In late September 1999 I received an authoritative response from a fellow brother conversant with dispensational matters to the following article. His response is located immediately below the article. May Yahweh bless you in digesting the issues involved.

 Dispensationalists claim that the scriptures called the New Testament are divided into two sections. One pertains to Israelite believers while another pertains to Gentile believers. They also claim that in the current "times of the Gentiles", otherwise termed the "Church Age", that is the period beginning with the death of the martyr Stephen in Acts 7 right up to the time of the Great Tribulation, the only scriptures with validity are those that pertain to Gentile believers.

In dispensational division, the scriptures that apply to the "times of the Gentiles" include: Acts chapter 8 right through to the end of the book of Acts, and the letters authored by the apostle Shaul (Paul), namely Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Those scriptures that apply outside the "times of the Gentiles", in application both before and after the "times of the Gentiles" are: Mattityahu (Matthew), Mark, Luke, Yahchanan (John), Acts chapter 1 right through to the end of chapter 7, Hebrews, Yaakov (James), 1 & 2 Kefa (Peter), 1, 2 & 3 Yahchanan, Yahudah (Jude) and Revelation.

Dispensationalists further claim that as we are currently in the "times of the Gentiles", we need not concern ourselves too much with the contents of the scriptures pertaining to Israelite believers, but should concern ourselves solely with the scriptures pertaining to the Gentile believers.

Is this dispensationalist teaching true? Or is it a heresy, meant to hoodwink those of us who are easily capable of so being hoodwinked?

In Mattityahu 28: 18-20, just before his ascent into heaven, Yah'shuah approached his disciples and said to them: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (New Revised Standard Version [NRSV], 1995, The Zondervan Corporation, Inc. throughout unless otherwise specified.)

Yah'shuah’s words are very clear in that he commanded, using the authority he has both in heaven and on earth, that disciples be made "of all nations", and that they should be taught to "obey everything that I have commanded you". He further assured his disciples by stating that he would be with them "always, to the end of the age."

"All nations" incorporate both Israelites and Gentiles, making no distinction between these two groups of people. And as "all nations" were to be taught to "obey everything" that he "commanded" the disciples, it is further made clear that there was not to be a distinction between Israelite and Gentile believers with respect to what was to be taught to them.

The disciples were also to teach " all nations" that which he, Yah'shuah, "commanded" them. Most of the commands Yah'shuah taught his disciples are contained in the books Mattityahu, Mark, Luke and Yahchanan. Others are contained in the rest of the scriptures called the New Testament. There therefore is NOT one category of the scriptures in the New Testament that applies to Israelite believers, with another applying to Gentile believers, with the two categories exclusive of one another. Also, in this so called "times of the Gentiles" period, there is no distinction of scriptures which apply now, with others applying at some time outside this period.

Yah'shuah’s assurance that he would be with the disciples always, "to the end of the age", clearly shows that he was not about to abandon the authority he has on earth, even during this "times of the Gentiles" period. In other words, just as his words had the authoritative validity they had when he spoke them to the eleven disciples just prior to his ascension into heaven, so also they do have authoritative validity in these "times of the Gentiles". And as, according to dispensationalist teaching, the "times of the Gentiles" will continue until the commencement of the Great Tribulation, and the Great Tribulation or "the end of the age" has yet to occur, the words of Yah'shuah have as much authoritative validity now as they had when he spoke them before his ascent into heaven.

The above-described teaching of the dispensationalists is therefore shown to be a fraud and a heresy! Yet dispensationalists still continue to teach it.

Who will one believe and obey - the dispensationalist fraudsters and heretics, or Yah'shuah, the one and true and faithful Messiah? Whom will one have as one’s master, seeing that, as according to Mattityahu 6: 24, it is impossible for one to have more that one master? Will the dispensationalist fraudsters and heretics be one’s master? Or will the one, true and faithful Messiah, Yah'shuah, be one’s master? Decide!

Howdy.

Unfortunately, I think you've developed a bit of a straw man here. This is pretty clearly seen in the fact that you mention all of these different things that "Dispensationalists claim" yet you cite none. I'd be interested to hear what authoritative dispensational source could be cited to support any of those "claims".

Of course, I think you also neglect the crucial fact that dispensationalism is a system of thought that has been constantly in development since J. N. Darby first popularized it. There are various forms and degrees within it. For example, you have C. I. Scofield who taught two ways of salvation (by obedience to the law in the OT and by grace through faith in the NT). No dispensationalist would affirm that today (and many would try to deny that it was ever taught, but it clearly was).

You wrote: "The above-described teaching of the dispensationalists is therefore shown to be a fraud and a heresy! Yet dispensationalists still continue to teach it."

That first sentence is true. The second, however, is false. Having attended the most dispensationally authoritative school on the planet (Dallas Theological Seminary) I can tell you that it is simply not the case.

However, I will admit that there are some groups that most would classify as "ultra-dispensationalists" who hold to and practice some of the rubbish you mention (E.g., the Sermon on the Mount doesn't apply to Christians in this age, the OT is obsolete and not worth studying, etc.). Of course, that stuff is from the pit and no true dispensationalist would affirm any of that.

The key, practical repercussions for essentialist and progressive dispensationalism (classical (i.e., Scofield, Chafer, etc.) is all but extinct) has to do with the covenants and how they are fulfilled. The dispensational system sees the covenants fulfilled in a literal manner (e.g., the Abrahamic covenant is for himself and his physical descendants, etc.). Yet, there is much discord within the dispensational camp (though some might deny it) for there are some (mainly progressive dispensationalists (Craig Blaising, Darrell Bock, etc.) who recognize Scriptures identification of Christians as Abraham's children, etc.).

I'm not saying there aren't some key problems with dispensationalism or that one might logically take this system into some of the directions you mentioned, but I fear your commentary is overly simplistic and essentially presents a system of thought that no dispensationalist would claim. In essence, I fear your commentary is merely spreading confusion. For, when one of your readers encounters dispensationalists who don't hold to any of the view espoused, they will be quite perplexed and feel foolish.

Speaking as one sympathetic to the dispensational cause and who has been labelled as such, I can tell you that ALL Scripture is God-breathed and useful. Of course, you know that, but so do they. Even though there is question over some prophetic fulfillment, I can assure you that in preaching classes, at DTS for example, they put emphasis on the WHOLE counsel of God being needed for the people of God. Thus, dispensationalists would affirm that ALL Scriptures apply now, but the question would be over how they apply.

My recommendation for understanding dispensationalism would be the same as that for understanding anything, read their materials as opposed to materials about them. A few years back, a dear saint by the name of John Gerstner wrote a few critiques on dispensationalism that completely neglected to cite contemporary dispensational authorities (writers, etc.). I would suggest reading Charles Ryrie's Dispensationalism (a revision of the 60s Dispensationalism Today) for the essentialist school and Blaising & Bock's Progressive Dispensationalism for the other branch. All dispensationalists will fall into either of the two categories. Also, I have a brother who is doing his doctoral dissertation on the history and development of dispensationalism, but it may be a few years before completion.

Thank you for the opportunity to respond,

Soli Deo gloria,

E. M. Hartman

____________________________

Rev. E. M. Hartman
First Baptist Church
106 W. FM 544
Murphy, TX 75094
Gunny93@aol.com

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