Intro:Dispensations
1. Ryrie, “The mention of the word dispensationalism usually evokes an immediate reaction. For many Christians it…awakened in them their first real interest in studying the Bible seriously and in depth. For others, however, dispensationalism is something to be avoided like the plague…At times it has been aggressively attacked – [even branded as cultic!].”
2. I am not only a confirmed dispensationalist, but believe that it is the only way to
rightly divide the Word of God. I also believe that all honest students will admit
to some sort of dispensations – or they would still be offering animal sacrifices!
3. Paul Ministerial Labor – involved a Stewardship.
Trans: Col.1:25-27
I. FIRST, WE SAW IT INVOLVES SUFFERING.
II. FURTHERMORE, IT INVOLVES A STEWARDSHIP.
A. First a Distinction.
Of this church I was made a minister – as an apostle he was given the privilege of introducing the Dispensation of grace.
“if indeed you have heard of the stewardship [dispensation] of God’s grace
which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known
to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.” (Eph. 3:2-3)
Ryrie, “It is important to notice that…[in this passage] there can be no question
that the Bible uses the word dispensation in exactly the same way the dispensationalist does…Almost all opponents of dispensationalism try to make much of their claim that the Scriptures do not use the word dispensation in the same theological and technical sense that the dispensational scheme of teaching does. Two facts should be pointed out, the first is that the scripture does used the word in the same way the dispensationalist does. Second, it is perfect valid to take a biblical word and use it in a theological sense as long as the theological use is not unbiblical. All conservatives do this with the word atonement. It is a word never used in the N.T., yet theologically all use it to stand for what is involved in the death of Christ.”
B. Furthermore, the Dispensation.
according to the stewardship – ïé-êï-íï-ìéáí From oikos “house” and nemo
“to dispense, to weigh, to deal out.” It speaks of a steward of a house who dispenses the rules of the house.
The verb form is used only once – Lu.16:2, where it speaks of a manager. The noun appears 10 times (Lu. 12:42; 16:1,3,8/ Rom.16:23/ 1 Cor. 4:1,2/ Gal.4:2/ Tit.1:7/
1 Pet.4:10) and is usually translated “steward” or “manager” (but “treasurer” in Ro.16:23). The noun form in our passage is found 9 times (Lu.16:2,3,4/ 1 Cor.9:17/
Eph.1:10; 3:2,9; Col.1:25/ 1 Tim.1:4) in those places its translated “stewardship” “dispensation” “administration” “Job” and “commission” depending upon the translation used.
“A dispensation is “a stage in a progressive revelation, expressly adapted to the needs of a particular nation, or period of time…also, the age or period, during which, a system has prevailed.” [The Oxford English Dict.]
“The Greek word comes form the verb, which means “to manage, to regulate, to administer, and plan. The word itself, is a compound, whose parts mean, literally “to divide, to apportion, to administer or manage, the affairs of an inhabited house.”
[Arndt and Gingrich, Greek-English Lexicon]
“The pa-py-ri, extra Biblical literature of N.T. times, uses this word to describe an “officer who administered a dispensation”, thus called a steward or manager of an estate, or a treasurer.” [The Vocabulary of the Greek N.T., Moulton and Milliagn]
Therefore, the basic idea of this word, is that of, managing or being a steward of, or administering the affairs of a household…
Ryrie, “Dispensationalism, views the world as a household run by God. In this household-world, God is dispensing or administering its affairs according to His own will and in various stages of revelation, in the process of time.
These various stages mark off the distinguishable different economies in the outworking of His total purpose, and these economics are the dispensations. Economy also suggests the fact that certain features of different dispensations might be the same or similar. Differing political and economic economies are not completely different, yet they are distinguishable different. If one were describing a dispensation he would include other things, such as, the ideas of distinctive revelation, testing, failures, and judgments.”
Think of the Clinton Administration verses the Bush Administration – one focused on raising taxes, avoided war, woman’s rights, and Government as the solution to everyone’s problems; the other sought tax cuts, war, the rights of the unborn, and letting the people solve their own problems…WE WOULD CALL THESE TWO DIFFERENT DISPENSATIONS, AND YET THERE WERE ALSO MANY SIMILARITIES…
Ironside, “An economy is an ordered condition of things. There are various economies running through the Word of God. A dispensation, an economy, then, is that particular order or condition of things, prevailing in one special age, which does not necessarily prevail in another.”
1. A Preview of the Dispensations: Chart
2. A Pattern:
• Revelation given.
• Regulation.
• Rejection.
• Retribution.
3. A make believe Problem – dispensationalists are accused on having different way
of salvation. This is not true! The only ones, who make this accusation, are those
who are not dispensationalists! We believe there is, and has always been just one
way of salvation – By grace through faith in Jesus Christ!
1 Lamb for 1 person…Garden, Job, Noah, etc.
1 Lamb for 1 family…Passover.
1 Lamb for 1 Nation…Day of Atonement.
1 Lamb for 1 World…Jn.1:29
4. A brief Picture of the dispensations:
a. Innocence. Gen.1:1—3:6.
Someone say “I don’t believe in dispensations!” Really? Then how come you are not running around naked? Eating only meat? etc.
REVELATION:
(1) A Demand. (Gen.1:28)
(2) Dominion over all creatures on the earth. (1:26/Heb.2:8-9)
(3) Diet limited to eating crops (1:29-30)
(4) Duty of cultivating the Garden (2:8,15)
(5) Difficulty of calling the names of all those animals (2:19-20)
(6) Dispensing of any clothes (2:25)
(7) Direct communication with God (2:16-17)
REGULATION:
Only one law…2:16-17
REJECTION:
They ate…3:6
RETRIBUTION:
Dispensations always end in judgment.
(1) Death for the whole race (Rom. 5:12), both spiritually and eventually physically.
(2) The Dirt is cursed.
(3) Distress in childbirth.
(4) The Dread of God came upon them.
(5) Total Depravity – it affect all of them, Spirit; soul; and body.
(6) Drudgery in work.
(7) Disharmony in the family.
(8) Doomed for the body to go back to Dust.
(9) Departure from Paradise.
b. Conscience. Gen. 4:1-8:14
REVELATION:
For a period of some 1,500 years, mankind has no specific laws, but were to relate to God by conscience – an inner sense of right and wrong. Ro. 2:15
REQUIREMENT:
Bring a blood sacrifice by faith…Adam and Eve witness the death of an bloody substitute to cloth them (Gen.3:21), the must have instructed their offspring to do this, because Able did it by faith (Heb.11:4) and faith comes by hearing God’s Word (Rom.10:17)…
REJECTION:
Cain refused to do this, and eventually all but Noah, refused to obey God through their conscience, and thus their conscience became hardened and evil (Gen. 6:5)
RETRIBUTION:
Came in the form of a universal flood…
c. Human Government. Gen. 8:15-11:32
Note: The elements of human Government continue to this very day – but it is not the dominate focus today, as far as God is concerned. The church is…
It’s like Grace, you find grace in the O.T., but it was not the focus…
REVELATION:
(1) A new Promise given. (Rainbow)
(2) A continuation of the old Program (fruitful and multiply)
(3) A new Phobia for the animals.
(4) A new Provision (meat)
(5) A new Punishment (Capital punishment)
(6) Scatter all over the Planet (Fill the earth)
REQUIREMENT:
(1) GOVERNMENTS RESPONSIBILITY.
a, Protection (Ac.21:27-37)
b. Punishment (Rom.13:3-4/ 1 Pet. 2:13-14)
1. O.T.
Established by God (Gen.9)
Elaborated on by God, in the Law: There was capital punishment under the dispensation of the law for: Murder; Working on the Sabbath; Cursing father or mother; Adultery; Incest; Sodomy; false prophecy; Idolatry; Juvenile delinquency; Rape; keeping an ox, that killed a man; and kidnapping!
2. N.T.
Endorsed: Ac.25:11/Ro.1:32; 13:4
(2) CITIZENS RESPONSIBIILITY.
a. Obey. Rom.13, unless it violates scripture.
b. Pay – taxes, render unto Caesar!
c. Pray for – 1 Tim. 2:1-3
Note: When Human Government was the focus, they were give two basic
requirements: (1) Fill the earth; (2) Kill those who took a life.
REJECTION:
They were to be fruitful and fill the earth, but decided to stay together…
They were suppose to acknowledge God behind government, but instead it
came totally man centered…as seen in the tower of Babel.
RETRIBUTION:
He forced them to scatter by confusing their languages…
d. Promise. Gen. 12:1-Ex.18:27
REVELATION:
God begins working through just one man, Abraham and his descendants.
Note: This is to be distinguished from the Law based on Gal.3:15-19.
Name of promise is given based on Heb.6:15; 11:9
This promise involved a Land; a Seed; and a Blessing…
REQUIREMENTS:
(1) Stay in the Land.
(2) Steadfastly believe the Lord.
REJECTION:
There were many failures to believe God, and leaving of the land; it climaxed with Jacob leading the people down to Egypt to live. (Gen.46:1-
RETRIBUTION:
Egyptian bondage…
Wilderness wandering…
e. Law. Gen. 19:1-Ac.1:26
REVELATION:
(1) Profile of the Law – they were given 613 commandments, which were
divided into the Moral; Civil; and Ceremonial laws.
(2) Purpose of the Law was to Expose sin; Excite sin nature; Exhaust any hope
of being saved by self-effort; and to cause them to Exercise faith in the
animal sacrifices, as a picture of Christ’s substitutionary death.
REQUIREMENT:
Obedience all the Law, all of the time. Ja.2:10
REJECTION:
Ex.19:4-5,8…but Dt. 5:29/ Rom.10:1-4
RETRIBUTIONS:
Captivities – by Assyria; Babylon; and Rome…
f. Grace. Ac. 2:1-4:1
REVELATION:
(1) A Definite Union with Christ. 1 Cor.12:13/Eph.5:30
(2) A focus on God’s UnDeserved favor (Ep.3:2/Tit.2:11)
(3) The InDwelling of the Holy Spirit within all believers permanently.
Jn.14:16-17/1 Cor.6:19-20/Ro.8:11
(4) No Distinction between Jews and Gentile believers.
REQUIREMENT:
(1) Faith in Christ. Eph. 2:8-9/Col.2:6
(2) Follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Eph.5:18/Gal.5:16
REJECTION:
The church has become lukewarm – faith in self; and following the dictates of
flesh is the norm. Rev.3:14-22
RETRIBUTION:
(1) Removal by physical death for the individual.
(2) Rapture of the church collectively. (2 Cor.5:10)
(3) Loss of Rewards at the Judgment seat of Christ. (1 Cor. 3:10-17)
Reality every single believer will experience some loss of reward at the Bema! No exceptions….
g. Millennial Kingdom. Rev. 20:
REVELATION:
(1) Restricted to only believers at the beginning.
(2) Will be a need to Receive Christ, for succeeding generations.
(3) Will be the Removal of the curse on the earth and of Satan.
(4) Reign of Christ on and over this earth.
(5) Realization of the Abrahamic Cov.
REQUIREMENT:
Obey the King!
REJECTION:
At the end of it…Rev.20:7-8
RETRIBUTION:
(1) Fire (Rev. 20:9-10)
(2) Face the Great White Throne Judgment – all will end up in the Lake of fire.
Note: the fault is always with man, never with God! No matter how perfect the environment; no matter if Satan is bound; no matter if its all by grace; man always falls short of the Glory of God!
C. Thirdly Paul has special Authorization.
from God bestowed on me for you benefit – passive voice. Gal.1:1, 11-12, 15-16
D. Finally, the Mystery.
so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make know what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory – 25b-27
What is the mystery? Notice it is related to the Gentiles.
(1) It is not a mystery that God would save Gentiles (Isa.49:; 61:/Amos 9/)
(2) They mystery is that Gentiles would be on equal footing with Jews, without becoming a Jewish prostilite! Eph.3:3-9/Ro.10:12-13/ 1 Cor. 10:32
The Church is not reveal in the O.T., otherwise the Jews would have had an excuse for rejecting the Messiah…
Con:
1. Not only Paul but every believer has not only the Ministry of Suffering; but of being
a Steward of the dispensation of Grace! 2 Cor.3:1-4:1
Johnny Palmer Jr.
www.StrugglingThruScriptures.ning.com
www.Blogtalkradio.com/strugglingthruscriptures
