Mid-Acts Dispensationalism Examined | Dispensationalism vs Mid-Acts Dispensationalism

#rightlydivide #rightlydividingthewordoftruth #dispensationalism

Mid-Acts dispensational Bible study recognizes the importance of the mystery of Christ revealed to the apostle Paul as doctrine particular to the church in the present dispensation (Rom 16:25, Col 1:25-27, Eph 3:2-4).

While most Bible students would make the most important division in the Bible to be between Israel and the Church or the Old and New Testaments, mid-Acts Bible study teaches the most important distinction in your Bible to be the right division between God’s Mystery purpose, “kept secret since the world began”, and God’s Prophecy purpose, which had been “spoken since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21 vs. Rom 16:25).

Basic teachings of Mid Acts Dispensational right division
– Jesus, in his earthly ministry, ministered to the circumcision. (Rom 15:8, see here)
– The mystery of Christ was first revealed to Paul (Col 1:25-26, 1 Tim 1:16, and here)
– Prophecy and mystery are different (Acts 3:19-21 vs Rom 16:25)
– Peter and Paul taught different messages (Peter prophecy, and Paul mystery: See here)
– Prophecy has been interrupted. (See here)
– The gospel of the kingdom is not the gospel of the grace of God (See here and here)
– Israel’s Church and the Church, the body of Christ, are different. (See here)

Dispensationalism is the most important subject in studying the Bible. Without this doctrine, we will fall into heresy.

Dispensationalism is the act of dealing out to different persons or places, according to Webster 1828. This could also include different time periods.

That which is dispensed or bestowed; a system of principles and rites enjoined; as the Mosaic dispensation; the gospel dispensation; including, the former the Levitical law and rites; the latter the scheme of redemption by Christ.

In the Bible, we will find that God deals with different groups of people, places, and time periods. We are not to take every word of God and apply it to us.

Simple reasons why we need dispensationalism
For example, in ancient Greece, the punishment for stealing was to cut off the hands or the death penalty. But later on, the punishment changed to imprisonment.

A second example, if one says to the brother, “go wash the dishes,” and to the sister, “don’t wash the dishes.” There is no contradiction.

That’s why when the Bible talks about salvation by faith alone and in other passages refer to salvation by faith and works; there is no contradiction. The passages refer to different groups of people.

When the Bible talks about a rapture before the tribulation and a rapture after the tribulation, it can be that the Bible is speaking to different groups of people, and they are both raptures.

About keeping Sabbath, there are Bible passages that command the keeping of the Sabbath and, in others, not to keep the Sabbath. It can be that the Bible is speaking to different groups of people.

There is a long list of commandments in the Bible. How are we to know which is written to which group of people?

Stoned to death for taking the name of God in vain
Sacrificing animals
Not wearing mixed fabrics (Leviticus)
Sacrificing your son (Isaac and Abraham)
Building an ark (Noah)
It is common sense to read the Bible that it was intended for different groups of people and time periods.

How do we know which Bible passages apply to Christians in the church age? When it completely contradicts a Christian on what the Bible says, we know it cannot apply to us.

The occurrence of the word “dispensationalism” in the Bible

Colossians 1:25 (KJV)
“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the
dispensation
of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;”

Some scholars claim that dispensationalism means a period of time but this is wrong. God is the Alpha and Omega, He has no beginning or ending, and there is no such thing as the time period of God. Dispensation would mean an arrangement or an order.

Colossians 1:26 (KJV)
“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:”

Different periods can go along with dispensation. When God gives something in arrangement or order, He could do it at different time periods. It can mean different periods of time, or to different people, or any kinds of different things.

Some people put a period of time, like the church age. There are four different salvations in this time period, so God gives things differently, even in one time period.

Rightly dividing the word of truth

2 Timothy 2:15
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing
the word of truth.”

The Bible says, study to show thyself approved unto God. Christians are told to study spiritual things. One should not be ashamed of studying so hard. This hard study is rightly dividing the word of truth. It is a necessary requirement to divide the Bible.

[sudhanshupatra]

The word church mean ecclesia is used for different gathering in Bibles

[robusc]

Early Acts applies to us now eg Acts 2:44-45 ?
Tell us how you have kept that.
44And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

[korincanima-]

The proper separation of the Word of Truth in Letter 2 Timothy 2:15 is the proper separation of the Gospel of Grace from the Gospel of the Kingdom, that is why the Walls attacked Paul to speak against the law of Moses and learn something else, to learn the differences between israel's prophetic program and the Mystery that was revealed only to Paul as he himself says, unfortunately to many the Mystery is still hidden. The word Dispensation mentioned in KJV 1611 4 times means the sharing of something new.All those who do not properly separate the Word of Truth in Scripture are not dispensionists at all, but ordinary Baptists with false doctrine.

[craigluchin]

Standard dispensationalism is not equal to mid acts dispensationalism, mid-acts is superior because it is a deeper wisdom of God and revelation given to Paul.

[craigluchin]

A plainly states in Galatians chapter 2 that Paul was sent to the uncircumcised to the circumcision, in Gal. chapter 1 when Paul says there is one gospel he is speaking of the body of Christ and the gospel of Christ that would carry on as Peter’s gospel faded with the rejection of it by the Jews thus God turn to the gentiles through Paul and gave him the gospel of first Corinthians 15

[Lezzjam]

Have a question in reference to Rightly Devide& Dispensationalism. Did the healing teachings cease when the Apostles passed away? I see that Paul didn't teach healings as the Apostles did.

[bstein]

Acts 7:38 (KJV) This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

Were these in the body of Christ? If church means body of Christ, they must have been, right?

[ishiftfocus]

The law is just to require an eye for an eye, and for someone to always pay for forgiveness. Praise God, according to His grace, Jesus Christ died for our sins, and forgiveness is now given freely by grace without condition.

[craigluchin]

An act chapter 7 Steven calls the old testament group the church, Christ calls the little flock the church, Peter calls it the church, Paul calls it the church, but these are four different churches, they are assemblies, four different assemblies with four different purposes, as you will see as you study it out and we scripture against scripture, spiritual to spiritual

[CliveChamberlain]

This will not make this dispute go away just because you give a few vague points and walk away. Indeed, the point and counterpoint on this has been going on since a few decades after Darby solidified the art of studying dispensationally to most of the English Brethren. The Mid-Acts discussion started peacefully with Dr. Holden in 1865 and many others like Dr. Bullinger a few years later. He moved to an Acts 28 position in the last 3 years of his life under influence from C.H.Welch and Sir Robert Anderson but he never published about it much. There are several books by *Bryan Ross at dispensationalpublishing* that can help you get your history right. Another point to consider is calling this *Rightly Dividing* is like an invitation to debate, since most of all world churches calling themselves by this name are mid-Acts and can argue this "six-ways-to-Sunday" and leave you either thirsty to "search the scriptures the scriptures to see if this is so" or angry that you can't defend Acts-2, collecting tithes, and dunking people in water tanks, worth a hill of beans.
Sadly, since most Acts-2 churches today are too busy with either calling out false dates for the rapture, or too busy being taken over by hostile predatory Calvinist invasions that they have very little time to refine this very point that can keep them safe from it. I will never return to an Acts-2 church because the doctrine always drifts off into legalism using Jesus in the Gospels or the Hebrew epistles.
I have an idea. Why not find your best questions and submit them to either "Fellowship Bible Church Orlando" or Randy White Ministries?

[craigluchin]

Right off at minute two, he makes the mistake of not making a distinction between salvation and the walk of the Christian.

This is where all standard dispensationalists will go wrong when they are looking at mid-acts dispensation (MAD). And it always goes downhill from there.

Paul epistles are where we find Salvation. All the other books are for our edification in our walk. That is all that the MAD says.

If a standard dispensationalist, will ever get that straight in their head, they will get everything else right.

Salvation is only found for the body of Christ in the age of Grace from the gospel of Christ given to Paul by revelation, which was hidden from before the creation of the world, this mystery. This revelation was only given to Paul, Peter did not have it neither did any of the other apostles.

Peter‘s gospel is for the kingdom, the Jews rejected it. Therefore God turned to Paul, gave him the gospel for the body of Christ, blinded the Jew, diminished the Jew, until after the period of the grace of God towards the gentiles would end which was 2000 years long Soon it will end and return to the gospel the kingdom given to Peter for the tribulation and millennial reign of Christ

[craigluchin]

Today in the age of Grace, beginning with Paul through to the rapture is the body of Christ, Peter and the little flock went down into the bosom of Abraham because they are part of Israel at the resurrection of the Jews at the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Often times the wrong gospel is taught today of act chapter 2 thinking it’s part of the church when it is not the proper gospel. The right gospel is from first Corinthians 15, not ax chapter 2 there is no need for baptism baptism was for the priesthood or kings which were going to Israel will rule on earth and the body of Christ will rule in heaven.

[onedone]

Thank you for clarifying this position.

Mid-Acts dispensationalism is certainly not the same as dispensationalism

[craigluchin]

Yes, Paul persecuted the church of God if he persecuted the church of God, then he couldn’t have received the same gospel because his gospel was by revelation. It was a mystery hidden in God from before the creation of the world so he was persecuting the little flock that was teaching the gospel of the kingdom that Israel was going to rule over the Earth, and Jesus Messiah was going to sit on the throne, Peter chapter 2, 3 and four preach to the house of Israel. He used the death and resurrection of Christ as an indictment against the Jews and that’s what made them repent because they knew they killed their Messiah that is not the message that Paul gives - his gospel is of hope, of love, of faith that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and he rose the third day according to the Scriptures. At the blood of Christ washed away our sins. This understanding of the blood does not appear until mid act. Well after the Jews turned away from Christ.

[memoo]

Jesus upon gong to heaven told his disciples to continue to teach what He taught. He taught the Law. He told them to stay in Jerusalem. Peter after having the Holy Ghost fall upon him went immediately into the Temple and addressed the Jews only. He commanded them to repent and change their mind that Jesus was indeed their Messiah as opposed to how they rejected Him. He also commanded them to be baptized. He in fact quotes Joel and prophecy almost word for word. All these and more are in stark contrast to what Paul declared after receiving the mystery from the risen Lord. Jesus gave Paul a mystery that was kept secret from the beginning of the world. Although I agree all Scripture is profitable for us and helps us understand where we are today and we are saved by Christ's crossword and resurrection, and much can be made application of. However, in Acts 2, the church was a Jewish remnant still under the Law and looking for prophetic fulfillment of the coming Kingdom. The Hebrew epistles mainly address this little flock during the tribulation period and in fact the first verse of both James and Peter tell us exactly to whom these epistles are directed.
There was no mystery revealed until the Lord gave it to Paul mid Acts. In fact, in Luke 18 when Jesus told his disciples about his death and resurrection, we are told they had no clue what He was talking about. Also Peter still argued with the Lord about the rooftop vision he had and the going to Cornelius. Even after Paul was saved and commissioned Peter was still observing and adamant about the law.
I could go on and on citing verses etc proving the body of Christ, the new creature, the church being created today did not start in Acts 2 but not until Jesus revealed the mystery/secret to Paul. That being we can be saved by grace thru faith without Israel, without covenants and without the law. This is not at all what Peter was preaching in Acts 2.

[sudhanshupatra]

It is not at the cross but it is written by the cross

[delgande]

Dispensationalism is a heresy

The jews need Jesus and must convert for their own souls to be saved.

[craigluchin]

And ask to Peter is speaking to the house of Israel if Israel would’ve received Peter‘s message as a nation in Jesus would’ve come if your house of Israel would’ve received Stephen‘s message Jesus was standing ready to come, but they did not. They rejected it.

It’s clear that Peter and the other apostles were the little flock of Luke chapter 12, but Paul and Roma chapter 7 makes it clear that the gentiles and use together make the body of Christ and Paul was the first one in that body.

Just because in Roman 16 Paul says that there were others in Christ before him is not the designation of the body of Christ the designation of the body of Christ is not only being in Christ, but Christ being in us the hope of glory we have the glory of a new body which we will receive when we get to heaven.

Peter and the little flock on the other hand are in the bosom of Abraham, waiting to be resurrected and born again at the second coming of Christ when Christ will come, and his angels will gather together all the Jews spread across the Earth bring them to the rock Petra and they will all be born again as a nation then they will move up the highway to Jerusalem and concord the antichrist this is all according to scripture.

[waberens]

Acts 7 mentions the word "church" so with your reasoning the church started in the wilderness wonderings of Israel. Or maybe there is more than 1 church. Grace and Peace.

[craigluchin]

I’ll end with saying this a 10 minute video could never present the truth of mid dispensationalism I challenge anybody here to watch 100 videos over the next year by David Reid Columbus Church once you watched that many videos which is only two a week you will come to understand mid in very clear terms but if you think you’re going to get the truth out of 10 minute video, I can guarantee you you were sadly mistaken Below this comment is at least 15 comments I’ve made to correct that this young man is doing here. Watch the video and read the text from the very first one I gave and you will see I have an explanation that is scriptural and clear answer to this young man’s 10 minute video. May God richly bless you and his wisdom according to the scriptures and give you understanding in all things.