Dispensational Denominations

[GrinningDwarf]

I've just recently noticed something (sometimes I can be a little slow!), and I thought maybe it could be clarified here on the dispensational forum.

Seems to me that certain denominations tend to be dispensational. They would be Baptists (in all of their flavors), Pentecostals, and 'non-denominationals' (which would include such 'non-denoms' as Calvary Chapel). (This is interesting to me, because a strict dispensational interpretation usually tends towards cessationism.)

Other denominations such as Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Lutherans tend to be 'non-dispensational' . I doubt Catholics would be dispensational.

I don't know what the typical Methodist view of dispensationalism would be.

Are the denominational lines actually as I have drawn them, or am I off?

 

[Dispy]

I've just recently noticed something (sometimes I can be a little slow!), and I thought maybe it could be clarified here on the dispensational forum.

Seems to me that certain denominations tend to be dispensational. They would be Baptists (in all of their flavors), Pentecostals, and 'non-denominationals' (which would include such 'non-denoms' as Calvary Chapel). (This is interesting to me, because a strict dispensational interpretation usually tends towards cessationism.)

Other denominations such as Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Lutherans tend to be 'non-dispensational' . I doubt Catholics would be dispensational.

I don't know what the typical Methodist view of dispensationalism would be.

Are the denominational lines actually as I have drawn them, or am I off?

There are three major groups that consider themselves dispensationalists. However they do not all agree with eachother.

The largest of the dispensational groups are the Acts 2 dispies. The believe that the Church for today is the Body of Christ, and started at Pentecost. The two largest deonominations, Bapitst, Pentecostals (charismatics), and many non-denominational groups belong to this group. They still practise water baptism and participate in The Lord's Supper.

Then we have the Acts 9/mid-Acts dispies who believe that the Church, the Body of Christ, and this dispensation of Grace, started with the raising up of the Apostle Paul. They do not believe that water baptism is for this dispensation of Grace, but do participate in the Lord Supper.

The third group is the Acts 28:28 dispies. They do not believe that the Church, the body Christ, and the dispensation of Grace, started AFTER Paul recieved the full knowledge of the mystery while he was a prisoner in Rome, and believe that this presentant dispensation began in Acts 28:28. The too do not water baptize today, also do not participate in the Lord's Supper.

I only expressed the major points of difference. There are others, and there are various differences within the 3 main groups.

Hope this is helpful.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

 

[Iosias]

That tends to be the division although there are of course exceptions to the rule. E W Bullinger was Episcopalian and Scofield was a Presbyterian. But in current times dispensationalism tends to be confined to Baptist, Fundamentalist and non-denominational churches.

 

[LamorakDesGalis]

I've just recently noticed something (sometimes I can be a little slow!), and I thought maybe it could be clarified here on the dispensational forum.

Seems to me that certain denominations tend to be dispensational. They would be Baptists (in all of their flavors), Pentecostals, and 'non-denominationals' (which would include such 'non-denoms' as Calvary Chapel). (This is interesting to me, because a strict dispensational interpretation usually tends towards cessationism.)

While a number of Baptists are dispensationalists, many are not. Many Pentecostals are dispensationalists, but not all. Calvary Chapel is explicitly dispensational in their doctrinal statement.

Other denominations such as Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Lutherans tend to be 'non-dispensational' . I doubt Catholics would be dispensational.

It is true that the majority of Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Lutherans and Catholics are not dispensationalist. In fact Presbyterians and Lutherans have official statements opposing dispensationalism, and a small number are hostile to dispys. Despite that, there are dispensationalists in these and most denominations. I know a number of Presbyterian and a few Episcopalian dispensationalists. I know one dispensationalist author was a Lutheran, and I've come across a few Catholics who hold or held to a dispensational viewpoint.

I don't know what the typical Methodist view of dispensationalism would be.

Methodists are open to different views, the same as Baptists and Episcopalians in general.


LDG

 

[Easystreet]

Most dispensational believers hold to the basic 7 point dispensational view taught by Charles Ryrie.

(1) Most Charismatic churches are 7 point dispensational
(2) Most independent Baptist churches are 7 point dispensational
(3) Most independent Bible churches are 7 point dispensational
(4) I am not sure where the percentage of 7 point dispensationalist are within the SBC. It is growing and I am going to guess at least 50 percent or better. The major leading pastors of the SBC are mainly 7 point dispensational.
(5) Methodist are A-millennial or two dispensations Old and New
(6) Nazarenes are A-millennial
(7) Anderson Church of God congregations are A-millennial
(8) to my knowledge I have never hear of a Catholic church being anything other than A-millennial
(9) Presbyterians are mainly A-millennial
(10) Church of Christ congregations are A-millennial
(11) Primitive Baptist are A-millennial


The majority of the Professing Christian world is A-millennial.

Among the conservative Bible believing Christians I would guess that the majority are Dispensational 70/30 guess.

Churches that started out Conservative but held to the A-millennial view for the most part end up liberal.

There are not congregations that hold to the 7 point dispensational view that are liberal or have become liberal. If a Church is a 7 Point Dispensationalist they have to believe the Bible is God's inspired word. They go hand and glove so to speak.

 

[dpartlow]

What are the 7 points and what is A-millenial?

 

[Jerrysch]

Most dispensational believers hold to the basic 7 point dispensational view taught by Charles Ryrie.

(1) Most Charismatic churches are 7 point dispensational
(2) Most independent Baptist churches are 7 point dispensational
(3) Most independent Bible churches are 7 point dispensational
(4) I am not sure where the percentage of 7 point dispensationalist are within the SBC. It is growing and I am going to guess at least 50 percent or better. The major leading pastors of the SBC are mainly 7 point dispensational.
(5) Methodist are A-millennial or two dispensations Old and New
(6) Nazarenes are A-millennial
(7) Anderson Church of God congregations are A-millennial
(8) to my knowledge I have never hear of a Catholic church being anything other than A-millennial
(9) Presbyterians are mainly A-millennial
(10) Church of Christ congregations are A-millennial
(11) Primitive Baptist are A-millennial


The majority of the Professing Christian world is A-millennial.

Among the conservative Bible believing Christians I would guess that the majority are Dispensational 70/30 guess.

Churches that started out Conservative but held to the A-millennial view for the most part end up liberal.

There are not congregations that hold to the 7 point dispensational view that are liberal or have become liberal. If a Church is a 7 Point Dispensationalist they have to believe the Bible is God's inspired word. They go hand and glove so to speak.

I think you are correct on this, yet I wish you were not

 

[JolieHeart]

What are the 7 points and what is A-millenial?

This issue interests me as well. Could someone please explalin what they are? Thank you

 

[Terral]

Dear Brother Dispy:

You guys are doing such a wonderful job of explaining the different denominations under the three major categories (Acts 2, Mid-Acts, Acts 28 Dispy’s), that there is little to add to the discussion. However, if I can stretch the topic just a little bit, please allow me to make a point about the Acts 2 Dispy’s that might help GrinningDwarf understand this topic in a clearer Light. You wrote,

Dispy >> There are three major groups that consider themselves dispensationalists. However they do not all agree with each other. The largest of the dispensational groups are the Acts 2 dispies. The believe that the Church for today is the Body of Christ, and started at Pentecost.

We agree that the largest group of Dispensationalists is the Pentecostal variety starting our “His BODY” Church (Col. 1:24) way back here in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost. This is perhaps the biggest problem I have with the Traditional Dispy’s, because that interpretation of Scripture makes ZERO sense. Do you consider yourself a member of the “body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12) and part of the “dispensation of God’s grace” (Eph. 3:2)? What does Scripture say?

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles – IF indeed you have heard of the ‘Dispensation of God's Grace’ which was given TO ME FOR YOU; that by revelation there was made known TO ME ‘The Mystery,’ as I wrote before in brief.” Ephesians 3:1-3.

We can read Paul’s statements to the Colossians in 1:24-27 to see this ‘dispensation from God bestowed ON ME for your benefit’ (Col. 1:25), according to “The Mystery” (Col. 1:26), described as “this Mystery among The Gentiles” (Col. 1:27). If this ‘dispensation of God’s grace’ was given to Paul for our benefit, then how can you start that way back in Acts 2 with Peter preaching the ‘gospel of the kingdom?’ How many Gentiles are saved in Acts 2 and how many do you number among the ‘men of Israel’ named in Acts 2:14, 22 and 36? Surely you realize this is a Feast Day where Jews would be defiled by simply touching a Gentile. Peter was ‘amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles’ (Acts 10:45) with his Cornelius experience in Acts 10. So how do you even begin to show ‘the Mystery among the Gentiles’ taking place at Pentecost some eight chapters earlier? The fact is that Acts 2 Dispensationalism errantly begins our ‘mystery’ church (Eph. 5:32) long before the ‘steward’ of this ‘dispensation of God’s grace’ was ever even converted and LONG before he ever received our gospel through a ‘revelation of Jesus Christ’ (Gal. 1:11+12). Paul became ‘our father in Christ through the Gospel’ (1Cor. 4:15), as the ‘first’ (protos = 1Tim. 1:15-16) on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:15.

You cannot start our mystery church and this dispensation of God’s grace ahead of the conversion of the steward to whom THAT WAS GIVEN. There is no Biblical precedent for this dispensation of God’s grace being passed from Peter to Paul, or from anyone else BUT GOD (quoted above). The Acts 2 Dispy’s are confusing the ‘third offering’ of the ‘Gospel of the Kingdom’ (Acts 8:12) in the ministry of the Holy Spirit (at Pentecost = Acts 2:1+) with the start of our Mystery Church under the stewardship of the Apostle Paul. The folly of that errant supposition is laid out in Paul’s testimony to the Galatians, where he is sent by a ‘revelation’ to ‘submit the gospel I preach among the Gentiles’ (Gal. 2:2) to this same Peter and John (Gal. 2:9) who YOU SAY preached Paul’s “my gospel” (Rom. 2:16, 16:25 = ‘wisdom given him’ = 2Peter 3:14-16) long before Paul was ever converted. If Peter is preaching ‘our gospel’ (2Cor. 4:3-4) to Israel ONLY in Act 2 at Pentecost, then what did Paul have to submit in ‘fear of failure’ (Gal. 2:2 = ‘gospel to the UNcircumcised = Gal. 2:7) almost 20 years later in Acts 15? Peter is still preaching the same ‘repentance’ and ‘baptism’ for the ‘forgiveness of your sins’ (Acts 2:38), that John the Baptist preached from DAY ONE (Mark 1:4+5). In short, the Acts 2 Dispy’s are starting our mystery church seven chapters ahead of the steward (Paul) to whom this dispensation was given. Therefore, my understanding is that the largest group of Dispy’s is guilty of having the word of God “wrongly divided” in direct contradiction to their favorite verse (2Tim. 2:15).

If anything appears out of place in my comments, then please offer your corrections using Scripture. Maybe this will help other members recognize the differences between those among the denominations calling themselves Dispensationalists.

Your brother in Christ Jesus,

Terral