The Third Option

I remember going to the eye doctor as a child and always hearing the optometrist ask, “Which one is better? Is it this one (as he would flip the lenses) or is it the second one?” Over and over and over again…  I would sit there and almost be bored with the question. I sometimes wished that we could just have a third option that would be perfect right away, so I would not have to have my head crammed in what looked like an R2-D2 helmet. The third option is not always on the table though, right?

This may be true in many of life’s situations, but thankfully this is not the case in bible study. Among most denominational threads, there are usually two opposing thought processes. Some examples would be:

• Calvinism vs. Arminianism
• Eternal Security vs. Loss of Salvation
• Faith vs. Works
• Dispensational vs. Covenantal
• Full Atonement vs. Partial Atonement (Do I need to pray for forgiveness?)
• Water Baptism vs. Spirit Baptism
• Coming Kingdom vs. Spiritual Kingdom

Whereas it may seem that there are only two sides to these stories, there’s more to it than the good ol’ Baptist versus Church of Christ dilemma here in the south.

There is, to all of these points, a third option that, by most, is being overlooked. The answers come from a Mid-Acts/Pauline perspective. To sum up what that means, it can be expressed this way:

Prophecy vs. Mystery

Prophecy: (Acts 3:19-21) The things of prophecy consist of information that had been made known, since the world began; this information was spoke of by the prophets and was written down as common knowledge. Most of this information was shared during a dispensation where the Mosaic law was in effect.

Mystery: (Romans 16:25) The things of the mystery consist of information that had been kept secret, since the world began, until they were made known, firstly, unto the Apostle Paul, as he was the Apostle of the Gentiles and the hand selected of Christ for the task of carrying and making known the dispensation of grace.

Most of these denominational arguments are hit back and forth across the table, as if it is a game of theological ping-pong. This will continue in most of today’s Christian thought, because both sides of the argument, no matter the denomination, do not possess the ability or desire to rightly divide the word of truth, by dispensationally discerning the information being covered. The arguments are ultimately futile, due to the fact that most of the points made are both erroneous because of the lack of proper application. Here are a couple of examples:

Eternal Security vs. Loss of Salvation

Baptist: we do not lose our salvation, but if a person lacks “good fruit,” he or she either was never saved or they are “backslidden.”

Church of Christ: we will lose our salvation if we do not maintain our good works or “endure to the end.”

Mid-Acts: we are “saved by grace, through faith.” Our works have nothing to do with our initial salvation or continuing salvation status.

Water Baptism vs. Spirit Baptism

Baptist: we are saved when trust the gospel (most of the time; it is sometimes said when one “asks Jesus to be Lord of their life” or “asks Jesus into their heart”), but it is necessary, not for salvation, to be fully “obedient” to the will of Jesus. It is often said by this denomination that water baptism is an “outward representation of an inward change;” one would be hard-pressed, due to its lack of existence, to find any scriptural reference to back this idea up.(I, sadly, am guilty of trying to make this square peg fit into the round hole in the past. I was a Baptist making excuses for our doctrine. There's no integrity in defending something that even you yourself are struggling with.)

Church of Christ: we must repent and be water baptized for the remission of sins.

Mid-Acts: we are baptized by the Holy Spirit, into the body of Christ, at the moment we believe and trust the gospel (Jesus’ death and resurrection 1 Cor. 15:1-4). Water baptism is not necessary or instructed for this dispensation. See Ephesians 1:13, 1 Corinthians 1:17 and 1 Corinthians 12:13

The list honestly goes on and on. It is a sad day when people fight on how to paint inside of the lines, without even realizing that there is an entirely different picture to be working within. Just know, the third option is now on the table.

It’s called Mid-Acts Dispensationalism.

“Ultra” and “hyper” are tagged on as derogatory/ignorant prefixes.

Right division is the only way to accurately handle God’s word. It’s time to stop fighting the wrong fight. We have answers to the questions because we ask the questions that no one else will ask. Your life will quite literally change when you are able to clearly, without making denominational excuses, see and explain ALL of the Bible. Due to proper dispensational discernment, one can find out who the audience is, what is being spoken and who it applies to. In the words of Disney’s, Aladdin and Jasmine, “It’s a whole new world!”

Thanks for taking the time to read about the “third option,”

-Alan

Check out thegracelifeplace.blogspot.com and graceambassadors.com for more tools on how to rightly divide the word of truth.