What is Dispensationalism?

[Marathoner]

I'll share in the manner I always do, @Vine Abider --- once is sufficient. I don't mind. 

First, I was never exposed to dispensationalist nor premillennial teaching. Because of this, I don't view scripture through that lens. It's foreign to me. 

This is not a commentary about correctness, brother. It's a simple statement of fact regarding my understanding that, as Psalm 110 testifies, the Son of God reigns in the midst of His enemies until our Father makes them all a footstool for His feet. Following the narrative of the Psalm we see how the Father sends His Son forth in the day of His wrath, which is a reference to the day of the Lord. 

That great and terrible day of the Lord is depicted in the book of Revelation when heaven and earth flee before His face, and no place was found for them. The dead are resurrected and judged by Him. It's the end of the former things, just before He makes all things new. 

So, that might explain a crucial difference: the Lord returns at the end of all things in my understanding. He sits with Father reigning in the midst of His enemies, which describes His reign here and now. 

As for Israel and the Body? There is no difference. All are one in Christ, which we see demonstrated in the book of Acts. There is only one Vine, one Lord, and one faith. What came before was but a shadow of the substance which is Christ Himself. It pointed to Him (Moses looked forward to His coming). 

If we pay attention to the example provided to us, we see how faith has always been what the Lord valued in His people. God has always been merciful and forgiving; this has never changed. Why would Jonah declare how forgiving God is if this weren't the truth?

I don't see any validity in dispensationalism myself. However, that doesn't matter one whit. We ought to know that none of us are given reason to puff ourselves up by the Lord... on the contrary! We see darkly and know only in part. I'm thankful that the Lord intended for things to be that way. 

Edited June 30, 2024 by Marathoner

[Neighbor]

Might be nice to have a definition  of  dispensationalism:  And a history too. One  with a history of it is presented at  https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/dispensationalism 

Note it is a definition with a strong slant against  the dispensationalists understandings.

[Neighbor]

Personally I tend to think in terms of covenants by God, and of ages, with there being  but one foreknown to God and predestined by God unfolding of it all from eternity past , now the present, and into eternity future. Time itself being a creation by God who is not limited to it's effect on us as we are while in these temporary  and corruptible bodies of flesh.

 

[Dennis1209]

On 6/25/2024 at 8:39 PM, First and the Last said:

1. Innocence (Creation to the Fall)

Key Figures: Adam and Eve

Scripture Reference: Genesis 1:28-30; Genesis 2:15-17

Description: This dispensation began with the creation of humanity and ended with the Fall. During this period, Adam and Eve lived in perfect harmony with God in the Garden of Eden. They were given simple commands: to be fruitful, multiply, have dominion over the earth, and not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Their failure to obey resulted in the Fall and the end of this dispensation.

2. Conscience (Fall to the Flood)

Key Figures: Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Noah

Scripture Reference: Genesis 3:8-8:22

Description: Following the Fall, humanity was guided by their conscience, knowing good and evil. Sin escalated, leading to widespread wickedness. This period ended with God's judgment through the Great Flood, which cleansed the earth of its corruption, sparing only Noah and his family.

3. Human Government (Post-Flood to Babel)

Key Figures: Noah and his descendants

Scripture Reference: Genesis 9:1-11:9

Description: After the Flood, God instituted human government and gave Noah and his descendants the responsibility to establish justice and govern themselves. The confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel marked the end of this dispensation as humanity again strayed from God's commands.

4. Promise (Call of Abraham to the Exodus)

Key Figures: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

Scripture Reference: Genesis 12:1-Exodus 19:25

Description: This dispensation began with God's call to Abraham, promising him land, descendants, and blessings. The patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—lived under this promise. This period ended when the Israelites, now numerous, were enslaved in Egypt, and God called Moses to lead them out.

5. Law (Exodus to the Cross)

Key Figures: Moses, the Judges, the Kings, the Prophets

Scripture Reference: Exodus 20:1-Acts 2:4

Description: Beginning with the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, this dispensation lasted until the crucifixion of Jesus. God gave the Israelites the Law, including the Ten Commandments, to guide their conduct. Despite repeated failures and divine discipline, this period highlighted the need for a Savior and ended with Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection.

6. Grace (Pentecost to the Rapture)

Key Figures: Jesus Christ, the Apostles, the Church

Scripture Reference: Acts 2:4-Revelation 3:22

Description: Also known as the Church Age, this dispensation began at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles, marking the birth of the Church. It is characterized by the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace through faith. This period will end with the rapture of the Church, when believers will be taken up to meet Christ.

7. Millennial Kingdom (Second Coming to Final Judgment)

Key Figures: Jesus Christ, resurrected saints, believers

Scripture Reference: Revelation 20:1-6

Description: Following the Second Coming of Christ, He will reign on earth for a thousand years, a period known as the Millennium. This dispensation will be characterized by peace, righteousness, and the direct rule of Christ. It will end with the final rebellion of Satan, his defeat, and the Great White Throne Judgment, leading to the eternal state.

8. Eternal State (New Heaven and New Earth)

Key Figures: God, redeemed humanity

Scripture Reference: Revelation 21-22

Description: This final dispensation begins after the Great White Throne Judgment. God will create a new heaven and a new earth, where He will dwell with His people forever. This eternal state is marked by the absence of sin, suffering, and death, and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan for humanity.

Nice, you beat me to it. Late to the conversation, as usual.😊

I would also like to expand on what @Michael37 was alluding to in translation (dispensation, administration, and stewardship). Most of us are not Semitic language experts, nor can we read the scriptures in the original text. We rely on accurate English translations that make sense and are understandable in our language. The three words presented (dispensation, administration, and stewardship) all come from word-for-word (literal) translations. Do all three words in English have different meanings and ideas? Yes.

The three types of translations are:

• Word for word (literal).
• Thought for thought (dynamic - flow).
• Paraphrase (free translation).

Those who do not read Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic need help understanding the context of many original manuscript words. Greek is a much more precise word for word than English and will have multiple meanings. Some good dictionaries and lexicons are critical to digging deeper into biblical context and meaning (biblical word study).  

It is judicious to get the context correct from the original language. An interesting example that many overlook is the word love. I love my wife, and I love pizza, but they are not in the same context; one word is used for both in different contexts—a curious example of word usage using the same word in the KJV: love. In Greek, four or five meanings exist for the one-word (root) love used in the KJV.

There is a noteworthy conversation and lesson that takes place between Jesus and Peter:

John 21:15-17 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. ¹⁶ He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁷ He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

For brevity and exercise of this single example, I will not give it away, but look at the two different Greek words for love (and lovest) used in this exchange and meaning of each in the Greek, within the context and conversation.

[Dennis1209]

On 6/25/2024 at 4:07 PM, Vine Abider said:

One radio brother (Steve Gregg) said today that the main teaching dispensationalism bases most everything on is that Israel and the church are viewed as two completely separate entities, and that ultimately Israel will rule upon the earth and the church will rule from the heavens. 

I agree that our hermeneutics on topics like the above are secondary, noncore tenants of the faith and should not divide us.

I agree with Steve Gregg until the comma. Do you agree that "Israel will rule upon the earth and the church will rule from the heavens?"

[Vine Abider]

13 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Hi, May I suggest that good ol'Got Questions has an excellent  review of the amil position, done deliberately from the positive  view of it rather than the negative. See  https://www.gotquestions.org/amillennialism.html

Note: I spent two years with the Church of Christ a group that is amil and believe we are in the Kingdom now and that Satan is presently bound.. Eventually I had to leave over this very issue as they avoided Revelation altogether, simply would not read from it  though they were pleased to claim they read word by word through the Bible. I found them to be great loving sharing generous saints in Christ, but this divide became more than I could work with on a daily basis.

That and the constant fear that with every failure ( sin) they lost their salvation and had to regain it again, -and that salvation was through water baptism.

Thanks for that!  One brother who espouses amil always seems to keep Revelation at arms length and has some "interesting" reasons for that. He is a very intelligent brother whom I think much of, but this stance of his doesn't make much sense to me.  I'd never thought about it much, but I suppose with having the amil view, it would tend to keep someone away from a forward looking book like Revelation . . . 

[Vine Abider]

4 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Might be nice to have a definition  of  dispensationalism:  And a history too. One  with a history of it is presented at  https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/dispensationalism 

Note it is a definition with a strong slant against  the dispensationalists understandings.

And this article points out that the main thing with the dispensationalist view is the distinction between Israel and the church.  However, while I hold more to  dispensationalistic view, I don't see these two as being separated at all.  In fact Paul speaks specifically about the two being one in Christ and the NT saints being grafted in.

So perhaps it's hard to categorize my views as strictly one way or another . . .

And amil sources always point to Darby as being the originator of dispensationalism (therefore it can't be valid), but is that really the case that no one thought that way before?  Or is it just that he "systematized" the perspective?  I seem to have read things from earlier ones that sounded dispensationalist.

[Vine Abider]

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

I agree that our hermeneutics on topics like the above are secondary, noncore tenants of the faith and should not divide us.

I agree with Steve Gregg until the comma. Do you agree that "Israel will rule upon the earth and the church will rule from the heavens?"

No I don't see things that way. I see that all God's people are one woman, and this will be expressed in the New Jerusalem, which comes down to earth from heaven as a bride. (BTW - I don't see reason to think the NJ will hover above the earth.)

[Mr. M]

12 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Thanks for that!  One brother who espouses amil always seems to keep Revelation at arms length and has some "interesting" reasons for that. He is a very intelligent brother whom I think much of, but this stance of his doesn't make much sense to me.  I'd never thought about it much, but I suppose with having the amil view, it would tend to keep someone away from a forward looking book like Revelation . . . 

The Millennium is the seventh day rest of Christ,

if you can receive it...

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Those who would deny this blessing are not worthy to receive it.

[Neighbor]

19 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

(therefore it can't be valid)

Well that manner of concluding whether  something may be so would eliminate any rapture too (Or for that matter anything but flat earth-ism LOL).