What is dispensationalism?

[Catholic Evangelist]

Hey, what is it exactly?

 

[daveleau]

http://www.dispensationalism.com/
http://www.dispensationalism.com/dispens.html (More direct link, but w/o frames)

Basically, dispensationalism is the idea that God dealt with people differently throughout the Bible. Adam was treated differently than those under the Law. Those under the Law had most of the Law fulfilled through Christ. Some ultra-dispensationalists believe that Scripture that falls outside of the current dispensation does not apply to us at all. I think this idea can put a sour taste in most Christian's mouths, whether they are dispensational or not. But, for instance, the commands to make sacrifices to God are no longer applicable to us because of the Sacrifice of Jesus. Conversely, the 10 Commandments still apply to us because they were not fulfilled through Christ.

I hope this helps.
God bless,
Dave

 

[Gold Dragon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispensationalism

Dispensationalism is a school of Bible interpretation that is associated with fundamentalist Christianity. It has been most influential in the United States, outside of which its influence is mostly limited to areas evangelized by dispensational missionaries. However, some political analysts have argued that dispensationalism has had large influence on American foreign policy and hence had a large indirect influence worldwide.

 

[Darken]

interesting...

 

[DanielRB]

Hey, what is it exactly?

Hi Catholic,

Dispensationalism basically results from a consistent "literal" interpretation of the Bible. By "literal", I mean understanding the Bible primarily as the original hearers of it would likely understand it (not a wooden literalism that sees every symbol or parable as a literal, historical event). For example, prophecies of a glorious temple in Jerusalem that would never be destroyed would likely have been understood as a physical temple build of stones in the earthly city of Jerusalem, and that it would never been destroyed. Since the Church of Christ is considered the Temple of God now, and it is not a literal temple build of stones, then there must be something that would allow both to be true: the rebuilding of a permanent physical temple, but also the acknowledgment that the Church of Christ is truly the temple of God.

This approach leads to seeing the laws and prophecies in the Bible as falling into different dispensations, or ways that God deals with humanity. They are not seen as different ways of salvation, but rather different manifestations of salvation by God's grace through Christ's sacrifice.

Ultimately, I think the most distinctive feature of dispensationalism is that Israel and the Church are viewed as two seperate people of God. The Church is not Israel, and the promises made specifically to Israel are not to be applied to the Church. There is a future period of time (specifically, a literal millinium after Christ's return) where God will work primarily through Israel on earth (the Church will be in heaven at this time). In this millinium, a literal temple will be rebuilt, and all of the prophecies about the Gentiles coming to serve the God of Israel and Israel's supremecy over the nations will come to pass. The sacrifices to be practiced in the rebuilt temple will be memorial of Christ's sacrifice, whereas under Moses they were prefiguring Christ's sacrifice.

I am not a dispensationalist, as I believe that the people of God is One, and that the New Covenant was made with Israel (Jer 31:31ff), not a group of Gentiles or a seperae Jewish-Gentile body. (Dispensationalists will generally hold that Jeremiah's New Covenant is not yet in place.)

In Christ,

Daniel

 

[Iosias]

There is a future period of time (specifically, a literal millinium after Christ's return) where God will work primarily through Israel on earth (the Church will be in heaven at this time).

I am not sure every dispensationalist will agree with the highlighted.

 

[DanielRB]

I am not sure every dispensationalist will agree with the highlighted.

Hi, AV1611,

You are right. It probably would be more typical of dispensational belief to state that the Church during the millinium would be in a glorified, resurrected state, being co-regents with Christ on earth. They would not be the subject of the millenial prophecies of long life, having children, worshiping at the temple in Jerusalem, etc.

In Christ,

Daniel

 

[billwald]

Dispensationalism teaches that God is running of experiments in communications and training on humans. Each time an experiment fails it is cancelled and a new one starts.

 

[DanielRB]

Dispensationalism teaches that God is running of experiments in communications and training on humans. Each time an experiment fails it is cancelled and a new one starts.

Hi Billwald,

Although I am not a dispensationalist, I would not characterize dispensationalism this way. In no way do dispensationalists believe that God does not know the future and the outcome of his dealings with humankind.

One could use the same argument against any Christian who believed that God gave the law and humanity failed to keep that law. But that would be misunderstanding why God gave the law. He didn't give it as an experiment to see if people would obey him or not--he already knew that they wouldn't. It was given to show humanity their own complete sinfulness.

In Christ,

Daniel

 

[Terral]

Greetings to Evangelist, Dave, Daniel and All:

Original question by Evangelist: What is dispensationalism?

Dave >> Basically, dispensationalism is the idea that God dealt with people differently throughout the Bible.

Daniel >> Ultimately, I think the most distinctive feature of dispensationalism is that Israel and the Church are viewed as two seperate people of God. The Church is not Israel, and the promises made specifically to Israel are not to be applied to the Church.

I believe that Dave and Daniel have hit the nail right on the head. I would like to include Vine’s Definition of ‘dispensation’ (Eph. 3:2) here, but am currently unable to provide links in my posts. Therefore, my opinions about the facts must suffice. The fact is that everyone reading these words is a Dispensationalist to some degree. Mosaic Law includes one law for every bone in the human body and one for every day of the year. That is six hundred and sixty laws and ordinances to be kept by the practicing Jew. What did Christ say to Israel of the flesh?

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others {to do} the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches {them,} he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses {that} of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:16-20.

Now look everywhere in the world and ask yourself, “Has all been accomplished?” The writer of Acts says that heaven must receive Christ,

“until {the} period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Acts 3:21.

Have all the words of the OT prophets, concerning the restoration of ALL THINGS been accomplished? Absolutely not. Israel has not entered into the Promised Land, rebuilt the Temple, etc.. So if you are not keeping the whole law (James 2:10), then either of two things must be true. Either you will not enter the kingdom of heaven, or you are rightfully practicing a form of Dispensationalism.



Israel of the flesh continues to keep the Passover every year, according to Leviticus 23:5. Do you keep the Passover? No? Why not? Because, what did Paul write to us?

“Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are {in fact} unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.” 1Cor. 5:7.

Therefore, Paul writes,

“Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--things which are a {mere} shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” Col. 2:16+17.

Are we to be circumcised on the eighth day, according to Mosaic Law? No. Why not? Matt. 5:17-19? Because, what did Paul write to us.

“Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.” Galatians 5:2+3.

And here lies the key to understanding: We are recipients and beneficiaries of God’s grace through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. If we are to continue living, as if Christ’s sacrifice means nothing, then He died needlessly. Paul speaks of Mosaic Law, saying,

“But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor {to lead us} to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:22-27.

Was it possible for anyone in the OT to be ‘clothed with Christ?’ Absolutely not. Why? Because, faith was not yet made available. Who could believe in the good news that Christ died for sins, before Christ died for sins? So the freedom and liberty we have ‘in Christ,’ was only made available after Calvary. So, where are our commandments? Paul writes,

“If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment. But if anyone does not recognize {this,} he is not recognized.” 1Cor. 14:37+38.

Which commandments are we bound to obey in our present day? Shall we obey those commands given to Moses for Israel of the flesh, before faith came? Or shall we obey those given to us by Christ Himself through the Apostle Paul in our NT Epistles? We are members of the body of Christ. As it is written,

“For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Rom. 12:4+5

“For even as the body is one and {yet} has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” 1Cor. 12:12-14.

“Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.” 1Cor. 12:27.

Paul tells us that Israel of the flesh was baptized into the body of Moses.

“For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.” 1Cor. 10:1-4

If you will reason this out, then there is also a ‘body of Elijah,’ because three appeared at the Mount of Transfiguration; not just two.

“Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.” Matt. 17:1-3.

Take this to the words of 1John 5:8, and you will see the three witnesses of spirit (Elijah), water (Moses) and blood (Christ). Christ came in water and in blood, because Moses disqualified himself (Numbers 20:11). Otherwise, Moses would have appeared with John the Baptist (Elijah; Matt. 11:14).



Dispensationalists recognize that God deals with different households/administrations differently. God has been dealing with the descendants of Esau and Jacob differently for thousands of years. He made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for the Promised Land. Would you think that the Lord God would judge the Arabs against Mosaic Law? No. Why not? If there is just one household of God on this planet . . . Could those living before Moses be judged according to Mosaic Law? That would be impossible. Should we expect God to judge Gentiles and Jews the same? No. Because the Gentiles have never been under Mosaic law. Romans 2:14. Are members of the body of Christ judged for not keeping the Sabbath? No. Paul clearly says that those things are mere shadows of things to come. Col. 2:16+17.

These things all work together to demonstrate beyond any doubt that God is a Dispensationalist right along with the rest of us.

In Christ,

Terral

 

[MyNameisJosh]

Terral has made some great points about dispensationalism!

I would like to point out the facts that 1) The Bible can't contradict itself and 2) without dispensationalism the Bible is full of contradictions.

Daniel I Love your heart brother! The light of Christ shines through your voice and wisdom... but could you please explain how the bible makes sense to you without dispensationalism?

God Bless everybody!

-Josh

 

[DanielRB]

Terral has made some great points about dispensationalism!

I would like to point out the facts that 1) The Bible can't contradict itself and 2) without dispensationalism the Bible is full of contradictions.

Daniel I Love your heart brother! The light of Christ shines through your voice and wisdom... but could you please explain how the bible makes sense to you without dispensationalism?

God Bless everybody!

-Josh

Hi MyNameisJosh,

Thanks for your kind words, Josh.

How does the Bible make sense to me without dispensationalism?

This is how I look at it (for a short answer): I think that a distinction between Israel and the Church is not Biblical. One of the key passages I turn to is Romans 11:11ff. I honestly don't see how one can view this as anything but that gentile believers are grafted onto Israel. I also look at Jeremiah 31:31ff and see how this is used in Hebrews 8 & 10 and the whole of Hebrews and its view of the new covenant. I believe God made a new covenant with Israel, in which gentiles may participate as full equals.

I see a lot to admire about dispensationalism, but this is the key point that I have in disagreement.

In Christ,

Daniel

 

[Iosias]

I think that a distinction between Israel and the Church is not Biblical.

Then you will be interested to follow the debate here: http://www.christianforums.com/t846262

One of the key passages I turn to is Romans 11:11ff. I honestly don't see how one can view this as anything but that gentile believers are grafted onto Israel.

The olive tree does not represent Israel but blessing!

 

[Iosias]

Darby on Chapter 11 of Romans:

Rom 11:1-36 -
Hereupon the question is immediately raised, has God then rejected His people? To this Chapter 11 is the answer. The apostle gives three proofs that it is by no means the case. Firstly, he is himself an Israelite; there is a remnant whom God has reserved, as in the days of Elias — a proof of the constant favour of the Lord, of the interest He takes in His people, even when they are unfaithful; so that when the prophet, the most faithful and energetic among them, knew not where to find one who was true to God besides himself, God had His eyes upon the remnant who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Secondly, the call of the Gentiles, and their substitution for Israel, was not the definitive rejection of the latter in the counsels of God; for God had done it to provoke Israel to jealousy. It was not, then, for their rejection. Thirdly, the Lord would come forth out of Sion. and turn away the iniquities of Jacob.

That which the apostle, or rather which the Holy Ghost, says on this point requires to be looked at in more detail.

The apostle, in quoting the case of Elias, shews that when Israel was in such a state that even Elias pleaded against them, yet God had not rejected them, He had reserved for Himself seven thousand men. This was the election of sovereign grace. It was the same thing now. But it was by grace, and not by works. The election then, has obtained the blessing, and the rest was blinded. Even as it was written, "God hath given them the spirit of slumber," etc.

Had they then stumbled that they should fall? No! But through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy — a second proof that it was not for their rejection. But if their diminishing and fall was a blessing to the Gentiles, what should not the fruit be of their restoration? If the first-fruits are holy, so is the lump; if the root, the tree also. Now, as to the continued chain of those who enjoy the promises in this world, Abraham was the root, and not the Gentiles; Israel, the natural stock and branches. And here is that which happened in the good olive-tree of promise in this world, of which Abraham was the root (God Himself the source of leaf and fruit), and Israel the stem and the tree. There had been some bad branches, and they had been cut off; and others from the Gentiles grafted in, in their place, who thus enjoyed the richness natural to the tree of promise. But it was on the principle of faith that they, being of the wild olive-tree, had been grafted in. Many of the Israelite branches, the natural heirs of the promises, had been cut off because of their unbelief; for when the fulfilment of the promises was offered them, they rejected it. They rested on their own righteousness, and despised the goodness of God. Thus the Gentiles, made partakers of the promises, stood on the principle of faith. But if they abandoned this principle, they should lose their place in the tree of promise, even as the unbelieving Jews had lost theirs. Goodness was to be their portion in this dispensation of God's government, with regard to those who had part in the enjoyment of His promises, if they continued in this goodness; if not, cutting off. This had happened to the Jews; it should be the same with the Gentiles if they did not continue in that goodness. Such is the government of God, with regard to that which stood as His tree on the earth. But there was a positive counsel of God accomplished in that which took place, namely, the partial blinding of Israel (for they were not rejected) until all the Gentiles who were to have part in the blessing of these days should have come in. After this Israel should be saved as a whole; it should not be individuals spared and added to the assembly, in which Israel had no longer any place as a nation; they should be saved as a whole, as Israel. Christ shall come forth from Sion as the seat of His power, and shall turn away iniquity from Jacob, God pardoning them all transgressions.

This is the third proof that Israel was not rejected. For while enemies, as concerning the gospel at the present time, they are still beloved for the fathers' sakes. For that which God has once chosen and called He never casts off. He does not repent of His counsels, nor of the call which gives them effect. But if the counsel of God remains unchangeable, the way in which it is accomplished brings out the marvellous wisdom of God. The Gentiles had long continued in the disobedience of unbelief. God comes in in grace. The Jews opposed themselves to the actings of grace. They lose all right to the promises through this unbelief, so that they must receive the effect of the promise on the footing of pure mercy and the sovereign grace of God, [52] in the same way as the poor Gentile. For He had shut them all up in unbelief, that it might be pure mercy to all. Therefore it is that the apostle exclaims, O depth of wisdom and knowledge! The promises are fulfilled, and the pretension to human righteousness annihilated; the Jews who have lost everything receive all on the true ground of the goodness of God. Their apparent loss of all is but the means of their receiving all from sovereign grace, instead of having it by virtue of human righteousness, or an unforfeited promise. All is grace: yet God is ever faithful, and that in spite of man's unfaithfulness. Man is blessed; the Jew receives the effect of the promise; but both the one and the other have to attribute it to the pure mercy of God. There is nothing about the assembly here: it is the tree of promise, and those who in virtue of their position have part successively in the enjoyment of the promises of earth. The unbelieving Jews were never cut off from the church, they were never in it. They had been in the position of natural heirs of the right to the promises. The assembly is not the Jews' own olive-tree according to nature, so that they should be grafted into it again. Nothing can be plainer: the chain of those who had a right to the promises from Abraham was Israel; some of the branches were then cut off. The tree of promise remains on the earth: the Gentiles are grafted into it in place of the Jews, they also become unfaithful (that is to say, the case is supposed), and they would in their turn be cut off, and the Jews be reinstated in the old olive-tree, according to the promises and in order to enjoy them; but it is in pure mercy. It is clearly not by the gospel they get the blessing; for, as touching the gospel, they are enemies for the Gentiles' sake; as touching election, beloved for the fathers' sake.

Remark further here an important principle: the enjoyment of privileges by position makes us responsible for them, without saying the individual was born again. The Jewish branch was in the tree of promise and broken off: so the Gentiles. There was nothing vital or real; but they were in the place of blessing, "partakers of the root and fatness of the olive tree," by being grafted in.

These communications of the mind of God end this portion of the book, namely, that in which the apostle reconciles sovereign grace shewn to sinners (putting all on a level in the common ruin of sin) with the especial privileges of the people of Israel, founded on the faithfulness of God. They had lost everything as to right. God would fulfil His promises in grace and by mercy.

Note #52

Verse 31 (Rom_11:31) should be translated, "Even so these [the Jews] have now been unbelieving with regard to your mercy, in order that they should receive mercy" (or that they should be the objects of mercy) — "your mercy," that is to say, the grace in Christ which extended to the Gentiles. Thus the Jews were the objects of mercy, having forfeited all right to enjoy the effect of the promise. God would not fail to fulfil it. He bestows it on them in mercy at the end, when He has brought in the fulness of the Gentiles.

 

[thereselittleflower]

Briefly, it is the contention of dispensationalists that the Old Testament did not foresee or foretell the coming of this present age of the Christian church, but that its expectation was focused on the setting up of the messianic kingdom which would be the proper inheritance of the Israelites, or physical descendants of Abraham, as distinct from the Gentiles, though blessings were intended for the latter also; that the teaching of Jesus concerning the kingdom, whether in parables or other forms of discourse, was directed exclusively to the Jews; that the Jews turned away from the kingdom that was then offered to them, with the result that the offer was withdrawn and the establishment of the kingdom postponed to a later occasion; that meanwhile the period of the church was inaugurated as a “parenthesis” in the divinely revealed sequence of events, but a period which, as we have indicated, is outside the scope of biblical prophecy and to which Christ’s kingdom teaching has no application; that at the close of this church age Christ will come for his saints, who will be caught up to meet him in the air; that there will follow an interval of seven years during the first half of which many Israelites will accept Jesus as their Saviour and Messiah and will carry out a massive program for the evangelization of the world, while the latter three-and-a-half years will be a time of intense persecution known as “the great tribulation”; that at the end of these seven years Christ will come again, this time not for but with his saints (this event generally being described as his second coming proper), in order to reign upon earth for one thousand years; that thus, the church parenthesis now a thing of the past, the prophecies of the messianic kingdom will achieve fulfilment and his own kingdom teaching be observed; that, with a resplendent Jerusalem as his capital, the temple demarcated by Ezekiel will be constructed and the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices reinstituted; and that in this millennium of peace, order, and prosperity his sovereignty over all the earth will be established for all to see.



Author: Philip Edgecumbe Hughes was Visiting Professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia and Associate Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania. His other works include Theology of the English Reformers, Commentary on II Corinthians, But for the Grace of God, and Confirmation in the Church Today

From:
http://www.the-highway.com/millennium2_Hughes.html


​

Peace in Him!

 

[FreeinChrist]

Dispensationalism teaches that God is running of experiments in communications and training on humans. Each time an experiment fails it is cancelled and a new one starts.

That's an inaccurate presentation of Dispensationism!

Actually, the Dispensations progressively reveal God's plan for salvation. The Law as given to Moses pointed to Christ. The requirement of circumcism given earlier to Abraham pointed to what God would spiritually do to us.