How Calvinism and Dispensationalism are similar

 

Both Calvinism and Dispensationalism have a false dichotomy, and both would drive a sane new convert away.

Calvinism’s false dichotomy pertains to God’s will. It claims that God has 2 wills; one called “decretive,” meaning that’s what God decrees to happen (where God forces his will upon all people in all circumstances since people have no will of their own); the other “preceptive,” indicating the will according to his precepts (as in, what Scripture contains).

Dispensationalism’s false dichotomy pertains to God’s plan for salvation; one for us Christians (with Christ’s work on the cross being our means of Salvation), the other for Jewish people where the Old Testament Father’s will of Jews being saved just because they’re Jews and by making sacrifices at a temple is in play (though the Old Testament doesn’t actually read that way).

Here is what each would say to a new convert at some point. It’s exaggerated to make the point, but the new convert’s ears would hear essentially this:

Calvinism

A Calvinist teacher says that God’s will is never, ever, ever, ever circumvented. The Christian knows this verse:

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. Luke 7:30 NKJV

So, God’s will is circumvented. But many Calvinists will say, “no, no, that’s speaking of God’s preceptive will not his decretive will. You see, God’s preceptive will is the will that God lays out in Scripture, but his decretive will is what he forces upon all people in all circumstances (since people have no will of their own). So, it can be tricky, but you have to be really sharp to detect what will is in play at what time.” God has two wills active at any given time; many times, contradicting one another.

Dispensationalism

A new convert will come across a verse such as this:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:28-29 NKJV

But while discussing salvation, many Dispensationalists will say, “wait if you’re talking about the Jews, they don’t fall under the plan for Salvation that we do. No, they fall under the Old Testament Father’s will. We can’t tell which Jews have enough Jewish blood to make them real Jews, but God knows. After this current dispensation, the plan for us Christians where the blood of Christ applies is laid aside, and God will switch back to the other plan (because that plan has been paused for these couple thousand years now), and God will save the Jews directly because they are owed this (and it’s too bad for all the Jews who don’t accept the current plan in the intervening time period).”

Conclusion of the New Believer

In both cases, the speaker has not been brought to such conclusions directly, but has been carefully taught a systematic theology slowly and deliberately. But a new believer will hear either explanation and quite possibly (and understandably) think, “I’ve made a mistake having joined a cult where the members are schizophrenic, I must correct my mistake quickly.”