Some of John Davis's friends like to send me Time for Truth Newsletters in order to show me that I am a "hyper diaper", "moron", "cult", etc. They have been pleased to announce the grand ERRORS OF HYPER DISPENSATIONALISM page, which can be found here:
http://www.timefortruth.co.uk/errors-of-hyperdispensationalism/
I encourage everyone to take a look at that. But, I prefer his followers stop filling my inbox with his stuff. I know how to get to his blog and will go there when I want.
But I don't have a problem with John Davis's dispensational teachings. We agree on 95% of dispensational issues, I am unsure why he chose to make a contention with me on a nuance in the difference in our positions.
John Davis and I both agree that in Paul's writings alone we find the doctrine, position, walk, and destiny of the Church (1 Cor. 4:16, 11:1-2, Phil. 3:17, 2 Tim. 2:7, Eph. 3:1-9, Col. 1:24-28). Dr. C.I. Scofield, says the same thing on his footnote on Ephesians 3:6 in the Scofield Reference Bible (KJB).
John Davis and I both agree that signs, tongues, healings, etc. have ceased with the close of the Acts period and the completion of the New Testament scriptures.
John Davis and I both agree that Daniel's 70th Week belongs to Israel and NOT the Body of Christ (Jer. 30:7, Daniel 9:24). We are caught up to meet the Lord in the air PRIOR to the Second Coming of Christ to the Earth (1 Thes. 1:10, 4:13-18, 5:9, 1 Cor. 15:51-58, Phil. 3:20-21).
John Davis and I both agree that the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Gospel of the Grace of God, and the Everlasting Gospel are different gospels (2 Tim. 2:15).
There is a long list of dispensational teachings that we both agree on. What we disagree on is simple and not a big deal to me. (apparently it is a huge deal to John Davis) Here is our difference:
John Davis's belief on the origin of Body of Christ: John Davis believes the Church (Body of Christ) started at the cross (Eph. 2:16) and that the first members of it were the 12 apostles in Acts chapter 2 when God poured out His Spirit on them for power (Acts 1:5, 8, 1 Cor. 12:28). However, nobody knew about the existence of the Body of Christ until it was revealed to Paul (Eph. 3:1-9).
My belief in the origin of the Body of Christ: The Body of Christ was in the mind of God before the world began (Eph. 3:9-11), but did not begin until after the death of Christ and the ascension (Eph. 1:20-23, 2:13-16). Specifically, the only way into the Body of Christ is by believing the Gospel of the Grace of God that was revealed to Paul in Acts 9 (Eph. 1:13, 2:17, 3:6).
These are really just differences in perspective. Note:
John Davis would take Paul's statement in Ephesians 2:16 "by the cross" to mean "at the cross" while I take the statement to mean that it is by the cross that Christ was able to form the Church, that is what He slew the enmity by. It does not say the Church started "at the cross", it says Christ is able to reconcile both unto God in one body BY the cross.
John Davis believes the baptism performed by Christ with the Holy Ghost for power is the same thing as the baptism performed by the Holy Ghost putting us into Christ for salvation. There is a difference between Matthew 3:11 (baptism with the Holy Ghost for power) and the baptism into Christ performed by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:3-4, 1 Cor. 12:12-18, Col. 2:10-12).
John Davis would say that 1 Corinthians 12:28 means that the 12 apostles were the first members of the Body of Christ. I would say that it is referring to the authority in the Church. If it is referring to the order in which people get in to the Body of Christ then that would mean the last person to get saved before the rapture is someone that speaks in tongues since that is the last thing listed. The fact that it is referring to authority is evidenced by the inclusion of "helps" and "governments".
John Davis says that being "in the Lord" refers to being in the Body of Christ in John 17 and Acts 5:14. But that could not be the case. Because in John 17 Christ says "I pray not for the world"(vs 9) but Paul said about the Body of Christ "ye walked according to the course of this world" and that we were "without God in the world" (Eph. 2:2, 12). Christ said in John 17 that the 12 apostles would be "one" so "that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" and "that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me". How would putting the apostles in an invisible spiritual body that is seated in heavenly places in Christ cause the world to believe and know Christ? They wouldn't even know about it (we wouldn't even know about this unity if it weren't in the Bible, it can't be physically felt). The context of what Christ is referring to is being ONE in sanctification (John 17:17-18). Believers of the Gospel of the Kingdom who did the will of the Father were IN CHRIST. John 6:56-57 "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." The eating of flesh is figurative of doing the will of God living by Him: "I have meat to eat that ye know not of...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." (John 4:32-34). We know this is what Christ was referring to in John 17
"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee...I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one" (John 17:21-23)
"I have meat to eat that ye know not of...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." (John 4:32-34) "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." (John 6:56-57)
Sanctification is the context of John 17, not a spiritual church. The believers living by Christ would also cause the world to believe that Christ sent them. But that makes no sense at all if He were referring to a spiritual invisible church that the world would never see.
Also, the apostles were present with Christ in John 17 (Jn. 16:33), Christ was not alone praying in the garden until after John 18:1. We know that the Lord revealed the mystery of the Body of Christ to Paul first, not the the apostles in John 17. Therefore that could not be what He was referring to (else it wasn't a mystery revealed to Paul). Believers of the Gospel of the Kingdom in Daniel's 70th Week are said to be "in the Lord" (Rev. 14:13), but they obviously aren't in the Body of Christ because it will have been raptured to Heaven already (1 Thes. 1:10). The Old Testament has prophecy of Israel being in the Lord (Isa. 45:17, 24-25), it is not a unique term for the Body of Christ.
But if John Davis does believe that the world would see that Christ was sent by the Father by Him creating a spiritual, invisible church seated in Heaven, then that is his right.
If John Davis believes that the context of John 17 is a invisible, spiritual church of all believers seated in Heaven rather than sanctification, then that is his right.
If John Davis believes that every time the phrase "in the Lord" is used that it is referring to the Body of Christ, then that is his right.
If John Davis believes that Christ revealed the truth of the Body of Christ to the 12 apostles first, then Paul later, then that is his right.
My position is that the only way to become part of the Body of Christ is to believe the Gospel of the Grace of God, not the Gospel of the Kingdom or the Everlasting Gospel that will also be preached (by an angel). I base my belief on the following scriptures:
1 Corinthians 4:
[15] For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
[16] Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
[17] For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
[What gospel would Paul be referring to in verse 15? The gospel of the grace of God. The gospel of the kingdom will not get anyone into the Body of Christ. The gospel of the kingdom made people part of Israel's "little flock" and "Israel of God" that would receive the Kingdom of Heaven (Luke 12:32, Matt. 21:43, Rom. 9:1-8, Gal. 6:16).]
Ephesians 1:
[11] In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
[12] That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
[13] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
[14] Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
[The context of this passage is being blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ and obtaining an inheritance in Christ and the rapture of the Body of Christ (vs. 14). How do you partake of these things? By trusting Christ believing the gospel of the grace of God (vs 13).]
Ephesians 2:
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
[7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
[When did God raise us up together and seat us together in heavenly places in Christ? When did we become His workmanship created in Christ? When we believed the gospel of the grace of God (vs 8-9). Not the gospel of the kingdom.]
Ephesians 2:
[13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
[14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
[15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
[16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
[17] And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
[Christ reconciled Jew and Gentile together by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, AND came and preached peace to us which were afar off and to them that were nigh. That "peace" preached is the gospel of the grace of God.]
Ephesians 3:
[1] For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
[2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward:
[3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
[4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
[5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
[6] That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
[7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
[How do you become a fellowheir, of the body of Christ, and a partaker of His promise in Christ? BY THE GOSPEL.]
2 Thessalonians 2:
[13] But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
[14] Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[The context of this passage is a contrast between the Body of Christ and the unbelievers who will be here on Earth during Daniel's 70th Work and will be deceived by God into believing the lie of the Son of Perdition. How do you escape this wrath and obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ? By Paul's gospel (vs 14).]
1 Corinthians 3:
[9] For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
[10] According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
[11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
[Obviously Paul was not the first person to preach Jesus Christ, but he was the first person to preach Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, the dispensation of grace. That is the message that gets you into the Body of Christ, therefore Paul "laid the foundation" of God's building, the church.]
1 Timothy 1:
[11] According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
[12] And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
[13] Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
[14] And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
[15] This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
[16] Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
[To me it is apparent that the Dispensation of Grace began with Paul at his salvation (vs 14), Christ shewed grace and longsuffering in all dispensations, but in Paul first He shewed "all longsuffering" "for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe" on Christ. If the 12 apostles were the first ones to be in the Body of Christ and partake of the Dispensation of Grace (the revelation of the mystery), why are they not the pattern for all longsuffering and exceeding abundant grace?]
Were the apostles and believers of the Gospel of the Kingdom in Acts 1-8 made members of the Body of Christ before the Gospel of the Grace of God was revealed to Paul? I don't believe so. The 12 apostles had no knowledge of the Dispensation of Grace, the Gospel of the Grace of God, and the rapture of the Body of Christ in those chapters. They were looking for the Kingdom to be restored to Israel, Daniel's 70th Week, and Christ to take away their sins at the Second Advent.
Acts 1:
[6] When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
[7] And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
[8] But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 2:
[14] But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
[15] For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
[19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
[20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
[21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 2:
[34] For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
[35] Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
[36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Acts 3:
[19] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
[20] And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
[21] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
[22] For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
[23] And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
[24] Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
[25] Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
John Davis would say that the 12 apostles taught these doctrines because they did not know about the Dispensation of Grace because it had not been revealed yet, but I disagree. The 12 apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost and spake by Him, they wouldn't be preaching doctrine that wasn't true dispensationally. If the Dispensation of Grace had begun, then Peter's preaching would be a lie.
The believers in early Acts were not the Body of Christ, they were "the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers". They were not believing the Gospel of the Grace of God knowing that they were crucified, buried, risen, and seated with Christ as a member of His body. They believed that their "sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord", Israel's plan of salvation, not the Body of Christ's (Rom. 11:25-27). What Peter says in Acts 3:19 is what Paul says has been postponed until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.
Romans 11:
[25] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
[26] And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
[27] For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
The fall and blindness of Israel had not even occurred until Acts 8, so how could the Dispensation of Grace have begun if Israel still had its preferred position before God and was being offered the Kingdom?
The Body of Christ is Jew and Gentile being reconciled unto God by the cross (Eph. 2:16), but how could Israel be "reconciled" when it had not fallen yet? (it is my belief that it couldn't)
Also, the Dispensation of Grace was a "great mystery", "kept secret since the world began", "which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God" (Eph. 3:1-9, 5:32, Rom. 11:25, 16:25, Col. 1:24-28). But in Acts 1-8 Peter said "this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel", "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" and "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." So how could the mystery Dispensation of Grace have taken place in those early chapters?
Also, one very clear reason why those early believers of the Gospel of the Kingdom were not in the Body of Christ is that one of them lost their salvation.
Acts 8:
[9] But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
[10] To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
[11] And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
[12] But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
[13] Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
[14] Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
[15] Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
[16] (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
[17] Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
[18] And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
[19] Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
[20] But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
[21] Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
[22] Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
[23] For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
[24] Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
Notice that Simon "believed also: and...was baptized" according to Mark 16:15-16. He got saved according to the Kingdom gospel, but then he tried to buy the Holy Ghost with money, which is apparently blasphemy against the Holy Ghost (Matt. 12:31-32, Mark 3:29, Luke 12:10). Because Peter said that Simon was going to "PERISH" (vs. 20). Simon was in "the bond of iniquity", he was not a member of the Body of Christ "made free from sin" (Rom. 6:18, 22).
Another issue John Davis brings up is that the Bible uses the word "church" before Paul's conversion in Acts 9. But that is not an issue to me, because I do not believe that every time the word "church" is used that it refers to the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is the church of the present dispensation, but God has always had a church. The word "church" is defined by the KJB as "congregation" (Ps. 22:22, with Heb. 2:12). The "congregation of Israel" of the Old Testament was God's church then according to Acts 7:38. The "congregation of the Lord" was Israel in the OT, "all Israel the congregation of the LORD" (1 Chr. 28:8). The obvious fact that the word "church" is used before Paul is not a very strong point against "Mid Acts Dispensationalism". If that were the issue, then the Body of Christ started in Exodus according to Acts 7:38.
Also, John Davis's belief that the Body of Christ began at the cross, but nobody was in it until Acts 2, makes zero sense. How could a church, congregation/assembly, begin BEFORE anyone is put in it? That is like saying a party started before the guests arrived. We are talking about a CHURCH, by definition it cannot begin until at least one person is assembled in Christ.
And think about this, if the Body of Christ began at the cross, it had no Head!
Ephesians 1:
[20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
[21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
[22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
[23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Christ could not be "head over all things to the church" until He ascended up to heavenly places.
And another point, it also takes the burial and resurrection to get into Christ (Rom. 6:3-4, Col. 2:10-13) not just the crucifixion.
If John Davis disagrees, if he believes the word of God teaches contrary to what I just said, he should go with what he believes is right. That doesn't bother me. However he seems to absolutely hate that I don't take his position.
I never challenged him on dispensationalism. Our positions are so similar that it isn't even worth mentioning to me. But if you read his "ERRORS OF HYPER DISPENSATIONALISM" page it is clear that he has an irrational hatred of my position, though I would say it is 95% similar to his. In all honesty, that is ridiculous.
It is especially ridiculous that he is always complaining about my position saying as I am obviously not a Bible teacher, preacher, master of theology, or anything like that. I am just a regular guy. I didn't even get saved until 5 years ago.
John Davis hates the fact that I even have a blog. The definition of a blog is "a website containing a writer's or group of writers' own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other websites". What is John Davis's website? http://www.timefortruth.co.uk/ It has his groups own experiences, observations, opinions, etc. and he shares images from other websites. His website is a blog...but he acts like it is a sin for me to have one.
Where I disagree with John Davis hugely is on the GOSPEL, how does a sinner receive salvation from sin unto God? That is where I disagree with John Davis the most, I could care less about his dispensational position. Salvation is THE main thing, if we don't agree on salvation than we cannot have fellowship.
I will discuss John Davis's accursed false gospel in Part 2.
--Eli Caldwell
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your questions or comments welcome.