I John 2:22
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

1 Corinthians 15:3
15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Galations 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Nearing the end of my first decade as a born-again believer I became acquainted with a systematic study of theology known as Dispensationalism. This idea of theology is based upon II Timothy 2:15 and teaches adherents to rightly divide God's word.

Abstain from the fruit, build an ark, practice circumcision, keep the law, and finally don't worry about any of those things and just believe on Jesus. Without "faith" no one can please God and our faith is expressed in obedience to His ordinances which were different throughout the ages. That settled it for me. I quickly became a "hyper-dispensationalist".

My eschatology was shaped by commonly held views on the "rapture of the saints", the "seven year tribulation" the "coming antichrist", "Armageddon" and the "millennial reign".

Dispensationalism emphasized the difference between "law" and "grace". The law was given to Moses and is referred to as the prophetic program. Grace was revealed to the apostle Paul and is referred to as the mystery program. Hyper-dispensationalist teach that the dispensation of law was set aside, and we are now living in the dispensation of grace.

The convenience of drawing deep dispensational lines by "rightly dividing the Word" made the doctrines of my eschatology more apparent. I was taught that mystery and prophecy didn't mix and as such I shouldn't bother studying the prophetic books--either New or Old Testament. The writings of the apostle Paul, Romans through Philemon, were applicable to the born-again believer today so why study anything else? I was, some-what, happy to be a dispensationalist for more than a decade.

Undeterred by the many believers in opposition to dispensational theology, I chose to continue in my beliefs which rested in the comfort of knowing that Christ paid for my sins and I am no longer bound to the satanic rule of this fallen world. I learned to accept what I knew of God but continually seek His guidance in pursuit of the truth. God was surely teaching me that it is not "correct doctrine" that saves a person from the wages of sin; rather, it is the condition of one's heart.

Today I no longer call myself a hyper-dispensational believer. Through my study of the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation God led me to the writings of Ellis Skolfield. Mr. Skolfield's writings have helped me to understand how Daniel's visions have been opened and unsealed here in the "time of the end" in which we now live.

Contrary to the hyper-dispensational belief that prophecy and mystery does not cross dispensational lines, born-again believers (Christians) have been right in the middle of Bible prophecy since Jesus ascended into heaven and "the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" was revealed to the apostle Paul. We have been right in the middle of Bible prophecy the entire time.