Question
I am still having a hard time with your understanding of how John 1:29 and John 3:16 “pertain to the gospel of the kingdom (or Israel’s program) and not to the body of Christ”. Is that the common view of Dispensationalists? Do Dwight Pentecost, Ryrie, Walvoord, etc. also believe this?
Response
I’m glad to know that you do not believe anything I say simply because I say it. So stick with what you presently understand about John 1:29 and 3:16 until such time that sound information and evidence from God’s word persuades you to think otherwise. For at the judgment seat of Christ, when we give account of ourselves to God, we will give account and be evaluated not based upon what others believed, said, or taught; but how we ourselves handled God’s word, and whether or not we ourselves employed all the principles of honesty of heart and honesty of text as we handled the Bible and operated upon it in our daily lives.
Regarding the view of the others you mention, I really do not know whether Pentecost, Ryrie, Walvoord, or others like them have a similar view or not to that which I have expressed. My understanding is my own and is not based upon anyone else’s teaching, being the result of my own studies. Though I too, often “feel more comfortable” when I find out that there are others who understand things the same as I do, nevertheless I understand what I understand, and believe what I believe, solely because I am persuaded from my own personal handling of God’s word and study of it that these things are so. And once again, I know that my own personal understanding is the only thing that I can honestly and virtuously give account of, as well as honestly and virtuously defend why I operated upon it, at the judgment seat of Christ.
If any of these men have written a commentary on John’s Gospel, or contributed to such a commentary, undoubtedly their view on the verses would be expressed therein. However unfortunately when it comes to suggesting a place to look this is about all I can suggest. For I am just not familiar with the particular titles of any of their writings in which you might find this information.
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries
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