As a new believer the first thing I determined was no matter what the church or denominational teachings were, with all my heart and soul I would be faithful to believe and teach what the Scriptures said.
After having studied New Testament Greek I soon realized how the translators had misled us with the translation of “ekklesia” (assembly) to “church” in Matt. 16:18. It was a colossal mistake that has confounded everything in Christian doctrine. It radically affects almost everything we believe about the apostles and the Lords teaching. We apply things spoken to and about the nation Israel and the Mosaic covenants to the present church. And that, because He taught and ministered while yet under the Covenant of the 10 Commandments before the New Covenant existed.
After several years of studies I wrote a couple of books of my conclusions. I did not begin with the thought of writing a book, but to just write my findings on the present error of the colossal error of translating “ekklesia” in Matt. 16:18 to “Church instead of assembly and the incorrect Old and New Covenant division and its ramifications.
As I began to write about the incorrect division of the Covenants other things began to fall in line that had been problematic. I began to see other things that I had wondered about and realized many of the things I had been taught and believed just did not fit the Scriptures at all. In Acts 1:3 it is said that the Lord for 40 days taught them things pertaining to the kingdom of God. By that time I understood the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven was the same that they had offered Israel for 3 years before the cross and had nothing to do with the present church.
After teaching them about the kingdom (Acts 1:3) the apostles immediately asked the Lord in v. 6 if He would at that time restore the kingdom to Israel that He had just finished teaching them about for 40 days? How could I have possibly missed the implications there? For 3 years they had preached the “Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” He had told them in Matt. 16:18 that he was going to yet build His assembly and identified it in v. 19 as the same kingdom of heaven they had been preaching and to which he gave Peter the keys to open.
Although they understood it not then that he was going to Jerusalem to die (v. 21), that was the reason he encouraged them by saying though He would be killed, He would yet build His Kingdom of Heaven assembly that they all had been offering to Israel that all the prophets had spoken of since the beginning of the world (Acts 3:19-25).
Now in Acts 1:3 He is teaching more things about the Kingdom of Heaven they had been offering beginning with John the Baptist. How could they possibly mistake what He was speaking of? Now they understood why He encouraged them in Matt. 16:18 by saying though He would die, he would yet build His Kingdom of Heaven assembly.
In Acts 2 Peter first lays out the way of salvation first because without the Lord’s sacrifice and salvation accomplished there could be no restoration of Adam and Israel’s kingdom. Then in Acts 3:19-24 the kingdom being offered is described in no uncertain terms. If Israel would repent, God would send Jesus back from heaven for a restoration of all things that mankind had lost in Adam. All that was required was repentance by Israel.
We all know the outcome of that. First began threats, then the beatings and the killing. With any amount of reason it should be understood that whatever Peter promised was not realized. The simple truth of that is, the Lord did not return. Neither was the Kingdom of Israel established nor did the present assembly of Christ begin until Paul was called and given the charge of beginning the present Dispensation of Grace (Acts 13:2, 46-48; Eph. 3:1-9).
In the days of the prophets and the abominable sins of Israel God said:
Son of Man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to Make Me go far away from My sanctuary? (Ezek. 8:6). …I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will diligently seek Me (Hos. 5:15).
Again, with impending judgment on Jerusalem, the Lord in His day said to Israel:
See your house is left to you desolate; “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (Matt. 23:38 39, italic’s added).
Apart from God’s universal kingdom, to say there has been, is, or will be a kingdom of God on earth without His presence cannot be shown from Scripture.
Education, formal or informal, in no way seems to affect the ability of discernment of the mistakes in question. The specialist seems to have no more discernment than the layman of what ought to be obvious to everyone.
I invested 7 years in gathering documentation from ancient records and the Scriptures for the assembling of it all in a book. When finished I was carrying a stupendous burden with the question, how can I, a nobody, be correct when for two thousand years the best of the Church scholars who had pored over the Scriptures for a lifetime be so wrong on so many of their doctrines?
For about two years after finishing the book “Theological Heresies That Shaped World History” I pondered the question, could I indeed be correct in my conclusions? It was a very sobering thought and the outcome was, over and over it drove me back into the Scriptures to check and recheck what I thought I believed. Instead of doubt, my sure convictions only because stronger and I profoundly realized that I, except for the Lord, was alone. The Churches wanted nothing to do with me.
Then one day as I was searching discussion groups on the internet I ran across a website by Ben Webb named: “Berean Dispensationalism.” As I began to read what Ben believed and many of the things posted by others on his site I realized, I am not alone anymore. What Ben and others believed was almost identical to my conclusions, and that completely apart from each other because we simply believed what the Scriptures said.
I do not ask that the reader believe me, but only to consider the Scriptural and historical references in support of my conclusions. I cannot ask for more then an open mind and fair consideration.
Because of the controversial nature of the claims I have already spoken of, I realize some will reject outright my conclusions as tampering with the Word of God. Let the reader be assured, in no way will I tarnish the trustworthiness of Scriptures, the truths of the doctrine of God, salvation through His Son’s sacrifice, or any of the fundamental tenants of orthodox Christianity. On the contrary, its goal is to point out mistakes made by church leaders ancient and modern that radically affect what we believe, and clarify certain truths without which a truly systematic theology is unattainable.
With all the different interpretations and Christian church denominations, there must be some basic errors being overlooked that are causing most of the differences. It is my belief and conviction that if the major theses that I have presented are accepted and incorporated in forming one’s conclusions, the result will be a vastly simplified and improved theology.
Because the re-establishment of the kingdom of heaven that Adam lost is the main goal of God’s revelation and the main theme throughout the Bible, no field of theology is unaffected. Consequently, all of my posts will be interrelated with their effect on the biblical teaching of the kingdom, especially the difference between the present church and the coming Messianic Kingdom of David.
Because of the interrelatedness and interdependency of many things discussed, there will of necessity be considerable repetition. Some passages of Scripture and certain key points of doctrine unavoidably will be referred to often throughout the different studies, they being supportive of other truths. The repetition itself is evidence of the all pervasiveness of the following errors into every cardinal doctrine of Christianity:
(1) The allegorical method of teaching is the parent of all heresies.
(2) The incorrect division of the Old and New Covenant confuses everything.
(3) The teaching that the present assembly of Christ is the New Israel gave us Replacement Theology heresy.
(4) The teaching that the present assembly of Christ is the kingdom promised to Israel gave us the kingdom of Rome and a thousand years of the Dark Ages.
(5) The teaching that the present assembly of Christ was revealed before the Apostle Paul confuses everything.
I am acutely aware of my own limitations and lack of qualifications to attempt to correct those who in countless ways are more capable than I. Nevertheless, with few exceptions, hardly anyone else even appears concerned, and being fully persuaded that what I have to say is the truth, and that far past due, I felt I had to try to rectify what is perceived as an intolerable conglomerate of mistakes that in part are accepted as part of the Holy Scriptures themselves.
In reality, the mistakes were added by the early church leaders, years after the New Testament Scriptures were written. If at times it seems that I am too matter of fact, about my conclusions, again I ask for the reader’s patience.
If accepted, the views set forth in my posts could no doubt bring about strained relations because of a natural resistance to change, and in particular institutional restraints. However, to sacrifice the truth of Scripture on the altar of institutional dogma is not acceptable at any cost, because it fails to honor the Lord or enlighten His people. E. W. reminded us long ago that denominationalism is like a cow on a tether; she cannot get one blade of grass beyond the end of it.
I have no delusions as to the reception of many of the views and positions taken in my posts. Nevertheless, if my attempt to rectify what I perceive as a number of grievous mistakes made by the primitive and modern church benefits anyone, then my time and labor have been well spent.
From the beginning I have endeavored to present a fresh, independent examination of many things, and the reader can be assured of originality rather than endless repetition of what someone else has already said.
Perhaps the most I could hope for is that someone more qualified than I will be challenged to pick up where I leave off. It is my sincere desire to encourage others to re-examine and rethink some things that have long been accepted as biblical, when in fact, they are not.
And finally, I appreciate the patience of the administration in allowing me to freely express my beliefs and giving others a chance to hear my understanding of what the Scriptures say.
May it please Him, “with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning,” to use this effort to the edification of His people and to His glory, both now and forever. Amen.
May the Lord bless
pilgrim
