Israel and the Church

The basic premise that defines dispensationalism is the radical distinction between Israel and the Church. It is the belief that God has not one, but two peoples; and not one, but two plans of redemption.

It is important to note that Dispensationalism is a relatively recent phenomenon, basically originating in the 1830s with the teaching of John Darby, an Anglo-Irish evangelist. Darby was also responsible for spreading the doctrine of a "secret rapture," another teaching with no prior history in the 1800 years of Christian theology. He later split the Brethren movement in a dispute over whether all churches had to follow his church's rulings on discipline.

Darby's novel doctrines soon found fertile soil in America, and were adopted by men such as D. L. Moody, R.A. Torrey, and C.I. Scofield. They were then institutionalized by Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary. Now Dispensationalism is the dominant "theology" among Fundamentalists and Evangelicals in America. (theology is in quotes because Dispensationalism is more of a hermeneutic lens [system of interpreting the bible] than a true system of theology)

It is interesting and perhaps disturbing to note that John Darby had his revelation of the radical distinction between Israel and the Church in 1827 after a severe accident, the same year that Joseph Smith had an angelic visitation and the revelation of the "golden plates" of the book of Mormon. In the same time frame the baptist preacher William Miller also developed and began to spread his "adventist" teachings about prophesy that would later give birth to the Seventh Day Adventists (Ellen G. White) and then the Jehovah's Witnesses (Charles T. Russell). Of course, in democratic America the truthfulness of a doctrine is determined not by its fidelity to the New Testament, but by how broad its acceptance is!

In fairness, the times in which a doctrine arises do not prove its falsehood, nor does its novelty. But both novelty and the lateness of origin must weight heavily against any system of doctrine or interpretation. Any man or woman who claims to have redicovered "lost truth" or has "new light" has the burden of proof on him to prove the validity and surety of his claims. He or she must convincingly show that what he is preaching is in fact the same message that Jesus and the Apostles preached. Does one really want to entrust their eternal destiny to men who "discovered" truth hidden from the Church for 1800 years? -that Jesus and His Apostles apparently knew nothing about, or at least did not bother to reveal and explain in the pages of the New Testament?

But let us examine why the New Testament proves Dispensationalism is in error.

John 10:14-16 NAS "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd.

Not two, but one flock, with one shepherd - Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

Not two ways, but one - Jesus Christ.

NAS Galatians 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ.

Not many heirs of the promises, but one - Jesus Christ.

NAS 1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light

Not two races, but one. Not two priesthoods, but one. Not two holy nations, but one.

Here Peter is quoting from Exodus 19:6 "and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. 'These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel" and Deuteronomy 14:2 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." as well as many other Old Testament passages. It is clearly Peter's intention to identify the Church with Israel.

Ephesians 2:11-22 Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands-- remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Not two groups, but one.

Paul's explicit purpose here is to tell the "uncircumcised" believers that they are now made one people with the "Circumcision" through a New Covenant, made by God Himself in Christ by way of the cross.

Hebrews 8:6-13 NAS But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says, "BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE
HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.
"FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. "AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE." When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Not two covenants, but one.

Here the writer of Hebrews quotes from Jeremiah 31:31-34, a promise made to "the house of Israel and the house of Judah." The New Covenant was promised to Israel. If the Church is a separate entity and not mentioned in the Old Testament prophets like the purveyors of Dispensationalism insist, then the New Testament clearly must be in error! At the Last Supper did not Jesus say "this is the blood of the New Covenant?" Is not the message of the New Testament a message that God has now instituted this new covenant, and the only thing hidden from the Old Testament prophets was that this new covenant would include not only the "House of Israel and the House of Judah", but all the peoples of the world just as God had promised Abraham: NAS Genesis 22:18 "And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." It is this seed (singular) that Paul refers to as the heir (singular) of the promises, and this seed is Jesus Christ.

I could go on and on, but this should be sufficient for you to start your own investigation. The New Testament is clear: there is but one People of God, the Bride of Christ. Only those espoused to Him are joint heirs of the promises of God. Apart from Jesus Christ no one will enter the Kingdom of God. Dispensationalism may be extremely popular among Evangelicals and Fundamentalists, but it is extremely wrong. Dispensationalism directly attacks the teaching of the Apostles, the Gospel, the Cross, and Jesus Christ. It is just as surely the product of hell as its contemporary - the book of Mormon.

What should we believe then?

• There is ONE way to God through One Covenant and One Savior, Jesus Christ.
• There is One People of God, One Church, One Israel, which consists of all who are in Jesus Christ.