Posted on 06/16/2014 8:44:24 PM PDT by Graybeard58
BALTIMORE (BP) -- Misunderstandings of God's plan for Israel abound among evangelicals, and correcting them is a key aspect of teaching biblical doctrine, Bruce Stokes said during the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship meeting in Baltimore.
"You have to keep Israel central to everything you do, or you're going to wander away from the text," Stokes, SBMF vice president and pastor of the DiscipleCenter in Anaheim Hills, Calif., said.
Joining Stokes as a speaker at the gathering was Michael Herts, SBMF missions development manager and founding leader of B'nai Avraham Messianic Fellowship in Hampton, Va. In a business session, the current officers were re-elected: Ric Worshill, president; Stokes, vice president and director of missions; and Herts, missions development manager.
The meeting theme of "Kingdom Purpose" encouraged Messianic Jews (Jews who follow Jesus as Messiah) to share the Gospel with Jewish people and others.
A common misconception in Christian theology is that the church replaces Israel as the people of God under the new covenant, Stokes said, a doctrine known as replacement theology. Instead, a series of covenants unfold in Scripture like a "blooming flower," he said, and ethnic Israel plays a role in all of the covenants -- from God's covenant with Noah to His covenants with Abraham, Moses and David and the new covenant.
Neither the theological system known as dispensationalism nor the system known as covenant theology accurately describes the unfolding covenants, Stokes said.
The covenants are "like a flower that's blooming, and the roots are that Noahic covenant," Stokes said June 7 at the Hilton Baltimore. "Then the Abrahamic gives expression, and then the Mosaic gives expression, then the Davidic. It just grows until they all bloom into fullness in the culmination of the age and then are superseded by the new covenant that brought them all together."
Another common misconception is that God saved His people by works under the old covenant but saves them by grace under the new covenant, Stokes said. He explained that both covenants involve salvation by grace followed by obedience as an expression of worship by grateful people.
"I don't understand where the idea of salvation through obedience to the law of Moses ever came from," Stokes said. "I can't find it in the text, but it's shot through Christianity big-time. It would be different if in Exodus, Moses walked in and said, 'Here are the commandments of God. If you'll obey them, I'll get you out of Egypt.' But he didn't. [God] got them out of Egypt by the blood of the lamb based on a promise He made to Abraham.... Then after delivering them, He said, 'Here's how I want you to live.'"
Yet another misconception among Christians is that there are 10 "lost tribes" of Israel -- the 10 northern tribes that were taken into captivity by the Assyrians, Stokes said.
The 10 northern tribes never made it home from Assyria and were dispersed among the nations. But biblical prophecy says all Israel will be part of God's Kingdom at the end of history, leading some to speculate that the "lost" tribes ended up in England, the U.S. and other locations.
Stokes said the tribes aren't really "lost" and members of each are among Jews today. He compared the Assyrian exile to a hypothetical scenario in which everyone in the states of California, Arizona and Nevada is carried off to captivity. Such a captivity would not eliminate Californians, Arizonans and Nevadans from America because "there are Californians, Arizonans and Nevadans all in the other states," Stokes said. He explained that similarly, there were members of the 10 northern tribes living in Judah.
"There are no 10 lost tribes," Stokes said.
From beginning to end, the Bible is the story of the holy God gathering His holy people in a holy land, Stokes said. Knowing that story line helps believers understand every book of the Bible and how Israel fits into it, he said
Pinging the Baptist ping list with permission of the keeper of the list, WKB.
“A common misconception in Christian theology is that the church replaces Israel”
I have never heard that line of preaching in a main stream Christian church
He’s right about Replacement Theology, but wrong about Dispensationalism.
I’m not sure where he got the idea that Christians were off-base by following the law of Moses. That’s a Jewish problem, not a Christian problem.
He’s right about the 10 so-called Lost Tribes.
And he’s right about Israel being the key and the center of everything.
Oh yes, that’s definitely there. It’s said that because of disobedience Israel has forfeited the promises of God and that it’s now the “church” who is the new spiritual Israel and it has inherited the promises of God to Israel, because it’s the new spiritual Israel.
That was established in Catholic doctrine from way back in maybe around 300 or 400 AD and carried over in the Protestant Reformation, by default. It has produced “institutionalize anti-semitism” in the segment of the church that holds to this.
It’s also called supersessionism, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supersessionism
You might also note that the majority of the Christian church, worldwide, holds to this ... and they are absolutely wrong!
Most Southern Baptist churches I went to taught that God would restore Israel to himself as he promised; and that the Church was made up of all believers from all tongues and tribes. However, the church was definitely not a replacement Israel in terms of what Israel becomes during the 1000 year reign of Christ!
The USA has the MOST Christians in the world who don’t go along with Replacement Theology, but it’s pretty much the norm for rest of the Christian world.
You’ll find Replacement Theology doctrine in the Catholic Church, in the Lutheran Church and in the Presbyterian Church.
Where you encounter “Covenant Theology” you’ll encounter the idea that Israel has NO PLACE in God’s plans for the future (i.e., in prophecy). In other words, Israel has no more significance in God’s prophetic plans than does Malaysia or Sweden, or South Africa or Botswana.
Covenant Theology is rabidly opposed to Dispensationalism ... and Dispensationalism is the strongest source of support for Israel as prophetically significant in God’s plans for the future.
Neither Covenant theology nor Dispensationalism have any support in the plain word of God.
Dispensationalism or not...I just read it in the Bible. SB’s and much of American conservative Bible based churches get dinged a lot for that sentiment. \ Duhhh....All ahh knowed about it Bubba, is that Ahhh done read it in the Biahhble. \
I think I’ll go buy a duck call now(Go Phil!)...quack quack!
The article has some good points, but it crashes when it collides with Jacob’s prophecy concerning Joseph’s sons.
Why are so many so scared to deal with this most important prophecy?
Disappointing.
Here’s something from Thomas Ice ...
WHAT IS DISPENSATIONALISM?
by Thomas Ice
Many evangelicals and liberals believe that dispensationalism is either downright heresy or close to it. In fact, few years ago, while pastor of a church, a lady in my congregation ask me, “Why is dispensationalism bad?” I asked what provoked her question. She had recently talked to a woman who knew that our church was dispensational. The women spoke harshly against dispensationalism to my congregate and warned her that it was unscriptural and no biblically responsible Christian should be involved in such heresy. For many, dispensationalism is a Christian cuss word! The lady in my church ask: “What is dispensationalism?” That is a good question. I hope to answer it in this article.
A CLUSTER OF ITEMS
Actually dispensationalism is a cluster of items joined together to form a system of thought. Just as terms like Calvinism, Arminianism, Anglicanism, Catholicism, or Lutheranism are historical labels that represent, not a single idea, but a group of items joined together to form a multifaceted scheme, so is dispensationalism. Dispensationalism is a term that arose in church history to label certain Christians who believe a group of certain things that are taught in the Bible.
Dispensationalists are those who believe the following things:
• The Bible is God’s inspired, inerrant (i.e., without any errors) revelation to man. Scripture provides the framework through which to interpret history (past and future). God’s written Word tells us of His plan for His creation and this will surely come to past.
• Since the Bible is God’s literal Word of His plan for history, it should be interpreted literally and historically (past and future).
• Since the Bible reveals God’s plan for history, then it follows that there is an ebb and flow to His plan. Therefore, God’s plan includes different dispensations, ages, or epochs of history through which His creatures (man and angels) are tested. Therefore, God is instructing His creatures through the progress of history, as His creation progresses from a garden to a city.
• Since all humanity fell into sin, each person must individually receive God’s provision of salvation through the death of Christ by believing the gospel. Thus, Jesus Christ is the only way to a relationship with God.
• Because of mankind’s fall into sin, Scripture teaches that all humanity is naturally rebellious to God and the things of God. This is why only genuine believers in Christ are open to the teachings of the Bible. Thus, salvation through Christ is a prerequisite to properly understanding God’s Word.
• God’s plan for history includes a purpose for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—that is Israel. This plan for Israel includes promises that they will have the land of Israel, will have a seed, and will be a worldwide blessing to the nations. Many of the promises to national Israel are yet future, therefore, God is not finished with Israel.
• God’s plan from all eternity also includes a purpose for the church, however, this is a temporary phase that will end with rapture. After the rapture, God will complete His plan for Israel and the Gentiles.
• The main purpose in God’s master plan for history is to glorify Himself through Jesus Christ. Therefore, Jesus Christ is the goal and hero of history.
In a nutshell, Christians who believe like this are known throughout Christendom as dispensationalists. I am a dispensationalist. We believe that it is the same as saying that I believe what the Bible literally teaches. Millions of Christians throughout the world are dispensationalists. In fact, the word “dispensation” occurs four times in the King James Version of the Bible (1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:10; 3:2; Col. 1:25).
More at ...
http://www.pre-trib.org/data/pdf/Ice-WhatisDispensational.pdf
I think there have been periods where God seems to have moved in certain strategic ways and some periods where he has moved tactically and more overtly. I think, however Dispensationalists tend to try to straight jacket the word of God too tightly, with teachings that could lead to error. Dispensational thinking when I have examined it can lead one to the notion of a God who is a “shoot then standoff” sort of divinity when in reality, Paul states “In him we live and move and have our being, therefore He is not far from us at any time”
Protestant churches I have attended do not preach this. I have no idea what Romans say.
Another one for people ...
Dispensationalism
Since the positions and conclusions in Endtimes.org are in line with the Dispensational System of Theology, or point of view, the terms need to be explained. There is no need to fear these terms. They describe some simple concepts related to our understanding of the Old Testament Covenants and how God will develop His kingdom program. Even if you have negative feelings about the term Dispensationalism, please go through the following brief explanation of what it is. It could be that it has never been clearly explained. Dispensationalism has influenced the doctrinal beliefs of many churches, including the Baptist church, the Bible churches, the Pentecostal churches, and many other non-denominational Evangelical churches. You may even be Dispensational in your thinking although not be calling yourself a Dispensationalist. Christian is always a better term, but terms like Dispensationalist helps to define where we are coming from when it comes to our views on Endtimes and the present and future Kingdom of God.
[ ... ]
A greater breakdown of specific dispensations is possible, giving most traditional Dispensationalists seven recognizable dispensations.
— Innocence - Adam
— Conscience - After man sinned, up to the flood
— Government - After the flood, man allowed to eat meat, death penalty instituted
— Promise - Abraham up to Moses and the giving of the Law
— Law - Moses to the cross
— Grace - The cross to the Millennial Kingdom
— Millennial Kingdom - A 1000 year reign of Christ on earth centered in Jerusalem
[ ... ]
So what is the key to Dispensationalism?
The literal method of interpretation is the key. Using the literal method of interpreting the biblical covenants and prophecy leads to a specific set of core beliefs about God’s kingdom program, and what the future will hold for ethnic Israel and for the Church. We therefore recognize a distinction between Israel and the Church, and a promised future earthly reign of Christ on the throne of David. (The Davidic Kingdom.) This leads a person to some very specific conclusions about the Endtimes.
— Israel must be re-gathered to their land as promised by God.
— Daniel’s seventieth week prophecy specifically refers to the purging of the nation Israel, and not the Church. These were the clear words spoken to Daniel. The church doesn’t need purging from sin. It is already clean.
— Some of the warnings in Matthew 24 are directed at the Jews, and not the Church (since God will be finishing His plan with national Israel)
— A Pretribulation rapture - Israel is seen in Daniel as the key player during the tribulation, not the Church. God removes the elect when he brings judgment on the world. i.e. Noah, John 14, 1 Thess 4:16.
— Premillennialism - A literal 1000 year Millennial Kingdom, where Christ returns before the Millennium starts. Revelation 20 doesn’t give us a reason to interpret the 1000 years as symbolic. Also, Dispensationalists see the promised literal reign of Christ in the OT. Note the chronological order of events between Revelation 19-21.
[ ... ]
Some Dispensational writers
- Pierre Poiret (1646-1719)
- John Edwards (1637-1716)
- Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
- John Nelson Darby (1800-1882)
- C.I. Scofield (1843-1921)
- Lewis Sperry Chafer
- Charles Ryrie
- Dwight Pentecost
- John Walvoord
http://www.endtimes.org/dispens.html
The USA has the most of ANY PLACE in the world who don’t teach it ... which is why you find such strong support for Israel in the USA.
Here the author has a major misrepresentation of orthodox Christian teaching about Israel and the church. The church does not replace Israel but is the continuation and expansion of Israel. Salvation through, and only through, Jesus Christ is open to all, both Jew and gentile. In the New Covenant the gentiles are grafted on to Israel and both receive salvation through obedience to God in Jesus Christ.
Those who wish to maintain a dual covenant, as well as being contrary to Scripture, confuse Israel with the Mosaic covenant. Israel existed before the Law of Moses. Indeed, the Law of Moses was a modification of the covenant that God already had with Israel. This covenant was again modified by God with the covenant with David. The final modification and fulfillment of the covenant was with Jesus Christ through whom both Jews and gentiles are called to salvation. Israel existed before the Law of Moses and continues to exist today in Jesus Christ after the Law of Moses.
But legal immigrants do become Americans, as millions have. Gentiles who come to Christ are not illegal.
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed, through the forbearance of God—to prove his righteousness in the present time, that he might be righteous and justify the one who has faith in Jesus. What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled out. On what principle, that of works? No, rather on the principle of faith. For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Does God belong to Jews alone? Does he not belong to Gentiles, too? Yes, also to Gentiles, for God is one and will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Are we then annulling the law by this faith? Of course not!w On the contrary, we are supporting the law. (Romans 3:21-31)For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. (Romans 10:12)
Before faith came, we were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed. Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christz have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:23-29)
Therefore, remember that at one time you, Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by those called the circumcision, which is done in the flesh by human hands, were at that time without Christ, alienated from the community of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11-22)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.