How are we as Christians, in this day of the “dispensation of the grace of God,” (Eph 3:2), to look at and apply Bible Scripture?

My website study titled “How to Approach the Bible” at (http://www.artlicursi.com) fully explains this, but here I will provide the simplest example of ‘dispensational bible study’ from the Scriptures.

First, in God’s view of humanity race, gender, and status are irrelevant. God sees only three kinds of people as listed in one the verse 1Cor 10:32. There Paul references 3 sorts of people “the Jews… the Gentiles and “the church of God [the body of Christ].”

So then, How do we know what in the Bible applies to who? Certainly, all the Bible is written “for our learning” (Rom 15:4, cf., 2Tim 3:16), but what of the Bible specifically applies to us as today members of “His body,”

• Answer: The Only part of the Bible that is written specifically TO ALL of US, CONCERNING US, INSTRUCTING US TODAY are the words of Paul as “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13) He wrote 13 epistles to us all as Gentiles (the books of Romans through Philemon). Paul here tells us that God today sees all mankind as One, as Gentiles, including the Jews.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28 (KJV)

• Yet, we are instructed by Paul to “Study … [the whole] word of truth” being careful to “rightly divide the word of truth.” “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

We are instructed to divide that which applies to us from that which does not apply to us today.

We of course know that all Scripture is given “by inspiration of God,” and that it is ALL for us, for our learning (Rom 15:4), … but most Christians do not that NOT all scripture is About Us or Written To Us Today, e.g., the over 600 Mosaic laws Moses were given only to the Nation Israel. Thus we must “rightly divide the word of truth” in order to be good workmen who need not be ashamed (2Tim 2:15). We must specifically note what applies to “the body of Christ” today.

Another example: At my home I have a mailbox to receive daily mail. Yet. Only some of the mail pertains to me, while some mail pertains only to my wife. Likewise, we believers today as Gentile members of “His body” ought not to receive the instruction found in the ‘Jewish mail,’ which is in the ¾ of the Bible. We have our one Apostle who wrote his 13 letters to us about us.

In considering the significance of how we may properly apply Scripture, let’s now consider the following Scriptures, the following question as our ‘Dispensational Example’ of “rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Question: What may we today, as grace believing Christians, eat for food?

Here below is a simple example of the specificity of the Scriptures as to the matter of the foods we eat, noting four differing dispensational ages. As you will see, there is only one instruction for us today in the matter of what we may eat during today’s “dispensation of grace of God” (Eph 3:2).

1. Before the flood Adam was given to eat only herbs and fruits for food.

Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat [food].

But as you will see we cannot assume that Christians today should be vegetarians.

2. Many years later, after the flood, Noah and mankind was given permission to eat “every living thing that moveth” – animals, fish, and the like. If you could catch it, you could eat it.

Gen 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

So, then an Israelite could now eat any living anything that moves; 1.e., animal flesh, in addition to the vegetarian plants and fruits; i.e., now Noah could have meat with his potatoes.

3. Years later, at Mt Sinai God then gave Israel the Law that limited their diet to vegetables and only certain ‘clean’ or Kosher meats, animals and seafood, etc.

Read Leviticus 11:1-47 And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. 3Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 4Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you ….

Now it was no more shrimp, lobster, catfish, or pork and such for Israel.

But as you will see we cannot assume that Christians today should maintain a kosher diet. As you will see, today, no instruction given to Israel applies to us today as member of “the Gentile Body of Christ.”

4. In the present age of “the dispensation of the grace of God” … Paul says we may eat as follows;

“Every Creature Of God Is Good, And NOTHING IS TO BE REFUSED, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1Tim 4:4-5)

So, in “righty dividing” this example of dietary laws, only point #4, Paul’s 1Tim 4:4-5, is written TO and FOR US as members of the Gentile “body of Christ.” Paul’s instruction applies to those of “the Church, which is Christ’s body,” (Eph 1:22b-23a) during this day of the Gentile age of “the dispensation of the grace of God.”

So, Is It Better to Be “Scriptural” or to Be “Dispensational”?

Now, consider how that those Christians who may say they “follow the whole Bible” really have a quandary in the matter of diet. It should be obvious that nobody can obey God’s instruction to Adam, limiting what you eat to be only herbs, fruits and nuts, and then … at the very same time obey the Lord’s word to Noah to eat every meat in addition to the veggies... and also follow Moses’ kosher dietary laws... and at the same time follow Paul’s in eating “every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused.” That is obviously impossible, you can’t do everything and not do some things at the same time.

So, it is evident that while all four of these dietary instructions above may be for our learning as we read the Bible, but they obviously are Not All given for our obedience today since not all can be kept simultaneously. Only Paul’s instruction applies to us today.

How then can some Christians claim that we are called to obey the entire Bible as if it were one dispensational age? Nobody can claim to keep the entire Bible without “rightly dividing the Word of truth” dispensationally (cf. 2Tim 2:15 KJV) according to its various dispensations or relationships by which God has dealt with man through the Biblical ages.

‘Dispensations’ of God are the God-ordained relationships whereby God deals with mankind differently at different times throughout the varying anthropological ages of mankind. Consider that upon his creation, Adam, living in “Innocence,” having but one instruction – “do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil.” Then after Adam disobeyed in unbelief of God’s word to him, mankind had to live by his ‘Conscience,’ then failing also when man was told to not congregate … but they built a city – Babylon. It was there that God confounded there one language into hundreds of languages. Then after, “the Law” was given to Israel. As in every dispensation man failed to believe God’s words to do them.

The Biblical record reveals how that mankind continued to fail God’s instruction(s) in every dispensational age until we come to one whereby nobody can fail God except by not believing. This one hope of man is found in the epistles of Paul’s “dispensation of the grace of God” whereby God’s Son, Jesus Christ, was sent to Obey God and Die On Behalf of ALL the Sins of ALL Mankind. Thankfully, now all man today has to do is believe in Jesus Christ’s Cross-work to receive total forgiveness of ALL their sins and thereby also freely receive the resurrected eternal life of God’s Son. We then stand “accepted in the beloved [Son]” (cf. Rom. 5:1-10) Thus we have these words of the Holy Spirit;

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish (Gk. apolymmi, not be destroyed), but have [His] everlasting life.” (John 3:16 (KJV)

From the above example concerning dietary requirements you can see how it is that men have created divisions and denominations founded upon their false understandings they acquire from Scripture… because they are Not Dispensational in their approach to the Bible. From the above example you can see why a non-dispensational approach to the Bible could lead to a “First Vegetarian Church,” or “First Baptist Church” – all based upon misunderstood, misapplied, Scripture. The name of today’s Gentile church is properly called “the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a KJV, cf. 3:1-5).

The problem of false doctrine most often exists because majority of religious leaders and teachers refuse to acknowledge the various Dispensations addressed in Scripture and who they apply to. Yes, ALL four dietary laws noted above above are Scriptural... but not all are “dispensationally” for today. Only Paul’s dietary instruction applies today since He is “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13) during this dispensational age of “the grace of God” (cf. Acts 20:24)

This example demonstrates the importance of rightly dividing the Scripture contextually. The sad truth is that Christians have been mostly mistaught while many teachers and preachers play fast and loose with the scripture. There are many much more serious matters being mistaught, only serving create confusion and apparent conflicts in “the word of truth.” No thinking and reasoning person could believe the inerrancy of the Bible as they present the Scripture. They make Bible believers a laughing stock by their misuse of the Scripture.

In reading and studying the Scripture we must be those who Rightly Divide thew word in order to discern that which those applies to these three kinds of folks. “… the Jews… the Gentiles, and ... the church of God:” (1 Cor. 10:32). These are the three classes of people that are addressed in the Bible, individually. The main concern is that we must divide that which is written to and concerning “the Jew, the Gentile [Gk. ethnos, heathen], and “the Church, which is His body.”

How are we as Christians, in this day of the "dispensation of the grace of God," (Eph 3:2), to look at and apply Bible Scripture?

There are three sorts of people in God's view of humanity. They are listed in this one verse. "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God (the body of Christ)" (1Cor 10:32).

Paul makes clear that those in Christ are no longer Jews or Gentiles.

"There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

So what of the Bible applies to who?

• All the Bible is written "for our learning" (Rom 15:4, cf., 2Tim 3:16), but what of it specifically applies to us (the body of Christ), concerning us, instructing us today?
• Are only parts of the Bible written specifically to us, concerning us, instructing us… with the rest of the Bible written principally concerning others (The Jew and the Gentile), but yet also profitable for our learning of the nature, character of God our Father?

We of course know that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and that it is all for us, for our learning, … but most Christians have not considered that not all scripture is about us or written to us specifically, (e.g., the over 600 Mosaic laws) thus we must "rightly divide the word of truth" in order to be good workmen who need not be ashamed (2Tim 2:15) noting what applies to "the body of Christ."

Paul tells us we can discern the things that differ. Philip. 1:10 That ye may approve (GK, dokimazo, discern) things that are excellent (Gk. diaphero, differ); that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

Paul here is telling the Philippian Church to "discern the things that differ… so that you might be genuine and faultless." We are to search out the differing aspects of relationship with God under varying times and seasons in history, called dispensations.

In considering the significance of how we may apply the Bible, let's now consider, from the Scripture, the following question as a Dispensational Example.

What may we today, as grace believing Christians, eat for food?

Here below is a simple example of the specificity of certain Scripture as to whom that Scripture concerns as we see in the matter of the foods we eat. Here are four (4) Scriptural instructions in the matter of what foods to eat. If we believe that the entire Bible Scripture is for us, which it is not, and that we should follow all its commands God gave men, which we need not, then what should we do in the matter of eating, during this day of "the dispensation of grace of God" (Eph 3:2)?

1. Before the flood Adam was given only herbs and fruits for food.

Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat (food).

We would we deduce from this that Christians, should be vegetarian.

1. After the flood, Noah and mankind was given, in addition to this "every living thing that moveth."

Gen 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Here the Lord tells the Israelites they can eat every living anything - animal flesh in addition to the vegetarian plants.

1. At Mt Sinai God then by the Law limited the diet of Israel to certain clean animals, birds and fish.

Leviticus 11:1-47 And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. W3hatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 4Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you ….

We would deduce from this that Christians, should be a kosher diet?

1. In the present dispensation for us today … Paul says,

"Every Creature Of God Is Good, And Nothing Is To Be Refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." (1Tim 4:4-5)

Now, for those who say they "follow the whole Bible" they have a quandary. It should be obvious that nobody can obey God's instruction to Adam, limiting what you eat to be only herbs, fruits and nuts, and then at the very same time obey the Lord's word's to Noah to eat every meat in addition to the veggies... and also follow Moses kosher dietary laws... and then also Paul's in "every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused." That is obviously impossible, you can't do everything and not do some things at the same time.

So, it is evident that while all four of these instructions above from Scripture may be for our learning as we read the Bible, they obviously are not all given for our obedience today since not all can be kept simultaneously.

How then can we claim, as some Christians do, that we are called to obey the entire Bible as it were one dispensation that is for us? Nobody can claim to keep the entire Bible without "rightly dividing the Word of truth" (2Tim 2:15) according to its various dispensations or economies or relationships by which God has dealt with man through the Biblical ages.

Actually in this example of eating, only the last Scripture listed in point #4, Paul's 1Tim 4:4-5, is written TO and FOR the predominantly Gentile "body of Christ." Paul's instruction applies to those of "the Church, which is Christ's body," (Eph 1:22b-23a) during this day of the "dispensation of the grace of God."

So, Is It Better to Be "Scriptural" or to Be "Dispensational"?

Dispensations are God-prescribed relationships whereby God deals with mankind differently at different times under different circumstances; e.g., before the fall of Adam, and then after.

You can see from the above example concerning foods you can see how it is that men have found divisions and denominations founded upon false understandings of Scripture. In the above example we could have the "First Vegetarian Church," etc. This is only because many refuse to acknowledge the various dispensations spoken of in the Scripture. Yes, we must say ALL four points above are scriptural... but not all are "dispensational" in their interpretation of Scripture.

This example demonstrates the importance of rightly dividing the Scripture. The sad truth is that Christians have been mostly mistaught and many teachers and preachers play fast and loose with the scripture, incorrectly believing that it all applies directly to them. There are many much more serious matters than the foods we are to eat that are mistaught and serve create apparent conflicts in the word of God, such that no thinking and reasoning person could believe the Bible as they present the Scripture. They make Bible believers a laughing stock by their misuse of the Scripture.

The in reading the Scripture we must be those who rightly divide and discern that which those applies to these three kinds of folks. "…the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, ... the church of God:" (1 Cor. 10:32). These are the three classes of people that are addressed in the Bible, individually, and sometimes in context as a whole. The main concern is that we must divide that which is written to  and concerning "the Jew, the Gentile (heathen), and "the Church of God."