I came to this site because I read two articles on Christianity.com, one by Matt Waymeyer, with which I had many problems (I must admit I had not taken much interest in dispensationalism up to this point in time, so was really just curious that drew me to the article). Then I decided to see what you would say and found it much more in tune with scriptures. I am in the process of reading the complete pdf article. I cannot understand how anyone can think there are “two distinct peoples of God, ethnic Israel and the Church,” if they believe what the scripture says about the vine and grafting. There is another point that I would like them to explain – where did the Apostles and Paul fit into these two peoples of God? And what about “He came unto His own and His own received Him not, but to as many as received Him . . .” They seem to have forgotten, too, that there are two sides of a covenant and it will not come to pass until those to whom God has promised it have kept their part of it. It is my belief that will be when they receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. They seem to also forget that “No one comes to the Father except by me. . .” It simply makes no sense to me.

People read books like the “Left Behind” series, which is pure unadulterated fiction and because it is “fascinating” to them, they get drawn into a web of theology based on fiction. It’s exciting! It’s thrilling! It is also deadly!

Yes, I certainly agree that it’s possible to be a dispy and not a “Zionist Extremist”. I know a lot of dispensationalists that are nothing like Hagee (MacArthur comes readily to mind). I do think that dispensationalism is wrong, and I know that it is used by Christian Zionists in support of their excesses, but I appreciate as well that not all dispensationalists are that way.

I agree with your diagnosis of the problem. I do not, however, think that this automatically destroys dispensationalism (I’m not going to argue for dispensationalism here). I think that it is possible to be a good dispensationalist and not a Zionist extremist (I work with one of these men, by the way – he makes me not want to be a dispy…but anyway, I digress). I believe that there will be a real restoration for Israel in the manner that the prophets understood. However, the present nation of Israel is under the curses listed in Deuteronomy. They are “Lo Ammi/Lo Ruhamma” (Not sure how to do Hebrew font on here). As a nation, they should be treated as any other nation ought – their sovereignty ought to be respected and upheld. If there is a real restoration of Israel (and I believe there will be), it will be by the word of Messiah and Messiah only.

C Watson

Thanks so much for your prayers. Keep looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, as you run on toward the prize!

By the way, I read that first link (some scary history there!), but I couldn’t get the second link to work — are you sure it’s right?

I have your family on my prayer list.

Thanks for the links. I’ll look over them as soon as I have a spare minute. What have you been up to lately?

Once again a fantastic article. Christian Zionism is a worldview poison. It is an issue that I feel rather strongly about myself, as I would like to see it eliminated. It is especially disheartening to see the Scriptures be used in such a way.

Here are two articles I’m sure you’d enjoy.

On the Road to Armageddon: How evangelicals became Israel’s best friend An Alternative Theology of the Holy Land: A Critique of Christian Zionism