Progressive Dispensationalism: A Traditional Dispensational Critique

I. An explanation of Traditional Dispensationalism As understood by this author, the essence of dispensationalism is that Israel and the Church, as well as God’s program for each, are clearly and consistently distinguished. The revelation concerning God’s program for each is not dealing with ways of salvation but ways of managing one’s life. The resultant features of dispensationalism understood in this way are these: A. Salvation, in the mind of God, always has been based upon the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

The Doctrine of the Church and Its Identifying Marks

There is much confusion these days over what the Bible teaches about the church. Here at Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary we are often asked what we believe in this area, and we are glad for the opportunity to set forth our convictions. There is much more that could be said about the church but these comments reflect our basic understanding of what the Scriptures teach. Significance We believe that the doctrine of the church is just as significant as any of the other grand teachings of Scripture.

Are We Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth?

John Gerstner’s Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth: A Critique of Dispensationalism (Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1991) is the latest of a number of books in recent years claiming to be the ultimate refutation of dispensationalism. 1. The design of the book: The subtitle states the purpose of the book. As one reviewer notes, the word “critique” “is putting it mildly—the book is more like a butchering” (The Baptist Bulletin, March 1992, p. 38). The jacket of the book informs the reader that this is “the most extensive and systematic study of Dispensational theology ever published.”

Prophetic Guidelines for the Persian Gulf

Like a desert sandstorm, the self-proclaimed master of Mesopotamia swept into Kuwait and came dangerously close to usurping by brute force one half of the world’s oil supply. This swirling storm has meanwhile engulfed the Middle East and may well sweep the rest of the world into its maelstrom. Saddam Hussein’s conquest of Kuwait and threats against Saudi Arabia and Israel graphically demonstrate the volatile nature of the Persian Gulf region. In less than two weeks a multinational army under American command, larger than anything seen since World War II, has been deployed to contain the madman.

The Unnoticed Baptist Distinctive

Our recent Baptist literature has made a big point that we believe the Bible. In fact, the “B” in Baptist stands for the Bible. Historically we have believed that the Bible is the verbally inspired, inerrant Word of God. We also believe that God’s child should walk in obedience to its plain statements literally interpreted. Moreover, we will memorize passages of the Bible, thereby hiding it in our hearts. Of the four statements of faith that we have treasured in the last century and a half, all have said essentially these things.