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docs1 wrote:

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I can't speak for all of dispensationalism's beliefs because frankly I don't know them and some that I do know I disagree with. One of the controversies surrounding dispensationalism is iof course its beliefs concerning Israel. If my limited knowledge is correct, and even my intuition, I think maybe dispensationalism doesn't see God as having two people - Israel and the church. I think rather "dispys" may be trying to bear in mind Israel's unique covenant status in the plans of God and how this will eventually play out and bring a wholeness to the history of salvation and redemption. This unique and undeniable status is part of the reason Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Salvation is of the Jews." It is also I think part of the reason that God seems restless and unwilling to cease until the unbelieving natural branches are grafted back in again after the "mystery" of Israel's pre-ordained and temporary blindness concerning Christ (Romans 11:25). The original covenants are incomplete until "all Israel is saved" and dispensationalists as far as I know believe that Israel's restoration will bring final historical vindication to the covenants which will be a soverign testimony to the faithfullness and ability of God in the eyes of the nations. It in no way discounts the full membership that the largely Gentile church now enoys after having been grafted into the covenants of promise because of and in spite of Israel's unbelief - "I will make you jealous with a nation which wasn't a nation." It rather highlights that the church and the present elect of unredeemed Israel will experience a converging destiny that will eventually and ultimately rebound to the glory of the Lord. A natural innate abilty to walk after God in the inner man never has and never will be possessed by the Jews. That was not God's point in choosing the Jews to be the recipients of the covenants and the promises. It was rather to demonstrate that "the election of God will ultimately stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth" (Romans 9:11). Israel's final redemption and deliverance is not insured by an innate ability to change that they are to undergo when they recognize Christ, rather it is their election by God that will insure that change. It won't be because of anything He finds deserving in Israel (or man anywhere) but rather on what the Lord is willing to put within (create or birth) them at regeneration when their blindness is rolled away. I think dispensationalists may be willing to keep looking through they eyes of faith until they see this promised resotration accomplished. So any future dealings of God with Israel will be based on grace alone and nothing deserving in the object of His grace. If my thesis here is correct then I think this will illustrate one of the basic tenets of the Reformed faith - salvation by grace through faith alone.

I may not have everything right and I gleamed some of my comments from other sources.

You may enjoy this: http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/rpces/docsynod/183.html