Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Many people think that the Biblical principle of Dispensations is a man made doctrine and turn up their noses in disgust at the mention of it, not realizing or perhaps even not caring that dispensations are the very framework upon which God's plan for the human race unfolds.
Dispensations are not an arbitrary classification superimposed by man on the Bible. A dispensation is a period of human history defined in terms of divine revelation. Human history is a succession of divine administrations that reflect the unfolding of God's plan for the human race. Dispensations are the means by which believers living at a specific period in history can orient to God's plan for their lives. God's overall plan for man calls for changes in the administration of His plan so that God can be glorified by man orienting to that plan under different and various conditions and circumstances.
The administration of God's plan involves changes in delegated authority, responsibility, procedure, and available assets. These changes in divine administration involve first one group of people, then another, and then another.
Understanding dispensations is the key to understanding the Bible and being able to rightly divide the word of truth. On the other hand, failure to understand the doctrine of dispensations causes confusion and creates apparent contradictions in divine mandates.
The disciples of the Lord had asked Him a question. (Acts 1:6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, will you ATTHIS TIME restore again the Kingdom of Israel.
In reply, the Lord said, (Acts 1:7) And he said to them, It is not for you to know the TIMES AND SEASONS, which the Father has put in his own power.
The Greek for ''times'' is CHRONOS, and for ''seasons'' the Greek word is KAIROS. Both words refer to time, but CHRONOS refers to a succession of events, one after another. KAIROS refers to events organized by components into dispensations. It is time broken into segments--time divided into specific periods, epochs or eras.
The Greek word AION, usually translated ''age,'' refers to dispensations of human history.
Romans 16:25 ...according to the revelation of the mystery ( The Church Age) which has been kept secret for long ages past 26) but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations,...
Ephesians 3:9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery (The Church Age) which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; 10) in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. (The angels).
Col. 1:26 that is, the mystery (the Church Age) which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints.
But perhaps the best word to describe dispensations is OIKONOMIA. The word implys order as opposed to chaos; a plan rather than confusion; an arrangement rather than disarray. OIKONOMIA does not in itself denote time but has been translated in the King James Verson as ''dispensation,'' because OIKONOMIA describes divine administration during a distinct historical era. (1Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:8-10; 3:2-3,8-9; Col. 1:25-29; 1Tim. 1:3-4) In these passages OIKONOMIA identifies the Church Age, during which God administers a set of divine policies and provisions unique to the Church Age.(Important! Please read the preceding verses.)
Administration becomes an important issue in distinquishing one dispensation from another. At different points in His overall plan for man, God institutes changes in delegated authority, responsibility, procedure, and available assets.
For example, in the Age of Israel, the priesthood belonged to the tribe of Levi. But in the Church Age, every believer is a priest.
In the Age of Israel, only certain men had the enduement of the Holy Spirit for the carrying out of certain functions. The enduement could be lost because of disobedience to God. And the enduement or empowering of the Holy Spirit was taken away after the purpose for which the enduement was given was accomplished. But in the Church Age, every believer has not enduement but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and His indwelling is permanent.
The four Dispensations are broadly grouped as:
Age of the Gentiles
Age of the Jews [Israel]; (includes the Tribulation which occurs after the rapture of the Church)
Age of the Church (which interrupts the Age of Israel)
Age of Christ (The Millennium)
There is much much more that can and should be written regarding dispensations. But this should be enough to show you that dispensations are a true Biblical principle and not a man made false doctrine. I encourage those who are interested to do research on the subject and don't be deceived by those who deny dispensations.
( Source material for this post is 'Dispensations,' by Robert B. Thieme JR.; and 'The Divine Outline of History,' by Robert B. Thieme JR.)
God's overall plan for man calls for changes in the administration of His plan so that God can be glorified by man orienting to that plan under different and various conditions and circumstances.
The elegant and intricate framework of your mentor for categorizing the spiritual evolution of humankind is creative and well taken, Mike . . . as is the use of dispensations instead evolution . . . the word so uniformly reviled amongst fundamentalists and literalists. I relate and agree with the evolutionary interpretation of scripture and its import. But the egotism and arrogance in your views is revealed by the bolded part of your quote. God IS glory . . . there is nothing that man can do to add to or detract from God's glory . . . that is a human self-congratulatory fiction.
Many people think that the Biblical principle of Dispensations is a man made doctrine and turn up their noses in disgust at the mention of it, not realizing or perhaps even not caring that dispensations are the very framework upon which God's plan for the human race unfolds.
Dispensations are not an arbitrary classification superimposed by man on the Bible. A dispensation is a period of human history defined in terms of divine revelation. Human history is a succession of divine administrations that reflect the unfolding of God's plan for the human race. Dispensations are the means by which believers living at a specific period in history can orient to God's plan for their lives. God's overall plan for man calls for changes in the administration of His plan so that God can be glorified by man orienting to that plan under different and various conditions and circumstances.
The administration of God's plan involves changes in delegated authority, responsibility, procedure, and available assets. These changes in divine administration involve first one group of people, then another, and then another.
Understanding dispensations is the key to understanding the Bible and being able to rightly divide the word of truth. On the other hand, failure to understand the doctrine of dispensations causes confusion and creates apparent contradictions in divine mandates.
The disciples of the Lord had asked Him a question. (Acts 1:6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, will you ATTHIS TIME restore again the Kingdom of Israel.
In reply, the Lord said, (Acts 1:7) And he said to them, It is not for you to know the TIMES AND SEASONS, which the Father has put in his own power.
The Greek for ''times'' is CHRONOS, and for ''seasons'' the Greek word is KAIROS. Both words refer to time, but CHRONOS refers to a succession of events, one after another. KAIROS refers to events organized by components into dispensations. It is time broken into segments--time divided into specific periods, epochs or eras.
The Greek word AION, usually translated ''age,'' refers to dispensations of human history.
Romans 16:25 ...according to the revelation of the mystery ( The Church Age) which has been kept secret for long ages past 26) but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations,...
Ephesians 3:9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery (The Church Age) which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; 10) in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. (The angels).
Col. 1:26 that is, the mystery (the Church Age) which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints.
But perhaps the best word to describe dispensations is OIKONOMIA. The word implys order as opposed to chaos; a plan rather than confusion; an arrangement rather than disarray. OIKONOMIA does not in itself denote time but has been translated in the King James Verson as ''dispensation,'' because OIKONOMIA describes divine administration during a distinct historical era. (1Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:8-10; 3:2-3,8-9; Col. 1:25-29; 1Tim. 1:3-4) In these passages OIKONOMIA identifies the Church Age, during which God administers a set of divine policies and provisions unique to the Church Age.(Important! Please read the preceding verses.)
Administration becomes an important issue in distinquishing one dispensation from another. At different points in His overall plan for man, God institutes changes in delegated authority, responsibility, procedure, and available assets.
For example, in the Age of Israel, the priesthood belonged to the tribe of Levi. But in the Church Age, every believer is a priest.
In the Age of Israel, only certain men had the enduement of the Holy Spirit for the carrying out of certain functions. The enduement could be lost because of disobedience to God. And the enduement or empowering of the Holy Spirit was taken away after the purpose for which the enduement was given was accomplished. But in the Church Age, every believer has not enduement but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and His indwelling is permanent.
The four Dispensations are broadly grouped as:
Age of the Gentiles
Age of the Jews [Israel]; (includes the Tribulation which occurs after the rapture of the Church)
Age of the Church (which interrupts the Age of Israel)
Age of Christ (The Millennium)
There is much much more that can and should be written regarding dispensations. But this should be enough to show you that dispensations are a true Biblical principle and not a man made false doctrine. I encourage those who are interested to do research on the subject and don't be deceived by those who deny dispensations.
( Source material for this post is 'Dispensations,' by Robert B. Thieme JR.; and 'The Divine Outline of History,' by Robert B. Thieme JR.)
Whoa... TMI!
and I thought I knew what dispensationalism was. (is that a word?)
It is great that you have it all laid out like that.
But it brings me the thought of the carbon dating system. The carbon dating system is a system designed and discovered by man. It is man's rational and scientific findings that led to the system. The system dates something and the scientists say it is fact but the system itself is man-made, we cannot test things that are that old without supposing first how old they are.
Anyway, if someone makes up an outline (dispensational categories, for example) and neatly fits all the pieces within the outline then uses the dispensation to prove what scripture says is true or false simply because of where it fits in the man-made outline then it is not proof.
That is why I have such a problem with dispensational views of the bible and carbon dating
Well that was my thought anyway.. I don't know if it came out right but..... there it is.
The relationship between God and man is ever changing.
Adam had a different relationship with God; then what we can have.
1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
The elegant and intricate framework of your mentor for categorizing the spiritual evolution of humankind is creative and well taken, Mike . . . as is the use of dispensations instead evolution . . . the word so uniformly reviled amongst fundamentalists and literalists. I relate and agree with the evolutionary interpretation of scripture and its import. But the egotism and arrogance in your views is revealed by the bolded part of your quote. God IS glory . . . there is nothing that man can do to add to or detract from God's glory . . . that is a human self-congratulatory fiction.
I think what Mike is saying here is that mankind comes back to God and by doing so, man glorifies God.
Many people think that the Biblical principle of Dispensations is a man made doctrine and turn up their noses in disgust at the mention of it, not realizing or perhaps even not caring that dispensations are the very framework upon which God's plan for the human race unfolds.
Dispensations are not an arbitrary classification superimposed by man on the Bible. A dispensation is a period of human history defined in terms of divine revelation. Human history is a succession of divine administrations that reflect the unfolding of God's plan for the human race. Dispensations are the means by which believers living at a specific period in history can orient to God's plan for their lives. God's overall plan for man calls for changes in the administration of His plan so that God can be glorified by man orienting to that plan under different and various conditions and circumstances.
The administration of God's plan involves changes in delegated authority, responsibility, procedure, and available assets. These changes in divine administration involve first one group of people, then another, and then another.
Understanding dispensations is the key to understanding the Bible and being able to rightly divide the word of truth. On the other hand, failure to understand the doctrine of dispensations causes confusion and creates apparent contradictions in divine mandates.
The disciples of the Lord had asked Him a question. (Acts 1:6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, will you ATTHIS TIME restore again the Kingdom of Israel.
In reply, the Lord said, (Acts 1:7) And he said to them, It is not for you to know the TIMES AND SEASONS, which the Father has put in his own power.
The Greek for ''times'' is CHRONOS, and for ''seasons'' the Greek word is KAIROS. Both words refer to time, but CHRONOS refers to a succession of events, one after another. KAIROS refers to events organized by components into dispensations. It is time broken into segments--time divided into specific periods, epochs or eras.
The Greek word AION, usually translated ''age,'' refers to dispensations of human history.
Romans 16:25 ...according to the revelation of the mystery ( The Church Age) which has been kept secret for long ages past 26) but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations,...
Ephesians 3:9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery (The Church Age) which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; 10) in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. (The angels).
Col. 1:26 that is, the mystery (the Church Age) which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints.
But perhaps the best word to describe dispensations is OIKONOMIA. The word implys order as opposed to chaos; a plan rather than confusion; an arrangement rather than disarray. OIKONOMIA does not in itself denote time but has been translated in the King James Verson as ''dispensation,'' because OIKONOMIA describes divine administration during a distinct historical era. (1Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:8-10; 3:2-3,8-9; Col. 1:25-29; 1Tim. 1:3-4) In these passages OIKONOMIA identifies the Church Age, during which God administers a set of divine policies and provisions unique to the Church Age.(Important! Please read the preceding verses.)
Administration becomes an important issue in distinquishing one dispensation from another. At different points in His overall plan for man, God institutes changes in delegated authority, responsibility, procedure, and available assets.
For example, in the Age of Israel, the priesthood belonged to the tribe of Levi. But in the Church Age, every believer is a priest.
In the Age of Israel, only certain men had the enduement of the Holy Spirit for the carrying out of certain functions. The enduement could be lost because of disobedience to God. And the enduement or empowering of the Holy Spirit was taken away after the purpose for which the enduement was given was accomplished. But in the Church Age, every believer has not enduement but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and His indwelling is permanent.
The four Dispensations are broadly grouped as:
Age of the Gentiles
Age of the Jews [Israel]; (includes the Tribulation which occurs after the rapture of the Church)
Age of the Church (which interrupts the Age of Israel)
Age of Christ (The Millennium)
There is much much more that can and should be written regarding dispensations. But this should be enough to show you that dispensations are a true Biblical principle and not a man made false doctrine. I encourage those who are interested to do research on the subject and don't be deceived by those who deny dispensations.
( Source material for this post is 'Dispensations,' by Robert B. Thieme JR.; and 'The Divine Outline of History,' by Robert B. Thieme JR.)
My question to you, Mike is; Do you believe a New Dispensation has come and a New Beginning?
The elegant and intricate framework of your mentor for categorizing the spiritual evolution of humankind is creative and well taken, Mike . . . as is the use of dispensations instead evolution . . . the word so uniformly reviled amongst fundamentalists and literalists. I relate and agree with the evolutionary interpretation of scripture and its import. But the egotism and arrogance in your views is revealed by the bolded part of your quote. God IS glory . . . there is nothing that man can do to add to or detract from God's glory . . . that is a human self-congratulatory fiction.
1 Corinthians 6:20 says that we are to glorify God. (For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.) God works all things to His glory. When we obey God, He is glorifed by blessing us. When we disobey God He is glorified by expressing His Holiness (the combination of His Perfect Righteousness and His Perfect Justice) in disciplining us.
Jeremiah 9:24 says, ''...but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness (grace), justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,'' declares the Lord. The one thing that you said that is correct is that God IS glory.
It is the Holy Spirit who is the mentor. The pastor/teacher is simply a man who has been given the spiritual gift of pastor/teacher by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:11) for the purpose of communicating the truth, the body of doctrine that is in the Bible. When you have learned doctrine from the correct teaching of the pastor,(the pastor must be prepared through the knowledge of the original languages and years of training in isagogical, categorical and exegetical methods), and have metabolised that doctrine so that it is EPIGNOSIS, (knowledge fully understood), then the Holy Spirit works with that metabolised doctrine in guiding you in your spiritual life as a believer in Christ.
Last edited by Michael Way; 09-24-2009 at 09:47 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
