicable to us).
3. We Christians participate in the covenants between YHVH and Israel, therefore all of us Christians are ISRAELITES.
4. We should grow in faithful OBEDIENCE (not opposition!) to the Torah of the many covenants in which we participate.
Remember? We are NOT excluded (Eph. 2:12). Thus we are INCLUDED within Israel as fellow Israelite participants in the Torah-laden covenants between YHVH and Israel.
Let us, therefore, JOYFULLY obey the Torah of the covenants in which we may participate, because of the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has saved us by faith (not works).
Amen!
blessings...
BibleGuy
