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The word Dispensation in Ephesians 3:2 is the Greek word 'Oikonomia'. It is translated as 'management, stewardship, administration, and dispensation'. The Biblical meaning cannot be taken from the English word, but rather - from the Greek word in the context of its Biblical usage. Paul used the word to explain the profound responsibility (stewardship) given to him by God to reveal the secret, hidden in God, of the 'one body'.

I cannot understand the confusion and/or concern about dispensations. It is a word applied to the obvious periods of time, in history, when men were governed by differing mandates. We no longer have to circumsize male babies, wash our hands before a service, or sacrifice goats and rams, do we? There are clearly delineated time frames in Scripture governed differently.

Perhaps the biggest difference was the time when men could become 'righteouss by observing all the law', which no man finally was able to do. We no longer have to try to do that, for he - Christ - is become our righteousness. Thank God.

But even then, there was a point before the 'law was given', when men had no law and did that which was 'right in their own eyes'.

Then, after the Church of God is removed from the earth - men will be saved only who 'endure to the end'.. i.e.. of their lives - in martyrdom. This is not true for the saints saved by faith. We don't have to die to be saved. As Paul said 'Behold I show you a secret, not all of us will die'.

In my whole life of walking with the Lord - 47 years now, I have never studied Scoffield, but I do see 'periods of time in the Bible', no matter what they are called. But putting all that aside, I find it difficult to see why you are calling him an 'antichrist' and claiming he is denying the Father and the son'. ?? Where has he ever denied the Christ? Just because he believes in dispensations (of time) in Scripture?! So do I.

Methinks you are being distracted by these things, at a time when the saints need desperately to pull together. We are one in Christ, if so be that he is IN us, if we are born again, we are of one Lord, one faith and one baptism, and love covers a multitude of sins! Without which - no matter our doctrine, our miracles, our confession, we become nothing.

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Hi Victoria, the divisions of time are not obvious to me. I cannot see that from scripture. I do not know how CI Scofield derived the so-called 7 periods of time whereby God did different things to men in different times. I need to see the bible verses. Also, I believe Paul explained the meaning of "dispensation" perfectly. I do see a reference to stewardship and distribution of Knowledge but I don't see where he defines dispensation as a period of time.

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I should say that, while I don't see the word dispensation being represented in scripture as a time frame.. (I believe it's a stewardship just like the Greek words suggests).. however the that does not negate the fact that there are crystal clear divisions in the Bible reference frames of time.

We cannot apply the Old Testament law period , for example, to the Age of Grace, ..there's a powerful reason for it that I will write about soon. It's that the age of Grace coincides with the hour of Darkness. Without Grace we would never have made it through this hour of Darkness. That fact is summarized in the verse in Psalms that says - The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth his hands to do iniquity.' This 'hour' we're living in since the day that they arrested our Lord. is so heavy and so full spiritual Darkness, that were not for this age being of grace...

Things were completely different in the old Covenant times where the fear of the Lord was upon al

all men look at when Jonah was on the boat and the storm right away provoked in the men a fear that God's judgment was at work.. all men knew that God existed, because of a speedy cause and effect that we no longer see.. just compare that to today, Grace is at once a blessing to those of us who need it and a detriment to those who fail to see the cause and effect of mocking or disbelieving God. Again I'll be writing about this, times in the Bible is a very interesting subject and I agree with you it has nothing to do with the word dispensation.

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And by the way I just love Grace I experience it daily I just came out of a store and went to my car and what do you know my cell phone was on the ground next to my car! I never realized I dropped it,but it was still there and I guess that's what you call Grace!! hahaha

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Just a short reply right now I'm standing in a store.. but I want to say that one of the clearest divisions in time is paraphrased in the 'Old Covenant' and the 'New Covenant'.. the two cannot be reconciled that's already one example.

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