Does the fact that dispensational theology is a recent development argue against its legitimacy?

Answer

While certain aspects of dispensational theology have been present throughout church history, the system of dispensational theology was not formalized until John Nelson Darby began teaching it in the mid-1800s. Dispensational theology first became popular in the days of Cyrus Scofield with the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible in the early 1900s.

The wiser approach suggests that if someone is the first person in 2,000 years of church history to conceive of something, it should be seriously scrutinized. After all, if it is a genuine and significant doctrine, surely God would have disclosed it to someone much earlier in church history. What are the implications of this principle for dispensational theology? Should dispensational theology be dismissed because it is new?

There are two key points to consider. First, while a new doctrine should be regarded skeptically, novelty alone is not a sufficient reason for dismissal. Every theological system was novel when it was first comprehended and structured. The only true test of a doctrine is whether or not it is biblical. Is it taught in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17)? Does it contradict any clear teaching of Scripture (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17)? Agreement with the Word of God is the only foolproof standard by which to evaluate a doctrine. Dispensational theology should stand or fall by comparing it with Scripture. Its newness should not be the determining factor in its evaluation.

Second, while dispensational theology as an organized system is new, the concepts that comprise dispensational theology are not. The teaching of a literal millennial kingdom can be found as early as “The Shepherd of Hermas,” written in the middle of the second century AD. Belief in there being a distinction betweenBetween Israel and the church in God’s plan for the ages did not gain prominence until Israel became a nation again in 1948. How can there be a distinction between Israel and the church if Israel does not exist? However, even considering this, there were believers who opposed the idea that the church replaced Israel before Israel became a nation again.

The only significant aspect of dispensational theology that lacks support in church history is the idea of the pretribulational rapture. While some may see hints of belief in a pretribulational rapture in “The Shepherd of Hermas,” there was no explicit advocacy of this concept until the 1800s. This fact should prompt all Bible interpreters, whether dispensational or non-dispensational, to carefully examine the issue. However, the novelty of a particular teaching is not the main concern. The crucial question always remains: is it biblical?

If dispensational theology is accurate, why did God wait so long before revealing it? Perhaps God intended for more crucial doctrines to be established first. Maybe God chose to disclose dispensational theology in recent centuries because the end times are drawing near. The “why” cannot be definitively answered from a biblical standpoint. The essential point is this—dispensational theology in its entirety, along with each of its fundamental doctrines, must be assessed using Scripture. It should be either accepted or rejected based on its alignment with the Word of God.