Can wayward theology steal entire books of the Bible away from you? Absolutely!
“I think this new ULTRA-Dispensationalism might be the way we should go! You guys want your doctrine Regular or Super-sized?
by Paul Benson
(This is PART IV of a series. You can find the former articles here: PART I, PART II, PART III. I thought I was finished with this series on the errors of Dispensational Theology, but seeing how some dismiss the rebuke of that theology by stating: “Yes most Dispensationalists ARE in error; but our own particular tightly-focused Acts 28 slant on Dispensationalism is the real deal!”, I thought I would go the extra mile and show proof that their own little niche is not a safe place either to hide from the truth that ALL Dispensational (aka Separation) Theology is absolutely out of sync with the Scriptures. P.B.)
The New Testament of the Bible gives us not only a firm framework of proper Christian doctrine, but also a vivid history of the activities and beliefs of the early Church. We can see a clear picture of what they believed and taught. It was not a complicated nor convoluted mess of theological ramblings that could only be understood and taught by the ‘Learned Ones’ of their day! It was a simple Gospel that could be easily grasped by the common man.
Dispensationalists claim their theology is totally based upon a ‘historical grammatical interpretation of the Scriptures’; but that claim is little more than hot air and wishful thinking. Their doctrine contradicts both the historical and grammatical context of a great deal of Scripture they claim actually teaches it!
And if Dispensational theory itself is a departure from the simplicity that is in Christ (2Cor. 11:3), then Hyper or Ultra-Dispensationalism is that departure on steroids! The notions of that theological mindset, and the given reasoning behind those notions, have so little accord with either the historic or grammatical aspects of Paul’s writings used to promote it that it boggles the mind anyone could consider it proper. Continue reading “The Ostrich Theory PART IV (Looking At The Errors Of Hyper/Ultra Dispensational Acts 28 Theology)”
Have the teachings of man corrupted your understanding of the grace of God that brings us salvation? Are you sure?
“ERRORS? WHAT ERRORS? DO YOU GUYS SEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH OUR THEOLOGY? I SURE DON’T!”
by Paul Benson
(This is Part III of a series of articles on the errors of Dispensational Theology. You can find Part I HERE and Part II HERE.)
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.Paul – an apostle of Christ
If there ever was a man who had a revelation of the majesty and glory of God, and the richness of his grace, it was the Apostle Paul! His writings are quite full of profound expressions such as ‘his unspeakable gift’ or ‘ the unsearchable riches of Christ’.
And Paul fully recognized our need for the grace of God. He devoted his life to the quest of *dispensing the wonderful grace of God upon those who would repent and open their hearts to the truth of Christ’s gospel. I see at least fifteen times Paul pronounced a blessing of grace upon the Flock of God in his letters; four times in which he used the exact phrase quoted above.
*This is the true and proper expression of the ‘dispensation of grace’ versus the bogus claim of dispensation(s) being a period of time. The true meaning of the word ‘dispensation’ has to do with stewardship or administration of an estate or household! Who wrested this new meaning out of the word dispensation? There never was a notion of the word dispensation being a segment of time or history before Darby’s flawed Dispensational theology infested the Christian Church!
As believers in Christ, we need a personal vision that mirrors the Apostle Paul’s. One of just how marvelous (and vital to our well-being) the gift of God’s grace truly is. And we need to understand how important it is to broadcast the Gospel in a manner that doesn’t mislead or outright deceive people about partaking of that saving grace. But so very much of today’s preaching and teaching fails miserably in that regard! Continue reading “The Ostrich Theory (Uncovering The Errors Of Dispensationalism) PART III”
Have the ramblings of Dispensational preaching stolen the promises of God away from you? Are you sure?
“ERRORS? WHAT ERRORS? DO YOU GUYS SEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH OUR THEOLOGY? I SURE DON’T!”
by Paul Benson
(This is Part II of a message on the widespread falsehood of Separation Theology. You can find Part I HERE.)
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 2Corinthians 11:3-4
As believers with a love for the truth we need to exercise great care we never lose sight of the following fact: The truths that bring to us saving faith and the grace of God are simple truths. Those simple truths center around Christ’s propitiatory death on the Cross and the glory of his Resurrection, and also our personal association with that death and resurrection.
He paid a debt he didn’t owe; and we owed a debt we could not pay.
We are redeemed by the price he paid. We are washed and sanctified by the Blood he shed; and thus the door is opened unto us that we might enter into God’s presence as sons and daughters and inherit his eternal Kingdom.
Though there are certainly some truths of the Kingdom of God that are hard to understand (2Peter 3:16), the true Gospel that brings us to salvation is not complicated; nor is it contradictory. And (despite the claims of Dispensational theology) that simple message of salvation by grace through faith is not different gospels preached to different peoples in different dispensations. One Gospel to all people. Period!
“ERRORS? WHAT ERRORS? DO YOU GUYS SEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH OUR THEOLOGY? I SURE DON’T!”
by Paul Benson
… if the root be holy, so are the branches. Romans 11:16
I am a thinker. Maybe to a fault sometimes. But I like to ‘think-through’ the various facets of a doctrine to their obvious conclusion, and see if those conclusions hold an accord with the truth of the Scriptures or not. We often cannot tell for sure what sort a tree is by just looking at the root; or even by examining that tree as a mere sapling. But if we can view that tree in its mature state, and see the fruit it produces, the true nature of that tree becomes obvious.
Error in theology often has a progressive satanic nature to it. Over the years it can grow both in its subtlety, and also in its lure to the undiscerning. And in this ‘maturing’ of deception we also see a greater departure from the truth. Basically this growth or maturing of a doctrine is merely folks following various aspects of that doctrine through to their obvious conclusion; and then adding those ‘insights’ into the narrative they are presenting.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8
Centuries ago a man named John Calvin presented his theories on what he considered proper Christian theology to the world; and today we have a religious landscape littered with the fruit of his efforts. Those who espouse his questionable theories call themselves after his name. They refer to themselves as Calvinists.
Years later Charles T. Russell developed his own particular hypothesis about who God is, and about the method by which he calls and redeems his chosen ones. Today his brand of theology (Jehovah Witness) has encompassed the globe, and you can find churches that proclaim his teachings (in an up-graded fashion) in nearly any major city.
The same can be said of Joseph Smith (the Father of Mormonism), L. Ron Hubbard (Church of Scientology), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science), and an ever-increasing number of others who have thrust their bogus philosophies and theologies of man upon the Christian Church, and have had enormous detrimental influence upon the beliefs of countless millions.
We live in a day where what is called Dispensational Theology has risen to great popularity within the Christian Church. And millions of those who have been taught this ‘theory’ fully believe that the concepts they have been taught, and wholeheartedly believe, are presented in the Bible, and are what the Bible truly teaches about end-time things. BUT…. Continue reading “Has Dispensational Theology Corrupted Your Understanding Of God’s Ways?”
(This is PART II of a two part article. You can find PART I HERE.)
Last article I addressed some comments posted by a brother named Bobby which illustrated much of the erroneous thinking caused by pre-trib teaching. This week I received a couple of comments from a sister (also named Bobbi) which were also chock-full of the error of Dispensational/pre-trib doctrine. Her comments clearly show the way in which that theology adversely affects a person’s approach to the Scriptures and therefor horribly corrupts their understanding of God’s ways.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 1Peter 3:15
As believers we should always be willing to make good effort at reasoning out (explaining) the foundation for our various beliefs. And it never ceases to amaze me the unreasonable things I hear promoted as ‘proof’ for wayward teachings such as the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine. Actually it was the shoddy proofs, and the deceptive way with which they were promoted, that caused me to question (and consequently reject) that teaching in the early years of my faith.
And, though I have spent countless hours examining the issue diligently, I have heard very little over the years that has caused me to question that decision!
Recently I received a comment to an article on my blog page that raised numerous objections to the notion of a ‘post-trib’ catching away of the Church. As it would have taken a response of such length to fully address the issues he raised that it would have been inappropriate for the comment section I have chosen to give a reply to his objections here. Continue reading “Answering Objections To A Post-Tribulation (Second Coming) Catching Away! PART I”
Just how serious is the departure from biblical truth we are witnessing in nearly every facet of the Western Church?
by Paul Benson
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.-Jesus the Christ
Though a good many well-meaning believers who were ‘brought up in the faith’ sitting under the errors of Calvinistic Theology would disagree, a person can (and sadly many do) fall away from the truth that brings us a vital living faith; and therefor they depart from saving grace. Disagree if you must, but if it were not possible to fall from grace (Gal. 5:4) the Bible would not detail the danger of doing so, nor decry the actions of those who have done so.
In spite of all the preaching and teaching that promotes the ever-popular and ear-tickling concept of OSAS (once saved always saved) there is an enormous amount of Scripture devoted to the warning of lingering in sin and the hardness of heart that results from doing so.
Whether it be in the teachings of our Christ (the ‘shallow of faith’ don’t endure to the end in the parable of the Good Seed), or of his Apostles (we have many accounts they clearly rebuked those who had apostatized and now spoke contrary to the truth), or the many other places the Bible warns of apostasy, clearly the reality presented in the Scriptures is that not all who begin the race complete the course and obtain the reward of salvation.
Many do apostatize and fall from grace.
But, thankfully, just as the Word of God gives us clear indication of the danger and symptoms of apostasy, it also gives us a sure cure for that malady! Let’s look at those symptoms and that wonderful life-saving cure. Continue reading “Apostasy: The Symptoms and The Cure”
I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Isaiah 48:3
Sometimes when the Lord is dealing with me, and speaking his truth more deeply into my spirit, I get a word or phrase stuck in my mind and cannot seem to get away from it. In recent days I seem to be somewhat stuck on the word ‘Suddenly!’.
Although our Creator is a loving God, who has remarkably demonstrated his patience and long-suffering countless times through out history, he is also a God who is quite prone to come on the scene in a sudden and unexpected manner. Continue reading “When ‘Suddenly!’ Comes Calling!”
“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us….” 1 John 5:14
While reading through the Bible over the past few years, I have been surprised to come across a substantial number of scriptures, which clearly state that God doesn’t always answer our prayers, and sometimes He doesn’t even hear them. This is the exact opposite of what most churches seem to teach these days.
