Dispensationalism by Randy Hillebrand
I believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal
sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or differing economies
which define man's responsibilities in successive ages. These
dispensations are not ways of salvation (Is. 53:5-6, 11-12; Heb. 11:4,
5-6,7,8-19,23-29; Gal. 3:6; Eph. 2:8-9), but rather divinely ordered
stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Seven
dispensations are usally recognized, the ages of: innocence (Gen.
1:28-3:6), conscience (Gen. 4:1-8:14), human government (Gen.
8:15-11:9), promise (Gen. 11:10-Ex. 18:27), law (Ex. 8:28-Acts 1:26),
church (Acts 2:1-Rev. 19:21), and kingdom (Ez. 36:25-38; Rev. 20:4-6).
Three of these: the age of law, the age of the church, and the age of
the millennial kingdom are the subjects of detailed revelation in
scripture.
Explanation:
Dispensations as defined above, are differing economies which define
man's responsibilities in successive ages which God directs according
to His purpose. Dispensations are not methods or ways in which people
are saved since all people throughout time are saved in the same
manner, by faith, in the revelation of God decreed for salvation.
Hebrews 11 along with Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9 and Isaiah 53:5-6,
10-11 clearly show this. Hebrews 11:4 says that Abel was "righteous"
(conscience); 11:5-6 tells us that Enoch "was pleasing to God"
(conscience); 11:7 proclaims that Noah "became an heir of the
righteousness which is according to faith" (conscience and human
government); 11:8-19 tells that "by faith Abraham, when he was called,
obeyed..." and "...Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as
righteousness" (Gal. 3:6) (promise); 11:23-29 declared that "by faith"
Moses did many things (law); Ephesians 2:8-9 exclaims, "For by grace
you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is
the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast"
(church); Isaiah 53:5-6, 11-12 makes the following claims about Jesus
the Christ: "But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was
crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon
Him, and by His scourging we are healed (cf. I Pet. 2:24). All of us
like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but
the Lord has caused the iniquities of us all to fall on Him...My
servant will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities...He
poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet He Himself bore the sins of many, and interceeded for the
transgressors." This prophecy of Israel's coming Messiah tells how He
is going to die for their sins and justify many by His death. Since
this prophecy was true for believers in Israel before the death of
Christ and for those who believed in Him in the church age (John 3:16),
it will also be true for those in the tribulation period (Matt.
25:31-40; Rev. 19:4) as well as the millennial kingdom. Christ died
for all mankind and only through Him can anyone be justified and
receive eternal life (kingdom). So throughout all time man is saved in
the same manner, by faith, in the revelation of God decreed for
salvation. The reason for seven dispensations is that Scripture points
to seven different and distinct ages in which God deals with mankind in
different ways. In the age of innocence, Adam and Eve had not yet
sinned and accordingly were in a state of innocence (Gen. 1:28-3:6).
During the age of conscience in which man had no laws of God to follow
and obey, he followed only his conscience and from such the period was
named (Gen.4:1-8:14). During the next dispensation, that of human
government, God had given man capital punishment, implying with it the
right to develop government (Gen. 8:15-11:9). Following this was a
time of promise. This was when Abraham was promised by God a land and
many blessings (Gen. 11:10-Ex. 18:27). Following the dispensation of
promise came the dispensation of law. During this time God gave Israel
many commandments covering various phases of life. The time period was
from Moses to the death of Christ (Ex. 18:28-Acts 1:26). Next is the
dispensation of church which we are living in today. This period is
characterized by man accepting God's free gift of eternal life through
the death of Christ (Acts 2:1-Rev. 19:21). The last period, that of
the kingdom, is a 1000 year reign of Christ on earth where man is
directly responsible to Jesus as He rules (Rev. 20:4-6; Ez. 36:25-38)
(Descriptions of the dispensations are taken from Hermenuetics, Henry
A. Virkler, pgs. 122-123.) Of these seven, the dispensations of the
law, church and kingdom are well documented in Scripture.
Side Note: Israel and the church are separate entities in Scripture
and are not to be viewed as the same or as the church being an
extension of Israel. Also, different theologians distinguish the
tribulation period as a separate dispensation, but I see it as an
extension of the age of law since it is the 70th week of Daniel's 70
week prophecy (Dan. 9:27).
Randy Hillebrand
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