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With reference to Rom. 3: 9, 10, we remind our readers that we have many times
taken this passage to demonstrate the difference between the doctrinal teaching of
Romans that remains, and the dispensational teaching that has ceased to be true for the
present time:--
Dispensational teaching.--"What advantage hath the Jew? . . . . . Much every way"
(Rom. 3: 1, 2).
This was true then, but is no longer true to-day:--
Doctrinal teaching.--"Are we better than they? No, in no wise" (Rom. 3: 9).
This was true then, and is still true as ever.
We are next referred to our Lord's attitude to the Samaritan woman. Our Lord said
several things on this occasion; and our brother leaves us to guess as to which of these he
has in mind. If we are to include John 4: 21, 23 in our consideration, we would remind
our brother that the day had not then come when the Father should be worshipped
"neither in this mountain nor yet in Jerusalem", and that that time did not come until the
book of the Acts was finished and Jerusalem destroyed. Further, the Lord told the
woman that "salvation is of the Jews", and that remained true until, with the setting aside
of the Jew, the salvation of God was sent to the Gentiles. We see nothing in John 4:
that contradicts our teaching, but much that supports it.
The statement concerning "the other sheep" in John 10: 16, and that concerning unity
in John 17: 20, 21, while they were uttered by Christ during His earthly ministry, were
not made public until after Paul's ministry had ceased (John outlived the rest of the
apostles, and the consistent testimony of antiquity is that he wrote his Gospel last of all).
The Gospel of John, unlike the Synoptic Gospels, starts with the assumption that Christ
has been rejected. It explains the meaning of Jewish observances and Jewish words. It is
intended for the world, and is the message for the great outer circle to-day, while Paul's
testimony is running its elective course.
Wherever Israel appear in Scripture, recognized as the chosen people of God, they
must be first. There can be no equality among believers until "the twain" are created one
new man, and that does not occur before Acts 28::--
"All the scriptural promises and allusions which are supposed to refer to this so-called
dispensational church may equally well refer to the whole body of believers in Christ,
whether pre- or post- Acts 28: Indeed, I find it difficult to accept this division of
Christ's body, Christ's bride, into two. Are there two brides? Or is Stephen, the first
martyr, not a fellow-member with us in the `one church' (Rom. 12: 5; I Cor. 10: 17;
Eph. 4: 4 and 5: 30)?"
Our brother's first statement is a very wide one; but we can only assume that he
means what he says. Among the "scriptural promises and allusions", then, to which he
refers we may include Eph. 1: 3, 4. We challenge him to bring forward proofs from