An Historical Perspective Dispensationalism And Dispensational Premillennialism Revelation

An Historical Perspective Dispensationalism And Dispensational Premillennialism

Revelation 20: 1 -10 The Thousand Years • Vs. 1 – Next in a time sequence or just a different perspective? • Vs. 2 – What would this binding really look like? • Vs. 7 – How will we recognize Satan’s release? • Vs. 11 – Where/When/How will the judgment take place?

But more is implied: • Historic Pre-mil: The return of Christ will be a necessary deliverance (pessimistic). • Post-mil: The return of Christ will be a triumphant, historical climax (optimistic). • Amil: A little of both – – Wheat will grow with the tares – Use the sword of the spirit to influence society • as salt and light in a dying world • rather than as building the kingdom of God here.

30 BC 30 AD 1000 AD 1600 AD 1800 AD Pre-Mil Amil Post-Mil

Dispensationalism and Dispensational Premillennialism • is not an historic option or perspective as the other three views have been, • but was deliberately created and introduced into the discussion only relatively recently • when something specific occurred: • a scientific challenge to the very existence of God • a variety of responses within the Christian community to that challenge.

A Story of Two Contemporaries Charles Darwin (1809 -1882) 1850 – declared himself to be agnostic 1857 – T. H. Huxley pits evolutionary science against religion 1859 – “Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection” 1871 – “Descent of Man” 1882 – died, buried in Westminster Abbey

A Story of Two Contemporaries John Nelson Darby (1800 -1882) 1825 – ordained in the Church of Ireland 1827 – helped found the Plymouth Brethren 1845 – split group over prophecy and ecclesiology 1848 – split group again 1862 – began extensive teaching work in U. S.

A Story of Two Movements within Christianity Modernist Liberalism 18 th C. – Enlightenment in Europe challenges Christian foundations and advances Scientific Method. 19 th C. – Prominent U. S. Theologians – exchange biblical authority for authority of human reason – reject more & more of the Scriptural claims of the faith – emphasize a progressive and inclusive doctrine – reject Christian doctrinal fundamentals for social morality and ministry. – retain but deny the meaning of historic creeds and confessions.

A Story of Two Movements within Christianity Fundamentalism • Conferences, Bible schools and colleges arose teaching – the literal truth of the Scriptures – a pessimistic view of moral decline – held up the fearsome and realistic coming of God’s judgment. • Growing distrust of academia, seminaries and semantic creeds • An aggressive campaign for evangelism and missions.

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Dispensationalism • 1830 – Darby’s “rediscovered truths”: 1. The Jews are to be saved by repentance; 2. 3. 4. 5. they are to be left here on earth as God’s earthly people. The Gentiles are to be saved by faith; they will be taken to heaven at the Rapture. The church is a parenthesis in God’s plan and will end in apostasy. The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are sharply differentiated, the first being the Davidic kingdom and the latter being God’s universal world-wide kingdom. God deals with men historically according to seven distinct and differing dispensations.

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Dispensationalism & Fundamentalism • 1830 – Darby’s “rediscovered truths” develop and grow into: • An epochal law-grace distinction (antinomianism). • A clear distinction between OT Israel and NT Church. • 1909 – The Scofield Reference Bible • An exchange of Calvinism for Arminianism • An elaborate “science” of “literal” prophetic interpretation and instruction

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Dispensationalism

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Dispensationalism Within Baptist and nondenominational congregations, Dispensationalism: • found a welcome home • was embraced eagerly – Missions & Prophecy Conf. s – Evangelistic Crusades • was defended strongly and even prejudicially.

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Dispensationalism Within Baptist and nondenominational congregations, Dispensationalism found • a welcome home • and was embraced eagerly – Missions & Prophecy Conf. s – Evangelistic Crusades • and defended strongly and even prejudicially. But within Presbyterianism, Dispensationalism was critiqued • for breaking up the unity of God’s redemptive history, • of watering down the meaning of grace • of replacing God’s moral law with man’s own social code. • of imposing (forcing) a wooden interpretation on God’s prophetic language.

A Story of Two Conservatisms: A difference in the meaning of grace Dispensationalism Although fallen, man is still able and even willing to come to Christ for salvation. God’s foreknowledge makes Him aware of all who will come to Him. The gospel is for all men everywhere. Once a man chooses Christ, God dispenses His grace. The Christian has two natures the flesh and the spirit – which oppose each other until death. Presbyterianism Man’s nature is thoroughly fallen, he cannot and will not respond to the gospel. God mercifully elects some to eternal life in Christ. The gospel call is for all but the work of the Spirit is upon the elect. Salvation is by the gift of God alone. Sanctification of the whole man is on going and progressive unto death.

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Historic Presbyterianism

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Historic Presbyterianism “To some of us He is still the divine son of God, born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. But to many of us He has ceased to be that. . I do not believe in original sin. . I agree with the Chinese who feel their people should be protected from such superstition (Biblical teaching about salvation from sin)”. (Pearl Buck)

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Historic Presbyterianism Northern Presbyterian Church • 1924 – The Auburn Affirmation signed • 1928 – Board of Princeton Seminary reorganized • 1936 – Dr. J. Gresham Machen defrocked by General Assembly Conservative Response • 1929 – Westminster Seminary formed • 1930 – Christianity Today Magazine begun • 1933 – Independent Board of Presbyterian Foreign Missions • 1936 – 1 st Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church returning to hold to the historic Westminster Confession of Faith

A Story of Two Conservatisms: Historic Presbyterianism Conservative Response • 1976 – 1 st Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, also returning to commitment to the Westminster Confession of Faith Southern Presbyterian Church • A much slower descent into liberalism, less visible • An overall forsaking of evangelism and missions • An increasing struggle for power by liberals with an agenda for more

Progressive Dispensationalism • changes dispensational separation for progression from one covenant to the next. • present church age not a parenthesis. • maintains the distinction between Israel and the church (Christian support of Zionism). • still holds to an Arminian view of salvation. • “Reformed” Baptists emerge from Dispensationalism to embrace a Calvinistic view of the sovereignty of God.