1. Dispensational Premillennialism

2. Introduction Many new folks – understand what TBC teaches
We are dispensational in our view of philosophy of Biblical history
We are premillennial in our view of eschatology
We are pre-tribulational in our view of the rapture

3. Philosophy of History
Explains the why of historical events in an organized way
Covers the whole scope of human history from beginning to end.
Why things happened in the past
Why we are today where we are
What and why of the future
There should be a unifying principle that ties everything together

4. Two Major Views Dispensationalism
Non-dispensational –> Covenant Theology (Reformed, Replacement, etc.)

5. Dispensational Theology
Definition: Develops the Bible’s philosophy of history on the basis of the sovereign rule of God. A particular way of administrating His rule over the world as He progressively works out His purpose for world history.
Each dispensation has 3 aspects:
A particular way of administrating His rule over the world
Involves a particular responsibility for man
Giving of divine revelation that has not been given before

6. The Dispensational ‘Strawmen’
Different dispensations are Gods different way of administering His rule over the world. They are not different ways of salvation.
A dispensation is not an age of history, though a dispensation may cover the same time period as an age. A dispensation is a particular way of God’s administering rule, an age is a particular period of time.
A dispensation may involve a particular way of God’s administering His rule over all mankind, or over only a segment of mankind.
Certain factors from previous dispensations may be in effect during progressively new dispensations.
Each new dispensation involves new revelation.

7. The ‘Usual’ Dispensations
Dispensation of Innocence (Adam)
Dispensation of Conscience (Fall to Flood)
Dispensation of Human Government (Flood to Abraham)
Dispensation of Promise (Abraham to Moses)
Dispensation of the Mosaic Law (Abraham to Jesus)
Dispensation of Grace (Jesus through present age)
Dispensation of the Millennium (Second Coming to Eternal State)

8. Overview of Covenant Theology
Definition: Develops the Bible’s philosophy of history on the basis of covenants
Two Covenants
Covenant of Works
Covenant 0f Grace
Three Covenants
Covenant of Grace
Covenant of Redemption

9. Covenant Theology
Covenant of Works Established between the creation and fall of man Between God and Adam Perfect obedience –> eternal life Covenant of Grace Established after the fall of man and because of the fall of man Gen 3:15 Abrahamic covenant Between God and … individual sinner, elect sinners, believers and ‘their seed’ Faith in Christ –> eternal life

10. Covenant Theology
Covenant of Redemption Established in eternity past Between God the Father and God the Son (some include HS) Father granted to the Son all authority that He would be the redeemer of the elect Son would make amends for the sin of Adam (and those whom the Father gave Him) perfect obedience He would secure salvation for all His spiritual progeny.

11. Issues with Covenant Theology
Covenant theology’s goal of human history is too limited.
Glory of God through the redemption of the elect
Though the redemption of the elect is an important part of God’s purpose for human history, it is only one part of that purpose.
Covenant theology denies or weakens distinctions in the Bible (different aspects of the covenant of grace)
Nullifies distinction between Abrahamic covenant and Mosaic covenant
No essential distinction between Old and New covenant –> c.f. 2 Cor. 3:3–11
Denies the distinction between the nation of Israel and the Church
In order to make its system work, Covenant theology must employ a double hermeneutic
Covenant theologians claim to use the historical–grammatical method of interpretation
But when interpreting prophecy and some of the OT, they use allegory/spiritualization
Israel doesn’t have to mean the nation of Israel in prophecy, it can and often does mean the Church. The Church fulfills OT prophecies given to the nation of Israel spiritually. For example, the land promise of Abrahamic covenant.
Replacement theology

12. Why dispensational approach?
Though dispensational theology did not exist as a developed system of theology in the early church (up to 400 AD), leaders recognized Biblical principles which are basic to dispensationalism.
The literal fulfillment of prophecy concerning the first coming of Jesus Christ leads us to interpret prophecy literally. This literal approach to Biblical interpretation is the main pillar of dispensationalism.
With the rise of allegorical methods after 400 AD, literal interpretation fell out of favor until after the Reformation.
Critical Biblical doctrines are best understood in the context of dispensational theology.

13. Dispensational Theological Method
The recognition of one's own pre-understanding
The formulation of a biblical theology from the Old Testament based upon literal interpretation (grammatical-historical method of interpretation) of the Old Testament text
The formulation of a biblical theology from the New Testament based upon literal interpretation (the grammatical-historical method of interpretation) of the New Testament text, which method includes the backgrounds arrived at via number 2 above
The production of a systematic theology by harmonizing all inputs to theology including 2 and 3 above.

14. Non-dispensational Theological Method
The recognition of one's own preunderstanding
The formulation of a biblical theology of the New Testament based upon the literal interpretation (grammatical-historical interpretation) of the New Testament text
The formulation of a biblical theology of the Old Testament based upon the New Testament understanding of the Old Testament text
The production of a systematic theology by harmonizing all of the inputs above to theology including the results of 2 and 3 above.

15. Problems with non-dispensational approach
With the NT being the priority, OT background into NT text tends to be minimized or ignored
Exegetical results from the OT are replaced by the NT analysis, i.e., NT has veto power over the OT.
No true Biblical theology of the OT exists that is brought forward to the synthesis of step 4.

16. Premillennial in Eschatology
Premillennial – Second Coming precedes millennium
Postmillennial – Second Coming follows the millennium (many non– dispensational theologians)
Amillennial – no millennium (most other non–dispensational theologians)
Why premillennial?
Early church was premillennial
Consistent literal interpretation of Bible leads to premillennialism (Dan. 7, 9)
Book of Revelation is sequential (Rev. 1:19), Rev. 19 has Second Coming, Rev. 20 the millennium

17. Pre–tribulational in our rapture view
Literal interpretation of Daniel 9:24–27 demands a 7 year period in the future, characterized by God’s final purpose with the nation Israel
Pre–trib – rapture before 7 year tribulation period
Mid–trib – rapture in the middle of the 7 year tribulation period
Post–trib – rapture at the very end of the 7 year tribulation period
Why pre-trib?
Distinctiveness of the Church and the nation of Israel
Tribulation is primarily a time of God’s wrath on the unbelieving world; c.f. 1 Thes. 5:9
Major passages, 1 Thes. 4:13–18, 1 Cor. 15:23–24, 50–55, John 14:1–3
Many minor passages

18. Summary TBC is: Pillars of dispensationalism
Dispensational in our view of Biblical history
Premillennial in our view of eschatology
Pre-tribulational in our view of the timing of the rapture
Pillars of dispensationalism
Literal interpretation of the Bible
Distinction between Israel and the Church
Doxological purpose of history