DISPENSATIONALISM & THE RAPTURE

In the 1800’s a heresy was popularized by a man named John Darby.  It was then further popularized by another man named Cyrus R. Scofield, through what is known as the Scofield Study Bible. The theology promoted in the study notes of this Bible is called Dispensational theology, and many of it’s doctrines are firmly entrenched as “Bible truth” in the minds of believers. An unbiblical distinction between the church and Israel is at the core of this teaching.

Dispensational theology has broken the second coming of the Lord into two parts. The teaching is that the Lord will come secretly only for the church (the secret rapture) and then again at a later time to pour out his wrath. One of the dangers of this teaching is that people will think that there is a second chance to receive salvation after the coming of the Lord. Satan has a purpose for every false doctrine, and that purpose is the destruction of souls. I used to believe this teaching myself until I learned the source and the reasoning behind it. It made me search the Scriptures for the truth.

Dispensational theology is an intricate web of deceit with various teachings. What follows is just a small portion of its false doctrines. Dispensationalism teaches that Jesus came to set up an earthly kingdom, but the Jews rejected his offer. Because of this, God’s original plan was interrupted and an alternative plan (plan B) was put into effect. It is taught that plan B was unforseen by God and would not have gone into effect if the Jews had accepted Jesus’ original offer of an earthly kingdom. Plan B, they say, is the cross and the church. Since the church is an interruption in God’s original plan, it will be taken out in a secret rapture. Then God will continue with what he had planned to do all along.

Clearly this is heresy and the exact opposite of what is taught in the Bible. The Bible teaches that the cross was foreordained by God and that the expectation of an earthly kingdom was a serious error of the Jews, causing them to “miss” their Messiah.

Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

When John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

I don’t know many Christians that would say they believe the “plan B” portion of Dispensational teaching, but many have ingested at least one of the fruits of this heresy. That fruit is believing that there will be a secret rapture. This teaching has been further promoted by the fictional Left Behind series.

We know from Scripture that one day Christ will return. He came once, the first time, and now believers look forward to his second coming. That is when the dead in Christ shall rise, and that is when living believers will be taken up, or raptured, to be with the Lord. Then the wrath of God will come upon the earth and all “shall be burned up.” One event.  No one will be “left behind” for another chance to be saved.  It will all be over.  That’s the simple, Scriptural truth of it all.

But 2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

A fable is a tale, fiction, a myth.

THE ANGELS WERE GONE AWAY INTO HEAVEN

Luke 2:9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Luke 2:15  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

So many untruths are propagated about angels, especially in the false revivals, that I tend to shy away from the subject altogether.  (When supernatural manifestations contradict biblcal truth we know the source is not God.) But last night, as I was reading in Luke chapter 1, what struck me was that the “glory of the Lord shone” on earth and afterwards “the angels were gone away from them into heaven.”

We are living on an earth where there is very often darkness and despair, yet there is a heaven where the inhabitants experience none of that, nor ever will.  It is the dwelling place of the Lord  and those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and it is the dwelling place of angels.

So many do not believe God’s Word.  They don’t believe the Gospel.  Some think the believer’s hope is nothing more than a “pie in the sky” hope.  They think we are deluded, needing some kind of crutch to get through life.  How sad. But the truth of the matter is that we have the Holy Spirit therefore we know these things are true.

John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Jesus wept for the lost.  If you are born again share the gospel with the lost on this day when families gather.  And don’t forget to share the true Gospel with the Roman Catholic.  Their “church” preaches a “works” gospel that cannot save.  After going through the door of death, hope is forever gone, and there will be only weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Today is the day of salvation, we are not promised a tomorrow.

2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

See also  … SALVATION

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOSPEL

Dispensationalism teaches that Jesus preached to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles.

They also teach that the message was different.

They teach that Jesus preached “law” and Paul preached “grace”, the conclusion being that they preached different Gospels.

As you know that is not true, the Gospel preached by both was/is one and the same.

Adam Clarke Commentary:

The whole doctrine of Jesus Christ, comprised in the history of his incarnation, preaching, miracles, sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, and the mission of the Holy Spirit, by which salvation was procured for a lost world, is expressed by the word euaggelion (gospel) … the sacred writers use it with a variety of epithets which it may be necessary to mention.

Strong’s Greek Dictionary:

Gospel: euaggelion

a good message, i.e. the gospel:–gospel.

1st, It is sometimes termed, The Gospel of God concerning his Son.  Romans 1:1,3.

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2dly, The Gospel of the Son of God.  Romans 1:9.

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3dly, The Gospel of the kingdom of God.  Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:14.

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4thly, Sometimes it is simply called THE GOSPEL.  Mark 13:10; Mark 16:15.

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5thly, The word or doctrine (logos) of the Gospel. Acts 15:7.

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6thly, The Gospel of peace.  Ephesians 6:15.

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7thly, The Gospel of glory . . . 1 Timothy 1:11.

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8thly, The Gospel of salvation . . . Ephesians 1:13.

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In 1Corinthians 9:23, it means the blessings and privileges promised in the New Testament.

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It means the public profession of the doctrine taught by Christ, Mark 8:35; 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:8; Philemon 1:13.

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John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:6-14 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

 

WE MUST SHORTLY DIE & MAY DIE SUDDENLY

My husband and I were in the nursing home, waiting for my father to get his hair cut, when an aid came into the room and started talking with us.  She said she was having sharp pain in her chest and was going home.  She said she had been wearing a heart monitor because of the pain. She asked us if we knew her brother who had been a security guard at the front desk. She told us that last July, at the age of only 48, he died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack in his home.  She said that was not the only tragedy in her life.  Her husband had been killed in a robbery, right in front of their home.  She said she was at work at the nursing home when she got the terrible phone call.  Her ten year old daughter saw the whole thing and held her father as he lay dying.

After we listened to her story, we spoke to her about being born again and asked if she wanted us to pray for her.  She was brought up in church so our words did not seem strange to her.  She wanted us to pray so we did, right there in that small lounge.  I was touched that this woman, with all of her sorrow, displayed such an amazingly peaceful and sweet disposition.

My husband always prays for “divine appointments” before we leave home, and this I believe was a divine appointment.

Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

See also  … SALVATION

THE PROPHETS AND THE LAW PROPHESIED UNTIL JOHN

The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and the words of Jesus Christ ARE for us, the church, today, as witnessed by the word of God …

Matthew 11:13  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

John Wesley’Notes:

v. 13.  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John-For all that is written in the law and the prophets only foretold as distant what is now fulfilled.  In John the old dispensation expired, and the new began.  (Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.)

v. 16 The law and the prophets were in force until John: from that time the Gospel takes place; and humble upright men receive it with inexpressible earnestness.

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;