DISPENSATIONS: RIGHTLY DIVIDING GOD'S WORD!
In 2 Timothy 2:15, the Apostle Paul told Timothy, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth." I believe Paul meant to observe the natural divisions of God's revelation, and interpret the Scripture as it was intended for a particular people at a particular time. For instance, God's instructions to Adam were different than those to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Christ's disciples, and they also differ as to the Lord's instructions to the Church; they will differ, as well, in Christ's Millennial Kingdom. Each of these folks are the focal point of a specific dispensation.
A dispensation is a time period in which God holds mankind accountable as stewards of His Word. Dispensations always begin with new revelation, and end with mankind's failure.
* Adam - do not eat - cast out of the garden.
* Noah - spread out - languages confused.
* Abraham - trust in God - trusted in Egypt.
* Moses - reveal God's Law - Israel missed the spirit of the Law.
* Jesus - came to teach Israel - He was murdered.
* The Church - spread the Gospel - has yet to complete it. It will not be completed until the middle of the Tribulation (see Mt. 24:14; Rev. 11:7; 14:6).
* The Millennium - Christ rules the world - rebellion in the end.
While some revealed truth may apply to all generations (Love God and your neighbor), most of what is revealed applies to specific groups of people. The Law applied to Israel; the Church is no longer under the Mosaic Law (Rom. 3:19; 6:14-15; 1 Cor. 9:20; Gal. 5:18; etc.).
BEWARE OF ULTRA-DISPENSATIONALISM!
Today there are some Bible teachers who would have you believe that the Church Age did not begin until the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Two examples are Les Feldick and Scott Clarke. They refuse to accept what is written in the Gospels and the first eight chapters of Acts, as binding on the Church. While it is true that the Gospels were primarily written to present Christ as Israel's rejected Messiah, the vast majority of Christ's teachings apply to His disciples today. They declare that the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost was not the beginning of the Church, and even declare the Gospel preached by Peter on that day, was not the same as that preached by the Apostle Paul. But Paul wrote in Galatians 1:6-9, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Do they actually believe Peter should be cursed for using different words to convey the same Gospel message?!? God forbid!
And what about Acts 2:47 which says, "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
In Acts 2:22-24, 37-38, Peter said, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. . . . Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent (have a change of mind toward God), and be baptized (show you have believed the Gospel) every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul wrote, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures...."
Paul also wrote in Romans 10:9-10, 13 , "That if thou shalt confess (declare publicly) with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. . . . For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
THERE IS ONLY ONE GOSPEL MESSAGE
WITH THE POWER TO SAVE LOST SOULS!
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