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You're arguing against something I didn't intend, but that's OK....I did say it poorly. Justin Martyr was premillennial. The early church was premillennial. Dallas Theological is premillenial. They have in common the premillennial position that is, in my opinion, the correct position.

Dispensational premillennialism is somewhat different, but not markedly so. The real issue with dispensational premil is not so much that they believe the church is not Israel. It is that they believe there are remaining promises to Israel that will be literally fulfilled.

They can speak of the Israel of God in terms of the church without concluding that God's work with national Israel is at an end. (DrJ, if you need to correct me here, feel free...on line or freep is OK.)

The bottom line for so-called, "historical" premil is that they see OT & NT prophecy being fulfilled throughout the time of the church up until the return of Christ. They sometimes interpret things for the church that I might reserve for national Israel. They see many things in Revelation already as fulfilled...but not all. Actually, I have little argument with them in their belief that things will be fulfilled throughout the time of the church. Paul says as much in 2 Th...."that day will not come until..."

I really cannot argue with that.

*** The real issue with dispensational premil is not so much that they believe the church is not Israel. It is that they believe there are remaining promises to Israel that will be literally fulfilled. ***

Both the distinction of Israel/Church and the future fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, etc. are foundational in classic dispensationalism.

Here is the DTS statement.

Article XIII—THE CHURCH, A UNITY OF BELIEVERS

We believe that all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are members of the church which is the body and bride of Christ, which began at Pentecost and is completely distinct from Israel...

Article XIX—THE TRIBULATION

We believe that the translation of the church will be followed by the fulfillment of Israel’s seventieth week (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 6:1–19:21) during which the church, the body of Christ, will be in heaven. The whole period of Israel’s seventieth week will be a time of judgment on the whole earth, at the end of which the times of the Gentiles will be brought to a close. The latter half of this period will be the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7), which our Lord called the great tribulation (Matt. 24:15–21). We believe that universal righteousness will not be realized previous to the second coming of Christ, but that the world is day by day ripening for judgment and that the age will end with a fearful apostasy.

Article XX—THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

We believe that the period of great tribulation in the earth will be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth as He went, in person on the clouds of heaven, and with power and great glory to introduce the millennial age, to bind Satan and place him in the abyss, to lift the curse which now rests upon the whole creation, to restore Israel to her own land and to give her the realization of God’s covenant promises, and to bring the whole world to the knowledge of God (Deut. 30:1–10; Isa. 11:9; Ezek. 37:21–28; Matt. 24:15–25:46; Acts 15:16–17; Rom. 8:19–23; 11:25–27; 1 Tim. 4:1–3; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; Rev. 20:1–3).

"The early church was premillennial."

This is a blatant ~LIE~, x

Look at what Martyr said to Trypho the Jew:

"I admitted to you formerly, that I and many others are of this opinion (temporal 1000 years), and [believe] that such will take place, as you assuredly are aware; but, on the other hand, I signified to you that many who belong to the pure and pious faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise." (Trypho, 80)

It just ~ain't~ true, x. From the words of Martyr himself there is ~PROOF~ that not ~ALL~ of the early church were Pre-Millennial! Martyr says "many" were not!

Jean