DEFINITIONS & COMPARISON OF KINGDOM NOW THEOLOGY AND DISPENSATIONALISM
by Carl Widrig Jr., 7/12/93
The following was prepared in conjuction with a Bible study discussion about my book on the Kingdom of God .
Definitions
"non-Dispensational Theology" (n-D): Blurs or wipes out any distinction between the "Church" and "Israel" after the first advent of Christ.
"Dispensationalism" (D): Maintains a clear distinction between the Church and Israel after the first advent of Christ.
"Kingdom Now" (KN): The belief that Jesus Christ, since His ascension, has reigned as the (mediatorial) king of the kingdom of God, defeating His enemies, daily increasing the realm of His kingdom in and through the Church until the end of the future Millennium (following 2nd coming of Christ).
"Third Wave" (TW): A person or a congregation that has shifted from D to KN, usually after discovering that the "charismatic" gifts are "for today."
"Kingdom Evangelicals" (KE): This group is made up of TW'ers plus other "evangelicals" who have always held the KN view.
THE MAIN ISSUES (w/ verses used to support view):
1. What was Jesus' mission at His first coming (prior to the cross)?
KN: To save anyone who would submit to His reign from the power of Satan and sin unto a wonderful life on earth.
D: (Exclusively) to restore Israel back to God. Isaiah 49:5-6, Matt.15:24, Luke 19:42-44, Matt.23:37-39.
2. What is "the kingdom of God" in the New Testament?
KN: Primarily, the present kingdom (reign) of Jesus Christ. Secondarily, the realm in which the blessings of His reign are experienced (relating to the Holy Spirit). Matt.12:28, Rom.14:17.
D: (Depending on context) The eternal kingdom (without a kingly "mediator") of God the Father in heaven which rules over all, or the future mediatorial/Messianic kingdom of Jesus on earth that is to be established upon His second coming. Matt.5:34-35 (Psalm 103:19, 93:2, Lam. 5:19), Luke 21:31 (Matt.19:28, 25:31, Dan.2:44).
3. What was "the gospel of the kingdom" which Christ preached? To whom was it directed?
KN: "The gospel of the kingdom" was a "mystery" (not revealed in the Old Testament); the announcement that God, in the person of Christ, is now acting by the power of the Holy Spirit among men in this present evil age, to deliver people from bondage to Satan (and sin and death), so that they may experience the (Holy Spirit) blessings of living under God's reign. This gospel was (and still is) directed to all mankind.
D: "The gospel of the kingdom" was the announcement exclusively to Israel to repent of their sins in preparation for the imminent historic arrival of the Messianic kingdom (corresponding with the Judgement Day of the LORD) spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. Mark 1:14-15 (Luke 21:31), Luke 4:43, Acts 3:20-26.
4. What did the signs Jesus worked signify? The signs the apostles worked (before Christ's death)? The signs the apostles worked (after Christ's ascension)?
KN: The signs Jesus and the apostles worked (both before and after the cross) demonstrated "the gospel of the kingdom," that the presence of the kingdom of God (the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of the age to come) is here on earth now, especially to cast out demons and heal the sick. Matt.12:28, Heb.6:5, Matt.4:23, Matt l0:7-13, Acts 8:6-7,12.
D: The signs of Jesus bore witness to His identity as the Coming One (sent by the Father), the Son of David (i.e., the Messiah), who was in the Father, and the Father in Him. The signs of the apostles (prior to the cross) bore witness to "the gospel of the kingdom" (cf. "D" view above). The signs of the apostles (after the cross) bore witness to their apostleship and the gospel of Jesus Christ, including the hope of a future inheritance of salvation. Matt.12:28, John 5:36, 10:37-38, 14:12, Matt.10:5-15, 2Cor.12:12, lCor.15:l-8, Mark 16:20, Heb1:14-2:4.
5. Has the reign of Jesus Christ as the king of the kingdom of God began yet? If so, when did it begin? If not, when will it?
KN: Yes. His reign began upon his resurrection and ascension to heaven, which authority to reign was gained by defeating Satan via the cross and His resurrection. Jesus is continuously "building" and "increasing" the realm of His kingdom in and through the Church, defeating His enemies through the end of the future Millennium. Acts 2:30-33, Col.l:13, Matt.4:9, 28:18, Matt. 13:31-33, lCor.15:24-26.
D: No. God the Father is the reigning king, as He always has been. Christ sits at His Father's right hand (exclusively as High Priest and Head of the Church), waiting for His Father's timing, when the Messianic Kingdom will be set up on earth,. at the second coming of Christ, when Jesus' reign as (mediatorial) king of the kingdom of God will begin until He has put all His enemies under His feet. Rev.5:7, Acts 2:30-35, Rev.3:21, Heb.1:3, 8:1, Eph.1:20-23, 10:12-13, Acts 1:6-7, Dan.2:44, Matt.19:28, 25:31, Rev.20:6, lCor.15:24-28
6. Since the first advent of Christ, should we distinguish between "the Church" (made up of Jews and Gentiles) and "Israel"?
KN: Since Israel rejected their Messiah (King), the Church has replaced Old Testament Israel as God's people, whom Christ's present "kingdom" works in and through. Both Paul and Peter (the Apostles) referred to Gentile Christians as being "Jews," and a part of "Israel," "the Israel of God," and "a holy nation". Matt.21:43, Gal.3:28, Rom.2:28-29, 9:6, Gal. 6:16, 1Peter 2:9. However, God will save "all Israel" (an ethnic Jewish remnant) at the second coming of Christ following the great tribulation Rom. 11:25-27.
D: "Israel" (a holy nation of elect ethnic Jews, a remnant of the physical descendants of Jacob), and "the Church" (made up of Gentiles and a portion of "Israel", who believe in Messiah prior to the Rapture), are to be distinguished. God will save the rest of "Israel" (the hardened part) at the second coming of Christ following the great tribulation. Rev.7:4-8, Rom.1l (esp.v.26-27), Matt.23:39, 24:29-31.
7. Should we apply the promises/prophesy that God originally made to "Israel" in the Old Testament to the Church today exclusively, to both the Church (present) and Israel (future), or to Israel (future) exclusively?
KN: All the promises/prophesy that were originally made to Israel in the Old Testament apply "spiritually" to the Church today. (Some believe) they will also apply to the ethnic Jewish remnant ("Israel") which Christ will save at His second coming. Matt,21:43, Rom.l0:26. Examples of "promises" applied to Church today (can) include Hos.6:l-3, Joel 2, Isaiah 60:1-5, 2Chr.7:14, Josh.1:2-3, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Acts 3:21, 13:16-17.
D: A promise of God only applys to those to whom it is literally and explicitly given to; i.e., none of the promises given to "Israel" in the Old Testament also apply to the Church today, with the exceptions of a few promises that are explicitly applied in the New Testament to the Church. Just because a few promises given to Israel in the OT are ALSO applied to the Church in the NT doesn't mean the Church inherits all the promises made to Israel, nor does it mean that the Church is now Israel. Rom.15:8, Heb.8:10-12 (1Cor.11:25, 2Cor.3:6), Rom.9:24-26.
8. What is the primary reason for Christ's death on the cross?
KN: The primary reason for Christ's death on the cross was to destroy Satan so that Christ could save sinners from Satan's power of sin and death over them, enabling Jesus to "plunder the kingdom of Satan" to "reign savingly" in the lives of those who submit to His reign. Heb.2:14, Luke 4:5-6, Matt.28:18, lJn.3:8, Acts 26:18, Eph.2:2, Col.1:13-14. Other reasons for Christ's death (substitution, justification, propitiation, forgiveness of sins, imputed righteousness) are acknowledged (believed) but rarely taught ("emphasized").
D: The primary reason for Jesus' physical death on the cross was to take the penalty of our sins (which is physical death) upon Himself, thus justifying those who believe in Him from the demand of the law (physical death) against sin, enabling God to declare the believer righteous (justified) and thus become peacefully reconciled to God, saved from His wrath. Man can't die for his own sins to redeem himself because he is already going to die due to the corruptable sin nature inherited from Adam, and thus still owes a debt for the sins he committed even after physical death (which debt is payed by "the Second Death"). Christ, having no sin nature of His own, nor having committed any sins Himself, physically died in the place of sinful man to pay the debt sinful man couldn't pay. With the penalty for sins paid for by Christ's physical death on the cross, the law (and therefore Satan, whose "power of death" depended upon the law) has no more claim on the sinner that he or she has to die. The strength of sin is the law, but since those who are in Christ are "dead to the law," the righteous requirement of the law can now be fulfilled by those who walk according to the Spirit. 1Peter 3:18, Heb.9:27, Rom.6:23, 5:9, 3:26, 7:9-10, 5:12-21, 2Cor.5:19, Eph.2:1, Col.l:21, 2:14, Ezekiel 18:4, Psalm 49:7-9, Rev.21:8, 2Cor.5:21, lJohn3:5, lTim.2:6, Rom.7:6, 6:8-9, Heb.2:14, lCor.15:56, Rom.8:3-4.
9. What about the "authority" of the Church?
KN: (Since Christ is reigning now in and through the Church) We have the authority in Jesus' name over demons and sickness, and to "take the land for Christ" via binding/casting out the "territorial spirits" that blind unbelievers from receiving the gospel, which "binding" is more powerful when the church in a city is holy, "unified," and prays and worships God together. "Unity" (at the expense of sound doctrine) and "binding" are precursors to effective evangelism in a city. Matt.28:18-20, Luke 9:1-2, 10:19, Joshua 1:2-3, Eph.2:6, Matt.16:18-19, 12:25, 29, Mark 5:10, 2Cor.4:4,, 2Chr.20:20-22, Joshua 7. "D" (below) also.
D: The Church will receive the authority to rule and reign with Christ (after He comes back) during Millennium. Rev.5:10, 20:6.
10. After the first Advent of Christ...
KN:
D:
