Part 1 - What is Dispensational Bible Study?

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called What is Dispensational Bible Study?.

Have you ever wondered why there’s so much confusion and debate among the many divisions of Christianity and among Christians concerning the elements of the faith? All professing Christians quote the Bible, they all claim to believe the Bible, and yet most all disagree regarding what the Bible teaches!

The thousands of denominational organizations and independent groups within Christendom today claim to be serving and following “Jesus Christ,” and yet, they all hold to mutually exclusive doctrines and practice opposing rites and rituals. How can they all claim to follow the same “word of truth” while believing and doing different things?

The “church, which is His Body” (Eph. 1:22-23a) is supposed to be one, united; nevertheless divisions, strife, and contradictions abound. These below are just some of the most common examples of the literally thousands of arguments among those of Christendom.

  • Faith & Works: Many churches teach that faith plus good works are necessary for salvation and/or to maintain salvation (Mat. 19:17, Jam. 2:24); the remaining churches believe that salvation is by faith in Christ crosswork alone (Rom. 3:28, 4:5, Eph. 2:8-9), and that believers are kept saved in the same way of faith in Christ crosswork alone (Col. 2:6).
  • Water Baptism: Some groups believe that water baptism is necessary for salvation (relying on Mk. 16:16, 1 Pet. 3:21); others say no, it’s merely a testimony of salvation, (citing Mat. 28:19 and Acts 2:38); still others do not water baptize at all (relying on 1 Cor. 1:17, 12:13, and Eph. 4:5).
  • Pentecost’s Miraculous Giftings: Some churches participate in “snake handling,” “exorcism,” “tongue talking” and “healing services” (citing Mark 16:17-18 and James 5:15); others completely reject those practices, quoting (Rom. 8:18, 1 Tim. 5:23, and 2 Tim. 4:20).
  • Sabbath: Some churches argue that we must observe the Saturday Sabbath, citing the Law in Exo. 20:8-11, while others believe there is no Sabbath day to keep today, quoting Rom. 6:14 and Col. 2:16. There are even groups that argue that we must observe Sunday, the alleged “Christian Sabbath!”
  • Eternal Security: Some groups teach that Christians can lose their salvation after having believed (following Psa. 51:11, Mat. 24:13, and Heb. 6:4-6); other groups believe Christians are eternally secure in Christ (relying on Rom. 8:35-39, Eph. 4:30, and 2 Tim. 1:12).
  • Tithing & Giving: Some churches teach tithing (per Mal. 3:8-11), while other churches believe that we are not under an obligatory giving system (citing Rom. 6:14 and 2 Cor. 9:7).
  • Confession of Sins: Some argue that we should confess our sins to God daily (using Mat. 6:12, 14-15 and 1 Jn 1:9). Other groups believe that we should confess our sins to priests (using Jn. 20:23 and Jam. 5:16). Still, others believe that confession of sins is unnecessary because Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins, thus we are already forgiven of all our sins (past, present, and future), (citing Eph. 4:32 and Col. 2:13).
  • Law-Keeping: Some groups say we are bound to keeping the Mosaic Law (citing Exo. 20:1-17 and 1 Jn. 2:3-4), while others say we are under grace, not law (citing Paul’s words in Rom. 6:14 and Gal. 5:1-5).
  • Prayer: Some say we must repeat prescribed, memorized, wrote prayers, and that petitions or request can be made to intermediaries, consisting of the dead. Others say prayer is communing directly the Lord.

Jesus said concerning prayer: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7)

Paul wrote concerning prayer: “Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

All of these Christian groups are using Bible verses to support these opposing views! How is this possible?!

If the Bible has all of these conflicting views, then exactly what does God expect us to believe and do?

What’s the solution to this confusion and these so-called Bible contradictions?

We know that the Bible says “God is not the author of confusion(1Cor. 14:33), so the problem is not with God of His Word. God’s Word is infallible, perfect, and completely sound. This confusion is caused by Satan and his Sin-nature in and influencing mankind, including religion. Satan’s hand and work is seen in men’s use and reliance upon religious tradition, fallen human viewpoint, and human “wisdom,” not relying solely upon the pure “word of truth.”

If we would simply use the Bible God’s way all the doctrinal confusion and apparent contradictions in Christian circles would disappear. But, most people prefer religious tradition, not caring to submit to God’s “word of truth.” Jesus Christ rebuked the religious leaders of Israel: “Full well ye reject the commandment (law) of God, (so) that ye may keep your own tradition (Mk. 7:9). They approached God’s Word with denominational biases and reached denominational conclusions, instead of seeing what the Bible actually says, and to whom it was said.

What makes it even more disturbing is that the pastors and teachers who should be dispelling confusion and doubt are only adding to the confusion by failing to use God’s Word God’s way. These church leaders typically teach God’s Word as their denominational system interprets it, instead of letting the Bible’s testimony speak for itself. The Bible means what it says, where it says it and to whom it says it.

As we will see, the instructions we find in the Bible don’t necessarily apply to all men of all dispensational ages. The remedy for this confusion is found in Paul’s words to Timothy, a young pastor. If we use God’s Word, God’s way, there will be no contradictions or confusion. The Bible will make sense to us only if we approach the Bible the way God designed it to be studied, which is to be “rightly divided.”

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2Tim. 2:15, KJV)

This, the only verse in the Bible that tells us to “study” the Bible, also tells us how to study it! When we “rightly divide the word,” we’re simply recognizing the distinctions and divisions that God Himself has made in His Word. Each dispensational age has a different set of instructions that God gave to different people groups.

Example: Let’s compare the differing diets that God has prescribed over time. Early, in Genesis (1:27-29) man was vegetarian; then in Gen. 9:1-4, when Noah came off of the ark he was told he could now eat animal meats with his vegies; but then in Lev. 11:2, having the Mosaic Law, an Israelite could eat just certain meats (i.e., Kosher) with his veggies. Then in 1 Tim. 4:3-5, Paul, as “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13), tells “the body of Christ” we may eat what we want “with prayer and thanksgiving.”

Talk about confusing; eat meat, eat no meat, eat only some meats, eat any food? It would be impossible to keep such contradicting instructions as to what we should eat.

This example makes it clear that nobody can live in accord with all the instructions of the ‘whole Bible.’ We must look at the Bible dispensationally… to see what applies to us during today’s “dispensation of the grace of God.”

Confusion is the result when we mix together all Bible’s instructions, which only apply to certain specific people in certain specific ages, as though they were spoken to all mankind as a whole. The fact is that there are in Scripture several dispensational ages, each with differing relational instructions given to different people groups at various times. We must never confuse one with the other.

It is the very failure to “rightly divide the word of truth” as to ‘what applies to who,’ that gives rise to the many conflicting doctrines and practices that we see among the many divisions within Christendom.