In today’s piece, we explore 5 reasons why dispensationalism is either a lie or, at the very least, NOT biblical.
Dispensationalism is a system that splits God’s work with humanity into distinct time periods. Sounds neat, right? Neatly organized charts, complex timelines, and a sharp divide between Israel and the Church. It promises clarity. But the real question is this: is it biblical?
Let’s walk through it. Slowly. Carefully. With Bible in hand. Because once you read the actual text, dispensationalism begins to look less like God’s plan and more like a manmade structure. It divides what Scripture unites. It builds walls that Jesus came to tear down.
Here are five reasons dispensationalism doesn’t hold up under biblical scrutiny.
1. God Has One People, Not Two
Dispensationalism teaches that God has two distinct groups: ethnic Israel and the Church. But the Bible doesn’t leave any room for that idea.
Galatians 3:28-29 makes it clear:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
No second-class citizens. No parallel tracks. One people, one promise, one inheritance.
The Bible says the same thing in Ephesians 2:14-16. The dividing wall is gone. Jews and Gentiles are now one new humanity in Christ. The old categories have been crucified. Dispensationalism wants to resurrect them. That’s the problem.
2. The Church Was Always Part of God’s Plan
Some dispensationalists say the Church was a surprise. A parenthesis. A plan B after Israel rejected the Messiah. But Paul calls the Church a “mystery now revealed,” not an interruption.
Ephesians 3:4-6 says:
“This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.”
This was the plan all along. Hidden for a time, but never an afterthought. God was never improvising. The cross wasn’t a detour. It was the destination.
The Lord Jesus Himself confirmed this when He said, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16).
Later, in Acts 15, James echoed this vision during the Jerusalem Council, declaring that the inclusion of the Gentiles was in perfect alignment with the prophets: “the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name” (Acts 15:17). From the mouth of Jesus to the leadership of the early Church, the message is consistent—God always intended one unified people, brought together in Christ
3. The Land Promises Point to Something Bigger
Dispensationalism insists the land promised to Israel must be fulfilled literally in the future. But Paul reads the promise differently.
Romans 4:13:
“The promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world…”
Not just a piece of Middle Eastern real estate. The world. Abraham looked forward to something greater.
Hebrews agrees.
Hebrews 11:13-16:
“They acknowledged they were strangers… seeking a better country, a heavenly one.”
And just a few verses earlier, it says:
“For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10)
Abraham wasn’t just waiting for land; he was longing for a kingdom not made by human hands. A place with permanence. A home that reflects the heart of God. The land was a shadow. Christ is the substance. The promise wasn’t about geography. It was about kingdom.
4. Jesus Is the Final Temple and the Final Sacrifice
Dispensationalists expect a third temple and renewed animal sacrifices. But the Bible says in Hebrews that Christ’s sacrifice was once for all.
Hebrews 10:10-12:
“By a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
You don’t need another temple when the true Temple has already come.
John 2:19-21:
“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up… He was speaking about the temple of His body.”
Jesus replaces the temple. And believers? We’re now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). There’s no going back to shadows when the light has come.
To return to a physical temple with animal sacrifices would be to reverse the gospel. The blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin (Hebrews 10:4), but Christ, the Lamb of God, offered Himself once for all. The veil was torn. Access was opened. God no longer dwells in buildings made by hands, but in a people made alive by the Spirit. The temple has moved from stone to Spirit, from Jerusalem to a global body of believers in Christ.
5. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is Not in the Bible
It’s one of the most popular parts of dispensationalism. The idea that Jesus comes back twice, first secretly for the Church, then later in glory. But Scripture doesn’t teach a secret rapture.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:
“The Lord himself will descend… with a cry of command… and the dead in Christ will rise first…”
This isn’t quiet. This isn’t secret. This is loud, visible, undeniable.
Jesus says the same thing in Matthew 24:29-31:
“Immediately after the tribulation… they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds…”
One return. One resurrection. One glorious moment.
Final Thought: Dispensationalism Breaks What the Gospel Makes Whole
Joel 2:28-29 – “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…”
Anticipates Pentecost—God’s covenant community is Spirit-filled, not DNA-bound.
Dispensationalism tries to slice God’s story into segments. But the Bible doesn’t work that way. From Genesis to Revelation, there’s one redemptive plan. One Messiah. One cross. One people of God.
Israel is not replaced. Israel is fulfilled. The Church is not a pause. It’s the point. The gospel doesn’t create division — it creates unity.
When we read the Bible as one seamless story centered on Christ, dispensationalism starts to fade. What’s left is a better gospel, a bigger Saviour, and a beautiful, unified people called by grace.
