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#1
06-06-2009, 01:46 PM
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Dispensationalism
Hi - I'm sharing this since this one was particularly good at explaining dispensationalism and how it relates to Christians TODAY. This guy always uses the KJV and he encourages forwarding to others.
Jassy --------------------------------------- DAILY EMAIL GOODIES Issue #2039 June 05, 2009 --------------------------------------- DISPENSATION: ITS MEANING, AFFECT, DISTRIBUTION, & IMPORTANCE "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward" (Ephesians 3:2). The word used to translate "dispensation" is oikonomia; Paul uses this word four times in his epistles. Surprisingly many believers are completely unaware of its meaning and importance. It has been a long neglected subject by the majority of Bible students. Just what is a "dispensation?" WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE WORD "DISPENSATION"? The word dispensation has to do with the act of distribution, or dealing out; it is a divine administration, economy, or stewardship. Dispensation comes from the word dispense. It can be seen in the word dispensary. A dispensation is not, as is commonly believed, a period of time. W.C. Vine in his Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words gives the following definition: "A dispensation is not a period or epoch (a common, but erroneous use of the word), but a mode of dealing, an arrangement, or administration of affairs." HOW DO DISPENSATIONS AFFECT ME? Throughout the Bible God has had different administrations (or dispensations). In God's dispensations, as with that of the farmer, it is very important to do the work of the present season. For example, there are truths that belong to Israel that DO NOT belong to the Body of Christ. II Timothy 2:15 plainly gives us the answer: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." Many try to follow the dispensations of the Hebrew Scriptures (Romans 15:4) or of Christ's earthly ministry (Romans 15:8); but Paul was given the dispensation for us (Colossians 1:2-26, Ephesians 3:2-3, Romans 15:15-16, 16:25, 26). WHAT DOES THIS PRESENT DISPENSATION "DISPENSE"? "… The dispensation of the GRACE OF GOD …" (Ephesians 3:2). The dispensation given to Paul for us today was one of God's grace. This is the key to God's progressive revelation regarding Himself and His plan of the ages. It is so important for the student of the Scriptures to recognize this wonderful truth. God's present, and pinnacle purpose is one of grace. He is dispensing, or dealing out His grace. We live in God's grace dispensary. The Father's sole mode of dealing is in grace. WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE IF UNDERSTANDING THE DISPENSATIONS? "And if a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully" (II Timothy 2:5). A participant in any race must follow the rules for that game or they will not win the prize. How sad it is that many believers, even though they are very sincere, won't be "approved unto God" as regarding their service and conduct of life because they did not study with the purpose to "rightly divide the Word of Truth." Thy have not become a part of God's present purpose – of being a dispensary of the Father's grace. They neither live in grace themselves, nor with others. God did not give Paul the administering of a stewardship of grace so that we could simply make "dispensational charts;" but so that we would be receptors and channels of "the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7; 2:7). "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Ephesians 3:8). "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward" (Ephesians 3:2). Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr. Daily Email Goodies --------------------------- DAILY EMAIL GOODIES Know someone who might enjoy this Daily Email Goodie? Why not forward it to them? Receive the Daily Email Goodies by signing up at: http://dailyemailgoodies.com Do you have choice quotes that you would like to share with others who receive the Daily Email Goodies? Send them to us at: Goodies@StudyShelf.com Be sure to put "Daily Email Goodies" in your subject heading. OUR WEEKLY PERIODICAL If you enjoy the Daily Email Goodies, you would probably also enjoy our weekly Bible study periodical, the Bible Student's Notebook, which is available in two formats: Electronic (e-mailed to you) and Printed (mailed to you). Get your free sample issue at: http://biblestudentsnotebook.com OUR ONLINE ARTICLES Read past articles from the Bible Student's Notebook online: http://www.pilkingtonandsons.com/Articles.htm OUR BLOGS We have 14 blogs on various subjects set up. To view these blogs visit: http://www.pilkingtonandsons.com/ourblogs.htm |
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#2
06-06-2009, 04:33 PM
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II Tim, 214 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. Clarence Larkin and CI Scofield taught 7 "dispensations". In the Army, if you get sick, you see the doctor, he prescribes medicine, you go to the "dispensary" and they give you the medicine. God has "dispensed" His word and will to different people in different ages in different ways(Heb. 1). Ge 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Ge 6:22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. Ge 7:5 And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him. Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; God gave Noah a "dispensation" to preach to the world, that dispensation, that message, was repent from unrighteousness, repent from your evil wickedness, and wiated on the world to respond to Noah's preaching, all the while the Ark was being built. We know the result. That is one example of God "dispensing" His word and will, His program for that time. Noah never said, "look forward to the cross of Christ and the gospel of grace" because Noah knew nothing of the cross or the gospel of grace given to Paul. God gave to Abraham a "dispensation": In your seed will all the world be blessed, a nation set apart from all others, the nation and Kingdom that My righteousness will go forth from. When God led this nation out of bondage in Egypt He took Moses and gave Moses the "dispensation" of the Law to train and point out to man God's perfection and man's imperfection. In the days of John the baptist Christ came and said, I came not to do away with this Law, I am the fulfillment of it. I came to do what it cannot. I am what the Law pointed towards. National Israel rejected Christ with three murders: John the Baptist, Jesus Christ Himself, and Stephen in Acts 7. Eph. 2 and 3, Galatians 2, Romans 11 and Acts 15 are essential to this truth: God had a program, a "dispensation", that was revealed nowhere in the Scriptures, in prophecy, or to any man until it was revealed to Paul: In Time Past the Gentiles were exalted by the exaltation of Israel and had no pathway to God except through Israel. As Paul says in Eoh.2 "but now" Jews and Gentiles are equal and together on one Body that did not exist before Paul, that no Jew in Israel had a concept of. If you study the extremist racial, spiritual and social bigotry and separatism that Israel had for all nations but themselves, you will begin to understand Eph. 3: Eph. 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you–ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: This is Paul's commission, not given to the 12 Apostles, because they were apostles to Israel, Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles and Jews both. The "church" under the 12 apostles was exalted by Israel's rise(Romans 11), "but now" Israel has fallen. We cannot seek a pathway to God through Israel, they have been set aside, now everyone can seek that saving pathway to God, not through Israel and the 12 Apostles, but through Paul and his gospel, Christ crucified apart from the works of the Law. Jassy as I said, Larkin and Scofield divided the "dispensations" into seven, Paul gives us however three: Eph. 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved  6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Jassy, in Time Past the Gentiles were out of it, damned, doomed, and lost except through becoming part of Israel(proselyte). But now we are one Body with Christ without Israel, and equal with and to them. "Ages to come"? This is the rise of Israel again after the Rapture, the Tribulation, the 1000 year kingdom of priests on earth, then on into eternity where our glory is in the heavens, Israel's is in the earth. If we read this(The Scripture i cite, not me) and believe it, then Paul says this will work effectually in us. If Paul's message is the message for today, "but now", then we see the Scriptures dispensations divided as Genesis-Acts 28: Time Past. The Beginning of all things, the Fathers of Israel, National Israel, Christ's ministry to Israel, the 12 apostle's ministry to Israel, Paul's final dealings with Israel and the end of water baptism, signs, tongues, wonders, healings, raising from the dead, all cease at Acts 28 as they are the "signs of an apostle" and Israel required signs. Romans-Philemon: But Now, church doctrine for today given to Paul and through Paul to us today. Hebrews-Revelation: Tribulation doctrine for Israel, not the Body of Christ today. Paul tells us: 2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: We can "rightly divide" Paul's letters to us in this manner: Doctrine- Romans. Reproof- I & II Corinthians. Correction- Galatians thru Colossians. Instruction In Righteousness- I Thes./Philemon Paul was the greatest of all the Apostles, he was called by God The Wise Masterbuilder, because he was the custodian of the transition from Time Past(the Messianic Church Of Peter, James, and John) through to today, But Now, and then preparing the Jews for the Tribulation as the author of Hebrews, Ages To Come. Jassy, when I saw the truth of this dispensational teaching of rightly dividing the Bible, all contradictions disappeared. If you readwhat it says, where it says it, to who it says it to, and believe it from that method given to us by Paul, you will start learning things faster than you can write them down or keep track of. Grace and peace sister, I hope this helps you. Tony |
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#3
06-06-2009, 06:18 PM
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you can actually divide the one book of Romans into the the same divisions plus more. not in the same order as you have divided Paul's letters. Remember we are not commanded to rightly divide Paul but the Word of Truth so that would be the whole Scripture. If all we had was the Book of Romans we would have enough to live the correct Christian life. |
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#4
06-07-2009, 12:28 PM
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Jassy,
I think most of us realize the importance of dispensational truth, and most are going to consider ourselves to be "moderate dispensationalists." But if you think about it, the fact that we are told to RIGHTLY divide (2 Timothy 2:15) means you can also WRONGLY divide the Bible, so please don't get confused with Hyperdispensational nonsense. This kind of doctrine is often filled with quagmires of “private interpretation” and sometimes flat out heresies. Here are a few more articles for your consideration... http://www.gotothebible.com/HTML/wrongly1.html http://www.victory-baptist.net/hyper.htm#_ftn13 http://www.angelfire.com/nt/books/hy...tionalism.html |
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#5
06-07-2009, 01:37 PM
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There is another Christian that I know, who is also a KJV believer, strong in the Word, who said that God's dispensions are related to ERA's and that now we are in the CHURCH era. But I see that so many people think that this Church era is the LAST dispensation. However, God still has future dispensations that He will give, according to His own time. Quote:
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Jassy |
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#8
06-08-2009, 03:08 AM
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Of course we can rightly divide Paul, he is "all Scripture" as much as any other, because nowhere in Scripture are you going to find out Who You Are In Christ but in Paul. Grace and peace brother Tony |
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#9
06-08-2009, 04:21 AM
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I just taught through Romans in our church and it was funny that your outline of all his letters lined up with my outline of the book of Romans. so I made that comment.
I just reminded you that it is all scripture not just Paul's letters we are to divide. |
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#10
06-08-2009, 04:26 AM
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I don't make a dime off these CDs or Brother Jordan's ministry. I recommend his CDs and DVDs because you can hardly sit still and listen to them without getting up and running the aisles, so to speak. I know few Christians of any "sect" or "denomination" that is as evangelistic as Brother Rick is for preaching Christ crucified and witnessing. I can't recommend his messages highly enough, I think you will enjoy them and get a lot of edification from them. Grace and peace sister Tony |
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