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To: SandyInSeattle
Here is the correct description of dispensationalism:

Dispensationalism is a system of theology that has two primary distinctives. 1) A consistently literal interpretation of Scripture, especially Bible prophecy. 2) A distinction between Israel and the church in God's program.

Dispensationalists claim that their principle of hermeneutics is that of literal interpretation, which means giving each word the meaning it would commonly have in everyday usage. Symbols, figures of speech and types are all interpreted plainly in this method, and this is in no way contrary to literal interpretation. Even symbols and figurative sayings have literal meanings behind them.

There are at least three reasons why this is the best way to view Scripture. First, philosophically, the purpose of language itself seems to require that we interpret it literally. Language was given by God for the purpose of being able to communicate with man. The second reason is biblical. Every prophecy about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament was fulfilled literally. Jesus' birth, Jesus' ministry, Jesus' death, and Jesus' resurrection all occurred exactly and literally as the Old Testament predicted. There is no non-literal fulfillment of these prophecies in the New Testament. This argues strongly for the literal method. If literal interpretation is not used in studying the Scriptures, there is no objective standard by which to understand the Bible. Each and every person would be able to interpret the Bible as he saw fit. Biblical interpretation would devolve into “what this passage says to me...” instead of “the Bible says...” Sadly, this is already the case in much of what is called biblical interpretation today.

Dispensational theology teaches that there are two distinct peoples of God: Israel and the church. Dispensationalists believe that salvation has always been by faith—in God in the Old Testament and specifically in God the Son in the New Testament. Dispensationalists hold that the church has not replaced Israel in God’s program and the Old Testament promises to Israel have not been transferred to the church. They believe that the promises God made to Israel (for land, many descendants, and blessings) in the Old Testament will be ultimately fulfilled in the 1000-year period spoken of in Revelation chapter 20.

Dispensationalists believe that just as God is in this age focusing His attention on the church, He will again in the future focus His attention on Israel (Romans 9-11).

Using this system as a basis, dispensationalists understand the Bible to be organized into seven dispensations: Innocence (Genesis 1:1–3:7), conscience (Genesis 3:8–8:22), human government (Genesis 9:1–11:32), promise (Genesis 12:1–Exodus 19:25), law (Exodus 20:1–Acts 2:4), grace (Acts 2:4–Revelation 20:3), and the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). Again, these dispensations are not paths to salvation, but manners in which God relates to man. Dispensationalism, as a system, results in a premillennial interpretation of Christ’s second coming and usually a pretribulational interpretation of the rapture. To summarize, dispensationalism is a theological system that emphasizes the literal interpretation of Bible prophecy, recognizes a clear distinction between Israel and the church, and organizes the Bible into the different dispensations it presents.

What is Dispensationalism and is it Biblical?

This will give you accurate information as a basis for when whatever bizarre "explanation" for "dispensationalist heresy" gets posted.

36 posted on 12/01/2010 4:20:30 PM PST by GiovannaNicoletta
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To: GiovannaNicoletta

Thank you very much!

Bump for when I get home.


37 posted on 12/01/2010 4:22:49 PM PST by Not A Snowbird (When life gives you lemons, throw them back and demand chocolate.)
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To: GiovannaNicoletta

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

I increasingly agree with you about

CINO’s and REPLACEMENTARIANISM.

I’m increasingly skeptical that one can be a passionate REPLACEMENTARIANISM and remain an authentic Christian.


58 posted on 12/02/2010 6:22:25 AM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: GiovannaNicoletta
The goal of interpreting ANY kind of historic writing, especially the bible, should be to understand it as the original writer intended, and the original readers understood it. That may, or may NOT, be in a "literal" sense...depending on the genre, or type of literature in which it was written.

Take the proverb: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Prov. 22:6)

Wooden literalism takes that statement as a fact, or actually an absolute promise. A LOT of parents of wayward offspring have suffered a tremendous amount of guilt from such an interpretation...thinking that if their child as an adult has chosen to walk away from the Lord, this verse is stating unequivocally it is THEIR fault.

However, the book of Proverbs, having the genre of Wisdom literature, and being proverbs, or truisms, means that the original writer (Solomon) did NOT intend to be writing a promise, nor did his original readers understand it that way.... rather these are truisms, or an "all things being equal, then..." statements. Many such proverbs also speak of wealth and prosperity too....and the (heretical) "health and wealth" gospel is built on a general ignorance on the nature of proverbs and Wisdom literature genre in the Bible.

It is no accident either that amidst the most narrow, back-woods fundamentalist churches, wooden literalistic interpretation (ignorantly ignoring the genre...and therefore the author's original intent) is the norm, along with concomitant dispensational theology.

119 posted on 12/02/2010 4:06:42 PM PST by AnalogReigns
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