Evangelical said:
Ha ha ha...well one must have held the truth to begin with and dispensationalism is most certainly not truth. It is a novelty!
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'Dispensationalism is a novelty invented in the 1830s and its mid-acts variety is a novelty of dispensationalism. A novelty of a novelty...be warned! '
My comment:
1.Even conceding that this "opinion", this assertion, is valid(which it is not), since when did "age" determine the truth/validity of doctrine? By that logic, or argument, Judaism is valid, and Christianity is not.
2. That's what Paul's mentor, a leader in Judaism ,Gamaliel said in Acts 5:34-39:
"And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." 5:38,39
That is, popularity determines the truth. By that argument, Christianity is false, since most of this "...present evil world..."(Galatians 1:4) rejects the LORD God, as revealed in the Holy Bible, and His Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul knew of the coming apostasy, as most rejected the the mystery the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him by revelation from heaven, as it is written:
"...These
only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me." Colossians 4:11
"At my first answer no man stood with me, but
all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." 2 Timothy 4:16
And so, Eclessiastes 1:9 is fulfilled once again.
3. a "novelty"?
.You are like the majority of those in Christendom which do not understand and/or who reject Pauline Truth for this new "...dispensation of the grace of God...."(Eph. 3:2). You would say that there is no such thing as a new dispensation ; that the Bible is all the same. In fact most do not even realize that the word "dispensation" is a good Biblical word. However, it is indeed a Biblical word, and a good one, with tremendous meaning, which most ignore to their own error and confusion-let them "....be ignorant...."(1 Cor. 14:38-biblically, ignorant does not mean stupid-it merely means 'lack of knowledge').
When the word is mentioned in some circles it is mentioned only in hushed voices, as if it were something bad or radical or unbiblical-or "
novel". That is in error-
the Holy Spirit was the first Dispensationalist, and
the Apostle Paul was the second.
But why is it that most seminary("cemetary") professors, most of "the Church", of almost every stripe shun the word? That can be answered in one word: IGNORANCE! And if a second word is needed it is: TRADITION!
Yes , ignorance of the teaching of the Apostle Paul and the tradition of the so called early church fathers has confused 99.9 percent of Christendom. We need to listen to our Apostle, Paul.
The Body of Christ's prophet, or leader, is the apostle Paul, "...the apostle of the Gentiles...."(Romans 11:13). Just as Israel followed Moses, believers in this dispensation are
commanded by the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ to follow Paul: 1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1; Philippians 3:17, 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:16. His writings are scripture, the inspired word of God(1 Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 1:3; 2 Peter 3:15,16), and are the Lord Jesus Christ's words and commands in this dispensation: Romans 15:18; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Corinthians 13:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:2; 1 Tmothy 6:3 . The Lord Jesus Christ appointed Paul as :
-our apostle(not Peter, nor "the 12"): Romans 11:13; 2 Corinthians 11:5; Galatians 2:8; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11
-our pattern; 1 Timothy 1:16
-the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles in this dispensation: Romans 15:16; Ephesians 3:7,8; Colossians 1:23-25
-a preacher: 1 Timothy 2:7 2 Timothy 1:11; Titus 1:3;
- a teacher of the Gentiles: 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11
- a prophet: 1 Corinthians 14:37
-the masterbuilder, having laid the foundation of the Body of Christ: 1 Corinthians 3:10
-a steward of the mysteries of God: 1 Corinthians 4:1
-the administrator, "steward", for the present dispensation of the grace of God: Ephesians 3:1-9
-authoritative: Titus 2:15; 2 Corinthians 13:10
Paul calls The LORD God to witness more often than any other biblical writer, and no other biblical writer spoak with an oath more than Paul: Romans 9:1; 2 Corinthians 1:18, 11:10,31; Galatians 1:20; Philippians 1:8; 1 Timothy 2:7
Paul clearly stated in Eph. 3:2 that the dispensation of the Grace of God was given to him for us! We have a new dispensation! It is called " the dispensation of the Grace of God". It is beyond me how anyone can say that they are not a dispensationalists. If you are a believer, you had better be a dispensationalist. Because if you are not a dispensationalist, you are ignorant and disobedient. And if you are in error you, should not be teaching nor preaching, nor writing concerning the Holy Bible. The dispensation of the Grace of God was given to us, and whether you realize it or not, whether you believe it or not, whether you like it or not, we all should be dispensationalists!
Paul not only receives this new dispensation of grace from the glorified Christ sitting at the right hand of God via the Holy Spirit, but he has given it to us in written form. Hence, it is Paul's writings alone that we should look to for our doctrine and help in the Christian walk.
Paul alone was chosen to be God's spokesman for this new dispensation. The other 12 Apostles knew nothing about this dispensation; they knew only what Paul taught them ,and that is why Paul said he went by revelation [direct command of the glorified Christ of heaven] to Jerusalem to confer with the 12 Apostles and to teach them what gospel he preached. Gal. 2:2 "And I went up by revelation and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles.." If they had been preaching the same gospel, that would had not have been necessary!
We are to follow Paul and preach what he preached, i.e. "...the gospel of the grace of God...."(Acts 20:24, 1 Cor. 15:1-4), that is what he called his gospel in several places (Romans 16:25; Eph. 3:2,9; 2 Tim. 2:8; Romans 2:16). And then in Gal. 1:6,7,8, Paul gets to the point when he is defending his gospel, i.e. the gospel of the Grace of God , and here Paul calls his gospel , the gospel of Christ. "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed." That is a strong statement and it seems to apply to 99.9 percent of Christendom ---those who are preaching a mixed gospel(for eg., the "TBN Circus"-preaching the gospel of the kingdom), trying to incorporate the law with grace, or those who are simply preaching the same gospel as Peter, James, and John and all of the 12 Apostles , i.e. the gospel of the kingdom. That is the gospel that was preached at hand by John the Baptist, by the 12 Apostles, by the seventy, by Jesus Himself, and by Peter at Pentecost. Matthew 4:17,23; 10:7;
Looking at Acts 3:19-21 we see that Jesus prayer "Father forgive them for the know not what they do," from the cross , was answered. Peter was offering the Kingdom to that generation, and had Israel repented and won the world to Christ, carrying out their so called great commission, then Christ would have returned and set up the millennial kingdom according to the promises and covenants made to their Fathers. This Acts 3 passage cannot be explained in any other way. At Pentecost, the Lord Jesus Christ was not beginning something new, He was working still through His 12 Apostles to win Israel and to allow them to win the World. But it didn't happen; they stoned Stephen , and they came under the Isaiah 6:9-10 discipline; their temple was destroyed in 70 AD and in the meantime we find that Paul was raised up right after the stoning of Stephen and made Apostle to the gentiles(Romans 11:13), with a temporary ministry to Israel. That is what we see in Acts chapters 9-28.
That is why we must pay particular attention to what Paul has to say, he is God's spokesman for this new dispensation. And further , Paul is the only writer who says, "follow me as I follow the risen Christ." Paul says, "Hold fast the pattern of sound words [doctrine] which you have heard from me" 2 Tim. 2:13; "And you became followers of us [Paul and his helpers] and of the Lord [the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ of heaven] having received the word [doctrine] in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit." 1 Thess. 1:6; "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions [doctrinal instructions] which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle." 2 Thess. 2:14. "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ [the risen and glorified Christ of heaven]. In other words, Paul, the only apostle appointed by the glorified Christ of heaven is OUR APOSTLE.
Only Paul has the
mystery doctrine for this new dispensation and that is why there is so much confusion and downright error---most have and are to this hour mixing doctrines which belong to one distinct dispensation, with the doctrines of other distinct dispensations or dispensation. The result is that they come up with a mixture of prophecy and mystery, and the net result is 100 percent confusion!
So what is it that causes one to become an "unprofitable prophet", or an "unprofitable preacher" , or an "unprofitable believer"? I submit to you that it is nearly 2000 years of IGNORANCE; that it is nearly 2000 years of unprofitable preaching ; that it is nearly 2000 years of TRADITION; that it is 2000 years of the blind leading the blind. IT IS TIME TO RENOUNCE TRADITION AND IGNORANCE. It is time to follow our Apostle , Paul. It is time to learn and follow the doctrine that was committed to Paul by revelation.
4, What one believes in no way determines objective truth, for the truth and belief are independent. Nor does "when" truth is discovered determine its objective truth-truth goes on eternally
irrespective if one discovers it(believes it), and
irrespective of when one discovers it. If not, then I would suggest that the earth was flat most of human history, despite the fact that the Holy Bible declared all along that the earth was not flat!
In Christ,
John M. Whalen.
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