I am firmly convinced that misunderstanding or ignorance of the doctrine of union with Christ is the fundamental error of dispensationalism.
Abraham was promised many things by God.
The phrase "and his seed" is mentioned in some of these promises.
Galatians 3 indicates that the promises were made to the seed of Abraham, who is Jesus.
Galatians 3:16 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. (ESV)
The believer experiences a change in status when he is saved. He goes from being "in Adam" to being "in Christ". He is no longer associated with the sinful, condemned, spiritually dead man Adam but he is associated with the righteous, justified, spiritually alive man Jesus Christ.
As a result of this, he himself is in Christ. He is a spiritual descendant of Abraham.
Galatians 3:25-29 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
(ESV)
Jews and Gentiles become one man in Christ, and comprise the church:
Ephesians 2:11-22 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (ESV)
As such, they are all heirs through Jesus Christ to an expanded inheritance, which includes all the earth and not just some land strip in Palestine:
Romans 4:13-18 13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” (ESV)
This is very simple to me. Union with Christ ties the promises of Abraham to the Church, which is the body of Christ, united with Him and with each other, and sharing in the promises due to this union.
So, it is my strong conviction that union with Christ decimates the fundamental premises of dispensationalism.
What is your thought on this? Can you clearly explain why the doctrine of union with Christ does not render dispensationalism incorrect?
By the way, regardless of your convictions on this topic, I would highly recommend these books:
Union with Christ, Rankin Wilbourne
Identity in Christ, Jonathan Landry Cruse
I don't think either book mentions dispensationalism. However, I am strongly convicted that union with Christ decimates dispensationalist presuppositions. Additionally, I am strongly convicted that it is the most important doctrine of Scripture to understand, when it is understood in all its glory.
Abraham was promised many things by God.
The phrase "and his seed" is mentioned in some of these promises.
Galatians 3 indicates that the promises were made to the seed of Abraham, who is Jesus.
Galatians 3:16 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. (ESV)
The believer experiences a change in status when he is saved. He goes from being "in Adam" to being "in Christ". He is no longer associated with the sinful, condemned, spiritually dead man Adam but he is associated with the righteous, justified, spiritually alive man Jesus Christ.
As a result of this, he himself is in Christ. He is a spiritual descendant of Abraham.
Galatians 3:25-29 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
(ESV)
Jews and Gentiles become one man in Christ, and comprise the church:
Ephesians 2:11-22 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (ESV)
As such, they are all heirs through Jesus Christ to an expanded inheritance, which includes all the earth and not just some land strip in Palestine:
Romans 4:13-18 13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” (ESV)
This is very simple to me. Union with Christ ties the promises of Abraham to the Church, which is the body of Christ, united with Him and with each other, and sharing in the promises due to this union.
So, it is my strong conviction that union with Christ decimates the fundamental premises of dispensationalism.
What is your thought on this? Can you clearly explain why the doctrine of union with Christ does not render dispensationalism incorrect?
By the way, regardless of your convictions on this topic, I would highly recommend these books:
Union with Christ, Rankin Wilbourne
Identity in Christ, Jonathan Landry Cruse
I don't think either book mentions dispensationalism. However, I am strongly convicted that union with Christ decimates dispensationalist presuppositions. Additionally, I am strongly convicted that it is the most important doctrine of Scripture to understand, when it is understood in all its glory.
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