Eschatology: Dispensational or Covenental?

Here's a good convo we can begin. A few months ago after hard prayer and exegeting scripture I came to the conclusion that dispensationalism is incorrect.


So I no longer hold to a Pre-mill Dispensational, some well known-characters of this view are (stephen the levite--'check out his song "My Funerals Sound-Track"--An impressive song about his eschatology, John Macarthur, Steve Lawson, Tim Layhe...etc)


I can see a mill reign of Christ but, I can't create a distinction between Israel and the church (hence, dispensationalism). In other words, each group is saved the same, but God has different plans for the Jews and Gentiles.


Instead I believe Historic Pre-mill makes the most sense. (which is held by the likes of : John Piper, D.A Carson, Thomas Schriener, George Ladd, James Boice, (possibly Shai Linne--In his song "In Adam all Die" he makes a reference to the covenant of works this immediately makes him not a dispensationalist. But, in "Jesus is alive" he makes a reference to the mill reign of Christ. When the two are combined it only makes sense he is a Historic Pre-mill.)

Which states their is no distinction between Israel and the church, but they are one in the same. There are no specific promises given to Israel because they have been fulfilled (not replaced!) in the church.


what do you think? Dispensational or Covenental?

I'm leaning towards a Covenantal understanding myself. The pastor of the church I attend regularly is a graduate of the Master's Seminary. The church's position is somewhere in between Covenantal and Dispensational. I've heard it referred to as leaky dispensationalism.

I don't see a distinction made in the Bible between the church and Israel (Messianic believers). I believe we are all baptized into one body, Christ being the head of the body. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, as the Scriptures indicate.

However, I definitely see a disconnect of the church and national Israel (those who reject Christ as Messiah). God definitely has future plans to restore that nation, but as of now, they are in opposition to Christ. I definitely disagree with these groups who are working closely with the nation of Israel now, at least in how they are doing it. Ministries like John Hagee, for instance, are not using the opportunity to preach the gospel to them, but to find out how they are similar and how they can work together.

But, yeah, I am leaning towards a Covenantal position. Galatians 3:29 (I believe) tells us that if we be Christ's, then we are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. So, that tells me that we are entitled to the same benefits of the same Covenant that God made with Abraham's descendants.