Dispensationalism is a theology that attempts to explain the workings of God with mankind in different ages or dispensations.
The main objectives of Dispensationalism are to show the different ages, or dispensations, of Gods dealings with mankind, to show the distinction between Israel and the Church, and to show what Scripture teaches about the salvation of men in different dispensations, including the end of time. The idea and one of the foundational premises is that God slowly revealed His plans for the world more and more in each dispenstation. In our current dispensation of grace, we can get glimpses of the future dispenstations given to us by the word of God.
In fact, Dispensationalists would argue, the reasons that Dispensationalism as a theology was not around as we know it today, before the 1800s, is because God had not revealed it completely until then.
It should be noted though that when the Church Fathers, Jonathan Edwards, or other earlier writers spoke of different dispensations, they not only were not Dispensational theologians and by no means did they have in mind the same premises that Dispensationalists would like them to have had. Certainly different dispensations occur in history, but defining a concrete number of them based on concrete dates is wrong. It is a matter of personal perspective when different dispensations begin and end, which is why many Dispensationalists disagree on the correct number within Scripture. There are obviously eras or dispensations that have been marked and recorded, such as the New Covenant established by the coming of the Son of God. There are dispensations such as the Abrahamic or the Davidic, but those are defined by the lives of those men and what God did with them and in that era. However, one cannot conclude that a concrete number of dispensations, such as seven, only exist, for even then you can view biblical history in more detail and further create new dispensations. It is a matter of perspctive.
While debating about dispensations is a minor error, the more major and soteriological error comes when Dispensationalism teaches about the two distinct peoples of God created by such dispensations. For instance, Scofield gets his notion of two distinct groups of people, the Jews and the Church, from 1 Corinthians 10:32. He writes,
The main objectives of Dispensationalism are to show the different ages, or dispensations, of Gods dealings with mankind, to show the distinction between Israel and the Church, and to show what Scripture teaches about the salvation of men in different dispensations, including the end of time. The idea and one of the foundational premises is that God slowly revealed His plans for the world more and more in each dispenstation. In our current dispensation of grace, we can get glimpses of the future dispenstations given to us by the word of God.
In fact, Dispensationalists would argue, the reasons that Dispensationalism as a theology was not around as we know it today, before the 1800s, is because God had not revealed it completely until then.
It should be noted though that when the Church Fathers, Jonathan Edwards, or other earlier writers spoke of different dispensations, they not only were not Dispensational theologians and by no means did they have in mind the same premises that Dispensationalists would like them to have had. Certainly different dispensations occur in history, but defining a concrete number of them based on concrete dates is wrong. It is a matter of personal perspective when different dispensations begin and end, which is why many Dispensationalists disagree on the correct number within Scripture. There are obviously eras or dispensations that have been marked and recorded, such as the New Covenant established by the coming of the Son of God. There are dispensations such as the Abrahamic or the Davidic, but those are defined by the lives of those men and what God did with them and in that era. However, one cannot conclude that a concrete number of dispensations, such as seven, only exist, for even then you can view biblical history in more detail and further create new dispensations. It is a matter of perspctive.
While debating about dispensations is a minor error, the more major and soteriological error comes when Dispensationalism teaches about the two distinct peoples of God created by such dispensations. For instance, Scofield gets his notion of two distinct groups of people, the Jews and the Church, from 1 Corinthians 10:32. He writes,
Whoever reads the Bible with any attention cannot fail to perceive that more that half of its contents relate to one nation: the Israelites. He perceives, too, that they have a distinct place in the dealings and counsels of God. Separated from the mass of mankind, they are taken into covenant with Jehovah, who gives them specific promises not given to any other nation. Their history alone is told in Old Testament narrative and prophecy; other nations are mentioned only as they touch the Jew. (C.I. Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth)
He goes on to say:
Instead of seeing the Church as the fullfillment and continuation of Israel in its fullness, Dispensationalism sees the New Covenant as establishing the Church as a brand new institution alongside Israel. Both exist seperately today. Scofield brings this to its logical conclusion:
(continued)
He goes on to say:
Continuing his research, the student finds mention in Scripture of another distinct body, which is called the church. This body also has a peculiar relation to God and, like Israel, has received from Him specific promises. But similarity ends there, and the most striking contrast begins. Instead of being formed of the natural descendants of Abraham alone, it is a body in which the distinction of Jew and Gentile is lost. (C.I. Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth)
Scofields student is obviously not aware of the continuity that exists between the Old and New Covenants. In fact, in the works of any classical dispensationalist, there exists little to nothing about the continuity of the covenental workings of God. It is not surprising then, that the student of Scofield then finds two peoples of God, rather than one continuous people.
Instead of seeing the Church as the fullfillment and continuation of Israel in its fullness, Dispensationalism sees the New Covenant as establishing the Church as a brand new institution alongside Israel. Both exist seperately today. Scofield brings this to its logical conclusion:
In the predictions concerning the future of Israel and the church, the distinction is still more startling. The church will be taken away from the earth entirely, but restored Israel is yet to have her greatest earthly splendor and power. (C.I. Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth)
He determines this from interpreting references to Israel in the New Testement to be the literal physical Jews, not to the Church which is the new Israel. Therefore, God having two peoples on earth, saves everyone individually if they have faith in Christ, yet He still works with each group seperately.
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