Post by MoGrace2U on Nov 13, 2008 12:20:47 GMT -5
I have been reading this book 'The Incredible Scofield and His Book' and in it is discussed the philosophy that came in with the dispensationalists. Which in a nutshell takes a dim view of the progress of the Church to affect righteousness in the world that they see as doomed to hell. And as a result determined that evangelism is the only worthwhile effort the Church ought to be engaged in. Which makes me wonder how they expect to be salt and light if preaching is all there is to be concerned with.
But on the other hand, there does seem to be this negative undertone in the parables about the kingdom that suggests that although the Church does spread far and wide into the world - it seems to become filled with less than perfect "Christians". Now whether or not the dispies are helping to make this a self-fulfilled prophecy or not, I am not sure. The author seems to think they have.
As a preterist, I find the glory of Christ to be the preeminent thing which ought to motivate and encourage the Christian to great boldness as he walks in this crooked and perverse world. Our immediate access to our Lord who answers our prayers with power - ought to cause the saint to march into any situation with confidence and without fear of what reaction they may face - since not even death can harm us.
The only thing I can see that has hampered the Christian from fulfilling his priesthood in the earth is that he is not fully convinced of his hope in Christ, nor the power of the Lord he serves.
To me the dispensational view is one of "don't hope too much" because the Lord may not answer your prayers, sin is too strong, the world is too hard, the devil is waiting to get you, etc. All because they think that until the Lord returns this is the condition in which they are in in the world. And because they haven't yet been taught what Christ has wrought for them, they don't avail themselves of His power by faith. And they become double-minded because of doubt and sin and trouble in the world.
I can't help but think that if the preterist view were more accepted, that we also might have the opportunity to turn this around and help the saint see the hope he HAS NOW in Christ. Because if the light doesn't come on for these half-hearted saints soon, what will the devil and his lies be able to do to them? The divisions in the body belie that we are one with the Lord. Yet the marriage of the Lamb to His Bride was intended to make this union so that all the saints still living would take great confidence in knowing it had happened. Either the true Bride in the world today is a much smaller entity than the parables indicate (if this is what they do), or this compromised Church we see today is not the Bride at all - and that is what the parables are about.
True Israel was only a small remnant in the day of the Lord. I think our evangelistic efforts need to be aimed at finding those who are in this body of professed believers and helping them come to know the Lord in all His glory. Before their unbelief robs them of the hope they think they have in His return.
But on the other hand, there does seem to be this negative undertone in the parables about the kingdom that suggests that although the Church does spread far and wide into the world - it seems to become filled with less than perfect "Christians". Now whether or not the dispies are helping to make this a self-fulfilled prophecy or not, I am not sure. The author seems to think they have.
As a preterist, I find the glory of Christ to be the preeminent thing which ought to motivate and encourage the Christian to great boldness as he walks in this crooked and perverse world. Our immediate access to our Lord who answers our prayers with power - ought to cause the saint to march into any situation with confidence and without fear of what reaction they may face - since not even death can harm us.
The only thing I can see that has hampered the Christian from fulfilling his priesthood in the earth is that he is not fully convinced of his hope in Christ, nor the power of the Lord he serves.
To me the dispensational view is one of "don't hope too much" because the Lord may not answer your prayers, sin is too strong, the world is too hard, the devil is waiting to get you, etc. All because they think that until the Lord returns this is the condition in which they are in in the world. And because they haven't yet been taught what Christ has wrought for them, they don't avail themselves of His power by faith. And they become double-minded because of doubt and sin and trouble in the world.
I can't help but think that if the preterist view were more accepted, that we also might have the opportunity to turn this around and help the saint see the hope he HAS NOW in Christ. Because if the light doesn't come on for these half-hearted saints soon, what will the devil and his lies be able to do to them? The divisions in the body belie that we are one with the Lord. Yet the marriage of the Lamb to His Bride was intended to make this union so that all the saints still living would take great confidence in knowing it had happened. Either the true Bride in the world today is a much smaller entity than the parables indicate (if this is what they do), or this compromised Church we see today is not the Bride at all - and that is what the parables are about.
True Israel was only a small remnant in the day of the Lord. I think our evangelistic efforts need to be aimed at finding those who are in this body of professed believers and helping them come to know the Lord in all His glory. Before their unbelief robs them of the hope they think they have in His return.
