Dispensational for Reformed

[JM]

Anyone leave a dispey baptist church for a reformed baptist church?

 

[BT]

Anyone leave a dispey baptist church for a reformed baptist church?

This thread and question make me worried about you. I hope it's just curiosity...

 

[HiredGoon]

I grew up in a dispey, premil, pretrib, arminian Baptist church, was baptized there, became a member, was there for 20 years. Then I moved across the country for college, and attended a Bible church which was really a Baptist church exactly like my former church, just without the "Baptist" name. During college and after I studied a lot of biblical archaeology, church history, theology (and still do). I studied Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox theology quite a bit, as well as the writings of some of the Church Fathers, and the Reformers of 16-17th centuries. All my life I had been a good arminian Baptist, I scoffed at the thought of predestination. Why would God create mindless robots? I thought. But slowly I began studying Reformed theology, it took awhile, but reading R.C. Sproul's "Chosen by God" is what really did it for me. My old views of predestination were so wrong! I was no longer able to deny calvinism. The Bible comes together so much more completely to me, then it did before, everywhere I look it drips with the doctrines of grace. Needless to say I was unsatisfied with my current church, and started trying different Reformed churches. Since then I've moved even further away from my hometown, and I now attend a PCA church. There aren't really any calvinistic baptist churches in my area, and I'm not sure if I would go if there was one nearby.

 

[Unnamed Servant]

Does anyone have some links to a site where I can study dispensationalism, or any books they can suggest?

 

[JM]

This thread and question make me worried about you. I hope it's just curiosity...

Just curiosity, I see the Reformed point of view more and more each time I study the Bible...doesn't mean I agree, just that I can see where they're coming from.

My town has a very small Reformed Baptist group of believers...

SP

 

[BT]

Just curiosity, I see the Reformed point of view more and more each time I study the Bible...doesn't mean I agree, just that I can see where they're coming from.

My town has a very small Reformed Baptist group of believers...

SP

That's good. I've met a lot of Baptist preachers in my day (it happens when you're joining the group), and I've rarely met one as Christ-like as yours. I'd hate to see you leave that teaching for something else... anything else..

 

[mesue]

Does anyone have some links to a site where I can study dispensationalism, or any books they can suggest?

I will be humble enough to admit that I have no idea what you are talking about.
I would like to see this as well. I went from one set of beliefs to a more Biblically based set of beliefs. I have been so ingrained in the Bible for the last 6 years that this dispensational vs reformed baptist church thing is really new to me.
I really am ignorant in this area an would appreciate some help.

 

[Iosias]

Does anyone have some links to a site where I can study dispensationalism, or any books they can suggest?

Dispensationalist theology​

What is dispensationalism?
It is a system of theology that recognizes different stewardships of man under God. According to Charles Ryrie “dispensationalism views the world as a household run by God. In His household-world, God is dispensing or administering its affairs according to His own will and in various stages of revelation in the passage of time. These various stages mark off the distinguishably different economies in the outworking of His total purpose, and these different economies constitute the dispensations.”



What is a dispensation?
A dispensation is a distinguishable economy in the outworking of the purpose of God. They are, according to P. Nevin, “God’s distinctive method of governing mankind or a group of men during a period of human history, marked by a test, failure and judgement.”



What are the features of a specific dispensation?

• There are two parties: the one whose authority it is to delegate duties (God), and the one whose responsibility it is to carry out these charges.
• There are specific responsibilities.
• There is accountability: a steward may be called into account for the discharge of his stewardship.
• The stewardship can be removed: a change may be made at anytime unfaithfulness is found in the existing administration.

How do we know that one dispensation has been replaced by another?
There will be (1) a change in God’s administrative relationship with man; (2) a resultant change in man’s responsibility, and; (3) a corresponding revelation necessary to effect the change.



What is the dispensational scheme?
The following is the popular scheme of C. I. Scofield:
Name: Innocency
Scripture: Genesis 1:3 – 3:6
Responsibilities: Keep garden, do not eat one fruit, fill and subdue the earth, fellowship with God
Judgements: Curses, and physical and spiritual death.

Name: Conscience
Scripture: Genesis 3:7 – 8:14
Responsibilities: Do good
Judgements: Flood

Name: Civil government
Scripture: Genesis 8:15 – 11:9
Responsibilities: Fill the earth, capital punishment
Judgements: Forced scattering by the confusion of languages

Name: Patriarchial rule
Scripture: Genesis 11:10 – Exodus 18:27
Responsibilities: Stay in the promised land, believe and obey God
Judgements: Egyptian bondage and wilderness wanderings

Name: Mosaic law
Scripture: Exodus 19:1 – John 14:30
Responsibilities: Keep the law, walk with God
Judgements: Captivities

Name: Grace
Scripture: Acts 2:1 (?) – Revelation 19:21
Responsibilities: Believe in Christ, walk with Christ
Judgements: Death, loss of rewards

Name:Millennium
Scripture: Revelation 20:1-15
Responsibilities: Believe and obey Christ and His government
Judgements: Death, Great White Throne Judgement

How does the dispensationalist read the Bible?
The dispensationalist has a consistently literal method of Biblical interpretation. They give to every word the same meaning it would have in normal usage. Sometimes called the grammatical-historical interpretation since the meaning of each word is determined by grammatical and historical considerations. Symbols and figurative language are interpreted plainly and they are in no way contrary to literal interpretation. After all, the very existence of any meaning for a figure of speech depends on the reality of the literal meaning of the terms involved. Figures often make the meaning plainer, but it is the literal, normal or plain meaning that they convey to the reader.


What are the key features of dispensationalist eschatology?
A. The Covenants

1. Abrahamic Covenant: This promised Israel a land (further developed in the Palestinian Covenant), a posterity (further developed in the Davidic Covenant) and blessing/redemption (further developed in the New Covenant). The Abrahamic Covenant is found: Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15; 15; 22:15-18; 26:3-5, 24; 28:13-15; 35:9-12 and 2 Kings 13:23.

2. Palestinian Covenant: Guarantuees Israel’s permanent right to the land and promises their return to it. Found in Deuteronomy 30:1-10.

3. Davidic Covenant: Promised David an eternal house, an eternal throne, an eternal kingdom, and an eternal descent. It promised Israel that the messiah would come from Judah and have a throne and a kingdom, ruling over Israel. It is found in 2 Samuel 7:11-17 and 1 Chronicles 17:10-15

4. New Covenant: This promised Israel the spiritual means whereby the nation would enter into blessing and receive forgiveness. It is found in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36. Note that the Church has no relationship (directly) to the New Covenant. R. Decker states that the New Covenant “is made strictly with Israel and will be fulfilled by Israel in the future millennial kingdom. Because of Israel’s unbelief, the covenant is not now in effect with that nation. Instead, the church participates in the New Covenant, not as a legal party to the covenant, but as recipients of the blessings of the covenant which come about by virtue of a union with Christ, the mediator of the covenant, and are placed into effect at the time of his death.”

B. The Rapture
This is found in scripture in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 and it is when Christ returns to the earth prior to His second coming to take away the Church from the earth to return after the tribulation. The rapture must be pre-tribulational because the tribulation is a period of seven years wherein God pours out his wrath on an unrepentant world and we know that God will spare the Church from His wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9) and therefore we shall not be upon the earth during the tribulation. (See also Revelation 3:10)

C. The great tribulation
This is the seventieth week of Daniel (Daniel 9:20-27) and its major purpose is to reconcile Israel to God (Deuteronomy 4:27-31; Ezekiel 20:37). Another of its functions is to judge unbelieving gentiles. The tribulation begins with the beast and Israel signing a covenant. This beast is likely to be from the European Union.

D. The millennial kingdom
When Christ returns to earth He will establish Himself as King in Jerusalem sitting upon the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33). Only believers will enter the millennium. This kingdom will last 1000 years. All the covenants will have been fulfilled as Israel is regathered, converted and restored.

E. The eternal state
Following the millennium, the eternal state will be ushered in. Here we have the new heaven populated by the ‘resurrected’ church and Old Testament saints, and a new earth populated by Israel and believing gentiles due to the central dualism. I however hold the following view: Jesus is the seed of Abraham. He is the spiritual seed resulting in the church that populates the new heaven. He is also the earthly seed pertaining to Israel that populates the new earth.

 

[BT]

Ok give "Dispensationalism" by Charles Ryrie a read. It's probably the best place to start (IMO). It goes through the meaning and an abbreviated history of dispensationalism. It also presents some arguments against dispensationalism etc. It's a good starter and can get you grounded (and it's very easy to read). After that there are some more technical books that I can recommend to you. It's probably the essential starter for dispensational understanding... You are also free to PM me with any question that you may have, I am available to answer you as best I can.

 

[Iosias]

Anyone leave a dispey baptist church for a reformed baptist church?

Why would they

 

[daveleau]

Ok give "Dispensationalism" by Charles Ryrie a read. It's probably the best place to start (IMO).

Good reading on this topic. I second that book if you want to learn about Dispensationlism.

 

[JM]

Why would they

That's why I asked the question...

 

[mesue]

Ok give "Dispensationalism" by Charles Ryrie a read. It's probably the best place to start (IMO). It goes through the meaning and an abbreviated history of dispensationalism. It also presents some arguments against dispensationalism etc. It's a good starter and can get you grounded (and it's very easy to read). After that there are some more technical books that I can recommend to you. It's probably the essential starter for dispensational understanding... You are also free to PM me with any question that you may have, I am available to answer you as best I can.

I will read that book, thanks
But, what am I getting grounded in?
I thought I already was grounded.

 

[JM]

Log onto www.e-sword.com and download a wonderful free Bible program. One of the extra's includes a Bible commentary by C. I. Scofield, another is by John Darby. Both are free and great guides to dispensational theology. Another good place to look for general commentary, that is a free download is the commentary by John Gill.

 

[BT]

I will read that book, thanks
But, what am I getting grounded in?
I thought I already was grounded.

grounded in your understanding of dispensational theology

 

[mesue]

grounded in your understanding of dispensational theology

ahhh! okay! thanks

 

[TheScottsMen]

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/articles/ - the Berean Bible Society was started by C.H. Stam, a leader of Mid-Acts Dispey Theology. They also have a lending library (tapes) which is free. Take advantage of it! I currently have "The Mystery" which is a 9 tape series which they sent me a day after I asked for it! Great group of people and site. All of the articles have a mid-acts taste to them, but if you want the meat, check out the articles under "Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth".

TSM

 

[mesue]

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/articles/ - the Berean Bible Society was started by C.H. Stam, a leader of Mid-Acts Dispey Theology. They also have a lending library (tapes) which is free. Take advantage of it! I currently have "The Mystery" which is a 9 tape series which they sent me a day after I asked for it! Great group of people and site. All of the articles have a mid-acts taste to them, but if you want the meat, check out the articles under "Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth".

TSM

cool web site, I book marked it. Thanks

 

[JM]

I had to ask the question because of the hostle answers that were posted in Calvinist Baptist Talk...I've yet to see such hostility from Reformed Baptists over dispey theology that I encounter daily over the doctrines of Grace.

 

[JM]

Today I spoke with an ex-dispensational, ex-independent, still fundie, ex-baptist Pastor (who was a pastor of two different churches) who left to because a minister with the [size=-1]Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Canada.

So, I guess it can happen.

SP
PS: He even lets me acces his personal study and has invited me to take part in a theological talk a little latter this month.
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