A recent attempt to insult Dispensational views (Dispy dipsticks) has led me to see a need to clarify dispensational views. As with any brand of doctrine there will be variety and some of these will also be described.
Essentially dispensationalism sees a future role for a restored remnant of Israel. This view also often includes a rapture (yes,the word is from the Latin bible as it is the Latin for the Greek harpazo (to catch up)). Dispensationalism also often includes an expectation of a seven year tribulation before the earthly establishment of a Kingdom in Israel from which a returned Jesus will reign over the earth for 1,000 years.
The concept of dispensation comes from;
Eph 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
The word translated dispensation is oikonomia (from we get the English word “economy”). It is derived from a compound of two Greek words for “house” and “law”. The word was used for the steward of a house that would dispense task assignments for the house slaves as well as tools and other resources. This can build a better picture of one who “dispenses”.
Some have attempted to define multiple dispensations throughout history, however, this is not biblically supported. One might see in Moses giving the law to the nation of Israel as a sort of “dispensing”, however, the bible does not call it so and I think prudence should restrict our doing so.
Some dispensationalists see a change that institutes what we call the “church age” starting in Acts chapter 2, others see it starting in mid Acts, and still others see the church starting at Acts 28. The transition from the nation of Israel to the mostly gentile church is key to understanding dispensationalism. Those who see no transition but a seamless continuity are often hostile to a dispensational view.
Often a charge is made of dispensational Christians repudiating the words of Jesus. This exaggeration is often made by the self-righteous thinking they are contending against heresy. Once an emotional state is reached, there is seldom a basis for inquiry to rationally resolve what is true. Consider the words of Jesus;
Mat 8:4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Should every Christian go to the priest? Should Christians cured of leprosy go to the Priest?
It should be obvious that Jesus was instructing a person about what he should do under the law.
To correctly understand the bible one has to take in consideration who was saying what to whom and when. Perhaps one of the most cherished doctrines in Christianity is the Great Commission. However, Jesus gave this instruction to his disciples to fulfill the original purpose for the nation of Israel;
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
The New Testament (covenant) was for the nation of Israel when they would be “born again” by God to serve their original purpose.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Everything that Jesus did and said was consistent with the prophecies to the nation of Israel. He did not wink at his disciples and tell them, “You guys are going to blow it, so here is the real plan”. When Paul was called to be an apostle to the gentiles, there was still the opportunity for Israel to receive her king.
Gentiles were always to be saved. The original plan was for Israel to be a nation of priests bringing the knowledge of God to the whole world. through the kingdom. This will still be accomplished when a nation is born in a day at the end of the tribulation. One might see with Cornelius as an example of a gentile saved under the kingdom gospel.
That there were two gospels (one for the nation of Israel and the other for individual gentiles) can be seen in Galatians;
Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles
A mid acts view of dispensationalism seems more likely as there seems to be an overlap period where both gospels are operating. Both gospels are based on faith (trust). The kingdom gospel is an appeal to the Jews to trust in Jesus as Messiah. The grace gospel (that Paul “dispensed”) requires trust in Jesus’s death burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins.
Kingdom
Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Grace
1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 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;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
I am not posting this to solicit argument. Those who are hostile to it have many other opportunities to flaunt their invective. I simply thought it might be helpful for those seeking to understand some of the basis those who are dispensational have for their beliefs.
.
Essentially dispensationalism sees a future role for a restored remnant of Israel. This view also often includes a rapture (yes,the word is from the Latin bible as it is the Latin for the Greek harpazo (to catch up)). Dispensationalism also often includes an expectation of a seven year tribulation before the earthly establishment of a Kingdom in Israel from which a returned Jesus will reign over the earth for 1,000 years.
The concept of dispensation comes from;
Eph 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
The word translated dispensation is oikonomia (from we get the English word “economy”). It is derived from a compound of two Greek words for “house” and “law”. The word was used for the steward of a house that would dispense task assignments for the house slaves as well as tools and other resources. This can build a better picture of one who “dispenses”.
Some have attempted to define multiple dispensations throughout history, however, this is not biblically supported. One might see in Moses giving the law to the nation of Israel as a sort of “dispensing”, however, the bible does not call it so and I think prudence should restrict our doing so.
Some dispensationalists see a change that institutes what we call the “church age” starting in Acts chapter 2, others see it starting in mid Acts, and still others see the church starting at Acts 28. The transition from the nation of Israel to the mostly gentile church is key to understanding dispensationalism. Those who see no transition but a seamless continuity are often hostile to a dispensational view.
Often a charge is made of dispensational Christians repudiating the words of Jesus. This exaggeration is often made by the self-righteous thinking they are contending against heresy. Once an emotional state is reached, there is seldom a basis for inquiry to rationally resolve what is true. Consider the words of Jesus;
Mat 8:4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Should every Christian go to the priest? Should Christians cured of leprosy go to the Priest?
It should be obvious that Jesus was instructing a person about what he should do under the law.
To correctly understand the bible one has to take in consideration who was saying what to whom and when. Perhaps one of the most cherished doctrines in Christianity is the Great Commission. However, Jesus gave this instruction to his disciples to fulfill the original purpose for the nation of Israel;
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
The New Testament (covenant) was for the nation of Israel when they would be “born again” by God to serve their original purpose.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Everything that Jesus did and said was consistent with the prophecies to the nation of Israel. He did not wink at his disciples and tell them, “You guys are going to blow it, so here is the real plan”. When Paul was called to be an apostle to the gentiles, there was still the opportunity for Israel to receive her king.
Gentiles were always to be saved. The original plan was for Israel to be a nation of priests bringing the knowledge of God to the whole world. through the kingdom. This will still be accomplished when a nation is born in a day at the end of the tribulation. One might see with Cornelius as an example of a gentile saved under the kingdom gospel.
That there were two gospels (one for the nation of Israel and the other for individual gentiles) can be seen in Galatians;
Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles
A mid acts view of dispensationalism seems more likely as there seems to be an overlap period where both gospels are operating. Both gospels are based on faith (trust). The kingdom gospel is an appeal to the Jews to trust in Jesus as Messiah. The grace gospel (that Paul “dispensed”) requires trust in Jesus’s death burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins.
Kingdom
Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Grace
1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 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;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
I am not posting this to solicit argument. Those who are hostile to it have many other opportunities to flaunt their invective. I simply thought it might be helpful for those seeking to understand some of the basis those who are dispensational have for their beliefs.
.
