2Ti 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me
2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me,
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me
2Ti 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, …
2Ti 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
It is very interesting to note that Paul did not say that they turned away from the Lord. Rather, his statements to Timothy in the fading light of his earthy ministry was that they had trend away from Him (1.8, 13, 2.2,8, 3.14). These were not all out-right pagans or apostates that were turning from him. It was a rejection of Paul, himself, that he seems to be warning Timothy of. We can see this even in more famous text such as is said of Demas (II Timothy 4.10). We assume Demas rejected the Lord, which in a sense clearly he did. But he was said only to have turned away for Paul. The context was that Demas was enthralled with this current world. Possibly Demas was a carnal believer; however, there is a way of seeing him as a believer that has reject Paul’s dispensational teaching of “spiritual blessings in heavenly places” (Ephesians 1) for this present world. Was Demas a worldly believer who rejects the tenets of the faith? Or was he a kingdom builder, who rejected Paul’s gospel and reverted back, as so many did, to the Jewish kingdom teachings of Christ? We can note this as well in II Tim 4.16 “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me…” The assumption is that Christ is being rejected. The text is stating that Paul is being rejected.
The difference is immense in its expression and one that would not be fully remedied until almost 1800 years later. Paul’s gospel was different than Christ’s. Founded upon the Lord, yes, no doubt. But Ephesians chapter three makes its clear that there was something that was unique in the resulting death and resurrection of Christ that had not fully been revealed. To be sure, there are windows into this truth throughout the gospel; and it is easy, on this side of Paul, to read back into the words of Christ these Church Age truths. Yet, it is clear, even from such passages as Colossians one, Romans six and others, that Paul had been gifted and entrusted with a revelation of truth. The problem appears to be that even at an early age in church history, there is a tendency to reject rightly dividing and an embracing of kingdom building. It is more so also than merely rejecting rightly dividing. It is a failure to understand the depth of the mystery of the Church, the hypo-static union with have with Christ and the destiny of the Body of Christ. The exalted position of the Church and the doctrines connected with it may well be one of the least understood truths that we have to study.
The following statement may be aggressive but I believe a more thorough study of history and doctrinal development of history will bear it out: Almost all false doctrine and distortion of the truth comes as a result of an inability of the established church to receive and rightly divide the MYSTERY REVELATION DOCTRINES EXCLUSIVELY GIVEN TO PAUL (Rom 16.25-26 Galatians 1.11-12 Ephesians 3.1-6Colossians 1.25 I Cor 9.17). Dispensational Truth is not a hobby horse or a late development of doctrine. Nor is Dispensational teaching merely a division of times and people; there is something far great and mysterious at play in the heretofore unrevealed truths given to Paul. Dispensational truth is a return to the initial teachings of Paul as given to him by the Lord Jesus for the instruction, guidance and edification of the Church. Dispensational truth may more accurately be termed Mystery truths revealed to Paul. It is the rightly divided acceptation of the Revelation of Christ Jesus and the Gospel of Grace given to Paul for the distinct Body of Christ.
- It is not Kingdom Doctrine
- It is not Covenant Doctrine
- It is not Reformed Doctrine
- It is not Replacement Doctrine
- It is not Prophetic Doctrine exclusively
To be clear, it would help here to travel well worn paths and remind ourselves what we mean by Dispensational Truth. Dispensationalism is a framework of normal grammatical interpretation of the Bible that divides biblical history into distinct periods, called dispensations and directly related to the multiple covenants that shape these periods of time. As previously stated, it emphasizes a literal interpretation of the Bible regarding Old Testament prophecies about Israel, and the differences between Israel and the Church.
While this may serve as a limited workman definition there is something deeper and more intense to correct Dispensational truth. Doctrines such as the Rapture, Millennial Kingdom and the Tribulation are all based upon the mystery revelation of the nature and state of the Church both now and in eternity. While the modern believe loves to journey through Revelation, the reality for us is that the far great revelation is the profound ramifications of taking such books as Ephesians and Colossians to their fullest implications. Pauls’ gospel seated us in heavenly place, called us heavenly beings and described our eternal influence within the realm of the heavenliness – as sons of God. The full understanding of Pauls’ gospel changes the entire realm of operation here in the now and seats us in eternity and in the realm and dimension of the spirit. When contrasted with the kingdom builders regardless of what denomination they claim, it is clear that there is a rejection to some degree of the nature of Paul’s mystery revelation.
Just as in Paul’s Day, the early church struggled to accept Paul’s revelation and not turn again to the “weak and beggarly elements”(Galatians) so it has ever been. The need is to return to heavenly truths rather than earthly pursuits, no matter how noble or spiritual they may appear! It is possible to accept Christ and be saved, even while rejected Paul and being worldly. This to a large degree, I postulate, is at the root of carnality, commerce and carelessness with the church. We too often like Demas have rejected, not Christ, but Paul and the very premise of the mystery revelation that drove Paul and the early Church:
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory;While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal.” (II Corinthians 4.17-18)
