Over the past several posts, we’ve explored what dispensationalism is, where it came from, what it teaches, how it interprets the Bible, and the concerns many have raised about it. Now, as we conclude this series, I want to offer a hopeful vision for a better way forward—a more unified, Christ-centered story of redemption that holds Scripture together from Genesis to Revelation.
While dispensationalism seeks to honor the Bible’s authority and clarity, it often fractures the biblical story into compartments: law versus grace, Israel versus the Church, heavenly versus earthly plans. In contrast, the historic Christian tradition has told a single, sweeping narrative—a story of God’s faithfulness to His covenant people, fulfilled in Jesus Christ and extended to the ends of the earth.
This final post offers a glimpse of that story—and why it matters for the Church today.
One People, One Story, One Savior
From the beginning, God’s plan has been to redeem all creation and dwell with His people forever. That plan unfolds through a covenantal framework, where each stage of God’s work builds on the last—not as a series of separate dispensations, but as a progressive, unfolding revelation.
The Church is not a “parenthesis” in God’s plan for Israel, as dispensationalism suggests. Rather, the Church is the continuation and fulfillment of Israel’s calling: to be the people through whom God blesses the nations.
Paul says as much in Ephesians 2:14–16:
“He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility… that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two.”
In Christ, Jews and Gentiles are made one body. Not two peoples, not two destinies—one new humanity.
The Kingdom Is Now—and Not Yet
Dispensationalism often pushes the reign of Christ into a future earthly millennium, waiting for the restoration of national Israel. But the New Testament tells us the kingdom is already breaking into the world.
Jesus came preaching the kingdom (Mark 1:15), and after His resurrection, He declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matt. 28:18). The apostles proclaimed that Jesus now reigns from the right hand of the Father, and that those who are in Him already belong to His kingdom (Col. 1:13).
To be clear, Christians still await the full consummation of the kingdom—when Christ returns to judge evil and renew creation. But we don’t wait idly. We live as citizens of that kingdom now, bearing witness to its power, its beauty, and its King.
Resurrection, Not Escape
One of the deepest theological divides between dispensationalism and historic Christian eschatology is the question of what we’re hoping for.
Dispensationalism tends to emphasize escape—being raptured out of the world before things get worse. But the Bible emphasizes resurrection and renewal. The hope of the gospel is not that God takes us out of the world, but that He comes to dwell with us in a renewed creation (Rev. 21:1–5).
As Paul writes in Romans 8, “The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Our future is not disembodied bliss in heaven—it is embodied life in a restored world, with Christ at the center.
A Hope That Fuels Mission
This unified, covenantal view of God’s plan doesn’t just offer theological clarity—it fuels mission.
We are not called to wait for a rapture or decode prophecy charts. We are called to live as witnesses to the risen King, announcing His reign and embodying His love until He returns.
When we see ourselves as part of the one people of God, called into the ongoing work of Christ’s kingdom, we’re freed from anxiety about timelines and empowered to live faithfully, boldly, and joyfully.
Final Thoughts
Dispensationalism has shaped much of modern evangelicalism, and for many, it has provided a sense of structure and clarity. But it also brings theological baggage that can obscure the beauty, coherence, and urgency of the gospel.
There’s a better story—one rooted in God’s unchanging faithfulness, centered on Jesus Christ, and unfolding in a new creation where heaven and earth are made one. It’s a story not of separation, but of reconciliation. Not of escape, but of renewal.
And best of all: we’re part of it.
Suggested Reading on Dispensationalism
Primary Dispensationalist Texts
- C. I. Scofield (ed.), The Scofield Reference Bible. The foundational study Bible that helped popularize dispensationalism in the early 20th century.
- Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism (Revised and Expanded). A clear and concise explanation and defense of traditional dispensationalism by one of its leading modern proponents.
- John F. Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom. A systematic presentation of classic premillennial dispensationalist theology.
Progressive Dispensationalism
- Craig A. Blaising and Darrell L. Bock, Progressive Dispensationalism. A reworking of traditional dispensationalism that seeks to retain core elements while emphasizing continuity and already-not-yet kingdom theology.
Critical Engagement and Alternatives
- Keith A. Mathison (ed.), When Shall These Things Be? A Reformed Response to Hyper-Preterism. Includes critiques of dispensationalism and alternative readings of end-times texts.
- Kim Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times. Presents amillennialism as a biblically grounded alternative to dispensational frameworks.
- Michael J. Gorman, Reading Revelation Responsibly. A Christ-centered, theologically rich reading of Revelation, offering an alternative to futurist and dispensationalist approaches.
- N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope. While not focused on dispensationalism per se, this book challenges many of its underlying assumptions about heaven, resurrection, and the mission of the Church.
Hermeneutics and Biblical Interpretation
- Grant R. Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. A foundational work for understanding how genre, literary structure, and context shape biblical meaning—crucial for evaluating dispensational readings of prophecy.
- Richard Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation. Offers a theologically rich and symbolic interpretation of Revelation that contrasts strongly with literalistic dispensational interpretations.
