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TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE ENDTIMES RAPIDLY APPROACH
As we approach the end of the century dramatic changes lie ahead. The new millennium has major
implications. To those in the occult it has major MYSTIC implications.
Jewish Kabbalists, New Agers, Illuminati, witchcraft, Masons and the secret orders await it in eager anticipation;
it signals time to "externalize," as they call it, the age-old antichrist agenda. Working through political
channels, they plan the destruction of the old Christian order, replacing it with a "New Age" of antichrist
occultism.
They have a key Latin phrase, "Ordo Ab Chaos," their secret code for the scenario ahead. Easy to
interpret. Out of
chaos will arise their New World Order.
I recently heard Benjamin Creme, speaking via special telecommunications on our local radio station,
saying he and his antichrist, Maitraiya, are standing by, awaiting the world to be brought down
in the new millennium, ready to make their appearance. Just minor candidates for the job, there's
other antichrists ambitiously waiting in the wings.
Creme is anticipating chaos in the new millennium.
He made especial note of the world economy. He said that collapsing world
stock markets will pave the way for the New World Order. In other words,
it will take the chaos of severe world depression before the world will
look to himself and Maitraiya.
AN ALIEN THEOLOGY IN THE ONENESS MOVEMENT
Peering ahead at this menacing moment of history, what about the Oneness Jesus Name people of the
world? Dispensationalism has shaped their thinking. The dangerous things ahead they take to be but
omens of their soon departure in the imminent Pre-tribulation rapture. Thinking they won't be around,
some of their very own have been intimately involved in endtime
preparations for the Jews, notably, raising red heifers
needed to begin Jewish temple worship at Jerusalem. Mighty proud of it too!
Could they possibly be wrong on prophetic matters? Hardly. Buried deep in their
subconscience, they believe they are too special to have erred on such. They have a special heritage,
exclusive revelations, the Oneness of God, the New Birth. Their tremendous heritage all but guarantees
their prophetic doctrines - they think.
Dangerous thinking this is. In fact, it's identical to the mindset of the Jews - before the fall of Jerusalem in
600 BC. Blending in the beliefs of the polytheists around them, the Jews
became blinded to what their own scripture
said - so it is with it's modern day "Oneness" counterparts.
The Oneness movement, supposedly untainted from polytheism, ironically, has blended in Dispensationalism, a scheme devised by
Trinitarians, foreign to the scripture, foreign and incompatible with Apostolic doctrine.
Dispensational thought, with it's corollary the Pre-trib rapture, are, at bottom, "Gnostic" or
"mystic-pluralist" - same as the Trinity. It's not in the Scripture, one must "see" it there as a "mystery." Yet
the Oneness movement, inheriting Dispensationalism from the Trinitarians, has enthroned it as the
reigning eschatology of the Oneness people. Strange.
Strange that they desire to be "Oneness" and "Dispensationalist" at the same time. The two terms are in
opposition. It's an oxymoron, like "brave coward" or "dry water."
THE ISRAEL/CHURCH DICHOTOMY, THE KEY TO ESCHATOLOGY
The Oneness movement is saturated with Dispensationalism, but, yet, most
are oblivious of it.
What is it? What does the term mean? It all has to do with Israel and the Church. Whether God's eternal
purpose is centered in Israel or the Church.
On what has the preeminent role in prophecy, Israel or the Church. On which is preeminent, or uppermost
in God's mind, the natural, or the spiritual. On which is most important
to God, race or Grace. Theologians refer to this as the Israel/Church dichotomy.
Dispensationalism takes the Israel/Church dichotomy and makes the nation of Israel preeminent, "plan
A" in God's great prophetic plan. The Church is "plan B," a sort of stop gap measure, sort of filling in until
God can get on with his main plan, his true love - Israel. The Church is thus an interim measure, a
parenthesis, or, in other words a dispensation.
In Dispensationalism, natural Israel, as God's elect, is the central
theme of all prophecy - not the Church. God's purpose and
prophetic plan is based on race - natural or racial Israel. Israel, the
political entity; Israel, the RACE - not spiritual Israel, the church.
Race not GRACE. The natural not the SUPERNATURAL. All scripture is interpreted according to these assumptions.
The Dispensational Israel/Church dichotomy is the basis for the pretrib rapture. Without it there could be
no Pretrib rapture. For example, you must not read Matt. 24 at face value, you must interpret it according
to preconceived Dispensational Israel/Church assumptions. The Disciples are interpreted as
representing Israel, not the Church, and, the "elect" gathered at the second coming, verses 29-31, is
natural Israel being naturally gathered together, not the Church in the rapture at the last trump. You must
interpret verses 29-31 dispensationally, that is, that the Church has been previously raptured
(even though it doesn't say it anywhere in the chapter).
THE ISRAEL/CHURCH DICHOTOMY IN CHURCH HISTORY
Thus goes Dispensational theory, but as to how it acquired it's name you have to look at Church history.
A couple of quotes:
Encyclopedia of Early Christianity: — "Second to Fourth Centuries AD. By the second century, the
Christian apologists had amassed a collection of themes to defend themselves against pagan and
Jewish opposition. The Adversus Judaeos tradition, a broad literary stream within early Christianity
was... a group of beliefs based on earliest Christian literature...THESE BELIEFS ARE THAT THE
CHURCH IS THE TRUE ISRAEL; THAT CHRIST ABROGATED THE LAW; and that Judaism, always
rebellious and inclined toward idolatry, refusing to obey the prophets, continued to exist primarily as an
example of spiritual degradation...Jews enjoyed a reputation for magic and astrology, reflected in their
beliefs that Moses and Solomon were practitioners of magic [KABBALAH]; this Adversus Judaeos
attitude persisted in Christian communities, admiration shown toward Jewish rabbis irritated Christians."
From the publication "The Christian News" — "J.N. Darby formulated a whole new type of
premillenialism, founded on the idea that the Christian Church is not Israel. This doctrine was unheard of
for 1800 years of Church history. Such famous names as (2nd & 3rd centuries AD) Justin Martyr,
Irenaeus, and Tertullian used the Church as "the Israel of God" as an argument when they were debating
the Jews."
These quotes reflect what other historical sources say. The testimony of Church history sounds a
clear and certain sound: the original Apostolic Church was not Dispensational! There is no record of
anybody who believed it until the Englishman, John Darby, started it all in the Nineteenth Century! It is the
sheer invention of men.
We might illustrate the significance of the name "Dispensationalism," and how it acquired it's name, by
drawing a parallel:
Before Darby: — In Church history, from Apostolic times onward and until Darby, the Church was
preeminent. The Church played the central role in God's prophetic plan as the NEW ISRAEL, the true
Israel, the Israel of God. Natural Israel, Christ rejecting Israel, is apostate, cursed by God unless they repent. Before Darby,
the book of Revelation and all prophecy was centered in the church as
the Israel of God.
After Darby: — In Church history, since Darby, natural Israel is preeminent. Natural Israel plays the
central role in God's prophetic plan. After Darby, Eschatology takes it's name from the brand new role the
Church plays in the Israel/Church dichotomy. The Church, no longer the Israel of God, is now known by
the new role Darby has assigned it - a DISPENSATION. Thus Dispensationalism.
Don't miss this. All prophecy revolves around this. How one believes about Israel and the Church is the
determining factor in eschatology. It comes down to this: either the Church is the Israel of God, or it is a
"dispensation" (as defined by Darby's theory, our subject is not the scriptural "dispensation").
THE TRINITY - DISPENSATIONAL CONNECTION
But there is more to this yet. Something that Oneness folks should be aware of. Dispensationalism is
Trinitarian Eschatology! Mystic-pluralist thought lies buried, hidden, at the very heart
of Trinitarian theory; the same with Dispensationalism. Though buried and hidden, yet, unmistakably,
Dispensationalism bears the identifying marks of its Trinitarian creators.
Some Trinitarians, such as John Walvoord, author, and a ringleader of Dispensationalists, even admit it.
Using careful language, he says: "Opponents of dispensationalism have claimed it has a 'tendency to
heresy' in relation to the doctrine of the Trinity."
More than a "tendency!" The "heresy" he speaks of is blatant plural "Gods." Dispensationalism brings to
light what Trinitarianism really is. It blows their alleged monotheism away. There standing in stark view is
the Father and Son as two very separate and distinct Gods. The heresy Trinitarians are forever trying to
deny.
How are the Father and Son separate "Gods" in Dispensationalism? By the prophetic roles person
#1 and person #2 of the Trinity are assigned. The relationship of Person #1 - to the Jews; and the
relationship of Jesus, person # 2 - to the church. Dispensationalism thus accommodates Judaism's
continuance, in special arrangement, in special status, with person # 1 of the Trinity, throughout the
Church age - until the 2nd person of the Trinity removes HIS people, the Church, at the pre-trib rapture -
then, the 1st person of the Trinity can take up where he left off with HIS people, the Jews.
Dispensationalism is what one would expect as a natural outgrowth of Trinitarianism. The
combined
effect of the Trinity doctrine and Dispensationalism has produced a mystic-pluralist melange of two Gods
(Three-God'ers don't appear to have much of a prophetic role for person #3), two elect predestined
peoples of God, two wives of God, two plans of salvation, two gospels, two hopes, two Second Comings.
All mysteriously and mystically coexisting.
ONENESS ESCHATOLOGY
Dispensationalism could not have arisen from Oneness theology. Only Trinitarians could devise a way
around the insurmountable problem of "Oneness" lying at the very heart of New Testament prophetic
revelation.
The principle of Oneness utterly refutes mystic-pluralism: ONE GOD (1 John 5:20); one plan of
salvation FOR JEW AND GENTILE (1 Cor. 12:13); one BODY of Jew and Gentile, which
"TOGETHER
groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded TOGETHER for an habitation of
God through the spirit," (Eph. 2:11-22 and 4:4); one HOPE (Eph. 4:4), which is
"the hope of the Gospel"
(Col. 1:23), the "hope of Israel," (Acts 28:20) - Jews have no hope outside of the
Gospel.
The consistent testimony of the New Testament is that the entire Jewish system of Law is permanently
REPLACED by Jesus Christ, the Church, Acts 2:38, and the New Covenant. Jesus Christ in covenant
with the church, a marriage covenant; One God in one Covenant with one people, the church. There is no
other God for Jews to be in covenant with; there is no other God for Jews to be married to. Scripture
recognizes no other valid covenant than the New Covenant, the old has been permanently REPLACED
(Matt.26:28; Heb. 8:7,8,13; 10:9,10. Note: "testament" is "covenant" in the Greek). The Church is the
predestined Elect (Col. 3: 11,12), the "Israel of God" (Gal. 6:16). This is Oneness eschatology.
Pre-trib rapture? More mystic pluralism. Simply and briefly, Jesus only taught ONE COMING:
"immediately after the tribulation of those days," Mt. 24:29. One has to READ INTO Matt. 24 plural
second comings, an additional Pre-trib coming - it's simply not there. Post-trib is Oneness eschatology.
Jesus is the supreme authority on prophetic matters, Paul and the rest of the NT writers followed Jesus'
Post-Trib doctrine established in Matt. 24. Pre-Tribs mystically imagine they see a secret
Pre-Trib
rapture in other NT writings.
Pentecostals teach in home bible studies everywhere
the theory of "seven dispensations." And, it is just that - a
theory. One must ask himself, which is the truth, TWO Covenants or SEVEN
Dispensations? The bible says there is two Covenants, man's theory
says there is seven Dispensations. The word of God says nothing about
seven Dispensations. The word of God is clear - there is only one valid
term for God's dealings with man - the New Covenant in Jesus' blood. The
covenant between Jesus and the church - and it is valid throughout the
tribulation (see Matt. 26:28, 1 Jn. 5:8, Rev. 7:14 ).
True Eschatology is based on the New Testament/New Covenant, not the Old. Jesus Christ, his finished
work at Calvary, and his blood bought, full-of-the-Holy Ghost church are God's eternal purpose. God has
no "plan B." The Church was God's plan all along. The Church is the apex of God's plan. The purpose of
Israel and the Law in the Old Testament was but a temporary measure towards that apex. There is no
retrogression with God. God's plan is not to revert back to something that the NT says everywhere is
inferior, carnal, and only figures of the true.
GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS HAPPEN AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
May history repeat itself. At the close of the 19th century in Topeka, Kansas, God began to move
amongst a little band of people desiring a restoration of truth. The small beginnings became a mighty
tidal wave in the next century. Casting off false doctrine, a mighty restoration of Apostolic truth surged
throughout the world!
Here we are again. At the turn of the century. Truth is needed again. This time it's
endtime truth. The Pre-Trib rapture and Dispensationalism must be cast aside as the Trinity was.
Apostolic Eschatology must be restored. The book of Revelation is coming to the fore. God's true
Church, the Elect, the Israel of God, will play the central role in the tribulation.
Mystery Babylon is being identified. The message of the endtime is the Everlasting Gospel, the ONLY
HOPE for Jews or Gentiles!
The new millennium is going to bring the "Order Ab Chaos" the antichrist
subversives desire. Severe times assuredly lie ahead. What will it take, the fiery trials of the endtime to bring the next, and final, surge of Apostolic revelation? I
pray not. All it takes is the same passion for truth that the Oneness pioneers had in the early years of this
century.
K. Kirkland, Pastor - This
article is Copyright © 1999, All rights reserved.
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