Is Dispensationalism a valid way to interpret scripture?

[marks]

The term seems to have taken on a meaning that I am sure I don't even know.

My first idea was that it meant "first the Jew then the Greek" (first Israel proper and then all the other people). Which I thought...Well, duh, two folds of Christ, two dispensations, of course! Too bad it's not that simple, it should be. But apparently there is more religiosity and the teachings of men to it than that.

Good luck!

Actually, I think it is just about that simple. We just follow along in the Bible and take note when things change. Like when the Law was given. Or when the New Covenant began. When Israel rejected the Gospel, and it went to the Gentiles.

Abraham believed, he would have lots of children. God's Word.
The disciples believed, Jesus was the Annointed King of Israel. Also God's Word, but a different Word.
We believe, if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, believing God raised Him from the dead, and we will be saved. Also God's Word, but a different word.

All are saved by faith in God's Word, but the Word given was a little different, depending on the time, on the degree of revelation, and the people God was addressing.

For @ByGrace 's benefit, hyperdispensationalism would be where we would say, we are the New Testament Church, so we only read Paul's letters, for example.

Much love!

 

[CharismaticLady]

Then you haven't learned the Lord's truth about
KJV- Mat. 5:19-20.
So then, how is it that the least and the great are
In the KoG together?
Most of you don't know!
But the answer is plainly stated in Mat. 5:20.

Matthew 5:20
20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

You honestly think Jesus means being free to SIN??? And you seem proud of that.

You have no idea of the power of the Holy Spirit's affect on our nature. You see the Scribes and Pharisees knew and kept the law on the outside, but still had iniquity in the secret places of their hearts. That is where the cause of sin comes from. And that is what Jesus came to change into a new creature, empowered by His Own Spirit. That is what is meant by being born again of the Spirit. If one isn't born again of the Spirit, they do not belong to Christ, even though they may claim to have a relationship with Him. 1 John 1:6.

To be born again follow these instructions in Acts 2:38

 

[charity]

@Marks:
For @ByGrace 's benefit, hyper-dispensationalism would be where we would say, we are the New Testament Church, so we only read Paul's letters, for example.

Hello @marks ,

As one who has been labelled in such a manner, I can say, in all truth, that this is not true. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to us, but not all is about us.

All Scripture is studied, and upheld by dispensationalists; but those letters written following the revelation of God to Paul at the end of the Acts period, namely Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon, are recognised and acknowledged as of particular relevance in this dispensation, and the Church of the one Body of which Christ is the Head.

Thank you.
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Helen]

'Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.'
(2 Timothy 2:15)

Hello there,

'Hyper-dispensationalist,' is the man-made epithet given to such learned men of God as, Dr E.W. Bullinger and Mr. Charles H. Welch, by their critics. It was not self-chosen, or ever adopted by them however.

I, like @"ByGrace," never thought of myself as being 'anything', until I was attacked repeatedly by someone on a forum many moons ago, and called a 'Dispensationalist' disparagingly. I had been using the principle of 2 Timothy 2:15, and that of the Berean's of Acts 13; and had read the works of both men named above, and was grateful for their teaching.

Looking up online what dispensationalists were, I realised that I came under the same category as that of the two admirable men mentioned in my opening sentence: that I was, in the eyes of man, a 'hyper-dispensationalist'.

I do not accept the term, for it is not one that God has given to me. However, I an honoured to share the condemnation of such men as those mentioned, for I know them to be humble, God-honouring individuals, whose chief purpose was to know God, and to honour His Word.

Praise God!

In Christ Jesus
Chris

My dad had some of Bullingers books.

I read the one about Witness in The Stars and the one Numbers in the Scriptures.

I remember learning about all the different dispensations...before flood, after flood, Abraham, David, etc.... into the dispensation of grace..etc
But no idea why it seems to be now distilled down to just Jews and Gentiles.
Strange.

 

[ScottA]

Actually, I think it is just about that simple. We just follow along in the Bible and take note when things change. Like when the Law was given. Or when the New Covenant began. When Israel rejected the Gospel, and it went to the Gentiles.

Abraham believed, he would have lots of children. God's Word.
The disciples believed, Jesus was the Annointed King of Israel. Also God's Word, but a different Word.
We believe, if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, believing God raised Him from the dead, and we will be saved. Also God's Word, but a different word.

All are saved by faith in God's Word, but the Word given was a little different, depending on the time, on the degree of revelation, and the people God was addressing.

For @ByGrace 's benefit, hyperdispensationalism would be where we would say, we are the New Testament Church, so we only read Paul's letters, for example.

Much love!

Thanks!

I wonder then if dispensationalists have some way of handling things like “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”...but “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire?”

 

[charity]

My dad had some of Bullingers books.

I read the one about Witness in The Stars and the one Numbers in the Scriptures.

I remember learning about all the different dispensations...before flood, after flood, Abraham, David, etc.... into the dispensation of grace..etc
But no idea why it seems to be now distilled down to just Jews and Gentiles.
Strange
.

Hello @"ByGrace",

You have been mislead, if that is what you believe it to be reduced to. I can't begin to address this now, because it is time for bed here in the UK, but if you want to talk about this, I will be glad to do so at another time.

With my love to you.
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[charity]

Thanks!

I wonder then if dispensationalists have some way of handling things like “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”...but “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire?”

Yes!

 

[Helen]

Hello @"ByGrace",

You have been mislead, if that is what you believe it to be reduced to. I can't begin to address this now, because it is time for bed here in the UK, but if you want to talk about this, I will be glad to do so at another time.

With my love to you.
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Thanks...
I said that because on this thread it all seems to just be about Jews and Gentiles.

Sweet dreams

I was born near Uxbridge Middlesex, now called Slough.
Moved to Hasting when 14...married lived in Bexhill on Sea until we moved here at 34 . 1975

 

[marks]

Hello @marks ,

As one who has been labelled in such a manner, I can say, in all truth, that this is not true. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to us, but not all is about us.

All Scripture is studied, and upheld by dispensationalists; but those letters written following the revelation of God to Paul at the end of the Acts period, namely Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon, are recognised and acknowledged as of particular relevance in this dispensation, and the Church of the one Body of which Christ is the Head.

Thank you.
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Hi Chris,

I yield to you on this. Yes, in reflection, my statement was incomplete.

Much love!

 

[Enoch111]

Would it be off topic to ask the difference?

No, Helen, that is an excellent question. I will give you the highlights here and you should read the entire article from the source quoted. All the ideas mentioned below are FALSE DOCTRINE -- HERESY.

Beware of Hyper Dispensationalism
"Hyper-dispensationalism” is characterized by making a sharp division between the ministry of Christ and that of the Apostles, and of further dividing Paul’s teaching from that of Peter and the other apostles. Some of the well-known teachers of hyper- or ultra-dispensationalism are E.W. Bullinger, Cornelius Stam, J.C. O’Hair, Charles Welch, Otis Sellers, A.E. Knoch, and Charles Baker. There are many varieties of hyper-dispensationalism, but the following are some of the characteristics:

(1) The four Gospels are entirely Jewish and contain no direct teaching for the churches.

(2) The book of Acts is also largely Jewish.

(3) The mysteries given to Paul are a different revelation from that given to Peter and the other Apostles, and only Paul’s writings are directly for the church today. The other epistles, such as Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, and the epistles of John are not for us today in a direct sense.

(4) The gospel preached by Peter in the early part of the book of Acts is different from the gospel preached by Paul.

(5) Baptism and the Lord’s Supper were given to Paul before he received the church age mysteries; thus they are not for the churches today.

(6) According to hyper-dispensationalism there are different ways of salvation in the Old Testament and during the Tribulation.

Beware of Hyper Dispensationalism

DISPENSATIONALISTS REJECT ALL THIS NONSENSE.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Is that truth a shock to you? Good!
It means that you are finally going think about how it is that "Jesus Saves" all, who simply believe in Him as their Savior!! John 3:18

I actually look at what you said about being sinless even while sinning as true Gnosticism.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

If I do 7 good things a day, and you only do 5, does that mean I am getting a better house than you? (I suspect you would say it is dependent upon "the measure" given to each of us.) So, how does that sit with us making any sort of assessment (actually, "judgment") about the amount (or "quality") of good things being done by anyone else?

We are to leave the judging to God.

 

[amadeus]

Would it be off topic to ask the difference?
I know nothing.
I actually hate any labels , so I wouldn't know the difference.

As far as I know, I am not an 'anything'.
But maybe, unknowingly I am!

I am with you on this Helen. I have been reading slowing through this thread. Sometimes I think I understand but in too many places there too many words with at best, incomplete meanings and sometimes no meaning at all for me. I would have to look up the definition of each, but even with that because of specialized usages the final result I am able to see may not the result the poster intended. Learning to communicate with everyone even when all of us speak and read English can be a real challenge at times.

I have learned a lot through Bible study and prayer, but I guess if we are not regularly using commentaries or other non-Bible references to biblical things which may use some of these terms anything... or at least according to men. Hmmm?

 

[Willie T]

For those here who don't even know what this "Dispensationalism" thing is, I went to GotQuestions.org/ Sadly, it is a biased site, but at least you can get some straight answers there.

They say: "Dispensationalism is a method of interpreting history that divides God’s work and purposes toward mankind into different periods of time. Usually, there are seven dispensations identified, although some theologians believe there are nine. Others count as few as three or as many as thirty-seven dispensations."

 

[amadeus]

For those here who don't even know what this "Dispensationalism" thing is, I went to GotQuestions.org/ Sadly, it is a biased site, but at least you can get some straight answers there.

They say: "Dispensationalism is a method of interpreting history that divides God’s work and purposes toward mankind into different periods of time. Usually, there are seven dispensations identified, although some theologians believe there are nine. Others count as few as three or as many as thirty-seven dispensations."

That three versus seven versus nine versus thirty-seven might give a clue as to why those writing what they believe and really wanting to teach others would do better using simple words to explain step by step what they believe instead of words which many will not understand causing confusion and even chasing away potential listeners.

 

[Earburner]

Would it be off topic to ask the difference?
I know nothing.
I actually hate any labels , so I wouldn't know the difference.

As far as I know, I am not an 'anything'.
But maybe, unknowingly I am!

It's just "Religious Speak". It means nothing in comparison to what you know by the Holy Spirit
Heck! Most here can't differentiate between how one is sin-less in Jesus, and while in our bodies of flesh, we are never sin-free.

 

[farouk]

'Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.'
(2 Timothy 2:15)

Hello there,

'Hyper-dispensationalist,' is the man-made epithet given to such learned men of God as, Dr E.W. Bullinger and Mr. Charles H. Welch, by their critics. It was not self-chosen, or ever adopted by them however.

I, like @"ByGrace," never thought of myself as being 'anything', until I was attacked repeatedly by someone on a forum many moons ago, and called a 'Dispensationalist' disparagingly. I had been using the principle of 2 Timothy 2:15, and that of the Berean's of Acts 13; and had read the works of both men named above, and was grateful for their teaching.

Looking up online what dispensationalists were, I realised that I came under the same category as that of the two admirable men mentioned in my opening sentence: that I was, in the eyes of man, a 'hyper-dispensationalist'.

I do not accept the term, for it is not one that God has given to me. However, I an honoured to share the condemnation of such men as those mentioned, for I know them to be humble, God-honouring individuals, whose chief purpose was to know God, and to honour His Word.

Praise God!

In Christ Jesus
Chris

I guess another way of putting it is seeing the church and Israel as being distinct in Scripture, and seeing also that what the Lord's coming means to the church is distinct from what it means to Jews and Gentiles.

 

[Helen]

For those here who don't even know what this "Dispensationalism" thing is, I went to GotQuestions.org/ Sadly, it is a biased site, but at least you can get some straight answers there.

They say: "Dispensationalism is a method of interpreting history that divides God’s work and purposes toward mankind into different periods of time. Usually, there are seven dispensations identified, although some theologians believe there are nine. Others count as few as three or as many as thirty-seven dispensations."

Thanks Willie...

I was just musing...

< “But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here.
I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”

Lewis Carroll - Alice in Wonderland >

That about sums my day up for me.

Be blessed bro

 

[Helen]

No, Helen, that is an excellent question. I will give you the highlights here and you should read the entire article from the source quoted. All the ideas mentioned below are FALSE DOCTRINE -- HERESY.

Beware of Hyper Dispensationalism
"Hyper-dispensationalism” is characterized by making a sharp division between the ministry of Christ and that of the Apostles, and of further dividing Paul’s teaching from that of Peter and the other apostles. Some of the well-known teachers of hyper- or ultra-dispensationalism are E.W. Bullinger, Cornelius Stam, J.C. O’Hair, Charles Welch, Otis Sellers, A.E. Knoch, and Charles Baker. There are many varieties of hyper-dispensationalism, but the following are some of the characteristics:

(1) The four Gospels are entirely Jewish and contain no direct teaching for the churches.

(2) The book of Acts is also largely Jewish.

(3) The mysteries given to Paul are a different revelation from that given to Peter and the other Apostles, and only Paul’s writings are directly for the church today. The other epistles, such as Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, and the epistles of John are not for us today in a direct sense.

(4) The gospel preached by Peter in the early part of the book of Acts is different from the gospel preached by Paul.

(5) Baptism and the Lord’s Supper were given to Paul before he received the church age mysteries; thus they are not for the churches today.

(6) According to hyper-dispensationalism there are different ways of salvation in the Old Testament and during the Tribulation.

Beware of Hyper Dispensationalism

DISPENSATIONALISTS REJECT ALL THIS NONSENSE.

Thanks Enoch....

I just read it.

Me thinks I am a Hyper Dis ...according to your posts.
Not that I knew it had a name.
But I do believe many of those things said.

Why does it really matter either way..?
It changes nothing between ourselves and God..right?

 

[CharismaticLady]

I guess another way of putting it is seeing the church and Israel as being distinct in Scripture, and seeing also that what the Lord's coming means to the church is distinct from what it means to Jews and Gentiles.

farouk, Read Romans 11. The Church started with Jews, and then Gentiles were added, because of the abundance of Jews that rejected Christ, and the Jews were punished with partial blindness. But there will come a day when the last Gentile that is numbered to come into the Church is at an end, and then the blindness of Israel will be lifted. And then the remaining Jews will come into the CHURCH. There is only one Church/one Bride of Christ. And only one second coming of Christ for His Bride.

P.S. InkM is on tonight.