As a new member of this forum I note that various discussions have been made on the subject of dispensationalism, some arguing for, others against that is to say whether or not it is a man-made doctrine or one actually taught in the scriptures.
First of all it might help if we define what a “dispensation” is, as there are various meanings or definitions to this term.
Dispensation: an act or instance of dispensing; distribution; for example the dispensation or distribution medication.
Dispensation: a formal authorization granting one exemption from a law, an oath, or possibly some church ordinance, for example the Church of Rome grants certain individuals dispensation from certain rules and regulations governing marriage and church membership.
Dispensation: a certain order, system, or arrangement; in regards to Theology the divine ordering of the affairs of the world; a divinely appointed order or age: For example the Jewish age or dispensation in comparisons with the Gospel or Christian age and dispensation.
Now we have noticed that some who claim that dispensationalism is a man-made doctrine seem to have no qualms with futurism or preterism as noted in their views on certain prophecies.
Preterist are those who maintain that many of the prophecies in the Revelation as well as those given in our Lord’s Great Prophecy have already been fulfilled, in the past, most at the end of the Jewish age.
Futurist on the other hand maintain that many if not all of these same prophecies are either presently being fulfilled or are still in the future to be fulfilled.
Dispensationalists contend that the Divine purpose in connection with mankind is a progressive one, one which the Lord has been outworking since the beginning of man’s creation, a “mystery” which has been hidden from the worldly wise one embracing many ages and dispensations, one which is not only attested to by the scriptures, but by the very facts of history itself.
We believe that the dispensationalist view is the correct one and that the other two are the man-made or man-contrived views. Of course understand that like all teachings they can be perverted and such there are who have perverted this doctrine, but don’t be too quick to cast it away this is very important lesson, essential to rightly dividing the Word of the Lord.
In the following text we find evidence of these ages or dispensations mentioned in the scriptures.
"I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the Mystery hidden from past ages and dispensations, but now revealed unto the saints." (Col. 1:24-26)
“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the dispensation (administration or stewardship) of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages (past ages and dispensations) was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets. “Eph 3:1-5
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ… In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” Eph 1:3-10
And lastly according to the Apostle Peter in 2 Pet 3 God’s plan for man’s recovery is divided into three great epochs or dispensations called “worlds” in the Common Version — in the Greek, kosmos, meaning “arrangement.”— Strong and Young.
I will continue this post with the next post due to the 10000 character limit.
First of all it might help if we define what a “dispensation” is, as there are various meanings or definitions to this term.
Dispensation: an act or instance of dispensing; distribution; for example the dispensation or distribution medication.
Dispensation: a formal authorization granting one exemption from a law, an oath, or possibly some church ordinance, for example the Church of Rome grants certain individuals dispensation from certain rules and regulations governing marriage and church membership.
Dispensation: a certain order, system, or arrangement; in regards to Theology the divine ordering of the affairs of the world; a divinely appointed order or age: For example the Jewish age or dispensation in comparisons with the Gospel or Christian age and dispensation.
Now we have noticed that some who claim that dispensationalism is a man-made doctrine seem to have no qualms with futurism or preterism as noted in their views on certain prophecies.
Preterist are those who maintain that many of the prophecies in the Revelation as well as those given in our Lord’s Great Prophecy have already been fulfilled, in the past, most at the end of the Jewish age.
Futurist on the other hand maintain that many if not all of these same prophecies are either presently being fulfilled or are still in the future to be fulfilled.
Dispensationalists contend that the Divine purpose in connection with mankind is a progressive one, one which the Lord has been outworking since the beginning of man’s creation, a “mystery” which has been hidden from the worldly wise one embracing many ages and dispensations, one which is not only attested to by the scriptures, but by the very facts of history itself.
We believe that the dispensationalist view is the correct one and that the other two are the man-made or man-contrived views. Of course understand that like all teachings they can be perverted and such there are who have perverted this doctrine, but don’t be too quick to cast it away this is very important lesson, essential to rightly dividing the Word of the Lord.
In the following text we find evidence of these ages or dispensations mentioned in the scriptures.
"I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the Mystery hidden from past ages and dispensations, but now revealed unto the saints." (Col. 1:24-26)
“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the dispensation (administration or stewardship) of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages (past ages and dispensations) was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets. “Eph 3:1-5
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ… In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” Eph 1:3-10
And lastly according to the Apostle Peter in 2 Pet 3 God’s plan for man’s recovery is divided into three great epochs or dispensations called “worlds” in the Common Version — in the Greek, kosmos, meaning “arrangement.”— Strong and Young.
I will continue this post with the next post due to the 10000 character limit.