JD: David what do you think has been the root cause of this abandonment of dispensationalism with so few actually teaching Biblical prophecy and eschatology anymore?
DJ: Well I think it’s related to something that’s not directly connected with dispensationalism per say and that is the resurgent’s of five point Calvinism throughout our churches and threatening to overtake much of evangelicalism. What has happened is that covenant theology which is anti-dispensationalism Calvinism has swept through our churches. The attendant covenant theology has come along trailing in its wake. This is really served to damage the whole cause of dispensational theology, which comes from a literal grammatical historical hermeneutic, a proper way of understanding the Bible.
JD: What advice would you give to someone looking for a good Bible college, a university, or a seminary or even a church to make sure that they’re getting a good Biblical education?
DJ: First thing that you always do is you go to their website you read the doctrinal statement because in today’s theological climate you need to look at what is not said and if they’re not making positive clear statements about the imminent pre-tribulation pre-millennial return of Christ. If those things are not spelled out in their doctrinal statement that means that school or that church has chosen not to take a stand on that particular issue which means if they’re not taking a stand that they are open to other theological positions and that’s really been a problem with how they’re understanding the Bible as a whole. I even refer to it as a litmus test.
JD: David James with a Biblical approach to understanding Bible prophecy and the time of the end.
We report this information because it is indeed setting the
stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.
Let me make it very simple for you to understand the end
times as presented in the Bible. The next event on God’s calendar of activities
will be the rapture of the church when Jesus shouts from the heavenlies and
calls those of us who know him as Lord and Savior the church today into the
heavens to be with him forever, that’s I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Revelation 4:1.
Then from Revelation chapter 4-19 which is the tribulation
period it will end with the return of Jesus Christ back to the earth, Matthew
24:29-31. God will give Jesus his kingdom Daniel 9:13 & 14 which will last for
a thousand years. There’s the great white throne judgment when all lost people
will be sent into hell and then the future eternity future Revelation chapter
21 & 22.
As we study these verses we will understand God’s plan for
the future.
