Hyperdispensationalism

Hyperdispensationalism,[1] Mid-Acts Dispensationalism[2][3] is a Protestant conservative evangelical

movement that values biblical inerrancy and a literal hermeneutic. Opponents of hyperdispensationalism are
traditional dispensationalists, like John Walvoord and Charles Ryrie,[4] classic Acts 2 Pauline
dispensationalists, and ultradispensationalists.

Some advocates of hyperdispensationalism refer to themselves as members of the Grace Movement[5] and
they reject the prefix "hyper" or "ultra" as pejorative or misinforming. Many affiliate with the Grace Gospel
Fellowship, a church association, and its Grace Christian University or the more conservative Berean Bible
Society.

General views
Hyperdispensationalism holds that the early Christian Church lost four basic truths starting near the end of
the Apostle Paul’s ministry.[6] The four truths are (in order of loss):[7]

1. The Distinctive Message and Ministry of the Apostle 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 truths, advocates say, were gradually recovered in reverse order starting during the Reformation. For
example, Martin Luther is credited with recovery of "justification by faith" and John Nelson Darby with
"Church Truth".[8]

Hyperdispensationalists reject water baptism[9][10] (along with charismatic gifts, prophets, and apostles),
which divides them from mainstream dispensationalists, who are often Baptists, like W. A. Criswell,[11] or
in earlier times Presbyterians[12][13] like James H. Brookes. So instead of various water baptisms, they
believe in the baptism made without hands and without water by the Spirit, which occurs when one
believes in Christ as their Savior whereby one is identified with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.[14]
While hyperdispensationalists reject water baptism like ultradispensationalists, they still practice the Lord's
Supper as a memorial and not as an ordinance. (Ultradispensationalists also reject the Lord's Supper and
water baptism.)

Hyperdispensationalists are not monolithic nor homogenous. There are two main positions: Acts 9 and Acts
13. Both see the dispensation of Grace, which is the church age, as beginning with the Apostle Paul. Also,
within the movement is found King James only elements associated mainly with the teachings of Richard
Jordan and Grace School of the Bible. While the Acts 2 position differs from other forms of
dispensationalism, they are all true dispensationalists and fully evangelical still tending towards
fundamentalism. Furthermore, the differences separating the Mid-Acts position from the Acts 28 position
are just as great as those separating the Acts 2 position from the Mid-Acts dispensational position.

Divisions
Early ultradispensationalism (Acts 28 dispensationalism), like that promoted by E. W. Bullinger,
emphasized a dispensational boundary in Acts 28:28, but did not apply this boundary line to the Pauline
epistles. Unlike Bullinger, Robert Anderson posited a Pentecostal dispensation during the period covered
by the Book of Acts. Bullinger considered the Pauline epistles as a whole, whether or not they were written
before or after Acts 28:28, in almost all of his writings. Bullinger thus did not apply his Acts 28 position
consistently to his exposition of Paul's epistles until later in life and then only in one book. Thus, most of
his books that had already been published, along with the writings of Robert Anderson, view Paul's epistles
monolithically and are then quite compatible with Mid-Acts hyperdispensationalism.

The Mid-Acts position and the Acts 28 position differ mainly on when the normative portion of Paul's
ministry to the church began. Both hyperdispensationalism and ultradispensationalism see the Gospel
accounts as for Israel in the Mosaic dispensation. Mid-Acts types take all of Paul's epistles to be directly
written to the church, thus accepting the practice of the Lord's Supper as for that dispensation of grace, but
the Acts 28 position takes only Paul's prison epistles (those written while in prison after Acts 28) to be
directly applicable to the church today, thus denying the Lord's Supper for today.[15] There is only one
baptism made without hands, in which the believer is baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians
12:13), which is held in contradistinction to Christ baptizing believing Israel in Acts 2 with the Holy Spirit.
The pouring-out baptism of the Holy Spirit is in fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of the New
Covenant to Israel. Thus, it has nothing to do with the newly-revealed mystery to and through the apostle
Paul, who is not sent out until years later with the new ministry to the gentiles to establish a new church
which is composed of both believing Israelites and believing gentiles, not just Israelites (which includes
proselytes to Judaism), as in Acts 2.

Paul, it is specifically noted, was sent to preach the gospel but not to baptize, unlike notably the Lord's
commission to his apostles. The new church is not obligated to any Jewish rituals (like water baptism),
according to the determination of the Council of Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15.

Bullinger held that Paul's authoritative teaching began after the conclusion of the Book of Acts, a viewpoint
that is now characterized as Acts 28 ultradispensationalism (chapter 28 being the concluding chapter of the
book). The position was first suggested by J.B. Cole[16] and later solidified by Charles H. Welch.[17]

The Mid-Acts position was developed independently in America later by J.C. O'Hair and followed later by
Cornelius R. Stam and Charles F. Baker, among others, and reflects their position that Paul's normative
ministry began with Paul's ministry with his salvation in Acts 9 (Stam) or with Paul's commission in Acts
13 (O'Hair, Baker). A very few independent spirits have staked the beginning of the church in a few other
chapters, but such differences are technical preferences rather than disagreements. The hallmark is that the
church is served uniquely with Paul's ministry, and upon that there is a complete agreement.

Acts is seen as a transitional period between dispensations, and the Mid-Acts position does not insert an
extra dispensation there (contra Ryrie), as did Anderson.

John Nelson Darby, the father of dispensationalism, believes that the church began at Pentecost, but his
dispensational scheme is not like Scofield's and later American dispensationalists (except classic Pauline
dispensationalism). It is also unlike that of hyperdispensationalists. The church does not begin with a new
dispensation for Darby, as the administrations upon Earth are not relevant for the heavenly church body.
One can study R.A. Huebner, who sees the Church's advent at Acts 2, to get a better understanding of
Darby's scheme of dispensations, which is different than Scofield's. Also, Miles J. Stanford (classic Pauline
dispensationalism) follows Darby's dispensational scheme and criticizes Acts 28 as well as Mid-Acts
dispensationalists for not following Darby. Stanford drew heavily upon Darby's soteriology of "spiritual
growth" and considered himself a "classic Pauline dispensationalist" in the line of the Plymouth Brethren
Darbyite dispensationalists.[18]

However, classic (Pauline) dispensationalism's earliest teachers (Darbyite) were the source for J.C. O'Hair's
consistent dispensational doctrines, but he seems to have adopted Scofield's dispensational scheme,
adapting it to the Mid-Acts position.[19] Also, early Calvinism does not seem to be in evidence so much
today and is being fully rejected in more and more churches.[20]

If Darby appears to be followed more closely by hyperdispensationalism, Darby's dispensationalism and

hyperdispensationalism are more consistent than American Acts 2 dispensationalism in marking Scripture's
distinction between national Israel, with its earthly kingdom, from the Church, which is Christ's heavenly
body. Here too, hyperdispensationalism and ultradispensationalism may be seen to make more than a mere
distinction between Israel and the Church, but classic (Pauline) dispensationalism (Acts 2) is as extreme, if
not more so, in making rather a separation between Israel and the Church.

"if Christianity were the new covenant, which it is not, the Holy Ghost is the seal of faith now
as circumcision was then. Matthew 28 was never carried out. The mission to the Gentiles was
given up to Paul explicitly (Gal. 2) who was not sent to baptize...."[21]

"the outward symbol and instrument of unity is the partaking of the Lord's supper - for we
being many are one 'bread, one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread.' And what
does Paul declare to be the true intent and testimony of that rite? That whensoever 'ye eat this
bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.' Here then are found the
character and life of the church"[22]

O'Hair followed more closely to the early American dispensationalists and abandoned denominational
loyalties. Rejecting gifts for the Church age led to a rejection of water baptism and the Acts 2 position. He
then began to explore Acts 28 as an alternative but eventually rejected that as well. It was then that H.A.
Ironside wrote "Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth," confusing O'Hair with Bullinger's teachings. Later,
O'Hair settled upon the Mid-Acts position.[23]

Most notable proponents

The most notable proponents of the Mid-Acts view were J.C. O'Hair, Charles Baker, and C.R. Stam.[24]
The Mid-Acts dispensational viewpoint is also shared on many current television programs, including
"Forgotten Truths" with Richard Jordan, "Through the Bible" with Les Feldick, and "Transformed by
Grace" with Kevin Sadler.[25][26][27]

See also
Pauline Christianity

References
 1. "Dispensational Theology" by Charles F. Baker, page 16, Grace Publications, 1971]
2. "Are We Hyper-Dispensationalists?" (https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/are-we-hyper-disp
ensationalists/). March 2000.
3. Reisinger, E. (1992). Lordship, Non-Lordship and Dispensationalism. The Founders
Journal: An Attempt at Self-Identification, Spring, (8), 11.
4. Dispensationalist theology#Traditional dispensationalism
5. Wilkin, Bob (2018-09-20). "What Is Ultra Dispensationalism? – Grace Evangelical Society"
(https://faithalone.org/blog/what-is-ultra-dispensationalism/). Retrieved 2023-12-12.
6. E. W. Bullinger. "The Loss and Recovery of Truth" (http://thethings2come.org/?p=165).
7. E. W. Bullinger (1905). "The Loss and Recovery of Truth" (http://thethings2come.org/?p=16
5).
8. J.C. O'Hair (1905). "The Loss and Recovery of Truth" (http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/oha
ir/HTML/UROC/chapter44.html#first). " "Martin Luther," he said, "recovered justification by
faith." John Darby recovered the Blessed Hope and something of Church Truth."
9. J.C. O'Hair. "The Recovery of Lost Bible Truth" (http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/ohair/GR
ACE%20WORKS%20IN%20ADOBE/RECOVERY%20OF%20LOST%20BIBLE%20TRUT
H,%20THE.pdf) (PDF).
10. John C. O'Hair. "THE RECOVERY OF LOST TRUTH: LET'S DE-JUDAIZE THE CHURCH
OF CHRIST: THIS WILL BRING A MIGHTY REVIVAL" (http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/oh
air/GRACE%20WORKS%20IN%20ADOBE/LET'S%20DE-JUDAIZE%20THE%20CHURC
H%20OF%20CHRIST.pdf) (PDF).
11. Ernest Reisinger. "Founders Journal. A History of Dispensationalism In America" (http://ww
w.founders.org/journal/fj09/article1.html).
12. Ernest Reisinger. "Founders Journal. A History of Dispensationalism In America" (http://ww
w.founders.org/journal/fj09/article1.html).
13. "Dispensationalism - 1944 PCUS Report" (https://www.pcahistory.org/documents/pcus1944.
html). www.pcahistory.org. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
14. Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Galatians
3:27; Ephesians 1:12-14; Ephesians 4:5; Ephesians 4:30; Colossians 2:11-12; Hebrews 9:8-
10
15. Paul M. Sadler. "The Truth About the Truth" (http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/articles/1023
136679.html).
16. "The Acts of the Apostles Considered Historically and Dispensationally" in Things To Come
Journal, Vol. 13, No.152, February 1907
17. Juanita S. Carey, E.W. Bullinger: A Biography
18. Pauline Dispensationalism (http://www.pembrokebiblechapel.com/pdf/PaulineDispensation
alismStanford.pdf) pembrokebiblechapel.com
19. Grace Movement Origins (http://www.ggfusa.org/images/truthmag/GraceMovementOrigins.p
df) ggfusa.org p. 6
20. For the influence of the Grace Movement group, see the Grace History Project Lesson 124
pdf notes Addendum http://gracehistoryproject.blogspot.com/2014/02/lesson-125-life-and-
ministry-of-c.html Grace History Project Lesson (http://www.gracelifebiblechurch.com/Sunda
ySchool/ChurchHistory/2014/012614/Lesson%20124%20The%20Life%20and%20Ministr
y%20of%20C.%20Richard%20Jordan%20The%20Formation%20of%20Grace%20School%
20of%20the%20Bible.pdf,)
21. J. N. Darby, "The Collected Writings of J. N. Darby, Ecclesiastical Writings » The Collected
Writings Of J. N. Darby, Ecclesiastical No. 4, Volume 20: A Reply To Defence Of The
Doctrine Of Baptismal Regeneration" (http://www.plymouthbrethren.org/article/10884)
22. "Considerations on the Nature and Unity of the Church of Christ" (https://www.stempublishin
g.com/authors/darby/ECCLESIA/01002E.html). www.stempublishing.com. Retrieved
20 June 2023.
23. "Grace History Project" (http://www.gracehistoryproject.blogspot.com/).
24. "Dispensational Theology" by Charles F. Baker, p. 16, Grace Publications, 1971].
25. "TV and Radio Schedule for Through the Bible with les Feldick" (http://www.lesfeldick.org/le
s-tv.html).
26. "Forgotten Truths E-Commerce Web Site" (http://www.forgottentruths.com/).
27. "Transformed by Grace" (https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/transformed/).

Sources
Baker, Charles F., A Dispensational Theology, 1971, Grace Bible College Publications,
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Stam, Cornelius R., Things That Differ, 1951, Berean Bible Society, Germantown,
Wisconsin.

External links
Ultra-dispensationalism from Elwell Evangelical Dictionary (http://mb-soft.com/believe/text/ul
tradis.htm)
J. C. O’Hair Online Library (https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/j-c-ohair-online-library/)

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