Part 1 - Explanation of Dispensational Understanding

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Introduction to Dispensational Understanding of the Bible.

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).

At one time Israel was the Lord’s elevated people (Exo 19:5, but now Paul makes clear that those “in Christ” are no longer Jews or Gentiles – all are now one “in Christ” without distinction.

"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 simple example of the dispensational nature of the Bible truth. Here we will note the changes in what God has authored for men to eat as food over the course of the Biblical ages. This will help us to see what believers may eat for food during today's "dispensation of the grace of God."

Note that there are four (4) different Scriptural instructions in the matter of what food men are to eat. If one believes that the entire Bible Scripture is to us today, which it is not, and that we should follow ALL its commands God gave men, which we should not... then what should we do in the simple 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 if 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."