Dispensational Theology

An Introductory Study of Dispensational Theology

Lesson Three

(AN EXAMPLE PAGE FROM THE INSTITUTE)

Lesson Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15

I.         Introduction

A.      The following descriptions will aid the Bible student in "rightly dividing the word of truth" by showing some clear "divisions" between both Sections of the Bible, as well as Topics. For example: your Bible is already divided into Old Testament and New Testaments. That's not all. Your Bible also is divided into Chapters and Verses. Beyond even that, your Bible is laid-out "dispensationally", NOT chronologically, meaning that the Oldest Book 'Job' is not found in the front of the Bible, but rather Genesis is, because Genesis deals with First things. Note that the Book of the Revelation deals with Last Things. Topically, there are many subjects that may at first seem similar, but when you study them out, the Bible separates them out (see Heb 4:12) into their distinct parts, such as the Resurrection and the Rapture.

B.       The key thing to learn is that the reader of the Bible expects everything to be laid-out only chronologically. But God did not follow that plan, and the student must study everything according to context, and according to dispensation.

II.       Guiding Principles

A.      Rightly Divide God's word (2 Tim 2:15)

1.        Compare Luke 4:16-21 with Isa 61:1,2

2.        Is Zech 9:9 referring to the First or the Second coming (Cf Mt 21:1-5)

3.        Compare Acts 2:14-21 with Joel 2:28-32

4.        Fulfillment of Luke 1:31-33 is not yet complete

5.        Compare Isa 2:4, and Micah 4:3 with Joel 3:10

6.        Daniel's 69 weeks, and 70 weeks (Dan 9) - more on this later

7.        Temporary gifts and permanent gifts (Eph 4:9-11; 1Cor 13:8-12)

8.        God does a lot of "dividing"

a.       Put division (difference) between Light and darkness (Gen 1:4)

b.       Divided the people groups into different languages (Gen 11; Acts 17:26,27)

c.       Divided the promised Land (Josh 1:6)

d.       Divided up the universe (Dt 4:19)

e.       Divides the Body of Christ into individuals that are not the same, but work together under the One same head (1Cor 12:11)

f.        Puts division between "sheep" and "goats" (Mt 25:32)

g.       Puts a difference between soul and spirit (Heb 4:12)

h.       Divides the Bible into "milk" and "meat" (Heb 5:11-14)

B.       Do a lot of STUDY - Truth is not always perfectly clear, but is revealed (1 Pet 1:8-11). Peter did not understand all of what Paul was writing about, but that just means the student must study harder, and allow for the meaning to be for another time (2Pet 3:15,16).

1.        It is so easy to wrongly divide the word

a.       Think that the Messiah would only be a ruler, and not a Saviour first that had to die.

b.       Think that the Old Testament has been done away with in entirety.

c.       Think the Tribulation has already past - people in first century believed:

1)       That the resurrection was past already (2 Tim 2:18)

2)       That there was no resurrection (Mt 22:23; 1Cor 15:12-19)

3)       That the Lord had already come back and gone again

d.       To divide the Bible up into fables, and mysteries, and poetry, and philosophies, etc., instead of accepting it all as truth (Ps 119:160).

2.        That is why there are so many wrong divisions among "Christians" - everyone decides to make "private" interpretations (2Pet 1:20), instead of checking and verifying their assumptions, and getting forthright counsel putting each thought to a test (2Cor 10:4,5; 1Jn 4:1)

C.       Realise that God's ways change - not His character (Heb 1:1)

D.      Determine the Primary Focus of the Bible (Rom 1:16; 2:8-11)

1.        There are three distinct people groups (1 Cor 10:32)

a.       Jew - By Covenant (Dt 7:6; Rom 9:4; John 4:22). These are ALWAYS God’s ‘elect’

b.       The Christians, or the Church - by new birth (Eph 3:1-10; 1 Pet 2:1-10)

c.       The Gentile - By nature (Eph 2:11-22)

2.        So, the Bible targets the Jew first (Acts 1:8; 14:1)

a.       The nature of most of the Bible will be for the Jewish mind-set, so when a Scripture doesn't make sense, it may be because it is being directed at a Jewish context, to reach the Jew with the Gospel.

b.       The Bible is a Jewish Book - written BY Jews, and primarily directed at the Jews (John 4:22). Therefore, do not Judaize the church. Do not take things promised to the Jews and claim them for the Christian if God doesn’t say you can!

c.       God's design in choosing Israel was to get the gentiles saved.

3.        Gentiles next (Acts 10 & 15).

a.       The Gentiles get the same Bible, and same Gospel message, but they must understand some distinctly Jewish concepts - like that of sinful nature, need for a perfect Lamb sacrifice to pay-off the sins, the holiness of one, true God, etc.

b.       The whole purpose of the Gentiles getting saved is to provoke the Jews into themselves getting saved (Rom 9:30-33; 10:19-21), and re-instating them (Rom 11:11-29). Gentiles are  not replacing the Jews - erroneous belief that the "Church" replaced the nation of Israel, and that all the promises made to Israel now apply to the "Church"

1)       As in Land grants, and authority over the nations

2)       As in the divine right to go and conquer your enemies using military force - definitely NOT a divine right of the Christian!!!

c.       The Church is a temporary thing (1Cor 12) referred to as "Christ's body."

4.        Ask yourself:

a.       Who's talking? Is it God, or the devil? If it is the devil (as in Gen 3:4), then don't receive it!

b.       Who is he or she talking to? If it is the unsaved in Matt 25:41, then it is not to be received by Christians!

c.       Decide what they are talking about - the context - it may be referring to something that has nothing to do with the Christian (like the Tribulation warnings of Matthew 24:16)!!!

And this is just the beginning!