Posted on 10/26/2007 9:00:59 PM PDT by topcat54
Replacement theology has become dispensationalism's latest prophetic boogeyman. If you want to end a debate over eschatology, just charge your opponent with holding to replacement theology. What is “replacement theology,” sometimes called “supersessionism,” and why do dispensationalists accuse non-dispensationalists of holding it? Here’s a typical dispensational definition:
Replacement Theology: a theological perspective that teaches that the Jews have been rejected by God and are no longer God’s Chosen People. Those who hold to this view disavow any ethnic future for the Jewish people in connection with the biblical covenants, believing that their spiritual destiny is either to perish or become a part of the new religion that superseded Judaism (whether Christianity or Islam).1
“Replacement theology” is dispensationalism’s trump card in any debate over eschatology because it implies anti-semitism. Hal Lindsey attempted to use this card in his poorly researched and argued The Road to Holocaust.2 He wove an innovative tale implying that anyone who is not a dispensationalist carries the seeds of anti-semitism within his or her prophetic system. This would mean that every Christian prior to 1830 would have been theologically anti-semitic although not personally anti-semtic.
As Peter Leithart and I point out in The Legacy of Hatred Continues,3 it’s dispensationalists who hold to a form of replacement theology since they believe that Israel does not have any prophetic significance this side of the rapture! Prior to the rapture, in terms of dispensational logic, the Church has replaced Israel. This is unquestionably true since God’s prophetic plan for Israel has been postponed until the prophetic time clock starts ticking again at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week which starts only after the Church is taken to heaven in the so-called rapture. Until then, God is dealing redemptively with the Church. Am I making this up? Consider the following by dispensationalist E. Schuyler English:
An intercalary4 period of history, after Christ’s death and resurrection and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, has intervened. This is the present age, the Church age. . . . During this time God has not been dealing with Israel nationally, for they have been blinded concerning God’s mercy in Christ. . . . However, God will again deal with Israel as a nation. This will be in Daniel’s seventieth week, a seven-year period yet to come.5
According to English and every other dispensationalist, the Church has replaced Israel until the rapture. The unfulfilled promises made to Israel are not fulfilled until after the Church is taken off the earth. Thomas Ice, one of dispensationalism’s rising stars, admits that the Church replaces Israel this side of the rapture: “We dispensationalists believe that the church has superseded Israel during the current church age, but God has a future time in which He will restore national Israel ‘as the institution for the administration of divine blessings to the world.’”6
Dispensationalists claim that their particular brand of eschatology is the only prophetic system that gives Israel her proper place in redemptive history. This is an odd thing to argue since two-thirds of the Jews will be slaughtered during the post-rapture tribulation, and the world will be nearly destroyed. Charles Ryrie writes in his book The Best is Yet to Come that during this post-rapture period Israel will undergo “the worst bloodbath in Jewish history.”7 The book’s title doesn’t seem to very appropriate considering that during this period of time most of the Jews will die! John Walvoord follows a similar line of argument: “Israel is destined to have a particular time of suffering which will eclipse any thing that it has known in the past. . . . [T]he people of Israel . . . are placing themselves within the vortex of this future whirlwind which will destroy the majority of those living in the land of Palestine.”8 Arnold Fruchtenbaum states that during the Great Tribulation “Israel will suffer tremendous persecution (Matthew 24:15–28; Revelation 12:1–17). As a result of this persecution of the Jewish people, two-thirds are going to be killed.”9
During the time when Israel seems to be at peace with the world, she is really under the domination of the antichrist who will turn on her at the mid-point in the seven-year period. Israel waits more than 2000 years for the promises finally to be fulfilled, and before it happens, two-thirds of them are wiped out. Those who are charged with holding a “replacement theology viewpoint” believe in no inevitable future Jewish bloodbath. In fact, we believe that the Jews will inevitably embrace Jesus as the Messiah this side of the Second Coming. The fulfillment of Zechariah 13:8 is a past event. It may have had its fulfillment in the events leading up to and including the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Contrary to dispensationalism’s interpretation of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus' disciples warned the Jewish nation for nearly forty years about the impending judgment (Matt. 3:7; 21:42–46; 22:1–14; 24:15–22). Those who believed Jesus’ words of warning were delivered “from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:10). Those who continued to reject Jesus as the promised Messiah, even though they had been warned for a generation (Matt. 24:34), “wrath has come upon them to the utmost” (1 Thess. 2:16; cf. 1 Thess. 5:1–11; 2 Pet. 3:10–13).
Before critics of replacement theology throw stones, they need to take a look at their own prophetic system and see its many lapses in theology and logic.
Read Part Two of this article...
2. Hal Lindsey, The Road to Holocaust (New York: Bantam Books, 1989). The address for Bantam Books is 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York.
3. Gary DeMar and Peter J. Leithart, The Legacy of Hatred Continues: A Response to Hal Lindsey’s The Road to Holocaust (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, 1989).
4. Inserted into the calendar.
5. E. Schuyler English, A Companion to the New Scofield Reference Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1972), 135.
6. Thomas Ice, “The Israel of God,” The Thomas Ice Collection: www.raptureready.com/featured/TheIsraelOfGod.html#_edn3
7. Charles C. Ryrie, The Best is Yet to Come (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1981), 86.
8. John F. Walvoord, Israel in Prophecy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1962), 107, 113. Emphasis added.
9. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, “The Little Apocalypse of Zechariah,” The End Times Controversy: The Second Coming Under Attack, eds. Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2003), 262.
You are simply wrong, tabby. Martyr clearly saw the millennium as a separate time period. Because he did not happen to use the same word to describe an understanding of the phenomenon is simply faulty logic.
Those who spoke of our 3 in one God before the use of the word “trinity” did not believe in the trinity because the word has not yet been coined? Is that your argument?
Just a reminder to you that this question has repeatedly been posed to you. Would you mind answering it now?
You have already acknowledged that Eden did exist as a separate period. What do you call the phenomenon of "separate periods?"
“Martyr clearly saw the millennium as a separate time period.”
Did Martyr also believe in two separate peoples of God and two separate plans for salvation? I don’t think so.
And as far as Eden is concerned, I’ve answered you already. But for the 3rd time, it was unique in that it was before the fall of man. There was no sin. There have been many unique periods of time and that was one of them for sure.
The problem I see with dispensationalism isn’t the times of testing. Of course there have been times of testing.
Again, the problem with dispensationalim is the teaching that THERE WERE TWO DISTINCT PLANS OF SALVATION AND TWO SEPARATE PEOPLES OF GOD. That belief came from Darby, not from the Bible.
The ONLY people of God from the very beginning were those who believed in Christ. Since the fall all who had faith in Christ were saved, not by their blood and not by the law.
“God’s revelations are the only teachings that matters to me.”
That’s good. Then if you truly believe only God’s revelations (and only those can you find in scripture) then you will cease being a dispensationalist.
Excellent point.
But we have to be careful and not give too many excellent points in one 24 hour period. Replacementarians could get tied in such convoluted knots that they couldn’t breathe.
/s
You have already acknowledged that Eden did exist as a separate period. What do you call the phenomenon of “separate periods?”
= = =
INDEED.
Hint . . . “Dispy Fantasies” won’t do!
But, xzins . . . such a request taxes the Replacementarian Mangled Magicsterical far too much. Pressing the point could cause critical mass confusion to occur and we could end up with a pile of stinking goo. Not a pretty sight.
Did Martyr also believe in two separate peoples of God and two separate plans for salvation? I don’t think so.
= = =
I realize you’ve thrown Romans out of your Rubber Bibles in order to be able to post such outrageous nonsense. But it would be wise to put Romans back in and believe it’s truths as fact.
Guess what . . .
The 12 PATRIARCHS SITTING ON THEIR THRONES IN HEAVEN ARE NOT THE 12 DISCIPLES WHO SIT ON DIFFERENT THRONES.
Given your construction on reality—that makes no sense.
GUESS WHAT . . .
Given Almighty God being in charge of such things . . . HE CAN DO WITH HIS CHOSEN SEED OF JACOB WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO WITH THEM TO ILLUSTRATE WHATEVER HE WANTS TO ILLUSTRATE OR JUST BECAUSE IT MAKES HIM HAPPY.
HE CHOSE to blind them and make them jealous of the Christian Believers being grafted in etc. UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES BE COMPLETED . . . GOD DID. You got a problem with that—complain to God. Maybe He’ll hire you to rearrange things. But don’t hold your breath.
Of course such a construction on reality as the Dispy’s was known in the first century—it’s IN THE BIBLE—and NOT your Rubber Bible.
“. . . THEN THEY WILL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED . . . “
Which word is such a challenge to the Replacementarian Rubber dictionary???
GOD HAS SCHEDULED THAT. You got a beef with God’s schedule—take it up with Him. BTW, that has yet to occur. But it will occur in THIS DISPENSATION—or shortly thereafter.
They do not undertand the difference. From what we knmow of Justin's views, if he ever read any dispensational pap he would have immediately labeled it as nonsense, if not outright heresy.
Caught you in an outright fabrication. You have been repeatedly asked to prove that "dispensation" ala dispensationalism is used "roughly" the same as it is in the Bible. You cannot. Unless your definition of "roughly" includes as a possible meaning; "not even close".
I am a Christian, plain and simple.
And you cannot prove otherwise, can you???? This sure sounds like the dispensation after the times of the Gentiles spoken of by Jesus, doesn't it:
"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. [Ephesians 1:10]
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. [Ephesians 1:10]
TRUTH : Ignore it. Deride it. Allegorize it. Interpret it. But you can’t ESCAPE it.
= =
INDEED.
SO TRUE.
TRUE TO SCRIPTURE.
TRUE TO HISTORY.
TRUE TO LOGIC.
TRUE TO REALITY.
SIMPLY TRUE.
I do not have to prove a negative, thank you very much.
This sure sounds like the dispensation after the times of the Gentiles spoken of by Jesus, doesn't it:
What "dispensation after the times of the Gentiles"? That’s all part of the dispensational fantasy. Paul is talking about the present ingathering of the elect to Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s what makes it "full".
It doesn’t take a dispensational view of the Bible to figure that out.
I am a Christian, plain and simple.
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BUT, BUT, BUT, sputter . . .
what about the MAGICSTERICALS!!!
AND !!!!TRADITION!!!!
and . . . all the
!!!!SACRED COMMITTEES!!!!
and, and, and . . .
fluster, fluster . . .
all the ecclesiastical bureaucrats! Yeah, what about them! They gotta drive BMW’s too!!!
and, and, and . . .
all the pontificating pontificals splitting hairs!!!!
You’ll force them to go on Shrillery Care!
And, and, and,
when you get to Heaven . . . how will God know what section to put you in????
and, and, and . . .
You sound like you believe that CHRIST’s BLOOD IS SUFFICIENT!
What if THAT leaks out! Why, Christians could be springing up everywhere . . . unCONTROLLED! . . . UNSHAPED, SLICED, DICED AND . . . CONFORMED! OH, THE HORROR OF IT!
HOLY SPIRIT LEFT TO LEAD THEM ON HIS OWN! OH DEAR!!!
WHAT A HERETICKLE!
Just a Christian. Harumph.
Next thing you know, they’ll be trying to REPLACE REPLACEMENTARIANS!
And THEN where would RUBBER BIBLE THEOLOGY MANGLING BE!
HARUMPH!
/s
I do not have to prove a negative,
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He’s right in more ways than one, Chip . . .
Replacementarians don’t have to prove a negative . . .
they just get up in the morning . . .
. . . and there, greeting them in their mirrors is more than sufficient negative to fuel their theology the live long day.
LOL.
So Jesus's words regarding the times of the Gentiles in Luke 21 are fantasy???:
"20And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled ... in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
That all happened in 70 AD and the last time I checked there are a lot of Gentile feet over there in Jerusalem, thus we must still be in the times of the Gentiles. Luke then tells us what will transpire after those times are fulfilled:
"25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
Surely you are not going to tell us that the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled in 70 AD??? or are you???Are you also going to tell us that the Son of Man came in 70 AD as well????
You haven't been able to prove anything -- positive, negative, or neutral.
No, I said the dispensation "after the times of the Gentiles" that you mentioned is a fantasy.
Remember, you wrote:
This sure sounds like the dispensation after the times of the Gentiles spoken of by Jesus, doesn't it:
There is no such dispensation.
That all happened in 70 AD
Correct, but that does not mark some new "dispensation", at least not according to the Bible.
Surely you are not going to tell us that the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled in 70 AD???
No matter what I tell you it will not sink in until you take off the dispie glasses.
"Denial is not just a river in Egypt."
“25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Surely you are not going to tell us that the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled in 70 AD??? or are you???Are you also going to tell us that the Son of Man came in 70 AD as well????
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INDEED.
The Silly Rabbit School of Replacementarian Theology strikes again.
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