Aloha Brother Tim,
Re: Your latest posts this thread > Doctrine > "Please explain dispensationalism to me"
I understand your “reluctance” to chop up the word of God – and possibly make it “of none effect”, but we are commanded to:
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
This is not an “optional request”, it is a commandment given to Paul (by God) to pass on to Timothy (a man called of God to be an “evangelist”), who was called of God to teach and preach the scriptures. As such, all Christians (especially those men who are called of God to preach & teach the scriptures), are obligated to rightly divide “the word of truth”. That is, we have a duty and responsibility to God to obey Him, as to the manner and method we employ in the course of our studies.
I agree with your premise: that all (or almost all) of us who have embraced at least some form of “Dispensationalism” have learned about it from other men. And I, like you, am extremely wary of men's “traditions” and adding to, or subtracting from the word of God (As you should know by my posts on this Forum).
Having said that, I cannot just throw out “Dispensationalism” or “rightly dividing”, just because I learned about it from other men.
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
For example: In 1958, at the age of 18 (when I began reading the King James Bible for the first time in my life) after reading Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes - I went from being “agnostic” to believing that there was a God, and That God was THE GOD of the scriptures. However, I couldn't (or didn't) “figure out” how to get saved until the Lord brought some other Christian service men across my path (The “Navigators”), and they showed me why and how I must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ“ and His finished work on Calvary - that is: I must be born again” in order to obtain eternal life.
What would have happened if I had ignored or rejected their testimony – because it came from men? Of course there is no way of knowing what “might” of happened – but I hope you see my point. Although I am highly suspicious of men and the “traditions” of men, I do not reject all that other Christian men have to offer, because some of it may be “true”, since I know that God's method of spreading His word is through men (“faithful men” - called by Him).
There are so many different “Dispensational” teachings, methods, and “constructs” that I can't blame you for bring skeptical. On the other hand we are commanded to rightly divide the word of truth, so we must not throw out the baby with the bath water.
At this time I will not go into the different “Dispensations”, instead I will ask you to give me an explanation for some obvious differences (in instructions, gifts, & powers given to God's servants) in the scriptures. Confining my questions to the New Testament only:
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mark 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where..
Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.- Do we preach and teach these things as being applicable to the New Testament church for today?
- Do we go out two by two?
- Are we PROHIBITED from going to the “Gentiles” or the “Samaritans”?
- Are we to go to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” ONLY?
- Do we “preach” that the kingdom of heaven or of God is at hand?
- Are we PROHIBITED from Providing neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in our purses?
- Are we PROHIBITED from having scrip for our journey, or two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat?
- Do we have “POWER to: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils today?
- Do we HEAL everyone - everywhere we go today?
- Do we have POWER & AUTHORITY over devils today?
- Are devils SUBJECT unto us through the Lord Jesus Christ's Name today?
- Are we to “salute no man by the way” today?
- Do we have POWER to tread on serpents & scorpions without harm to us today?
- Do we have all POWER over the enemy today?
- Is it true that as we are going about preaching the “gospel of the kingdom” that: “nothing shall by any means hurt you”.- TODAY?
Do you see the problem? If you don't rightly divide the word of truth – you can not make “sense” of the scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
All Scripture has three (3) Applications:- HISTORICAL
- SPIRITUAL
- DOCTRINAL
And it is up to us (those of us who study the scriptures) to rightly divide the word of God and make the “right” application - and that is where “rightly dividing” comes in (which includes “moderate” Dispensationalism).
To say, like some hyper-dispensationalists do, that a particular scripture is not FOR us is an error. For ALL scripture is for us; its ALL profitable; its ALL good for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction – its just not ALL directed AT us; its not ALL “applicable” TO us, as the forgoing verses clearly demonstrate.
The following verses demonstrate even further, that circumstances change – that God requires different responses from us dependent upon His will for His people at different times, or how else can you explain the instructions of the Lord to His disciples late in His ministry, when He was ready to be offered up for the sins of the world?
Luke 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
Do you notice that these instructions are just exactly the OPPOSITE from those He gave near the beginning of His ministry? Why the difference? What had changed?
Can you not see that all of these instructions (both at the beginning and at the end of the Lord's ministry) were specific to the 12 Apostles and then the 70 Disciples (Historically); and that those instructions were applicable only to them at that specific time (Doctrinally)? If they weren't - why aren't any of the signs and miracles following those of us who are preaching the "gospel" today? (That's one of the "problems" that Charismatics have today)
This is just a microcosm of the challenges that “rightly dividing the word of truth” present, but a challenge we are supposed to meet by following the Lord's instructions given in His Holy Scriptures, as to "how" we are to study His Holy word.
In trying to rightly divide the word of God, we could do this kind of exegesis throughout the entire New Testament. It's hard work and some of it is extremely difficult, if not impossible to determine. That is why - if God doesn't show me something, I often just "let it go", rather than make a verse (or verses) fit some preconceived idea I may have about some doctrine. 
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