michaelvpardo
Well-Known Member
I can't speak for John MacArthur or anyone but myself, but MacArthur teaches a pre-millennial rapture and in order to hold to such a doctrine you must create artificial distinctions between saints before the start of the great tribulation and after. The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ makes some clear statements about the work of the saints during the judgments and the time of the first resurrection. Instead of one bride there must now be two, instead of one congregation, there must now be two, etc. False doctrines tend to fall apart under biblical examination as there is only one unique truth, not multiple truths dependent upon your perspective. I don't believe that holding to some false doctrine is a sign of condemnation, just a sign of something lacking in understanding and generally a holding on to some carnal ideas which have their appeal to our fleshly nature. We all suffer from such failings having been educated and conditioned in our minds and our patterns of thought with corrupted notions derived from a fallen world. We are called to read, to study, and to apply the word of God in our lives not simply to please God, but to renew our minds, to change the way that we think and to gain the mind of Christ (our teacher by His Spirit.) I write in terms of the things that we must do, but nothing we do has any eternal value if it isn't done in faith:Polt said:It doesn't help bring Jews to Christ when Dispensationalists tell Jews that Jews are first-class citizens in God's kingdom and that Christians are only second-class citizens in God's kingdom (natural and all-saved vs. adopted maybe-saved children). And, I'm still left wondering why Dispensationalists don't convert to judaism to raise their class.
If Jesus really were a false messiah, executing him was acceptable under Old Testament teaching.
But, the Jew's view of Jesus is a red herring on the issue of dispensationalism. Whatever Jews think of Jesus, the fact remains that dispensationalists believe Jews are saved in spite of rejecting Jesus, which contradicts the very core of Christian theology, which makes dispensationalists less Christian than even many so-called cults.
Any Christian would be running from the kind of thing they teach. Here's Hagee,.
John MacArhur, sadly considers himself to be a dispensationalist and believes, "there was a distinction between the Church and Israel." MacArther also points out that dispensationalists believe, "[there is] a distinction between the new covenant for the Church, and the new covenant for Israel." (although MacArther is unclear about whether he also believes that). Understand what dispensationalism is, there is a new covenant for the church and another new covenant for Israel. Join the church and be a second-class citizen or join Judaism (which requires rejecting Jesus) and became a first-class citizen. Could anything sound more satanic? Yet, this line of thinking has been flooding Evangelical thinking in recent decades.
Most dispensationalists aren't prepared to articulate what Hagee says. But, they believe what Hagee says, to some degree, and it's reflected in their theology.
- But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:5-7
Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. 1 Corinthians 4:15
You see Paul, at the writing of this epistle, finding no fault within himself, but explaining that he isn't justified by his own judgment, but by Christ who is our judge. We are not omniscient nor omnipresent and certainly not omnipotent, so how can we sum up a man's life in a single act or a single statement? And how can we reckon a man's faith when we aren't capable of seeing our own in anything but retrospect?
I don't know much about dispensationalism but I understand that it makes claim that God has dealt with people differently in different ages or dispensations. I personally find the idea frightening as this creates a picture of a god who changes and not one that I could worship or trust. However, in the passage of time there may be the appearance that God has dealt differently with people through the ages, that is from our perspective. God however is not limited by His creation and since time is part of creation, its foolish to consider that God changes in anything that He does. The old testament saints looked forward to Christ, we look back to His incarnation, and forward to His return, but we're all saved by His grace and through faith. Will those who never heard the gospel be given opportunity to hear it? Will those who never heard it be automatically condemned to hell? I don't have the answers to such questions and with my worldly thinking and linear perception of time I would generally assume nothing, simply because I am not their judge and I must be glad that I'm not. Who but God could bear such a burden and remain without fault?