In various discussions with advocates of Calvinism, Lordship Salvation you will encounter men who reject a Dispensational approach to the Scriptures.
“And should we overlook the almost rabid
contempt many conservative evangelicals express toward dispensationalism
(which, as Kraus and Sandeen have noted, was born ‘from within the womb of
orthodox Calvinism’)?”
The preceding
excerpt, from an extended comment, was written by Dr. Gerald Priest and was
posted by him at the pseudo-fundamentalist
Sharper Iron site (3/8/2010). The excerpt appeared in regard to Dr. Kevin
Bauder who was then and continues today to be, as Dr. Priest stated,
“quite lavish in his [Bauder’s] praise of
conservative evangelicals while castigating so-called fundamentalists. Yet he
has spent very little time warning us about the pitfalls and problems of
conservative evangelicalism. What I
fear is that we may be allowing a Trojan horse into the fundamentalist camp.”
(For related reading see, Let’s Get “CRYSTAL” Clear on This: A Response to Kevin Bauder’s “Cannonball” Cogitations: “Foremost Defenders of the Gospel Today?”)
Introduction
to Dispensationalism
There is nothing new I can add to a study
of Dispensationalism. For centuries
theologians on both sides of the debate have articulated principles of
Dispensationalism far better than I could ever hope to. For this article I have
drawn from several contemporary theologians, primarily fundamentalist men. The bulk of the following, however, I
attribute to the late Dr. David L. Cummins. I have a set of recorded lectures he gave me on the subject of Dispensationalism. Much of what follows is a
transcription from Dr. Cummings introduction to his lecture series on
Dispensationalism.
 |
| Dr. David L. Cummins (8/1929-8/2009) |
Several major theological systems have competed against each
other since the Reformation. The
theological system that has been competing with Dispensationalism is commonly
known as Covenant Theology. Covenant
Theology (CT) is Calvinistic theology. CT
has been refined as it passed through the Puritans and modern-day followers in
the Presbyterian, Lutheran and Reformed churches. CT places a strong emphasis on the sovereignty of God and
predestination.
Covenant theology is based on the theory
that God has only one covenant with men (the
covenant of grace) and only one people, represented by the Old and New
Testament saints—one people, one church and one plan for all. These beliefs
require the adherents of Covenant Theology to interpret prophecy in a
nonliteral way.
Those who hold to Covenant Theology
believe that there is, and has always been, only one people of God. They
believe that Israel was the Church in the Old Testament, and the Church is
Israel in the New Testament. Dispensationalism, on the other hand, is
a system of theology with two primary distinctives: (1) a consistently literal
interpretation of Scripture, especially Bible prophecy, and (2) a distinction
between Israel and the Church in God's program.
Dispensationalism has been present in many forms for
centuries.
Premillennialism can be found in the writings of early
church fathers like Justin Martyr. “Premillennialism
in Christian eschatology is the belief that Christ will literally
reign on the earth for 1,000 years at his second coming.” It was not as developed as it is today, but
it was present.
Amillennialism is a view in Christian eschatology named for its denial of a future, thousand-year,
physical reign of Jesus Christ on the earth
Postmillennialism is an interpretation of chapter 20 of
the Book of Revelation, which sees Christ's Second Coming as occurring
after (Latin post-) the “Millennium”
a Golden Age or era of
Christian prosperity and dominance.
What follows will explore
Dispensationalism, and demonstrate the biblical basis for a dispensational approach to Scripture. As we begin it is best to understand what
Dispensationalism really is. Even
without the use of that word we use a dispensational approach to primarily
everything we read.
J. Edwin Hartell, “A Dispensation is a
period of time during which God deals in a particular way with man in respect
to sin, and man’s responsibility.”
Charles Ryrie, “A dispensation may
be defined as a stewardship, administration, over-sight or management of
others’ property…A distinguishable economy in the outworking of God’s
purpose…the emphasis is put on the biblical meaning of the word itself.”
H. A Ironside, In The Heavenlies, p. 67, “A dispensation, an economy then, is that
particular order of condition of things prevailing in one special age, which
does not necessarily prevail in another.”
A dispensation
then is God’s manner of dealing with His people in a given section of time.
Why
Do We Need to Understand Dispensationalism?
Without a dispensational approach the Bible
becomes a maze of confusion, and/or it becomes a non-divine book of errors and
contradiction. From various passages we will illustrate how the Bible leads to
confusion apart from a dispensational approach:
Joel 3:10 & Isaiah 2:4 “plowshares, swords” Which should we do? With a dispensational approach it is both, in a particular time
Matthew
10:5-6 & 28:19-20 “Go not to the Samaritans/Gentiles…teach
ALL nations.” Which shall we do? Go only to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel,” or to “all nations?
Psalm 51:11 & John 14:16 David had failed with Bathsheba and rebuked by Nathan. “Cast me not away…take not thy Holy Spirit from me.” “…that He may abide with you forever.”
Is man to pray that the Spirit remain in
his heart and not leave him, or accept the promise of Jesus when He said the
Spirit will abide forever? Both cannot
be correct? Both are correct and can be
reconciled through dispensational truth. Without dispensational truth, these
words of Christ would be confusing.
Psalm 58:6 & Matthew 5:43-44 “Break their teeth.” “Love your enemies.”
An imprecatory Psalm asking God to act in
retribution. Does Jesus contradict the Scriptures? Of course not.
Deut. 11:14-17 & Matthew 5:45 God withdrawing water from the wicked. “Sendeth rain on the just and unjust.” You cannot have it both
ways! Either we cannot take the Bible
literally or there is some way to reconcile these passages in the Word of God.
Without a dispensational approach the Bible becomes a
confusing maze…it becomes a non-divine book of errors and contradiction.
Illustration:
The school principal may
sign a teacher’s first weekly paycheck for $250.00. The teacher would call and ask about this,
the principal explains that this is his first week’s pay. The teacher, however, demands his full pay.
The principal explains that he has read
the academy’s charter and by-laws drafted in 1970 which states that a high
school teacher’s annual pay is $12,000.00 and therefore sent him the
corresponding wages. The teacher replies
that the principal been reading a document from under the old dispensation,
that there have been revisions, and that I had better get with the new
dispensation.
If we do not understand the time frame of
historical events, the whole of history becomes confusing. If I were to read a book on America’s
involvement in war I might be confused if I did not read with a dispensational
approach.
On Monday I read
about George Patton and WWII.
On Tuesday I read
about George Washington, and am amazed that General Washington did not call in
air strikes on the British.
On Wednesday night
I read about General Pershing and WWI and question why he did not threaten to
use the atomic bomb.
If I did not understand the differences in the time frame
the history would be a confusing mess for me.
And so it is with those who fail to understand the dispensational
differences in the Bible.
This is why the failure to understand
dispensational truth has lead some to despair.
Some believers read the Bible from a “flat” dispensational view, that is, without any time barriers. A “Flat”
view has lead some believers to a post-millennial
position that says, the world is going to get better and better by the
preaching of the gospel, and the church will bring back her King, the Lord
Jesus Christ.
If the Bible is not accepted
dispensationally…
1)
Why
don’t we sacrifice lambs on the altar for the forgiveness of sins?
2)
Why
don’t we stone a man who (defiles) picks up stick on the Sabbath? (Num 15)
3)
Why
did God intervene drastically in the past to destroy evil as in Sodom &
Gomorrah; Yet, today we have similar scenes in San Francisco and other American
cities that go without chastening?
Has God grown old or tired and decided to
just let man have his way for now? Unless
we understand that we are living in the Day of Man, the Dispensation of Grace,
the day of God’s silence, we shall be overwhelmed by these questions.
Without a dispensational view you can
pray prayers that do not belong in this dispensation: 1) Ask God to kill all
the abortionists. 2) “Take not thy Holy
Spirit from me” Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave thee…”
In the study of Dispensationalism we are
going to see that in each dispensation man has a specific responsibility to a
primary revelation given by God in a period of time. Dispensations are characterized by man’s
testing by God, by man’s failure, and then the judgment that falls from the
hand of God. There is a progressive
revelation as God unfolds new truth about Himself or His purpose for man, and
mans ability to receive it. For example:
Hebrews 1:1-2 “sundry times and divers manners…in these last days.”
With giving new revelations that God
provides the relationship and responsibility between man and God is heightened
as a new dispensation is begun. Dispensations
are not sealed, self-contained units.
Not an effort to put God into a box.
Much of the revelation of the given dispensation is carried forward to
the next dispensation, either in tact or with some adjustment. For example:
Under the Dispensation of the Law God
said, “Thou shalt not steal,” (Exodus 20:15).
Under the Dispensation of Grace can we steal?
No! Through the dispensations we
are dealing with God’s principles, thus the body of God’s revelation, which man
is responsible for is cumulative.
Therefore, I have more responsibility to God under grace than Adam had
in the Dispensation of Innocence.
There is diversity, and yet there is
unity in the dispensations: 1) Diversity in the sense that God provides
sufficient revelation to create a new dealing of man with deity. 2) Because of
the continuing principles from one dispensation to another there is a great
similarity that provides unity.
Most scholars agree that there are seven
definable dispensations; some say eight.
They are the Dispensations of:
1)
Innocence Genesis 1:1-3:24
2)
Conscience Genesis 4:1-8:22-(Fall to the Flood)
3)
Human
Government Genesis 9-12 (Call of Abraham)
4)
Promise (From the call of Abraham to Mount Sinai)
5)
Law (From Mt. Sinai to the Cross)
6)
Grace (From the Cross to the Rapture)
7)
Kingdom (Second Coming to the Great White Throne)
In each dispensation we read of man’s:
1)
Condition
2)
Responsibility
3)
Failure
4)
God’s
judgment
5)
God’s
provision
In every dealing of God there is a blood
sacrifice: “Without shedding of blood there is no remission,” (Hebrews 9:22).
1)
Innocence-
an animal to clothe Adam and Eve
2)
Conscience-
Abel’s altar
3)
Human
Government- Noah’s altar
4)
Promise-
Abraham’s altar
5)
Law-
the sacrifice
6)
Grace-
Christ’s death
7)
Kingdom-
the memorial sacrifice
Faith is revealed in each of these
Dispensations. Much of the complaint
against dispensationalists is that there is a teaching among them that God
saved men in different ways. That is a lie!
No such teaching exists among dispensationalists!
SALVATION HAS ALWAYS AND
ONLY BEEN BY FAITH!
Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted unto him for righteousness,” (Gen.
15:6; Rom. 4:3). “Without faith it is impossible to please
God,” (Heb. 11:6). Salvation has always been by faith!
Those who deny Dispensationalism read the
same Bible I have, and it professes at least two dispensations. In the front of
many Bibles it says, “HOLY BIBLE.” Then it will tell me that the
books of the Bible are divided into Old & New Testaments. Old
Testament: Genesis through Malachi. New Testament: Matthew through Revelation.
For those who say, “There is no such thing as a dispensation,” the Bible
clearly speaks of the dispensations. Paul recognized the dispensations. Four times the Apostle Paul speaks of the
dispensations:
“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,” (1 Cor. 9:17).
“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,” (Eph. 1:10) “If ye have
heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to
you-ward,” (Eph. 3:2).
“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,” (Col. 1:25).
Those who say there are no dispensations hold within their
hands a Bible that professes itself to be dispensational.
From the first dispensation we can prove
that the Bible is dispensational.
In the dispensation of Innocence, when God created and placed
Adam & Eve in the garden; how were they dressed? Clothed in the light of God, but naked as far
human garments are concerned. Is that
right or acceptable today? Of course not. Why is it not right?
Would you protest? What if the
say, “It is biblical, Adam and Eve did it.”
They would be wrong because of dispensations. Even non-dispensationalists would have to
agree that it makes sense to be clothed.
What would the diet of Adam and Eve have
been? VEGETARIAN!
How many will go home to day to a
Vegetarian meal? Why do many of us NOT
eat as they ate? Is it unlawful to eat
as they did? No! Then you and I must believe in dispensations.
Even though who deny dispensational
truth, must in practice say that God has dealt with man in different ways in
different period of times. This is what we will investigate, so that
when we read the Bible we will realize the setting in which God gives
instruction. Is
it all true? Yes, but
we understand the Scripture according to setting dispensationally.
It is dangerous to use the Bible as a
sanctified Ouija Board. Some Christians say that they will use the Bible to
find God’s will for me. They close eyes, flip the pages and stick their finger
in on a verse and begin to read, and say, “This
is what God wants me to do.” See-
Matthew 27:5; Judges 7:17
Dispensational
truth will bring the Bible into focus as how we are to interpret and apply
the Scriptures.
