Inaugurated Eschatology VS Dispensationalism (Quick, Unformatted Take)

About 'INAUGURATED ESCHATOLOGY':

(contrasted with Dispensationalism, and Covenant Theology)

1. It emphasises that the COMPLETION of Israel's national-story has now been inaugurated - in Jesus - in two phases: 1st coming/2nd coming - already/not yet - inauguration/consummation - salvation now/Day of Salvation future - Messiah's resurrection/our resurrection - new creation begun/new creation completed)

In Old Testament times national-Israel were granted a glimpse of a story of hope, resurrection, regathering, removal of sin, judgment of evil-tyranny, salvation, redemption, putting creation to rights, 'new creation' and God's presence.

The gospel was the announcement that that hoped-for plan had now been inaugurated - in Israel, and for Israel, first of all - for the benefit of the whole world - in a new and real sense, although its final rollout still awaits Messiah's second coming.

(While Dispensationalism sees a discontinuity between the gospel and Israel's hope; and Covenant Theology struggles to define ancient Israel ethnically).

2. Meanwhile, tribulation and persecution is ever-present. But Christ will come!

(While Dispensationalism emphasises a period of special Tribulation immediately before a Third Coming.)

3. Israel's promise and vocation was carried out by the Holy One of Israel, son of David, Abraham and Jacob - in Israel, for Israel first, and for the benefit of the whole world: but only Israelites who were 'in the Messiah' by faith received the promise, then also Greeks - and together they are called 'Messiah's body' - 'the Church' (the 'church' which, at its inception was in Jerusalem and was all-Jewish) - and all this is the exact scenario foreseen in the Old Testament.

(While Dispensationalism separates Israel from the Messiah's Body, the Church; and Covenant Theology minimises the ethnic and geographical historical order in which God's purpose unfolded.)

4. There is One (triune) God - one way of salvation - one people of God - one future

(While Dispensationalism sees two distinct peoples of God; and Covenant Theology minimises the custodial role played by national-Israel until the promise came.)

5. A Historical-critical 'storied-worldview' hermeneutic is used, as demonstrated in the New Testament writings.

(While Dispensationalism touts an always-literal hermeneutic but actually doesn't adhere to it especially in statements made in prose in the New Testament; and Covenant Theology can tend to over-spiritualise everything without acknowledging the role that ethnic/national Israel had as custodians of the coming-blessing.)

6. The Old Testament vision of a Temple and river was intended in part to inspire the building of the second temple - and there was a carrying-out of that commandment in a measure at the return from captivity - but there was also a transcending heavenly, spiritual, Christ-centred, gospel-shaped, new-creation, eternal reality prefigured by all of that, which has now been fulfilled as intended, in Jesus, in two phases: kingdom now/not yet.

Jesus, John, Paul and Peter each spoke of the temple and/or river in a Christ-centred, gospel-shaped, body-of Christ/Church way, and both made the statement that a physical temple and pilgrimages to Jerusalem are no longer required. And Paul stated that animal-sacrifices aren't the future.

(Dispensationalism insists on two future temples, and animal sacrifices, but inconsistently to their own hermeneutic claim that it will be for a memorial not for sin as Ezekiel had foreseen.)

Debunking:

Okay, finally someone explains what this is. So thus I will debunk it from a position of Dispensationalism.

1. "While Dispensationalism sees a discontinuity between the gospel and Israel's hope"

The discontinuity is not from the gospels, but PAULINE EPISTLES. Romans 11 talks about Israel as a separate entity.

The idea of already/not yet is not unique to inaugurated eschatology, however, Dispensationalism determines that the “already” is a type and a shadow, and that the “not yet” is the absolute.

2. Dispensationalism does not deny there are tribulations today. It just emphasizes there is a GREAT tribulation, correct. But the Bible describes it that way as a FUTURE EVENT.

Matthew 24:21

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

3. The problem with this is that Messiah CANNOT be Israel's body. Why?

Because it says Israel is the WIFE of God the Father, and the Church is the Bride of Jesus Christ, the Son.

The types conflict. That's literally saying Jesus will marry the equivalent of His mother (Revelation 12). Many types in the Bible show the Church to be Gentile, Song of Solomon Shulamite, Moses' Ethiopian wives, Joseph's Gentile wife, etc.

No one denies Jesus went to the Jews first. But He clearly states He will go to the Gentiles the same way Jonah went to Nineveh, Solomon went to the Queen of Sheba, and Elijah to Namaan - NONE of those Gentiles joined Israel. So thus, the Church.

Inaugurated Eschatology breaks the types set forth in the Bible.

4. The divisions are stated right here:

1 Corinthians 10:32

“Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:”

Abraham is the father of MANY nations. So putting everyone in Israel defeats that, plus the Church is called a separate nation from Israel by Paul in Romans

The desire to just have one people of God is against Scripture. God seeks to have unity in division, like a Trinity. God's unity does not mean abolishing division, but divisions working together.

The divisions are also important in eternity, New Jerusalem is given to the Church (Jerusalem was first Gentile before David took it over), the Earth is given to Israel as priests (Hosea), and the stars are given to the Gentile nations (Deuteronomy).

5. Sure, dispensationalists are sometimes inconsistent with the literal hermeneutic, but consistently applied, it is the only theological system to make correct prophetic predictions, such as Israel being a nation in 1945. And if you show examples, I will debunk them (or correct a previous dispensationalist who was too afraid to take it to its logical conclusion).

6. Only inconsistent mainstream dispensationalists claim it will be for a memorial. So not really a jab at dispensationalism, but inconsistent dispensationalists.

As for two temples, that was already present in the gospels. Jesus was the TEMPLE OF HIS BODY standing in front of ISRAEL's TEMPLE.

John 2:19-21

19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

Unity or Division: Two Opposing Ways To Interpret The Bible

There are two opposing main philosophies of interpreting the Bible:

Unity

OR

Division

Unity says that different words in the Bible that are similar are identical. This philosophy is also called Inductive Logic or Covenantalism/Covenant Theology as a system. This is favors a figurative and subjective view of the Bible.

Division says different words in the Bible that are similar are distinct. This philosophy is also called Deductive Logic or Dispensationalism as a system. This favors a literalist and objective view of the Bible.

To further understand the differences, let's look how someone using Unity or Division interprets the same passage.

Luke 1

46 And Mary said, My SOUL doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my SPIRIT hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Here we have to words: SOUL and SPIRIT, that are different but seemingly similar.

The Unity interpreter will assume since soul and spirit are doing similar things in this passage, and since both soul and spirit are both immaterial, apparently, both are identical. In other words, the Unity interpreter will combine soul and spirit into one thing and have the words as synonyms for each other.

The Division interpreter on the other hand, will be more critical. Because similar words are different are distinct, he concludes that since the Bible uses different words, no mater how similar, they are separate and distinct. And technically, magnifying and rejoicing are two different things, too. In other words, soul and spirit are separate and distinct and not the same, even though they are closely related. (We know the Division interpreter is correct here because of 1 Thess. 5:23 and Heb. 4:12)

Okay, so why is this important? Because how you read your Bible will determine what you believe. The list of the following word collections are very important theologically, whether they are distinct or not:

Soul vs Spirit

Mercy vs Grace

Israel vs Church (and related words such as Elect and Sheep)

Kingdom of God vs Kingdom of Heaven

the different Gospels (Gospel of the Kingdom, Paul's Gospel, the Eternal Gospel, etc.)

the different Baptisms (John's Baptism, Baptism of Fire, Baptism of the Spirit, etc.)

Book of Life vs Lamb's Book of Life

Things That *Sound* Like Salvation (adoption, creating a new heart, repentance, etc.)

Things That *Sound* Like A Loss of Salvation (apostasy, falling away, backsliding, etc.)

Etc.

Calvinists, for example, heavily use Unity interpretation on Romans 9 by equating Israel to the Church and then applying the whole chapter to salvation, when the words salvation and the church and related words do not even appear in the passage at all. A Division reading takes the passage at face value of it speaking about the nation of Israel. Yes, even the verses where it says there is no Jew or Gentile in Christ have a different Unity and Division interpretations (A Unity would think that passage wipes away all identity, Division only limits the identity changed as salvation identity, because, for example, the same passage also mentions neither male nor female and people who become saved do not become a third gender).

Those who believe in loss of salvation for example take everything bad in the Bible that sounds like punishment and make it mean a loss of salvation. For example, verses on backsliding is taken to meant sliding into hell by those who believe in loss of salvation. That is a Unity interpretation.

Now, a Division interpretation does not discount figurative language in the Bible. For example, when the Bible uses the words "like" or "as", to literally interpret those signal words means the figurative language is in the literal grammar.

So which is correct? Well, if it isn't obvious, it's the Division interpretation.

2 Timothy 2:15

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Hebrews 4:12

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Thoughts on Bible Dispensations

The following is not structured well, I will fix that in a future post:

Salvation
1. Old Testament Salvation: Faith in what God said as shown by and resulting in works (Noah to John the Baptist, as shown by James, Hebrews Hall of Faith resulting in works. It's not faith automatically in the coming Son of God, but what specifically God said to that specific person, which included statements of the coming Son of God. For example, Noah was saved not because he believed specifically on Jesus the Messiah, but he believed God's pronouncement of the Flood, faith, and built an ark, works resulting in faith.)
2. Before Jesus was on Earth: Faith shown by water baptism of repentance by John the Baptist
3. When Jesus was on Earth: Faith in His physical Person, and water baptism (his disciples baptized)
---
The believing dead on times before this went to Paradise, Abraham's bosom under the Earth (Lazarus and rich man)
~~~ Jesus' Crucifixion ~~~
The believing dead on times after this went to the Third Heaven, above the Earth
---
4. When Jesus resurrected but before the Pauline letters were written: Faith as shown by water baptism of repentance (Acts)
5. TODAY: Pauline letters written until the Rapture: Grace through faith, works need not to be shown, no water baptism needed (Romans and rest of Paul's letters)
6. In the Tribulation: Faith as shown through keeping the commandments and refusing the mark of the Beast (most like the ten commandments, 
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 
22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.)
7. During and after the Millennium: Allegiance to the physical Son of God that can be seen. There is no faith in the Millennium or afterwards, as "faith is the substance of things not seen". This only applies to the Gentile nations who are left after the Tribulation. (refer to Old Testament prophecies of the Kingdom and the judgment of Sheep and Goats, a judgment of nations, not the Church)

I Corinthians 1:22
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

Signs and Miracles and the Word (Wisdom)
1. Old Testament before the Law: God appeared Himself, with all the trappings of miracles (Creation, Flood, plagues, pillar of fire and cloud)
2. Old Testament Israel: God appeared to the High Priest in the temple and prophets did miracles
3. Intermission, Silent Years (Malachi-Matthew): No Biblical records of signs or miracles
4.. Gospels: Jesus showed miracles to Israel, and made exceptions to only two Gentiles (the woman and the centurion)
5.Pentecost: Tongues and other miracles primarily a witness to the Jews
6. Pauline Letters: Tongues and other miracles started to cease, being replaced by the witness of charity/love (I Cor. 13)
7. Once Revelation was written, and the canon set: Wisdom was fully written down
8. TODAY: The entire Bible spreading this current Church age: God's primary mode of showing Himself is through the Word of wisdom. Where the Bible is, it takes precedence over miracles. Once a society is saturated with the Word of God, miracles completely cease. That's one reason why formely "Christian" nations today turn atheistic and secular, once the Bible is plentiful, overt spiritual activity that can be seen ceases, and secularism is a threat. (2 Pet. 1:19) False science tries to replace godly wisdom (1 Tim 6:20) 
9. The Rapture, Tribulation, Millennium: Signs and wonders, both holy and devilish, come back in full force primarily for the salvation of Israel, and to turn the Gentile nations into aiding Israel.