A Study About DISPENSATION Part 1 The Scripture verses below are the only ones that mention the word “DISPENSATION” in the whole Bible. And notice also that it is only Paul the apostle who used that word among all Bible writers, according to the King James Bible. We will not talk about the use of the Greek word “oikonomia” or the other words for dispensation such as “stewardship”, “management” and “administration” here but the English word “DISPENSATION”. 1 Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a DISPENSATION of the gospel is committed unto me. Ephesians 1:10 That in the DISPENSATION of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the DISPENSATION of the grace of God which is given me to youward: Colossians 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the DISPENSATION of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Let us enumerate these dispensations in the Bible: 1. A dispensation of the gospel. (1 Cor. 9:7) 2. The dispensation of the fullness of times. (Eph. 1:10) 3. The dispensation of the grace of God. (Eph. 3:2) 4. The dispensation of God.(Col. 1:25) All in all, there are only 4 mentions of the word “dispensation” in the whole Bible and these are found only in the Pauline epistles. These “dispensations” are the dispensations given to Paul. According to a popular teaching, a dispensation is a “time period, often called an ‘age,’ during which this divine revelation is dominant in the testing of man’s obedience to God”. “Dispensationalists” have created 4,6,7 or more dispensations. An Acts 2 Dispensational teacher gives a list of 4 dispensations: (1) The Dispensation of the Gentiles from Adam’s fall to the Exodus from Egypt; (2) The Dispensation of Israel from Exodus to Pentecost; (3) The Dispensation of the church from Pentecost to the rapture; (4) The Dispensation of the Millennium from the Second coming to the Great white throne judgment. Clarence Larkin has 8 dispensations: (1) The Edenic dispensation; (2) The Ante-diluvian dispensation; (3) Post-diluvian dispensation; (4) The Patriarchal dispensation; (5) The Legal dispensation; (6) The Ecclesiastical dispensation; (7) The Messianic dispensation; and (8) The dispensation of the fullness of times. Scofield has 7 dispensations or “ages” namely, the dispensation of: (1) Innocence; (2) Conscience; (3) Human government; (4) Promise; (5) Law; (6) Church; (7) Kingdom. Hal Lindsey lists 7 dispensations: (1) The dispensation of freedom or innocence; (2) The dispensation of conscience or self-determination; (3) The dispensation of civil government; (4) The dispensation of Israel under promise; (5) The dispensation of Israel under Law; (6) The dispensation of Grace; and (7) The dispensation of the Millennium. The Mid-acts dispensationalists have different versions of dispensationalists chart. The traditional mid-actsers follow the Acts 2 dispensationalists (such as Scofield, Lindsey and Larkin). They have also the 7 dispensations or “ages” like what Scofield lists, but changed the name of Scofield’s sixth dispensation into “the dispensation of the grace of God” and not”the dispensation of the church” because they believe that even during “the dispensation of law” there was “a church” so it is not appropriate to call the sixth dispensation as “the dispensation of the church” but “the dispensation of the grace of God”. They base it on Paul the apostle’s word in Ephesians 3. They teach that the sixth dispensation or the dispensation of the grace of God began not in Acts 2 but in Acts 9 or 13 (mid-acts). That this dispensation or age is an “unprophesied” or “mystery” dispensation. That this dispensation began “in” Paul when he was saved (Acts 9) or when he was sent (Acts 13). Mid-acters are divided on this matter. The other groups of Mid-actsers who are King James Bible believers have different a list of dispensations than the traditional mid-actsers. And that is the three-fold dispensational timeline based on the words of Paul the apostle in Ephesians 2, “time past” (Eph. 2:11); “but now” (Eph. 2:13) and “ages to come” (Eph. 2:7). Based on these, they have created a list of 3 dispensations – (1) Time past – prophecy past [From Abram to Moses unto Acts 8]; (2) But now – mystery – the dispensation of grace [From Paul in Acts 9 up to the end of this dispensation – the “rapture” of the body before the “great tribulation”]; and (3) Ages to come – prophecy future [From the “great tribulation” up to consummation of the ages]. The other dispensationalists which the Acts 2 and Mid-acts dispensationalists call “extreme”, “supra” or “hyper” dispensationalists, namely the Post-Acts or Acts 28 dispensationalists have also a different list of dispensations. One of the great proponents of Acts 28 dispensationalism is Dr. Bullinger, that’s why his followers or those who followed the Acts 28 dispensationalism view are called by traditional dispies as “Bullingerites”. Dr. Bullinger has this list of dispensations. (1) The Edenic State of Innocence; (2) The period “without law” [the times of ignorance]; (3) The era under law; (4) The period of grace; (5) The epoch of judgment; (6) The millennial age; (7) The eternal state of glory. Whether the creators of these lists of dispensations believe that the word dispensation is only a period of time of probation or not, they have provided these lists to people who will follow this system and also think that a dispensation is “period of time”. W.E. Vine notes that: “a dispensation is not a period or epoch (a common, but erroneous use of the word), but a mode of dealing, an arrangement of administration of affairs.” If the word “dispensation” is NOT a period of time or an epoch or an age, then what is it? According to 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, this is the definition of dispensation: “DISPENSATION, n. 1. Distribution; the act of dealing out to different persons or places; as the dispensation of water indifferently to all parts of the earth. 2. The dealing of God to his creatures; the distribution of good and evil, natural or moral, in the divine government. Neither are God’s methods or intentions different in his dispensations to each private man. 3. The granting of a license, or the license itself, to do what is forbidden by laws or canons, or to omit something which is commanded; that is, the dispensing with a law or canon, or the exemption of a particular person from the obligation to comply with its injunctions. .. 4. That which is bestowed; a system of principles and rites enjoined; as the Mosaic dispensation; the gospel dispensation; including, the former the Levitical Law and rites; the scheme of redemption by Christ.” “DISPENSE, v.t. dispens. [L. to weigh, primarily to move; and perhaps the original idea of expending was to weigh off, or to distribute by weight.] 1. To deal or divide out in parts or portions; to distribute. The steward dispenses provisions to every man, according to his directions. The society dispenses medicines to the poor gratuitously or at first cost. God dispenses his favors according to his good pleasure. 2. To administer; to apply, as laws to particular cases; to distribute justice. While you dispense the laws and guide the state. ..” From Strong’s, this is dispensation: Gk.3622, oikonomia, from 3623; administration (of a household or estate); spec. a (relig.) “economy”: - dispensation, stewardship. Gk. 3623, sfrom 3624 and the base of 3551; a house-distributor (i.e. manager) or overseer, i.e. an employee in that capacity; by extens. a fiscal agent (treasurer); fig. a preacher (of the Gospel): - chamberlain, a governor, steward. Gk. 3624, s,… a dwelling….:- home, house (-hold), temple. Gk. 3551, s, from a primary nemo, (to parcel out, espec. food or grazing to animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), gen. (regulation), spec. (of Moses; also of the Gospel), or fig. (a principle): - law. From these two Greek words “oikos” and “nomos” came the word “oikonomia” which is the Greek word for “dispensation”. Oikos = house and Nomos = law. We can make the words “house law” or “law of the house”. From this came the idea of “house management” or “house administration”. W.E. VINE explains that the word “dispensation” primarily signifies “the management or administration of a household or of household affairs (oikos, a house, nomos, a law); then the management of the property of others, and so a stewardship, Luke 16:2,3,4”. He further continues, “elsewhere only in the Epistles of Paul, who applies it (a) to the responsibility entrusted to him of preaching the Gospel, I Cor. 9:17 (R.V., ‘stewardship,’ A.V. ‘dispensation’); (b) the stewardship committed to him ‘to fulfill the Word of God,’ the fulfillment being the unfolding of the completion of the Divinely arranged and imparted cycle of truths which are consummated in the truth relating to the Church as the Body of Christ, Col. I:25…; so in Eph. 3:2, of the grace of God given him as a stewardship (‘dispensation’) in regard to the same ‘mystery’; (c) in Eph. I: 10 and 3:9 it is used of the arrangement or administration by God, by which in ‘the fullness of times’ (or seasons) God will sum up all things all things in the heavens and on earth in Christ.” From all these definitions that we have gathered, we clearly see that a dispensation is not a “period of time” or “an age” although it was given to a man or a people during or inside an “age” or a “period of time”” but the dispensation is not “the period of time” itself. But the word dispensation is: 1. Distribution; the dividing out in portions; 2. The act of dealing out to different persons or places; 3. The dealing of God to his creatures; 4. The administration of a household or estate; 5. The management of a household or of household affairs; 6. House law, or law of the house. 7. Trust or stewardship committed to a person. to be continued
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 00:38:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015