The Mystery

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ).

Ephesians 3:1-4

Ben Webb

Five Fundamentals of the Faith

Important note, for those who may disagree with Dispensational Theology:

Please realize that I do not believe Covenant Theologians are "heretics"; nor is it proper for them to refer to us as such. There are five fundamentals of the faith which are essential for Christianity, and upon which we should agree:

  1. The Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:1; John 20:28; Heb. 1:8-9), Who is the Creator God Himself (Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; compare Gen. 1:1); Who "laid the foundation of the earth" (Heb. 1:10-12; compare Psalms 102:24-27).
  2. The Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14; Mt. 1:23; Luke 1:27)
  3. The Blood Atonement (Acts 20:28; Ro. 3:25; Ro. 5:9; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:12-14). (Please note: this refers to a belief in salvation by grace alone [Sola Gratia], through faith in the Blood of Christ alone [Sola Fide] - Ro. 3:25 states that God has set forth Jesus to be a propitiation through faith in His Blood; Ro. 5:9 states that we are justified by Christ's Blood; and Eph. 1:7 states that we have redemption through His blood - see also Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:12-14).
  4. The Bodily Resurrection (Luke 24:36-46; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:14-15).
  5. The inerrancy of the scriptures themselves (Psalms 12:6-7; Ro. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20), and the fact that we should rely upon scripture alone (Sola Scriptura). Please note: this is NOT a reference to the "King James Only" debate; rather, this is a reference to people who claim to have revelations apart from the scriptures.
And those who disagree with any of the above doctrines are not Christians at all. Rather, they are the true heretics. And that is why I do not consider so-called "dispensationalists" who are Unitarian Universalists to be "True" Christians at all, because they deny the Deity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please Note: I need to explain myself here, because I was recently contacted by a unitarian who was puzzled over this statement. He claimed that because unitarians do confess that Jesus is Lord, and that God raised Him from the dead, then according to Romans 10:9-10, they are saved, which makes them Christians. So, here is the reason I make the statement that unitarians are not Christians at all - from my perspective, because unitarians do not believe in the Deity of my Lord Jesus Christ, they are believing in "another Jesus" (2 Cor. 11:4). Unitarians deny, among other things, the fact that the author of the book of Hebrews addresses the Lord Jesus Christ as "God" (Heb.1:8, compare Psalms 45:6); they deny Peter's referral to "God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:1); they will deny that the Word was God (John 1:1); they will deny that the Father, the Word (Who is Jesus, according to John 1:1), and the Holy Ghost "bear record in heaven" (1 John 5:7); they will deny that the Jesus Who created "all things" (Col.1:16 and Eph.3:9) is the same GOD Who created "all things" (Rev.4:11); they will deny Paul's reference to the Lord Jesus Christ as "the great God and our Saviour" (Titus 2:13); they will deny that God was manifest in the flesh (1Tim.3:16); they will deny that God purchased the church with HIS Own blood (Acts 20:28); they will deny that Christ is "God blessed forever" (Ro.9:5); etc. And that is why I made the statement that unitarians are not Christians.

So among ourselves, we may vigorously debate other items, such as the merit of baptism; the consequences of Dispensationalism vs. Covenant Theology; the validity of various Bible translations; the authority of the Presbytery; etc. Such disagreements are perfectly acceptable within the confines of Christianity, because our salvation does not hinge upon those doctrines.

But if critics deny even one of the five fundamentals mentioned above, they have departed from the faith, "giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1). By denying the above scriptural doctrines, they have heaped to themselves "teachers, having itching ears" (2 Tim. 4:3); thereby even "denying the Lord that bought them" (2 Pet. 2:1). These are the true heretics, who are preaching "another Jesus", according to 2 Cor. 11:4 -

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

And later in this same chapter, Paul refers to these people as the ministers of Satan, in 2 Cor. 11:13-15 -

13: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14: And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15: Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

So, please - if you take offense to our Dispensational Theology, don't think that I am condemning you as unbelievers or heretics. Nothing could be further from the truth. As long as you hold to the five fundamentals of the faith, you may join the debate. And together, we shall reprove the unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:11).