Dispensationalism

Dispensationalism What does “dispensation” mean? Dispensationalism as a system of theology. Divisions of Dispensationalism. Concluding Observations. V. How Should We Then Live?

I. What does “Dispensation” mean? A. The English word “dispensation” is an English form of the Latin dispensatio, which the Vulgate uses to translate the Greek word “oikonomia.” B. The Latin verb means “to weigh out or dispense.”

I. What does “Dispensation” mean? C. Three principle ideas are connected to the meaning of the English word: (1) The action of dealing out or distributing; (2) The action of administering, ordering, or managing; the system by which things are administered; (3) The action of dispensing with some requirement.

I. What does “Dispensation” mean? D. Defining the use of the word theologically, the Oxford English Dictionary says that a dispensation is the following: “a stage in a progressive revelation, expressly adapted to the needs of a particular nation or period of time….Also, the age or period during which a system has prevailed.”

What does “Dispensationalism” mean? E. The Greek word “oikonomia” comes from the verb that means “to manage, regulate, administer, and plan.” The word itself is a compound whose parts mean literally “to divide, apportion, administer or manage the affairs of an inhabited house.” F. In the papyri the officer (oikonomos) who administered the dispensation was referred to as a steward or manager of an estate, or as a treasurer. Thus, the central idea in the word dispensation is that of managing or administering the affairs of a household.

What does “Dispensationalism” mean? G. The various forms of the word “dispensation” appear in the New Testament twenty times: • Verb “oikonomeo” is used once in Luke 16:2 where it is translated “to be a steward.” • Noun “oikonomos” appears ten times (Luke 12:42; 16:1, 3, 8; Rom. 16:23; 1 Cor. 4:1-2; Gal. 4:2; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 4:10) and is typically translated “steward” or “manager” (but “treasurer” in Rom. 16:23). (3) Noun “oikonomia” is used nine times (Luke 16:2,3,4; 1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:10, 3:2,9; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. 1:4). In these instances it is translated variously, “stewardship,” “dispensation,” “administration,” “job,” “commission.”

II. Dispensational Theology as a System of Theology: We now will proceed to move from understanding what the term “dispensation” means to “Dispensationalism” as a system or model of theology.

II. Dispensationalism as a System of theology: • There are many systems of theology in the Christian faith. For example: 1. Philosophical, Natural Theology which is the attempt to attain an understanding of God and his relationship to the universe by means of rationalism, without any appeal to special revelation. 2. Lutheran Theology builds around three fundamental doctrines: sola Scriptura, sola gratia, and sola fide.

Dispensationalism as a System of Theology: 3. Reformed Theology builds around the central theme of the sovereignty of God. 4. Arminian Theology builds around themes of free will, human will, divine foreknowledge, universal common grace, and the fairness (justice) of God. 5. Wesleyan Theology is Arminian but has a stronger view of both the reality of sin and dependence on divine grace.

II. Dispensationalism as a System of Theology: 6. Liberal Theology seeks to articulate Christianity in terms of contemporary culture and thinking; they attempt to maintain the essence of Christianity in contemporary terms and images. Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience tend to be viewed on the same level with each other. 7. Existential Theology builds around “demytholizing” Scripture (whereby we reject not Scripture but the worldview of a past epoch), explaining anything supernatural as a myth, and seeing the Christian faith as a subjective experience, rather than objective truth to embrace (e.g., doctrine of salvation). 8. Neo-orthodox Theology builds around more of a hermeneutical approach than a system of theology but it rejects both liberalism and fundamentalism by emphasizing theology as an encounter between God and man.

II. Dispensationalism as a System of Theology: 9. Liberation Theology builds around social change and how these changes might occur through political action (e.g., Christian Marxism). There are several types: 10. Black Theology is a form of liberation theology that centers around black consciousness and social issues. 11. Feminist Theology is a form of liberation theology that emphasizes “female critical consciousness” and freedom from gender biases, both personally and socially.

II. Dispensationalism as a system of theology: 12. Covenant Theology, a form of reformed theology, centers on one overall covenant known as the covenant of grace or the covenant of redemption. This covenant, made among the members of the Godhead including the following three elements: A. The Father chose a people to be his own; B. The Son was designated with his agreement to pay the penalty of their sin; C. The Holy Spirit was designated with his agreement to apply the work of the Son to this chosen people.

II. Dispensationalism as a system of theology: 1. The covenant of grace explains the unity of redemption through all the ages beginning with the Fall: it is worked out in history. 2. God has one people, the church, for whom he has one plan in all the ages since Adam: to call out this people into one body in both the Old and New Testament ages. 3. The plan of salvation is one of grace, being an outworking of the eternal covenant of grace and comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

II. Dispensational Theology is a System of Theology: B. Traditional-normative dispensational theology is a system that embodies three essential, fundamental concepts (sine qua non): 1. The consistent use of a plain, normal, literal, grammatical-historical-literary method of interpretation; 2. Which reveals that the Church is distinct from Israel; 3. God’s overall purpose is to bring glory to Himself (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14).

1. Normative Interpretation: C. Fundamental and unique is the belief that we consistently seek to give each word the same meaning it would have in its normal usage. 1. It is also known as plain interpretation because we recognize symbols, figures of speech, types, etc. These are interpreted plainly in order to communicate their intended meaning to the reader. In other words, symbols, figures of speech, and types are normal literary tools that are used to clarify or emphasize thoughts and ideas;

1. Normative Interpretation: 2. Literal, plain, or normative interpretation results in accepting the text of Scripture as its face value. 3. The text taken at face value leads one to recognize the distinctions in the progress of divine revelation whereby God uses different economies or dispensations in the outworking of His program.

1. Normative Interpretation: D. We are able to validate the assumption of using a plain, normal, literal, grammatical-historical-literary method of interpretation with the following three reasons: 1. Philosophically: Language was given by God for the purpose of communication with humanity. Therefore, God would give His linguistic communication in the most understandable way-literally and normally. It seems unlikely that God would go to all the trouble of revealing Himself to people in a manner that only caused people confusion and uncertainty in their understanding of who God is and how He works.

1. Normative Interpretation: • Biblically: The O.T. prophecies concerning Christ’s birth and rearing, ministry, death, and resurrection were all fulfilled literally. • Logically: In order to maintain objectivity the literal method of interpretation must be employed. This ensures that impartiality is maintained and prevents the interpreter from overlaying biblical truth with personal thoughts.

1. Normative Interpretation: E. Strengths and weaknesses of literal interpretation: Strengths of Literal hermeneutics: • Textual based interpretation; • Historically acknowledged in the School of Antioch, Reformed Theology (e.g., Charles Hodge; development of Dispensationalism). • Attempts to minimize any subjective judgments of the interpreter.

1. Normative Interpretation: • Weaknesses of literal hermeneutics: • Inadequate attention to all the tasks of interpretation (e.g., neglect in the areas of application); • The ambiguity of the word “literal” makes the meaning confusing; either literal meaning refers to reality, or literal meaning involves normal use of language without any formal way to identify figurative uses from non-figurative uses. • Doesn’t eliminate readers’ decisions and involvement in fashioning the meaning communicated so that a more complete discussion of goal and process of interpretation is needed.

1. Normative Interpretation: • Interpretation follows the following procedures: 1. Recognition (observation) 2. Analysis and Exegesis (interpretation) 3. Application 4. Validation 5. Correlation (theology)

1. Normative Interpretation: • Normative Interpretation involves the presupposition that the Bible is a theological revelation: “- God reveals His messages through human authors (without necessarily involving dictation) expressed in an inspired text…. - When God speaks, the message intended as expressed, is true. - God may incorporate various literary genre but all make reference, according to the literary conventions, to reality.” ~ Dr. Elliott E. Johnson

1. Normative Interpretation: Thus, normative, traditional dispensationalism is the result of the consistent use of the basic hermeneutical principle of literal interpretation. And though dispensationalists have not all been consistent in their usage at all times, this claim for literal interpretation can be made by no other system of theology.

2. Clear Distinction between Israel and the Church: • The church is seen as distinct from Israel for two fundamental reasons: 1. Its character: In O.T. God was dealing primarily with the nation of Israel, which consisted of the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. On the other hand the church consists of believing Jews and Gentiles baptized into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:14) and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

2. Clear Distinction between Israel and the Church: 2. Its time: The church age began after the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:20-22), and His ascension (Eph. 4:7-12). Therefore, since believers of this age are baptized into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13), the church age began with the baptizing ministry of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2; 11:15-16).

2. Clear Distinction between Israel and the Church: The church is a mystery that was not revealed to past generations (Eph. 3:3-5, 9; Col. 1:26-7). This mystery, now revealed, includes the uniting of Jewish and Gentile believers in one spiritual body, Christ indwelling believers, and the future rapture of the unified body (1 Cor. 15:50-58).

2. Clear Distinction between Israel and the Church: Therefore, this distinction between Israel and the Church is the result of historical-grammatical interpretation. Literal interpretation is not used solely by dispensationalists, but its consistent use in all areas of biblical interpretation is.

3. Doxological Purpose: God’s overall purpose is to Glorify Himself. A. God’s ultimate purpose for the ages is to glorify Himself. Scripture is not human-centered, as though salvation were the principle point, but God-centered, because His glory is at the center. B. The glory of God is the primary principle that unifies all dispensations, the program of salvation being just one of the means by which God glorifies Himself. Each successive revelation of God’s plan for the ages, as well as His dealing with the elect, non-elect, angels, and nations all manifest His glory.

III. Dispensational Divisions: So far we have considered the following: 1. dispensation as a term, & 2. dispensationalism as a system. Now we will proceed to consider the traditional seven dispensations:

III. Dispensational Divisions: • The sine qua non is what distinguishes a dispensationalist from all others: • Consistent use of a normative interpretation; • Leads to a distinction between Israel and the Church; • God’s overall purpose is to glorify Himself. The recognition of distinctions in the progress of revelation reveals different dispensations that God uses in the outworking of His plan for the ages.

III. Dispensational Divisions: • Dispensations (Greek: oikonomia) refer to economies or different ways in which God works with man in salvation history (see Eph. 1:10; 3:2; 1 Tim. 1:4). C. In the traditional, normative dispensational scheme, each dispensation begins with (1) a responsibility for man by God, and (2) ends with failure by man and a period of divine judgment. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, yet dispensational theology tends to emphasize the diversity of ways in which God works with humanity

III. Dispensational Divisions: • First Dispensation of Innocence: Genesis 1:28-3:6: Adam was the key person and his responsibilities involved the upkeep of the garden and not eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As a result of failing the eating test came far-reaching judgments on him, his wife, all of humanity, the serpent, and the entire creation.

III. Dispensational Divisions: 2. Dispensation of Conscience (Gen. 4:1-8:14): The conscience is whereby God chose to govern people. In other words, human responsibility was to be obedient to the dictates of their consciences. During this period there was murder (Gen. 4:8), unnatural affection (Gen. 6:2),and widespread evil desire and purpose of heart (Gen. 6:5). God closed this period with the universal flood. God spared Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives by grace (Gen. 6:8).

III. Dispensational Divisions: • Dispensation of Civil Government (Gen. 8:15-11:9): This period began after the Flood and included the animals’ fear of people, animals given to people to eat, the promise of no more flood, and the institution of capital punishment. God gave people the right to take human life which established the right to govern others. From the beginning people failed this test when Noah became drunk with wine and thus was incapable of ruling. This period ended with the tower of Babel.

III. Dispensational Divisions: 4. Dispensation of Patriarchal Rule or Promise (Genesis 11:10-Exodus 18:27): During this period God chose one family and one nation which He used as a representative test of all. Until this dispensation all humanity had been directly linked to God’s governing principles. The patriarchal obligation was to believe and serve God, and God provided many material and spiritual provisions. A specific land was promised and blessing as long as the Israelites stayed in that land. The nation’s failure ended in slavery in Egypt.

III. Dispensational Divisions: 5. Dispensation of Mosaic Law (Exodus 19:1-Acts 1:26): The people were responsible to do all the law (James 2:10) but they failed (Rom. 10:1-3). Failure brought judgments: the ten tribes were carried into Assyrian captivity, the two tribes to Babylon captivity, and they were ultimately scattered throughout the world (Matt. 23:37-39) because of their rejection of Jesus Christ.

III. Dispensational Divisions: 6. Dispensation of the Church (Acts 2:1-Revelation 19:21): Human responsibility is to accept the gift of righteousness which is freely offered by God to all (Rom. 5:15-18)- both Jews and Gentiles. No longer does God deal with just one nation but to anyone who believes. This dispensation will end with the second coming of Jesus Christ.

III. Dispensational Divisions: • Dispensation of the Millennium (Rev. 20:1-15) After the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the millennial kingdom will be established in fulfillment of the biblical, unconditional covenants of the Old Testament (Abrahamic, Davidic, Land, and New Covenant). The Lord Jesus will rule from Jerusalem on David’s throne and His government will last for one thousand years, and human responsibility will be obedience to the King and His Laws. Satan will be bound, Christ will rule, righteousness will predominate, and obvious disobedience will be dealt with swiftly. This period ends with an unsuccessful rebellion against Christ’s government. This results in those rebels being cast into eternal punishment.

IV. Concluding Observations: • Stewardship responsibilities are placed on all who live under a dispensation. This responsibility means active participation for those who respond to the principle of administration and judgment for those who reject its standards. B. Aspects of a dispensation do not necessarily end when another begins. There are promises given in one dispensation that are not always fulfilled during that period (e.g., the promises in O.T. about Christ’s first advent were not fulfilled until He came). Too, there are things instituted in one dispensation that continue on through every age (e.g., people made in the image of God). There are those things that are set out in one period and then presented again in another period (9 of the 10 commandments of the Law are restated as part of the dispensation of church, though restrictions concerning specific foods are done away with).

IV. Concluding Observations: C. The requirement for salvation is the same during all dispensations_ it is through faith, though the content of faith differs in different ages. D. Dispensationalism answers the need of Biblical distinctions. E. It answers the need of a philosophy of history. F. It provides consistent hermeneutics. G. Dispensations does not make one a dispensationalist. Covenant theologians like Berkhof and John Calvin held to 4 dispensations. Rather, it is the sine qua non that distinguishes a dispensationalist from all others.

V. How Should We Then Live? • Case your anxieties and take comfort in God because He is directing history (God is sovereign). B. Though we will suffer as believes and we may never have the answers why we experience the affliction, etc., God will never give less than His infinite-perfect-best (Romans 8:28-30); He knows best even if we don’t. C. Walk with joy knowing that you, a gentile, has been redeemed by God’s grace; you are united with Christ by means of the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit. Joy is fundamental to the Christian life! D. Be sensitive to the ministries of the Holy Spirit because you are in this dispensation.

V. How Should We Then Live? E. Because you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God your responsibility is to respond to His ability. Yield yourself to God in the details of daily living. • Remember, the spiritual life of the believer is the life of Jesus Christ reproduced in the child of God by means of the Holy Spirit. G. Be committed! Since the Rapture of the Church could occur any moment, we need to be watchful, be prepared, practice holiness, and be evangelistic. Thus…

V. How Should We Then Live? …routinely evaluate your Christian life: • Are your priorities God’s priorities? • Have you taken ownership of God’s likes and dislikes? • Are you actively committed to discipling, evangelism, giving, and serving. • Are you content where you are in your spiritual life including prayer life and knowledge of God’s Word? • Do you know why you believe what you believe? • Are you prepared to be examined by Jesus in order to reward you accordingly at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema).

Dispensationalism