A straw man is a common form of argument and is an informal fallacy based on giving the impression of refuting an opponent's argument, while refuting an argument that was not advanced by that opponent. One who engages in this fallacy is said to be "attacking a straw man". The typical straw man argument creates the illusion of having completely refuted or defeated an opponent's proposition through the covert replacement of it with a different proposition (i.e., "stand up a straw man") and the subsequent refutation of that false argument ("knock down a straw man") instead of the opponent's proposition. (Wikipedia)
Here are the most common straw man arguments that I have heard against Mid-Acts Dispensationalism:
1) Paul said he persecuted the “church of God” before he was saved (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13)
What is a church? It is simply a called out assembly. We don't read the word "church" in the OT because it is translated from Greek and not Hebrew. However, we know there was a church in the OT because that is what Stephen said Israel was when they were called out of Egypt and assembled in the wilderness (Acts 7:38). David prophesied of the kingdom church in Ps. 22:22-31. When the writer of Hebrews quotes Ps. 22:22 he says "church" instead of "congregation" (Heb. 2:12). The church in Jerusalem was certainly the church of God, but it was a prophesied church looking for the Messianic kingdom (Acts 1:6; 2:30) and not a mystery hid in God. The Body of Christ is a church, but not every church in the Bible is the Body of Christ. Any church made up of God’s people is a church of God. Preachers say, “There is only one church of God!” Paul wrote to “the church of God which at Corinth” and referred to “the churches of God” three times. In the OT we find references to “the congregation of God” and the “congregation of the Lord.” By the way, Paul said that he “wasted” the church of God. He could do that to a local church, but not the Body of Christ. Another proof text that supposedly refutes our position is found in Acts 9:4-5. Christ told Saul that by persecuting His disciples he was also persecuting Him. That does not prove the kingdom saints were in the Body of Christ because Christ will say something similar to the Gentile nations when he judges them upon His return to earth. How they treat the Jews in the tribulation period will determine whether or not they enter the kingdom (Matt. 25:31-46).
2) Paul referred to those who were in Christ before him (Rom. 16:7)
What makes the Body of Christ distinct is not that we are "in Christ," but that we are "one new man" (Eph. 2:15) in which there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Gal. 3:27-28). Every believer that is redeemed by the blood of Christ is "in Christ," and so ALL believers on this side of the cross are "in Christ". A person can only be "in Adam" or "in Christ" (1 Cor. 15:22). When Israel is saved under the new covenant they will be "in the LORD," but they will still be a distinct nation with authority over the Gentiles (Isa. 45:17; 45:24-25). The tribulation saints that are martyred will “die in the Lord” (Rev. 14:13). In the eternal state, the nation of Israel, the saved Gentile nations, and the Body of Christ will be one family of God and will all be "in Christ,” but these groups will remain distinct throughout eternity (Eph. 1:10).
3) Paul said that he preached the faith he once destroyed (Gal. 1:21-23)
In the context he is defending his distinct apostleship and he makes it clear he was not one of the 12 apostles. He had denied that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God and persecuted all who believed. Upon his conversion he began to preach the very faith that he had sought to destroy. But is that all he preached? He received the gospel by revelation of Christ and communicated it to the apostles in Jerusalem (1:11-12; 2:1-2). He testified that he received "an abundance of revelations" (2 Cor. 12:7). People also try to use 1 Cor. 15:11, but it is obvious that the 12 and Paul both preached that Christ was risen from the dead. Peter preached that He was risen to sit on the throne of David (Acts 2:30), but Paul preached that He was risen to be the Head of one Body (Eph. 1:20-23).
What is a church? It is simply a called out assembly. We don't read the word "church" in the OT because it is translated from Greek and not Hebrew. However, we know there was a church in the OT because that is what Stephen said Israel was when they were called out of Egypt and assembled in the wilderness (Acts 7:38). David prophesied of the kingdom church in Ps. 22:22-31. When the writer of Hebrews quotes Ps. 22:22 he says "church" instead of "congregation" (Heb. 2:12). The church in Jerusalem was certainly the church of God, but it was a prophesied church looking for the Messianic kingdom (Acts 1:6; 2:30) and not a mystery hid in God. The Body of Christ is a church, but not every church in the Bible is the Body of Christ. Any church made up of God’s people is a church of God. Preachers say, “There is only one church of God!” Paul wrote to “the church of God which at Corinth” and referred to “the churches of God” three times. In the OT we find references to “the congregation of God” and the “congregation of the Lord.” By the way, Paul said that he “wasted” the church of God. He could do that to a local church, but not the Body of Christ. Another proof text that supposedly refutes our position is found in Acts 9:4-5. Christ told Saul that by persecuting His disciples he was also persecuting Him. That does not prove the kingdom saints were in the Body of Christ because Christ will say something similar to the Gentile nations when he judges them upon His return to earth. How they treat the Jews in the tribulation period will determine whether or not they enter the kingdom (Matt. 25:31-46).
2) Paul referred to those who were in Christ before him (Rom. 16:7)
What makes the Body of Christ distinct is not that we are "in Christ," but that we are "one new man" (Eph. 2:15) in which there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Gal. 3:27-28). Every believer that is redeemed by the blood of Christ is "in Christ," and so ALL believers on this side of the cross are "in Christ". A person can only be "in Adam" or "in Christ" (1 Cor. 15:22). When Israel is saved under the new covenant they will be "in the LORD," but they will still be a distinct nation with authority over the Gentiles (Isa. 45:17; 45:24-25). The tribulation saints that are martyred will “die in the Lord” (Rev. 14:13). In the eternal state, the nation of Israel, the saved Gentile nations, and the Body of Christ will be one family of God and will all be "in Christ,” but these groups will remain distinct throughout eternity (Eph. 1:10).
3) Paul said that he preached the faith he once destroyed (Gal. 1:21-23)
In the context he is defending his distinct apostleship and he makes it clear he was not one of the 12 apostles. He had denied that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God and persecuted all who believed. Upon his conversion he began to preach the very faith that he had sought to destroy. But is that all he preached? He received the gospel by revelation of Christ and communicated it to the apostles in Jerusalem (1:11-12; 2:1-2). He testified that he received "an abundance of revelations" (2 Cor. 12:7). People also try to use 1 Cor. 15:11, but it is obvious that the 12 and Paul both preached that Christ was risen from the dead. Peter preached that He was risen to sit on the throne of David (Acts 2:30), but Paul preached that He was risen to be the Head of one Body (Eph. 1:20-23).
4) Paul taught that the Body of Christ was formed by the cross (Eph. 2:16)
Notice he said “by the cross” and not “at the cross.” The cross is the basis upon which God is building the Body of Christ, but it did not mark the historical beginning of it. Not everything Christ accomplished by His cross took effect at the time of His cross (e.g. destruction of Satan). We get in the Body of Christ “by one Spirit” (v.18) and “by the gospel” (3:6). Since believing the gospel of the grace of God is how we get into the Body of Christ, how could the Body begin before that gospel was revealed?
5) Paul said the apostles and prophets laid the foundation (Eph. 2:20)
He is certainly not talking about the OT prophets and the 12 apostles. Christ gave prophets and apostles from heaven (Eph. 4:11-12). Paul laid the foundation for this age by preaching Christ "according to the revelation of the mystery" (1 Cor. 3:10; Rom. 16:25). People also try to use 1 Cor. 12:28 to prove that the 12 apostles were the first members of the Body of Christ. First of all, that verse is not even referring to the 12 apostles. Also, it is not dealing with when the Body of Christ began. It is a list of spiritual gifts that were in operation during the Acts period. Were miracles the fourth group of people to get into the Body of Christ?
6) The law came by Moses, but grace by Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:17)
This verse can’t mean that the dispensation of grace began with the earthly ministry of Christ, because that would contradict what Christ Himself said about His ministry (Matt. 5:17-20). This verse is not making a statement about when the dispensation of grace began. If John was saying that the dispensation of grace came by the earthly ministry of Christ, then he would also be saying that there was also a dispensation of truth that came by Christ. There was grace and truth before the incarnation, but when Christ came He manifested grace and truth more fully (vs.14-18). The reason for the contrast between Moses and Christ is to show the difference between the old and the new covenants. Besides, the Bible plainly says that Paul was given the dispensation of the grace of God for the Gentiles (Eph. 3:2).
7) Peter preached to Gentiles and Paul preached to Jews (Acts 15:7; Rom. 1:16)
What kind of Gentiles did Peter preach to? Cornelius was a God-fearing Gentile that was a blessing to the Jews. Peter did not preach the gospel of the grace of God to the household of Cornelius (compare Acts 10:35 with Titus 3:5). Those Gentiles were baptized with the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:44-48), but not baptized into the Body of Christ. Paul went to Jews first during the transition period as God used his ministry to get a remnant out before the nation was officially set aside in blindness (see Rom. 11). Peter preached to some Gentiles and Paul preached to some Jews, but Peter was sent to be an apostle to the circumcision and Paul was sent to be the apostle of the Gentiles (Gal. 2:9).
8) The Holy Ghost was first poured out on Pentecost
He was poured out according to prophecy (Isa. 32:15; Joel 2:28), not the mystery! The Acts 2 dispensationalists make the blunder of thinking that the baptism with the Holy Ghost is the same as the baptism by the Spirit, and they call it “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” If words have any meaning, they can't be the same!
A. Christ the Baptizer vs. Spirit the Baptizer
B. For Power vs. For Salvation
C. Manifestations vs. No Manifestations
D. Prophecy vs. Mystery
9) Peter preached the cross in the early chapters of Acts
How did he preach it? He preached it as bad news, not good news! He preached it as a murder indictment on Israel, and called on the nation to repent of that awful deed so that Christ would come back and set up His kingdom. Paul was the first to preach the cross as good news and proclaim that Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
Notice he said “by the cross” and not “at the cross.” The cross is the basis upon which God is building the Body of Christ, but it did not mark the historical beginning of it. Not everything Christ accomplished by His cross took effect at the time of His cross (e.g. destruction of Satan). We get in the Body of Christ “by one Spirit” (v.18) and “by the gospel” (3:6). Since believing the gospel of the grace of God is how we get into the Body of Christ, how could the Body begin before that gospel was revealed?
5) Paul said the apostles and prophets laid the foundation (Eph. 2:20)
He is certainly not talking about the OT prophets and the 12 apostles. Christ gave prophets and apostles from heaven (Eph. 4:11-12). Paul laid the foundation for this age by preaching Christ "according to the revelation of the mystery" (1 Cor. 3:10; Rom. 16:25). People also try to use 1 Cor. 12:28 to prove that the 12 apostles were the first members of the Body of Christ. First of all, that verse is not even referring to the 12 apostles. Also, it is not dealing with when the Body of Christ began. It is a list of spiritual gifts that were in operation during the Acts period. Were miracles the fourth group of people to get into the Body of Christ?
6) The law came by Moses, but grace by Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:17)
This verse can’t mean that the dispensation of grace began with the earthly ministry of Christ, because that would contradict what Christ Himself said about His ministry (Matt. 5:17-20). This verse is not making a statement about when the dispensation of grace began. If John was saying that the dispensation of grace came by the earthly ministry of Christ, then he would also be saying that there was also a dispensation of truth that came by Christ. There was grace and truth before the incarnation, but when Christ came He manifested grace and truth more fully (vs.14-18). The reason for the contrast between Moses and Christ is to show the difference between the old and the new covenants. Besides, the Bible plainly says that Paul was given the dispensation of the grace of God for the Gentiles (Eph. 3:2).
7) Peter preached to Gentiles and Paul preached to Jews (Acts 15:7; Rom. 1:16)
What kind of Gentiles did Peter preach to? Cornelius was a God-fearing Gentile that was a blessing to the Jews. Peter did not preach the gospel of the grace of God to the household of Cornelius (compare Acts 10:35 with Titus 3:5). Those Gentiles were baptized with the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:44-48), but not baptized into the Body of Christ. Paul went to Jews first during the transition period as God used his ministry to get a remnant out before the nation was officially set aside in blindness (see Rom. 11). Peter preached to some Gentiles and Paul preached to some Jews, but Peter was sent to be an apostle to the circumcision and Paul was sent to be the apostle of the Gentiles (Gal. 2:9).
8) The Holy Ghost was first poured out on Pentecost
He was poured out according to prophecy (Isa. 32:15; Joel 2:28), not the mystery! The Acts 2 dispensationalists make the blunder of thinking that the baptism with the Holy Ghost is the same as the baptism by the Spirit, and they call it “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” If words have any meaning, they can't be the same!
A. Christ the Baptizer vs. Spirit the Baptizer
B. For Power vs. For Salvation
C. Manifestations vs. No Manifestations
D. Prophecy vs. Mystery
9) Peter preached the cross in the early chapters of Acts
How did he preach it? He preached it as bad news, not good news! He preached it as a murder indictment on Israel, and called on the nation to repent of that awful deed so that Christ would come back and set up His kingdom. Paul was the first to preach the cross as good news and proclaim that Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
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