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Replacement Theology, Commonsense Logic, and Cartesian Linguistics
Bernard Pyron

Many, or most, dispensationalists will say that Covenant Theology is "Replacement Theology," which is to be attacked and demonized.  By Replacement Theology they generally mean, for them, that Covenant Theology, as part of Calvinist theology says that the Church has replaced Old Covenant Israel.

But the test of whether or not a doctrine within a man-made theology is true or false is determined by the extent to which that doctrine agrees with New Testament scripture.  That is, are there in New Testament scripture texts which agree with dispensationalism's claim that Covenant Theology as part of a larger Calvinist theology is replacement theology?  This is where Commonsense Logic comes in.  Dispensationalism has to set aside commonsense logic in order to avoid the awareness or acknowledgement that it promotes a false doctrine.

There are no New Testament texts which talk about Calvinism.  But there are texts whose gist meanings are very relevant to this issue.

And, in fact, there are texts in the Book of Hebrews which say that the Old Covenant was done away with and that a better covenant was established.  The specific language used in Hebrews 8: 6-7 says "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 7.  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second."  And Hebrews 8: 13 says " In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."

Hebrews 10: 9 reinforces the statement in Hebrews 8: 13 and says in an explicit way that Christ took away the first covenant - the Old Covenant - so that he could establish the second or New Covenant.  "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second."

The gist meaning of Hebrews 8: 6-7. 13 and Hebrews 10: 9 is that Christ took away the Old Covenant and established the New Covenant.  How is this different from replacement of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant?

There are also New Testament texts in II Corinthians 3: 7-8 and 11 which support Hebrews 8: 6-7. 13 and Hebrews 10: 9, but in part by implication, which point to a gist meaning in agreement with the texts in the Book of  Hebrews.

But dispensationalism is based upon a literalist "Hermeneutic."

That which is literal, in a strict sense, emphasizes that which is the Surface Meaning of a word or sentence rather than the Gist Meaning.

That is, the dispensationalist literal method of interpretation focuses more upon the Surface Meaning of a word or sentence than upon the gist meaning, or what is called the "Deep Structure" or "Deep Meaning" in linguistics.

http://dictionnaire.sensagent.leparisien.fr/cartesian+linguistics/en-en/

Deep structure vs. surface structure

Deep Structure  and Surface Structure in Cartesian Linguistics also means Surface Meanings and Deep Meanings.

Deep Meaning is similar to Gist Meaning.  See: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/gist

"The gist of a speech, conversation, or piece of writing is its general meaning.
He related the gist of his conversation to Naseby.
Synonyms: essence, meaning, point, idea   
Gist in British
The point or substance of an argument, speech, etc
2. law
the essential point of an action
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'gist'
C18: from Anglo-French, as in cest action gist en this action consists in, literally: lies in, from Old French gésir to lie, from Latin jacēre, from jacere to throw
Gist in American
the essence or main point, as of an article or argument

Example sentences containing 'gist'
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Anyway, you get the gist. Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They didn't get the gist, but they like the song. The Sun (2016)
And the gist of his message will be? Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They just need to be run a little bit better is the gist of his argument. Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The visitor soon gets the gist. Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They'd get the gist pretty quickly. Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Do you feel others are not getting the gist of what you're saying? The Sun (2015)
Anyway, you get the gist. Times, Sunday Times (2006)
So I am always very keen to get the gist! Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We are as one, uni... you get my gist. Times, Sunday Times (2008)"

Back to http://dictionnaire.sensagent.leparisien.fr/cartesian+linguistics/en-en/

"Pursuing the fundamental distinction between body and mind, Cartesian linguistics characteristically assumes that language has two aspects" (32). These are namely the sound/character of a linguistic sign and its significance. (32). Semantic interpretation or phonetic interpretation may not be identical in Cartesian linguistics (32). Deep structures are often only represented in the mind (a mirror of thought), as opposed to surface structures which are not."

"Deep structures vary less between languages than surface structures. For instance, the transformational operations to derive surface forms of Latin and French may obscure common features of their deep structures. Chomsky proposes, "In many respects, it seems to me quite accurate, then, to regard the theory of transformational generative grammar, as it is developing in current work, as essentially a modern and more explicit version of the Port-Royal theory"

Summary of Port Royal Grammar

"The Port Royal Grammar is an often cited reference in Cartesian Linguistics and is considered by Chomsky to be a more than suitable example of Cartesian linguistic philosophy. "A sentence has an inner mental aspect (a deep structure that conveys its meaning) and an outer, physical aspect as a sound sequence"***** This theory of deep and surface structures, developed in Port Royal linguistics, meets the formal requirements of language theory. Chomsky describes it in modern terms as "a base system that generates deep structures and a transformational system that maps these into surface structures", essentially a form of transformational grammar akin to modern studies."

II Corinthians 3: 7-8 and 11 also present a Gist or Deep Meaning which,  by implication, says that the Old Covenant was done away with and what Paul calls in II Corinthians 3: 8-9 the ministration of the Spirit and the ministration of righteousness  was established.

In part because of their literal method of Bible interpretation, dispensationalists tend to ignore the doctrine that Paul is presenting  in II Corinthians 3: 7-11.  Paul is not presenting a literal or surface message which the literalists can easily understand.  He is being too subtle. And so they maintain their man-made theology  position that Calvinism or Covenant Theology is Replacement Theology.



   








   
   
   

"Israel will be restored"

The focus of dispensationalism is upon Israel. but the focus of all Christians should be on Jesus Christ and his Gospel which transforms people into new creations.

In a sense Israel was restored or remade as Jeremiah 18: 1-6 predicts, and  part of this remaking of Israel or restoration of Israel was the bringing in of believing Gentiles to a new and remade Israel, which Paul calls the Israel of God in Galatians 6: 15-16.  In Ephesians 2: 13 and in Romans 11: 17-20.

The concern of Acts 15: 14-18 and the quoting of  Amos 9: 11-12 is about the bringing of believing Gentiles into Israel, but the Israel into which believing Gentiles are brought into is not Old Covenant Israel of the Flesh. 

Amos 9: 11-12 in the Septuagint says "In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and will rebuild the ruins of it, and will set up the parts thereof that have been broken down, and will build it up as in the ancient days: 12 that the remnant of men, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, may earnestly seek me, saith the Lord who does all these things. "

The part about Gentiles  seeking the Lord is left out in the Hebrew Masoretic Text, which is interesting.

The Body of Christ and the Israel of God are one and the same, which relates to Gist Meanings or Deep Meanings rather than Surface Meanings.  To dispensationalists  the Body of Christ appears to be made up of Gentile believers, and most dispensationalists  refuse to accept Galatians 6: 15-16 as a doctrine about a remade Israel - because the focus of dispensationalism is upon Israel of the flesh.

And a huge problem for dispensationalism is that its main focus is on Israel and not on Christ.

Thanks Blade