- May 15, 2005
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I just saw the following in an anti-dispensational screed, which was posted under a tag which does not allow us to answer it.
The OP summarized supposed dispensational doctrine by saying:
Dispensational Theology
1 God has two distinct people – Israel and the Church.
2 The Church age was a parenthesis in God’s dealing with Israel.
3 God’s promises to Israel were postponed till after the rapture.
4 After a Jewish tribulation revival, their ‘dispensation’ will resume.
5 Worship in the millennium includes re-instituted temple sacrifice.
6 The promised temple is an example of what must yet be fulfilled.
7 Modern Israel proves not all promises are fulfilled in the Church.
The same poster went on to say:
Dispensationalists either infer or state that the entire levitical system will be repeated in the Millennium. Moderates think that it will simply serve as a ‘reminder’ of Christ’s death. Extreme dispensationalists infer that it will be the basis of millennium atonement. In either case all disps. accord an elite position to ethnic Israel in the millennium.
He then added:
Many Dispensationalists have no idea that levitical sacrifice is part of their system. That is why I used the word 'infer' because they don't like to come out directly and say it. However, all Premillennialists believe in a future Millennium on earth with a rebuilt in Jerusalem, according to the vision given in Ezekiel 40-48. Here is their problem. The vision in Ezekiel includes animal sacrifices. Because Dispensationalists are committed to a literal, future fulfillment of Ezekiel 40-48, they believe that there will be a return to animal sacrifices during the Millennium.
Some have tried to skirt the issue by arguing that the animal sacrifices are only a memorial. However, Ezekiel 40-48 belies this claim. These are not mere memorial animal sacrifices. In context, Ezekiel calls for a "sin offering". Leviticus describes the sin offering as "making atonement" (Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35, etc.). So, these are animal sacrifices atoning for sin, no matter which way Dispensationalists try to spin it.
Thus, your system teaches (albeit, by inference) that during the future Millennium, there will be a temple in Jerusalem with Levitical priests offering animal sacrifices to atone for sin.
Then a second, more radical poster said, protecting himself by the weasel words "some claim":
Dispensationalists sometimes claim there is more than one form of the Gospel.
Some claim there is a "Gospel of the Circumcision" to the Jews and a "Gospel of the Uncircumcision" to the Gentiles.
This is done in an attempt to keep the Church and Israel separated.
I have never understood how they can get around Paul's warning from the Book of Galatians...
These posts misrepresent dispensational doctrine.
Please do not assume that our opponents are accurately representing what we believe. They are not. And in many cases, what they claim we believe is not even close to what we believe.
The OP summarized supposed dispensational doctrine by saying:
Dispensational Theology
1 God has two distinct people – Israel and the Church.
2 The Church age was a parenthesis in God’s dealing with Israel.
3 God’s promises to Israel were postponed till after the rapture.
4 After a Jewish tribulation revival, their ‘dispensation’ will resume.
5 Worship in the millennium includes re-instituted temple sacrifice.
6 The promised temple is an example of what must yet be fulfilled.
7 Modern Israel proves not all promises are fulfilled in the Church.
The same poster went on to say:
Dispensationalists either infer or state that the entire levitical system will be repeated in the Millennium. Moderates think that it will simply serve as a ‘reminder’ of Christ’s death. Extreme dispensationalists infer that it will be the basis of millennium atonement. In either case all disps. accord an elite position to ethnic Israel in the millennium.
He then added:
Many Dispensationalists have no idea that levitical sacrifice is part of their system. That is why I used the word 'infer' because they don't like to come out directly and say it. However, all Premillennialists believe in a future Millennium on earth with a rebuilt in Jerusalem, according to the vision given in Ezekiel 40-48. Here is their problem. The vision in Ezekiel includes animal sacrifices. Because Dispensationalists are committed to a literal, future fulfillment of Ezekiel 40-48, they believe that there will be a return to animal sacrifices during the Millennium.
Some have tried to skirt the issue by arguing that the animal sacrifices are only a memorial. However, Ezekiel 40-48 belies this claim. These are not mere memorial animal sacrifices. In context, Ezekiel calls for a "sin offering". Leviticus describes the sin offering as "making atonement" (Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35, etc.). So, these are animal sacrifices atoning for sin, no matter which way Dispensationalists try to spin it.
Thus, your system teaches (albeit, by inference) that during the future Millennium, there will be a temple in Jerusalem with Levitical priests offering animal sacrifices to atone for sin.
Then a second, more radical poster said, protecting himself by the weasel words "some claim":
Dispensationalists sometimes claim there is more than one form of the Gospel.
Some claim there is a "Gospel of the Circumcision" to the Jews and a "Gospel of the Uncircumcision" to the Gentiles.
This is done in an attempt to keep the Church and Israel separated.
I have never understood how they can get around Paul's warning from the Book of Galatians...
These posts misrepresent dispensational doctrine.
Please do not assume that our opponents are accurately representing what we believe. They are not. And in many cases, what they claim we believe is not even close to what we believe.
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