[quoteI'm sorry if I offended you. Maybe I wasn't clear as to what you were saying in this sentence.

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Ron Bailey

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Robert Wurtz II

Br Ron wrote:

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Jeff Marshalek

The Difference Is In The Dispensations

How to make sense of the differences in the Bible

Chapter II


Salvation In The Old Testament
From our brief overview of the major divisions of the Bible, it should be clear to the reader that God does not always work exactly the same way in every dispensation. What God required of Adam (don't eat of the tree), He did not require of Moses; what He required of Noah (ark), He did not require of David. Likewise what He required of Moses and David (keep the Law), He does not require of us today. God is the same God, but He simply does not work with man the same way in every dispensation. Therefore, every Christian MUST know where the divisions between the dispensations are and what God requires of man in each of them to make reasonable sense of the Bible. Again, this is imperative to see God's overall program for man as He has revealed it.

In this chapter and the following, we are going to look at the covenants and dispensations from the standpoint of personal, individual salvation. This is a touchy topic, but our only concern is what the Bible says about the matter. Now, we realize every Bible preacher, teacher, minister, "scholar," etc. who attempts to teach something from the Bible says he is only interested in what the Bible says; therefore, the reader must determine the truth himself through prayer and study. Don't blindly follow the opinions of men no matter how "godly," "devoted," and "fundamental" they may appear; follow only the BOOK (AV 1611). When anyone (including your author) does not strictly go by the Bible, abandon him, at least in the area of error. The Bible is the Christian's absolute, final authority for ALL matters and is subject to no individual, group, church, or school.

Before we go any farther, let us clear the air and list three "historic, fundamental positions" we take issue with concerning salvation:

1. That the means of receiving salvation is exactly the same in every dispensation.
2. That every person ever saved was "born again" and a "son of God."
3. That no saved person in any age can in any way lose his salvation.

These three positions are considered "undeniable" among many today, but again, "what saith the Scriptures"?

First of all, before you jump to conclusions, let us state as clearly as we can that we fully believe every person saved in this present Church Age is saved by grace through faith apart from any works. We insist he is born again, a son of God, and has eternal, everlasting life abiding in him which he cannot lose. We further believe in all the baptistic "fundamentals of the faith," and more than that we believe the book these fundamentals were extracted from—the Authorized King James Version of 1611. Our only real difference with some of the brethren is we don't believe all these Baptist fundamentals apply to everyone in every dispensation. We contend the new birth, eternal security, the Body of Christ, permanently indwelling Holy Spirit, and all other doctrines unique to the Church Age were not available until after the crucifixion, were not revealed until the New Testament was well under way, and were not clearly defined until the epistles of Paul. We further contend these Church Age doctrines have no application to any Old Testament saint, no matter how notable (Abraham, Moses, David, etc..), or to someone in the Tribulation.

Nowhere in the Old Testament can one find the Holy Spirit regenerating anyone, sealing anyone unto the "day of redemption," placing someone "in Christ," or applying a half dozen other New Testament doctrines, but that doesn't stop people from teaching these doctrines are there. They do it by taking present Baptist (or any other) Church Age doctrines and forcing them to apply to all ages. This is nearly as bad as those who try to force doctrines unique to the Law (the Sabbath, abstaining from certain meats, etc.) on believers today. The only difference is the different Church doctrines cannot be practiced in the past because they were unknown then, but past doctrines can be practiced now. In future dispensations, though, those who try to force presently sound Baptist doctrine to apply there will be heretics just like the Sabbath-keepers and pork-abstainers are today. As someone has said, "Nearly every bad thing is a good thing twisted," thus even the precious new birth can be detrimental if it is taught as doctrine in the wrong age.

When one reads modern, "fundamental" literature he needs to be careful. Much of what he reads will likely be sound doctrine, but some may also be based solely on assumption, emotion, opinion, or ignorance. For example, the author has read and heard several respected ministers make statements like: "People in the Old Testament were saved by looking forward to the cross while people in the New Testament are saved by looking back to the cross...," "All Old Testament saints were saved just like we are today...," "All believers from every age are born again, possessors of eternal life, and part of the Body of Christ...," etc., and make no effort to PROVE these statements from the Bible. They make them in such a matter of fact manner that the hearer usually does not even question them. He accepts them as "universal truths" from the lips of a great "scholar" or preacher. Though these remarks may sound biblical to modern ears, that does not MAKE them biblical.

For instance, concerning Old Testament saints "looking forward to the cross," what cross? A "cross" is not mentioned in any context in the Bible until Matthew 10:38, and a cross is not directly connected with Jesus Christ's death until Matthew 20:19! Where does that leave Joseph, Aaron, Gideon and the rest of the Old Testament saints? How could they look forward to something that did not exist and God had not yet revealed? Christ's own disciples who followed him for months didn't even understand why Christ had to die, let alone "look ahead to a cross" (Matt. 16:22). You say, "Well, they were looking forward to redemption, then, if not a cross." Maybe so, but what did they know about redemption (Heb. 9:12)? Did they know as much about it as Paul in Romans, John in 1 John, or even YOU today? Did they know anything about someone dying on a cross for the sins of the world to purchase and provide an eternal redemption from sin? When Christ told Peter about His coming crucifixion it was such a shock to Peter that he rebuked Him! Peter didn't want to even consider his master dying on a cross, so to say he was looking forward to it absurd. We admit it is easy to apply our rich salvation doctrines and advanced revelations to those of other dispensations, so we must be extra careful when dividing the Scriptures to only apply to a dispensation the doctrines valid at that time.

One of the strongest indications that salvation is not the same in every age is that Old Testament saints did not go at death to the same place New Testament saints go to when they die. Old Testament saints went to Abraham's Bosom or "paradise" while New Testament saints go directly into the presence of God in Heaven (2 Cor. 5:8). This alone proves there is a difference. Christ cleared up the matter in Luke 16 concerning where dead believers at that time went with the account of the "Rich man and Lazarus." Before Christ, the Bible was not clear where believers went at death. That there was a hell for the wicked was
clear, but specific details concerning where believers went were not revealed. All that is said of Abraham, for instance, is that he was "gathered unto his people." In Luke 16 the Lord gives advanced revelation and says Abraham was actually in a desirable and comfortable place (called "paradise" in Luke 23:43) across a great gulf from Hell. Abraham and the other saints did not go into Heaven until they went up with the Lord at His ascension (Eph. 4:8), but saints who die in the Lord today go immediately into Heaven (2 Cor. 5:8). Obviously, our salvation is in significant ways different than Abraham's. In light of their many similarities, the two salvations are quite different.

In the following we are going to look at salvation in the different dispensations and examine the similarities and differences between them. We will be very careful and try not to make the mistakes of many today who read doctrines from one period into another, forcing the Bible line up with their "private interpretation." Remember, the Bible is not a Baptist, Methodist, or Catholic book written only for different Churches (or others) in this present age, it is a Jewish book written to people of all ages declaring different manners and doctrines for each period.

Posted by permission of Timothy S. Morton

I think this is a very important work by Tim Morton and I could not get the internet address to post.

In Christ: Phillip

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Phillip

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Jeff Marshalek

Quote:

Deut. 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Yes absolutely, and in this Church Age of Grace, we are to Love the Lord our God and believe on Him whom He has sent.

Jhn 5:38 And ye have not His word abiding in you: for whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not.

Jhn 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that [cometh] from God only?

Jhn 5:47 But if ye believe not His writings, how shall ye believe My Words?

Jhn 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.

We cannot love the Lord our God without loving the Son, Who is the Glory of the Father whom all will worship and every knee will bow.

This mystery that was not revealed to any man or any other being created or not until it was revealed to Paul.

Colossians 1:25-28 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Fulfill the Word of God, The Mystery, has been hid, but now, riches of Glory, this Mystery, Christ in you, Glory in Whom we preach, warning every one, teaching everyone, in all wisdom, man perfect in Christ Jesus.

None of this was available to the old testament saints. How can we miss what is being said?
To be In Christ is to be The Whole of God's eternal Plan of having He The Father's own birthed children in His House. Remember Jesus said, "Pray in this way," which had never been prayed before, "Our Father Who Art in Heaven."
Even though God is the Father of all, nobody was ever told to call Him Father when they prayed except when The Son of God told us.

Luke 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

What is the fulfillment of this prayer?

This is The prophesy of Jesus Christ Himself, which had never happened or had happened yet, but would happen at Pentecost, not just the Holy Spirit upon you or with you but in you.

Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Only Three Places in the New Testament, Abba Father. None in the Old.

Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Some might Daddy. O Father.

There is a Difference.

In Christ: Phillip

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Phillip

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Ron Bailey

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Diane

Wow...this has really run away...

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Aaron Ireland

Tim Morton wrote:

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Jeff Marshalek