Hyper-dispensationalism (or sometimes ultra-dispensationalism), as opposed to traditional (or classic) Dispensationalism, views the start of the Christian church as beginning with the ministry of Paul sometime late in the book of Acts. Although variations exist in specifics, all hyper-dispensationalists view the four Gospels and many of New Testament Epistles as applying to the Jews only, and not directly applicable to the Church today.

Two varieties of hyper-dispensationalists are distinguished, sometimes referred to as Acts 28 Dispensationalists and Mid-Acts Dispensationalists.

Acts 28 Dispensationalists

Acts 28 Dispensationalists believe the Church began with Paul's statement made to the Jewish leaders at Rome near the end of the Book of Acts. The most notable proponent of this doctrine was E. W. Bullinger (1837-1913). Other writers holding this position include Charles H. Welch, Vladimir M. Gelesnoff, and Otis Q. Sellers.

Acts 28 Dispensationalists distinguish themselves with their belief that the book of Acts (along with Paul’s earlier epistles) do not record the beginning of Church history, but rather the Biblical conclusion of Israel’s past history (Bullinger, 1972, p.195). One rationale for this view is that, while Paul had written a number of epistles prior to the events in

Mid-Acts Dispensationalists

Mid-Acts Dispensationalists believe the Church began with Paul during his earlier evangelism, between Acts 9 and Acts 13. There are several reasons for this belief, notably that Paul was the only apostle who was ever referred to as "THE" apostle of the Gentiles (Rom 11:11-13; Rom 15:16; Eph 3:1-2; etc., compare Gal 2:7-9). In addition, Paul states that "the dispensation of..grace" was given to him (Eph 3:2; c.f., 1Cor 9:17; Col 1:25). Spokesmen for this viewpoint include J. C. O'Hair, C. R. Stam (Things That Differ), and Charles F. Baker (A Dispensational Theology).

While adherents to the Mid-Acts Position agree that all Scripture is profitable (2Tim 3:16), in general, Mid-Acts Dispensationalists do not believe that all the doctrine in the General Epistles (James through Jude) applies to the church today. Instead, they believe these epistles (along with the four Gospels) will mostly apply to future Israel, after she repents and returns to the Lord during the Tribulation. Note that the term hyper or ultra-dispensationalist is not

Shared views

In addition to their distinctive views on the applicability of many of the New Testament books, most hyper-dispensationalists hold unusual views on some of the key sacraments (which they term "ordinances"). Neither the ordinance of water baptism nor the ordinance of the Lord's Supper are to be practiced by Christians in the current age of the Church. This belief comes in part from Paul's post-Acts epistles, in which he states that the church today is no longer under any ordinances (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14; Col. 2:20).

In contrast traditional Christians and more conventional dispensationalists might point out that, among other things, two different Greek words in the above references are translated "ordinances" and that neither of these words is used anywhere in Scripture to refer to either baptism or the Lord's Supper.

Grace Movement

The Grace Movement began in the 1930's. It embraces the Mid-Acts Dispensational System of Bible Interpretation and doesn't consider itself to be "hyper" or "ultra." It believes that there is confusion in the Christian Church today, via denominationalism, because of a process of the loss and recovery of "four basic truths." The loss process is believed to have started near the end of the apostle Paul's ministry and continued for fifteen hundred years until the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century. The recovery process has lasted for over three hundred fifty years as the truths were gradually recovered in reverse order. The four truths are (in order of loss): 1) The Distinctive Message and Ministry of Paul; 2) The Pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Church, the Body of Christ; 3) The Difference between Israel and the Church the Body of Christ; 4) Justification by Faith Alone, in Christ Alone. The Lord's Supper is widely observed in Grace churches; however, Baptism doesn't involve a water ceremony and is considered to be the "one spiritual Baptism" according to I Corinthians 12:13 and Ephesians 4:4-6. This spiritual Baptism occurs at the moment of belief and "identifies" (the Greek root word for "baptism" carries the idea of "identification") the believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, Grace believers hold that true believers are eternally secure, in Christ, for their assurance of eternal life.

See also

• Dispensationalism
• E. W. Bullinger -- describes some of the basic theology, especially the Acts 28 doctrine

References

• Bullinger, E.W.,The Foundations of Dispensational Truth, Reprinted 1972, Samuel Bagster & Sons LTD 72 Marylebone Lane, London. W.I.
• Baker, Charles F., A Dispensational Theology, 1971, Grace Bible College Publications, Grand Rapids, MI
• Stam, Cornelius R., Things That Differ, 1951, Berean Bible Society, Germantown, WI

• Mid Acts Dispensational Commentary Bible

• History of the Grace Movement