HyperDispensationalism

Salvation of the Jews: Twice as Hard, or Not at All

Definitions of HYPER-DISPENSATIONALISM are difficult because there are many forms of Hyper-Dispensationalism; some of the 'camps' of thought even point a finger at one another. To understand this exaggerated form of an accepted position called, "Dispensationalism" , we must first define this more basic position. "Dispensationalism" rather than being a doctrine per se, is a way of looking at the History of God's dealing with Man over time. Most dispensationalists hold that God dealt differently at different times with man. For example, before the Fall of Adam, God walked in close and open communion with man; God dealt differently with mankind upon the expulsion from the Garden of Eden; and yet still differently after the Noahic Flood. Almost all Dispensationalists believe that God dealt differently with Mankind before Christ came, but with the advent of the Atonement (Christ's death on the Cross) and Pentecost, God once again responded differentially in different "Dispensations". Dispensationalists disagree on the End Times, or the Day of Jacob/Tribulation period as to how differently God will deal with Man: those who hold to extreme differences in the end times, especially in differing treatment of Jews and Gentiles, are often referred to as HYPER-DISPENSATIONALISTS.[note]

Dispensationalism vs Covenantalism

Before discussing the extreme forms of HD, it is important to mention the other main view of the History of God's dealing with Man. The other main position is called "Covenantalism". Many if not most Baptistic and Evangelicals hold Dispensational views. Those of more Calvinistic 1 bent such as Reform, Congregational, Presbyterians (USA, PCA & Orthodox) hold more to "Covenantalism". Covenantalism defines the nature of God's dealings with mankind not in terms so much as the events and time periods, but in terms of the Covenants that he made with his servants. For example, scholars in this tradition focus on the Abrahamic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, the Noahic Covenant and so on up to the Covenant of the Cross. While the two positions create some degree of division and define strict doctrinal lines among Church bodies, the truth is, most non-scholarly persons as well as scholars observe the viewpoints with less definition than ardent proponents, often seeing scripture in terms of both. [](See "Hyper-Calvinism")

Hyper-Dispensationalism & The Jews

One Central aspect of HD centers on the doctrine of Salvation. Extreme forms of Dispensationalism argue that good works are required for Salvation in the Pre-Atonement Dispensations; and most disturbingly, that works plus faith are required, not for all but for Jewish Believers in the Tribulation Period.2 To understand why this is so alarming an issue one must understand that the Question of Whether Jesus paid the Whole Price for Sin on the Cross, (hence Salvation Totally by Grace, and apart from our menial efforts to be righteous,) is indeed the basic Question of what the Cross, and hence what Salvation means.3 This Issue of Faith defines Christianity: whether it is merely a religion among other religions, where good deeds 'earn' Heaven, or bliss/reward in the afterlife, or whether our righteous and entrance into Heaven is Imputed or totally supplied to us by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross, leaving nothing undone.

Warning Signs of Hyperdispensationalism

  1. Talk of the Jews having to obey the entirity of the Law to earn Salvation

  2. Seeing the Jews as Having a Different form of Salvation

  3. Beliefs that the Jews do not inherit the Heaven of 'saved'Gentiles but that they instead inherit the Earth.

  4. Belief that the Jews must both believe in the Atonement of Christ AND Obey the whole of the Law during the Tribulation Period in order to be saved.

  5. The belief that Jews have NO access to Salvation during this post-Golgotha period.

  6. A De-emphasis on free-will in belief and an overemphasis on the difference between the Jews and Christians on which commandments must be obeyed.

  7. Insistence on 5 [or more ]points of Calvinism ---see note below.


© 1997;2003; Elizabeth Kirkley Best, PhD; Shoah Education Project (Web)
FOOTNOTES

  • NOTE: This is not the only definition or criteria for Hyper-Dispensationalism, but it is the central focus of our concern here. One of the primary delineating factors of HD focuses on the concreteness of the Dispensations or eras and on their boundaries and borders.

  • 1Calvinists are centrally identified by others as adhering to most or all of Calvin's "5-points" of doctrine; the most controversial of which is that Jesus died only for those who believe, which would intimate a partial atonement. They are eternal-security believers, and believe in covenantal salvation of children, or what is termed in theology pedobaptism. Hypercalvinism is usually associated with an emphasis on sovereignty to the point that there is no free will and all is pre-determined, leaving man without responsibility, not unlike Mancheism an ancient eastern religion which Augustine delved into before becoming a Christian.
  • 2Ruckman, P. S.O.L.ref
  • 3 "For by Grace are ye saved, and that not of yourself, it is the Gift of God."
  • 4 ....