ReligionDiscuss General Theology, Religions and Denominations, God's Attributes, Predestination and Free Will, Dispensationalism, Eschatology, Philosophy, Origins, Archaeology, Science, World History and other such topics.
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Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in
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What is dispensationalism? -
March 29th, 2006, 03:41 AM
Dispensationalism is defined by one reliable scholar in Bible matters as: "A period of time during which man is tested in respect to his obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God" (New Scofield Reference Bible on Gen. 1:28).
Your thougts are welcome.
Jn 12:26 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him [My] Father will honor.
You will have to ask a protestant about this one as it is not a term commonly used in Catholic theology.
Dispensation: "Dispensation is an act whereby in a particular case a lawful superior grants relaxation from an existing law. " That is the opening line of a lenghty entry in the Catholic encyclopedia, that never mentions "Dispensationalism". Sorry, I'm coming up dry on this one.
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March 29th, 2006, 04:27 AM
In Seminary I was given a whole class on the different Dispensations. The concept taught in this class was one of "ages" or "phases". It is where God has different covenants and promises in regards to his Children (from Adam to the Jews, then the Christians).
There are so many different definitions of them though, that you can get into nasty arguments for no good reason. I was taught that there were seven different dispensations, in which God's relationship with his people was slightly different. The Dispensation of Innocence (God and Adam). Then Man failed. The second dispensation was the Dispensation of Conscience. Then the Dispensation of Government (Doesn't work, man fails). Then God's promise to Abraham with the Dispensation of Promise. Then the Dispensation of the LAW (Moses). Then the Dispensation of Grace. (this starts with Jesus, and is where we are now).
And the Last one was the Dispensation of the Kingdom. (Jesus Comes back... yada yada).
Not sure what you were looking for, but that is off the top of my head. (Gotta love education)
When men lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster. ~ Tao Te Ching, Seventy-Two
Yes. BAD Theology. Scofield first published his reference Bible in 1909. In three years all you Dispy's can celebrate the 100th birthday of the notorious Scofield Bible. Scofield's Bible made dispensationalism popular in America. the history is amazing. But all the honest research I did says that Dispensationalism started in 1840 in Glasgow Scotland and that is where we got "The Rapture." No Christian theology ever divided the Parousia into two events until the Brethren did it in Scotland. One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty years after the birth of Christ.
Very, VERY bad theology. It allows people to say things like, "Oh, that doesn't apply to us in the CURRENT dispensation..."
For example, when Jesus states in Mark 16:16
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall he condemned."
dispensationalists come along and say "Oh, even if Jesus said it we don't REALLY have to be baptized... That's the OLD dispensation. St. Paul did away with all that when he received his revelation, straight from God s'matterofact...".
You see. It's a convenient way to ignore anything in the bible that doesn't square with an individual's personal theology.
We Dispensationalists believe all Scripture is for us! But all Scripture is not written to us, the body of Christ.
All Scripture is important. The important thing for us to realize is that God’s program for us today, the Dispensation of Grace, is different from all His previous programs and future programs. We see how unique God’s program for us is when we read about Paul’s commission in Eph 3:1-9 “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles – 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers together of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gracious gift of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the untraceable riches of Christ, 9 and make all see what is the dispensation (oikonomia) of the mystery, which has been hidden from the ages in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.
There is much truth for us in all of God’s word. It would be extremely difficult to understand God’s plan of salvation without the whole Bible.
It would be horrible to tear out any Scripture in God’s word because the Bible says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It’s all profitable for our edification. 2 Tim 3:14-17 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Paul repeated his explanation for the church in Col 1:25-27. [The church]of which I became a minister according to the dispensation of God which was given to me for you, to fulfill [to complete, make full, fill] the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from the ages and from the generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To whom God willed to make known what are the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ among you, the hope of glory.
This means that prophecies made before Paul was saved, from Genesis to Acts nine, have nothing to do with this dispensation. Why is that true? It’s true because the Dispensation of the Secret or, Mystery, was hidden from the ages in God until God revealed it to Paul after Paul was saved. That means nothing was known about the church which is the body of Christ before it was revealed to the Apostle Paul.
Things changed drastically when the dispensation of grace started. Remember, it is also called the dispensation of the mystery. Let’s look at the big differences in this dispensation.
Nothing is more important to us than our salvation. In this dispensation, we are justified by faith. Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
In other dispensations they were justified by faith plus works. Jam 2:11,12,14,20,21,24,25 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
Is Paul talking about two different "dispensations" or "mysteries" when he writes:
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
and when he writes:
9 and make all see what is the dispensation (oikonomia) of the mystery, which has been hidden from the ages in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.
If Paul was the exclusive recipient of the revelation of this new dispensation (which has been hidden from the ages), then why does he state that "it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles [plural] and prophets"???
Or is he talking about two different "mysteries" here?
Quote:
Nothing is more important to us than our salvation. In this dispensation, we are justified by faith. Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
In other dispensations they were justified by faith plus works.
What of Phillipians 2:12? It was written by Paul, wasn't it? Why would he tell us to work out our salvation if salvation is easily attained through simple belief or mere faith? Why would Paul speak of an "obedience of faith" (Romans 1:5).
After all, dispensations are clearly a biblical concept. People might argue about when, what and why but nobody should argue against the idea of God using dispensations to at least some extent.
Paul wasn't a "bad theologian" was he?
Ephesians 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth — in Him.
Ephesians 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
The true National Debt of the United States is $18.964 Trillion. Therefore, our debt as a percentage of GDP is really 130%. This is beyond the level reached during World War II. We are no longer the manufacturer to the world. We are the consumer to the world. The country adds $4 Billion per day to the National Debt.
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March 30th, 2006, 04:15 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knight
Maybe you should at least qualify that statement?
After all, dispensations are clearly a biblical concept. People might argue about when, what and why but nobody should argue against the idea of God using dispensations to at least some extent.
Paul wasn't a "bad theologian" was he?
Ephesians 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth — in Him.
Ephesians 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
My post was basically intended to get a reaction. While I currently do not completely agree with dispensationalism, I do not think it is "bad theology".
My post was basically intended to get a reaction. While I currently do not completely agree with dispensationalism, I do not think it is "bad theology".
What part of dispenstionalism does not sit right with you?
The true National Debt of the United States is $18.964 Trillion. Therefore, our debt as a percentage of GDP is really 130%. This is beyond the level reached during World War II. We are no longer the manufacturer to the world. We are the consumer to the world. The country adds $4 Billion per day to the National Debt.
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