I have been thinking of doing this series for some time, but I realize that my current preaching schedule is not going to allow me to do this from the pulpit of FBC Atwood for quite a while. So, I am going to do it as a series of posts on this blog. As a side benefit, this will allow for questions and answers between me and the readers!

While this was also the subject of my doctrinal dissertation for Louisiana Baptist University in 1991-1993, (and some of my thoughts will be taken from that document) I am not – let me say this again – I am not interested in debate with other pastors or theologians. I am not going to try to debate back and forth with anyone who is not an active member or a currently attending prospective member of FBC Atwood.

Many great and godly intellectuals have defended this theological position far, far better than I ever could. So, for the benefit of those who want to debate or argue these points, I recommend you read the works of, (and make contact with) Dr. John MacArthur or Dr. Charles Ryrie!

I am working to present this biblical teaching to the members of the Church who God has called me to serve. Let me begin with what I consider to be a very important statement:

I do not believe that any specific structure of biblical prophecy is of such importance that one’s salvation depends on a proper understanding of it! Nor, in my opinion, does it rise to the level of those doctrines agreement upon which would be necessary for believers to worship and work together in a local church. Therefore, I consider them to be tertiary in nature, which is something that we ought to be interested in, and for which we should strive for a correct understanding; but, not something over which we should break fellowship.

With this understanding, let me begin!

I believe in dispensational premillennialism for two specific reasons: first, I believe that the Christian Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and divinely preserved Word of God; and, second, I believe that the Christian Bible clearly reveals a divinely-decreed and revealed plan and purpose for the ages that forms a basic structure for understanding the message of Scripture. I believe that basic structure is dispensational premillennialism!

Dispensational premillennialism is not a “doctrine” it is a “school of interpretation!”

Let me define the words. By “dispensation” I mean a specific period of time in which God deals with people in a specific way in order to teach a specific lesson. While I certainly do not agree with everything that has been said or written by those who claim to hold this view, I do find that I am in basic agreement with the seven dispensation view espoused by John Nelson Darby and C. I. Scofield.

By “premillennialism” I mean that school of thought that holds that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be marked by a return of Jesus Christ in the clouds called the rapture; a seven-year period of tribulation on earth; the second advent of Jesus Christ to earth followed by a literal one-thousand year kingdom rule on this present earth; followed by a final rebellion, the Great White Throne Judgment, and the onset of the eternal state.

NEXT TIME: Genesis 1 to 5: The first dispensation – Innocence!

Read ahead and Remember: Questions are always welcome!