1st Dispensation

Consider This...

Theological Thoughts to Encourage the Heart & Stir the Mind ___________________________________________________

Volume I         April 2011     Issue 14

         For many people, dispensationalism is a word they know nothing about. For others, who have some exposure to its meaning, there is no connection to its significance. While the writers of this publication do not have the ability to fully present all the aspects of this teaching, my hope is that the reader will develop a better understanding of the meaning and significance of this theological system. So keep reading and Consider This.

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The Historical Background:

         The beginning of systematized dispensationalism is usually linked with John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), a Plymouth Brethren minister. While at Trinity College in Dublin (1819), Darby came to believe in a future salvation and restoration of national Israel. Based on his study of Isaiah 32, Darby concluded that Israel, in a future dispensation, would enjoy earthly blessings that were different from the heavenly blessings experienced by the church. He thus saw a clear distinction between Israel and the church. Darby also came to believe in an “any moment” rapture of the church that was followed by Daniel’s Seventieth Week in which Israel would once again take center stage in God’s plan. After this period, Darby believed there would be a millennial kingdom in which God would fulfill His unconditional promises with Israel. According to Paul Enns, “Darby advanced the scheme of dispensationalism by noting that each dispensation places man under some condition; man has some responsibility before God. Darby also noted that each dispensation culminates in failure.” By his own testimony, Darby says his dispensational theology was fully formed by 1833.1

Defining Dispensational Theology:

         “Dispensational Theology can be defined very simply as a system of theology which attempts to develop the Bible's philosophy of history on the basis of the sovereign rule of God. It represents the whole of Scripture and history as being covered by several dispensations of God's rule.”2

Dispensations are the particular way of God's administering His rule over the world as He progressively works out His purpose for world history. Three important concepts are implied in this definition:

1. A deposit of divine revelation concerning God's will, embodying what God requires of man as to his conduct.

2. Man's stewardship of this divine revelation, in which he is responsible to obey it.

3. A time-period, often called an 'age,' during which this divine revelation is dominant in the testing of man's obedience to God.

Dispensations and Salvation:

         The dispensations are a progressive and connected revelation of God's dealings with man, given sometimes to the whole race and, at other times, to a particular people, Israel. These different dispensations are not separate ways of salvation. During each of them, man is reconciled to God in only one way—by God's grace through [faith in] the work of Christ that was accomplished on the cross and vindicated in His Resurrection. Before the cross, man was saved in prospect of Christ's atoning sacrifice, through believing the revelation thus far given him. Since the cross, man has been saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ in Whom revelation and redemption are consummated.

The Seven Dispensations:

         Innocence (Gen.1:28); Conscience or Moral Responsibility (Gen.3:7); Human Government (Gen.8:15); Promise (Gen.12:1); Law (Ex.19:1); Church (Acts 2:1); Kingdom (Rev.20:4).

The Purpose of Each Dispensation:

To place man under a specific rule of conduct, but such stewardship is not a condition of salvation. In every past dispensation, unregenerate man has failed. He has failed in this present dispensation and will in the future. But salvation has been and will continue to be available to him by God's grace through faith.

Essential Characteristics of Each Dispensation:

         In order for each dispensation to be distinct from all other dispensations, it must have three essential characteristics:

1. It must have a particular way of God administering His rule. Each dispensation is characterized by a unique ruling factor or combination of ruling factors.

2. It must involve a particular responsibility for man. Each dispensation makes man responsible to obey God in accordance with its unique ruling factor or combination of factors.

3. It must be characterized by divine revelation which had not been given before. In order for man to know God's new way of ruling and his new responsibility, he must have these things revealed to him. Each new dispensation requires new revelation from God.

In Ephesians 3:2-10, Paul indicated that the present dispensation is definitely related to new revelation which God gave to the apostles and New Testament prophets.

What a Dispensational View of Scripture Produces:

A distinction between Israel and the church.

Consistent literal interpretation of the Bible. (The Bible is to be interpreted following a grammatical-historical approach; even prophetic passages).

An understanding that the overall purpose of Biblical history is the glory of God, not the salvation of man.

To the normative dispensationalist, the soteriological or saving program of God is not the only program but one of the means God is using in the total program of glorifying Himself.

Scripture is not man-centered, as though salvation were the main theme, but it is God-centered because His glory is the center.

         The Bible itself clearly teaches that salvation, important and wonderful as it is, is not an end in itself but is rather a means to the end of glorifying God (Eph.1:6, 12, 14).

John F. Walvoord puts it this way: “The larger purpose of God is the manifestation of His own glory. To this end each dispensation, each successive revelation of God's plan for the ages, His dealing with the non-elect as with the elect . . . combine to manifest divine glory.”3

The 1st Dispensation: Innocence

         This dispensation extends from the creation of Adam in Genesis 2:7 to the expulsion from Eden. Adam, created innocent and ignorant of good and evil, was placed in the garden of Eden with his wife, Eve, and put under the responsibility to abstain from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The dispensation of innocence resulted in the first failure of man and in its far-reaching effects, the most disastrous. It closed in judgment: "So he drove out the man." (see Gen.1:26; Gen.2:16,17; Gen.3:6; Gen.3:22-24)4

Pastor Andrew Frey

1Michael J. Vlach, Dispensationalism: Essential Beliefs and Common Myths. (Theological Studies Press, 2008)

2Ronald Showers, There Really Is a Difference: A Comparison of Covenant and Dispensational Theology. (Friend of Israel Gospel Ministry, 1991)

3John F. Walvoord, Reflections on Dispensationalism. (The Theological Journal, Dallas Theological Seminary).

4C.I. Scofield, The Seven Dispensations. (Biblecenter.org)

Additional Reference Materials: Bible Study Ministry Resources: biblestudymanuals.net Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today (Moody Press, 1965)