Quote:
Originally Posted by WitnessMe
When talking about dispensationalism. We need to ansewer some fundamental questions.
1. Is modern Israel is the Biblical Israel?
2. What does Israel actually mean in the New Testament?
3. Does the Bible mandate Christians to support the modern nation of Israel?
4. Who are the true chosen people according the New Testament?
5. Who are true descendant of Abraham according the New Testament?
6. Does God want a political nation on the earth or a spiritual kingdom that is not of this world?
7. What are the common themes in the New Testament?
8. When God gave Israelis the promised land, what were the conditions that came with the promise?
9. Do the modern Israelis believe in Jesus Christ?
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There is one even more fundamental question regarding dispensationalism, which should be asked and answered first. What is the scriptural basis for dispensationalism? I don't mean the beliefs of certain "church fathers", I mean scripture.
"Dispensationalism is an extra-biblical framework which identifies and names periods of time as ‘ages’ or ‘dispensations.’ When I say, ‘extra-biblical’ I mean that it comes from outside the Bible. I am not implying or suggesting that just because it is extra-biblical that it is wrong. It is based on analytical observations which (divides) various periods of time into ‘ages’ or ‘dispensations.’ In this sense, a ‘dispensation’ is an age, where God is administering His plans differently according to His design for that age or ‘dispensation’. In the simplest terms, it is a phase of time with God’s plan for the world and mankind. So, before Christ’s death and resurrection there was an ‘age’ of Law and after there is an ‘age’ of Grace." -Matt Anderson (Forum member)
I think this is an important distinction when discussing dispensationalism and/or any other biblical topic. That is, what is the source of the teaching? We gave Witness Lee a pass on this matter and ended up in a world of hurt. We also failed to acknowledge that whatever Witness Lee taught was an interpretation of scripture. HIS interpretation of scripture. But as Matt said above, extra-biblical or interpretation doesn't mean it's wrong. What then? Test all things.
Acts 17:10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more [d]fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and
searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Have we learned this lesson? That is, "search the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things are so". Is dispensationalism true/valid/scriptural?
Nell