Many who are introduced to Mid-Acts Pauline Dispensationalism hear about it from their pastors or teachers who sometimes will refer to it in the pejorative as “hyper-dispensational”, or “ultra-dispensational”. When you hear teachers or pastors revert to something with ad hominem attacks without biblical backing, you know they don’t have a legitimate or well thought out argument against it. Sadly, most who refer to Mid-Acts Pauline Dispensationalism as some sort of “boogey man” usually don’t fully understand it themselves. Many have never honestly opened their Bibles to look at the context of the verses used when explaining it, or seek to understand what those who hold to it really believe.

Let’s break it down. What do we mean by “Mid-Acts Pauline Dispensationalism”?

MID-ACTS

We use “Mid-Acts” because it points to the place in history in Acts 9 where we see the start and transition in God’s plan to begin forming the “one new man”, the Church, the Body of Christ by the instrumentality of the cross.

Ephesians 2:15-16 KJV — Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

This stands in distinction to God’s prophetic purpose to use the rise of Israel as a nation to be salt and light to bring the nations (Gentiles) to God. Isaiah 60:3 KJV — And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

PAULINE

We include Paul in our name because he is the steward (household manager) through whom God chose to reveal this information.

1 Timothy 1:16 KJV — Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

1 Corinthians 4:1 KJV — Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Dispensational

This refers to the unique information that Paul was given to dispense as a steward and chosen apostle of the Gentiles.

Ephesians 3:1-4 KJV — For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

This information, what Paul calls the “revelation of the mystery”, was kept secret in God since the world began.

Romans 16:25 KJV — Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

1 Corinthians 2:7-8 KJV — But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Ephesians 3:5 KJV — Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Ephesians 3:9 KJV — And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Peter, when addressing the people of Israel in Acts 3:21 says what he was preaching is that “which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” See the difference? Something that is kept secret since the world began and something spoken since the world began are not the same!

In Acts 2 you don’t see the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile taken down yet (Eph 2:14). We see the prophesied event of Pentecost with the Holy Spirit poured out and working through the 12 apostles to give the nation of Israel one more chance to repent for crucifying their Messiah and accept the good news (gospel) of the kingdom.

Peter, when explaining to Israel in Acts 2:16-17 what was going on there at Pentecost says,

“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days,…”

Peter, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, believed they were entering the “last days”, not the first days of the Church the Body of Christ.

Most of Christendom today doesn’t see the uniqueness of Paul’s Apostleship and message. They believe the Church the Body of Christ began in Acts 2 (Israel’s feast, Pentecost) and that Peter and the 12 apostles were preaching the same good news to Israel as what Paul preached to Jew and Gentile alike.

Paul writes in Galatians 2:7-9 KJV — But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision (Israel), the same was mighty in me (Paul) toward the Gentiles: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen (Gentiles), and they unto the circumcision (Israel).

Although not exhaustive, this is why we distinguish ourselves as Mid-Acts Pauline Dispensational.

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