Testing the Foundations of Dispensationalism
Dispensational Futurism is currently the most familiar prophetic framework for many evangelical Christians, but it is more than simply a particular view of the end times. Its underlying assumptions influence how Christians understand Israel, the Church, the covenants, prophecy, and even the way Scripture itself is interpreted.
Because dispensationalism is so familiar today, many Christians encounter its assumptions long before they realize that earlier generations of Christians, including generations of Protestants, often understood these passages very differently. Familiarity, however, is not the same thing as biblical certainty. The purpose of this semester is therefore not merely to replace one theological system with another, but to slow down and test some of those foundational assumptions directly against Scripture.
The goal is not to attack Christians who hold dispensational beliefs. Many of us were taught these ideas sincerely and accepted them because we believed they were biblical. The question is whether the framework itself stands up when we allow Jesus and the apostles to show us how the Old Testament, the covenants, Israel, the Kingdom, and prophecy are fulfilled and developed in Christ.
What follows is a series of studies designed to test those foundations one at a time. Some conclusions may initially feel unfamiliar. That is precisely why the safest approach is an open Bible, a willingness to examine our assumptions, and a determination to follow the evidence wherever Scripture leads.
Dispensationalism: A Series of Unfortunate Assumptions
Week 2- Do We Appreciate Everything Jesus has Fulfilled?
Week 3- What was the Prophecy of Daniel 9?
Week 4- Has a Relatively New Theology Hurt and Weakened the Church and Changed the Gospel?
Week 5-What is Dispensationalism, and what does “Rightly Divide” mean?
Week 6- Did Scofield “Rightly Divide?” (An eye opening look into the life of C. I. Scofield)
Week 7- According to Scripture, what does the word “Dispensation” mean?
