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 written during the Acts period. “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God [Israel’s believing remnant]” (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. Today, after the Acts period closed, in the time of the Gentile church of “the body of Christ”;

“…  there is neither Greek [i.e., non-Jew] nor Jew, circumcision [Israel] nor uncircumcision [non-Israel], Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:11 (KJV))

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 the Scriptures specifically apply to us (the body of Christ), concerning us and instructing us today?
• Are only parts of the Bible written specifically to us, concerning us, and instructing us… while the rest of the Bible is written principally concerning others (Jew and mankind), yet this also profitable for our learning of human history and the nature and 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). We must “rightly divide the word of truth” in order to be good workmen who need not be ashamed (2Tim 2:15) We must note the differences God place in His word in order to determine what applies to us as “the body of Christ.”

Paul tells us we can discern the things that differ.

“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;” Philippians. 1:10

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 of the dietary laws of God over the Biblical ages as a simple example of the dispensational nature of the Bible truth. Here we note the changes in what God has authorized 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).

Should we deduce from this that Christians, should be vegetarian. No!

2. Note that after the flood, Noah and mankind was given every meat to eat, 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 vegetation.  They could have meat and potatoes.

3. But then at Mt Sinai God limited Israel’s meat diet to only certain clean animals, birds, and fish.

 “And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, ² Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. ³Whatsoever 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 ….” Leviticus 11:1-47, excerpt

We would deduce from this that Christians, should be a kosher diet?

4. In the present “dispensation of the grace of God” for us today … Paul says we may eat;

“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 then, 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 words 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.” This is obviously impossible, since you cannot do everything and not do some things at the same time. Thus they face an apparent contradiction.

So, it is evident that while all four of these Biblical dietary instructions listed above may be for our learning as we read the Bible, but 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 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, administrations or economies by which God has dealt with man through the Biblical ages.

In this example of the dietary laws, only the last Scripture listed in Point #4, Paul’s 1Tim 4:4-5, is written TO US and FOR today’s Gentile “body of Christ.”

Only 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.”

So, Is It Better to Be "Scriptural" or to Be "Dispensational"?

Dispensations are God-prescribed relationships whereby God deals with mankind differently at different times under different circumstances; e.g., before the fall of Adam, and then after.

You can see from the above example concerning foods you can see how it is that men have found divisions and denominations founded upon false understandings of Scripture. In the above example we could have the "First Vegetarian Church," etc. This is only because many refuse to acknowledge the various dispensations spoken of in the Scripture. Yes, we must say ALL four points above are scriptural... but not all are "dispensational" in their interpretation of Scripture.

This example demonstrates the importance of rightly dividing the Scripture. The sad truth is that Christians have been mostly mistaught and many teachers and preachers play fast and loose with the scripture, incorrectly believing that it all applies directly to them. There are many much more serious matters than the foods we are to eat that are mistaught and serve create apparent conflicts in the word of God, such that no thinking and reasoning person could believe the Bible as they present the Scripture. They make Bible believers a laughing stock by their misuse of the Scripture.

The in reading the Scripture we must be those who rightly divide and discern that which those applies to these three kinds of folks. "…the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, ... the church of God:" (1 Cor. 10:32). These are the three classes of people that are addressed in the Bible, individually, and sometimes in context as a whole. The main concern is that we must divide that which is written to  and concerning "the Jew, the Gentile (heathen), and "the Church of God."