Dr. Couch, some argue for a Mid-Acts Dispensation, splitting the sixth
(dispensation of grace) into two parts. They do this because they say
the gospel was not TRULY sent to the Gentiles in the early stages of
Acts. Though the church started at Pentecost, they note, Gentiles did
not come to Christ until later. They put it this way:
- – Dispensation of Grace to the Jews
- – Dispensation of Grace to Jews and Gentiles.
I really get tried in my spirit with arguments like this. I have found
that folks who have such strange views generally have a hidden agenda.
They are being argumentative and also they prove how little they know!
By the way, where would it say “The gospel was NOT sent to the
Gentiles in the early stages of Acts,” as if it was prohibited? This is
an attempt to read something into the historical narrative that is not
there. Christ had already said the gospel would go “even to the remotest
part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The gospel would spiral out from
Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, and to the remotest parts.
This may seem tough, but again, I smell an agenda that has no objective merit.
First, as you well noted, the church is mentioned from Acts 2:47 all
the way up to 9:31. Thus, the church was called the church early on in
Acts. It is only common sense that the church would begin in Jerusalem
with Christ’s promise to the disciples to wait there for the coming of
the Holy Spirit. To split the dispensation of grace is then something
that comes from an argument of silence, and this is not good enough to
be contending for a new (point #6B) dispensation!
If we’re going to split this dispensation I guess we have to make the
division at Acts 8:4-on because Philip went down to Samaria in these
verses and preached the gospel to the Gentiles there. This whole
argument then starts to get silly.
You mentioned some “big” guys who hold to this split dispensational
view. It amazes me how one can go off onto the side road instead of
staying on the main thoroughfare with the thousands of good
dispensational teachers who don’t see this problem!
It reminds me of the guy who goes into a room and sees the table set
with a big plate of barbeque ribs but spots a dead mouse on the floor in
the corner. Instead of heading for the ribs he heads for the dead mouse
going, “yum yum”! There always seems to be someone who gravitates to
the lesser view rather than that which makes the most biblical sense!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
