𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡?

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡?

(Ephesians 3:2; Colossians 1:25; 2 Timothy 2:15)

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The word dispensation is often misunderstood. Some think it means denominations, while others treat it as a strange doctrine. But in Scripture, it refers to the divine management of God’s revealed truth to man in different ages. Understanding dispensations is key to rightly dividing the Word of truth. Without it, we confuse Israel with the Church, law with grace, and prophecy with mystery.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Stewardship – A dispensation is a stewardship or management (Eph. 3:2).

Scriptural Term – Found in the Bible, not a man-made word.

Sacred Responsibility – God entrusts truth to specific stewards.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Varied Administrations – God dealt with man differently in different ages.

Vital Divisions – Law and grace must be distinguished.

Visible Differences – Noah, Moses, Paul had different instructions.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Progressive Revelation – Truth unfolded step by step.

Purposeful Plan – God reveals His will in orderly stages.

Perfect Pattern – All leading to the glory of Christ.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Adam the Steward – Of innocence.

Moses the Servant – Of law.

Paul the Steward – Of grace (1 Cor. 9:17).

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵

Prophecy Program – God’s plan for Israel revealed since the world began (Acts 3:21).

Mystery Program – Hidden from ages, now revealed to Paul (Eph. 3:9).

Proper Partition – We must not mix Israel’s promises with the Body of Christ.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲

Law Demands – “Do and live.”

Grace Delivers – “Believe and live.”

Dispensational Divide – Law belongs to Israel, grace to the Body of Christ.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Preach the Gospel of Grace – Salvation by faith alone in Christ (1 Cor. 15:1–4).

Proclaim the Mystery – Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

Practice Right Division – Handle the Word faithfully (2 Tim. 2:15).

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Doctrinal Confusion – Mixing law and grace.

Devotional Corruption – Taking promises not meant for us.

Diminished Clarity – Losing the gospel of grace.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵

Clarity in Scripture – The Bible fits perfectly.

Confidence in Salvation – Assurance in Christ’s finished work.

Consistency in Doctrine – No contradictions, only distinctions.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆

Study Diligently – Rightly divide the Word (2 Tim. 2:15).

Search Distinctions – See what belongs to whom.

Stand Doctrinally – Do not be tossed about by confusion.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱

Paul’s Revelation – Given the mystery truth (Eph. 3:2).

Present Responsibility – We live under grace, not law.

Preaching Requirement – Our message is reconciliation, not rituals.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

All Center in Christ – He is the goal of all ages (Eph. 1:10).

All Culminate in Glory – God’s purpose will be fulfilled.

All Complete in Christ – Both heaven and earth reconciled in Him.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

Dispensations are not man’s invention but God’s arrangement. They reveal how He governs and reveals truth in distinct ways. In this present age, we live under the dispensation of grace, entrusted to Paul for the Body of Christ. To ignore this is to miss God’s blueprint for today.

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Study – Be diligent to rightly divide God’s Word.

Stand – Embrace the gospel of grace, not law or tradition.

Share – Teach others the simplicity and clarity of dispensational truth.

𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹—𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲.