Why Mid-ACTS? (Part 2)
Scripture Falls into Place (Part 2)
My shift from a covenantal position to a dispensational position did not happen by trickery. I had a full and clear comprehension of my new position and stance. For forty years I was exposed and taught in the covenantal position, but when my understanding opened to the dispensational interpretation, it was as if the Word started to bloom and come alive. I had absolutely no hesitancy in receiving the scriptures in this light. It made complete and absolute sense and I found everything become understandable, agreeable and revelatory. It eliminated the confusion and contradictions that I had struggled with for years, it just became so clear and exciting. Where the Word was cumbersome and tedious, it become irresistible and real, something I couldn't put down, something I couldn't wait to delve into daily, something that fed my heart and changed my walk.
I know I cannot speak for anyone else, but this was my personal experience and something I'll never regret discovering. I wholeheartedly believe I have a deeper understanding of the Word, a deeper relationship with God and a hope for the future that was never really understood before. I thank God for opening my heart and understanding to His Word and His great plan for the redemption of humanity who have faith in Him and in the cross work of Jesus Christ.
Below is a chart that outlines where I was in the covenant position and where I now stand in the dispensational position. This blog, my bible study and my teaching videos, are based on the views of the dispensational column. I'll never look at the Bible in any other way again.
A COMPARISON OF COVENANT AND DISPENSATIONAL THEOLOGY
| ISSUE | COVENANT POSITION | DISPENSATIONAL POSITION |
| INTERPRET | Accepts both literal and figurative interpretation of the Bible. | Stresses a 'literal' interpretation of the Bible. |
| PATTERN OF HISTORY | Covenant of Works with Adam; Covenant of Grace with Christ on behalf of elect (some distinguish between Covenant of Redemption with Christ and Covenant of Grace with the elect). | Divided into dispensations (usually seven); Innocence (pre-Fall), Conscience (Adam),Human Government (Noah),Promise (Abraham), Law(Moses), Grace (Christ's First Coming), Kingdom (Christ's Second Coming). |
| VIEW OF HISTORY | God is extending His kingdom. God's program in history is mainly through related covenants. | The Last Days are marked by increasingly worse wickedness in the world and by apostasy in the church. |
| GOD'S PURPOSE IN HISTORY | There is a unified redemptive purpose or program. | There are two distinct purposes or programs, one earthly (Israel), one heavenly (church). God's program in history is mainly through separate dispensations. |
| VIEW OF THE BIBLICAL COVENANTS | Are different administrations of the Covenant of Grace. | Mark off periods of time during which God's specific demands of man differ. |
| RELATION OF O.T. TO N.T. | Acceptance of Old Testament teaching required unless specifically annulled by New Testament. | Old Testament prescriptions are not binding unless reaffirmed in New Testament. |
| ISRAEL | 'Israel' may mean either literal, physical descendants of Jacob or the figurative, spiritual Israel, depending on context. 'Israel of God' in Gal.6:16 means spiritual Israel, parallel to Gal.3:29; Rom.2:28-29, Rom.9:6; Phil.3:3. | 'Israel' always means only the literal, physical descendants of Jacob. 'Israel of God' in Gal.6:16 means physical Israel alone. (The "Israel of God" are Jews, not Gentile Christians. All other 64 occurrences of "Israel" refer to Jews. There are true Jewish believers and those who are not in "the Israel of God." But the Israel of God is physical Jews who became believers in Christ.) |
| RELATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH | God has always had only 1 people group, the Church gradually developed. The church is spiritual Israel, in continuity with true Israel of the Old Testament. | God has 2 people groups with 2 separate destinies: Israel (earthly) and the Church (heavenly). The church is the spiritual people of God, distinct from Israel, who are the physical people of God. |
| THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST | The Church began in O. T. (Acts 7:38) and reached fulfilment in the N. T. There are many O. T. prophecies of the N. T. Church. | The Church, the Body of Christ started at Paul's conversion. Paul was the first member of the Body of Christ (1 Tim.1:16). The Church (the Body of Christ) was not prophesied as such in the O.T. but was a hidden mystery until Paul. |
| OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY | Refers to God's people, the church. | Refers to ethnic Israel. All O.T. prophecies for 'Israel' are for literal Israel, not the Church. |
| CHURCH AGE | The Church is the culmination of God's saving purpose for the ages. God's redemptive purpose continued to unfold. | The Church is a parenthesis in God's program for the ages. There is a parenthesis between past and future manifestations of the kingdom. |
| SALVATION | All men who have ever been saved have been saved by faith in Christ as their sin-bearer, which has been progressively revealed in every age. | Teach that men in the O.T. were saved by faith in a revelation specific to their dispensation. This would include faith in a Redeemer (forward-looking or backward-looking) as their sin-bearer. |
| SACRIFICES | O. T. believers believed in the Gospel of Messiah as sin-bearer mainly by the sacrifices as types and prophecies. | The O.T. sacrifices were always for the covering of sin under instruction of God but were not recognized (were forgotten) as types of the Redeemer/Messiah as sin-bearer. Were only recognized as such in retrospect of Christ's death. |
| HOLY SPIRIT | The Holy Spirit has indwelt believers in all ages, especially in the present N. T. era, and will not be withdrawn. | The Holy Spirit indwells only believers in the dispensation of Grace, not O.T. and not after the Rapture. |
| KINGDOM | Jesus made only an offer of the spiritual Kingdom, which was rejected by literal Israel but has gradually been accepted by spiritual Israel. | Jesus made an offer of the literal Kingdom to Israel; since Israel rejected it, it is postponed. |
| IN CHRIST | Believers in all ages are all 'in Christ' and part of the Body of Christ and seen as the Bride of Christ. | O.T. and Gospel saints were not placed 'in Christ' and are not part of the Body of Christ. |
| THE MILLENNIUM | The Church is the Kingdom of God. Covenanters are usually Amillennial, sometimes Pre-Millennial or Post-Millennial, rarely Pre-Tribulational. | The Millennium is the Kingdom of God on earth. Dispensationalists are always Pre-Millennial and usually Pre-Tribulational. The O.T. animal sacrifices will be restored in the Millennium. The Millennium will fulfil the Covenant to Abraham. Israel has a future. |
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