Part 2 – Understandings of the Bible Dispensationally

Note that during the Acts period, there were three sorts of people in God’s view of humanity. Paul lists them in this one verse written during the Acts period. The Post-Acts spiritual “body of Christ” had not yet come into being.

“Give none offence, neither to the Jews [the unbelieving Jews who attacked Paul], nor to the Gentiles [the non-Jews], nor to the church of God [Israel’s believing “little flock” remnant of Christ-believers of that time]” (1Cor 10:32).

At one time “the children of Israel” were the chosen of the Lord “above all people” (cf. Exo. 19:5). But After Acts 28:28 Paul’s epistles make clear that all believers “in Christ” are no longer seen of God as Jews or Gentiles – today all genuine “faithful” all are now one “in Christ” without racial distinction. Paul wrote this below concerning today’s faithful intelligized believers (after the Acts period closed) who are members of the spiritual ‘Gentile’ “church,” which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a).

“…  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 [in ALL who simply trust in Christ as Savior].” Colossians 3:11 (KJV)

Question: So, what of the Bible today applies to who?

• We know All the Bible Scriptures are written “for our learning.”

⁴ For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4 (KJV)

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)

But as we saw in Part 1, the doctrine of the successive dispensation varies; this tells us not all scripture applies to all God’s people through the Biblical dispensational ages. So which Scriptures specifically applies to us today as “the saints,” and “the faithful” of the spiritual Gentile “body of Christ,” instructing us today? Only part of the Bible written specifically To Us, Concerning Us, as God’s mail to us instructing Us Today… while the rest of the Bible is written principally concerning other people in other ages (e.g., the Jews seeking “the kingdom come on earth” until the fall of Israel in Acts 28:28).

• Paul tells us he today is “the [singular] Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13). Paul’s 7 chronologically written epistles after Acts 28:28 Acts apply to the believers of today’s age of the spiritual Gentile “dispensation of the grace of God” (cf. Eph. 3:2, read 3:1-13).

Yet all the Bible remains profitable for “instruction in righteousness” and for our learning of Biblical history and the unchanging nature and character of God our creator and savior.

So, all the Bible is to us, but only part of the Bible is About Us, for our application Today. Two-thirds of ‘the mail’ in the Bible is specifically addressed to the Nation Israel, not us today. But Paul’s 7 Post-Acts Epistles are written to us, for us, and about us. These Pauline epistles are; Eph, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

We of course appreciate that “ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God” and that it is all for our learning, But most Christians have not considered that Not ALL Scripture Is ABOUT US OR WRITTEN TO US specifically, for our application today, (e.g., the over 600 Mosaic laws that were given to Israel ONLY). Thus Paul, our Apostle says; “…  for ye are NOT Under The Law, But Under Grace.” Romans 6:14 (KJV). Nor do we earn salvation by good “works” (Rom. 11:6) since we as Gentiles today are saved “by grace through faith (alone), Not of Works” (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). 

So, we must “Study” to “rightly divide the word of truth” to be considered a good “workmen who need not be ashamed” (cf. 2 Tim 2:15) in that day when we see the face of the Lord.

• We must Note the Differences God placed in His written word so we can determine what applies to us today as the members of the Gentile “body of Christ” which is uniquely destined to reign with Him “the Heavenly Places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, 2Tim. 2:12).
• By contrast, the believers of Israel and those today who cling to Israel’s ‘gospel of the kingdom come on earth,’ are destined to ultimately “dwell on earth” in that kingdom on earth (Rev. 20:6, 5:10). It is important to believe Paul’s “my gospel” (Rom. 16:25).

Paul, in his Post-Acts epistle of Philippians, tells us we should study and thereby ‘discern the things that differ.’  

“That ye may approve (GK, dokimazo, discern) things that are excellent (Gk. diaphero, are different); that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;” Philippians. 1:10

Paul is telling the Philippian grace Church to “discern the things that differ… so that you might be genuine and faultless.” Thus, we are to learn of the differing dispensational relationships mankind has had with God under the varying ages of Biblical history to appreciate the grace that applies to us today. These varying relationships during the successive times or ages are called ‘dispensations.’

From the Part 1 example concerning the various dietary laws of the Bible you can see how it is that men have created the divisions (denominations) based upon their false understandings of Scripture. In the dietary example, some would have founded the “The First Vegetarian Church,” etc. This is only because many believers refuse to acknowledge the varying dispensational instructions seen in the Scriptures.

The dietary example demonstrates the importance of “rightly dividing” the Scripture. The sad truth is that Christians have been mostly mistaught. Many teachers and preachers play fast and loose with the Scriptures, incorrectly believing all Scripture applies directly to us today. There are many much more serious matters than the foods we are to eat that are mistaught and serve create apparent doctrinal contradictions in the word of God. There are no contradictions in Scripture, only a failure to “rightly divide the Scripture” dispensationally as to ‘what applies to who, in what time or age.”

No serious, wise, deep thinking and reasoning person could believe the Bible as the church at large today presents it. Sadly, the church at large today makes Bible believers a laughing stock of the world by their misuse of the Scripture.

Therefore, in reading the Scriptures today we must be those who “rightly divide” and discern that which applies to us… noting today’s previously secreted, unprophesied age of the Gentile “Dispensation of the grace of God” wherein all of its intelligized “faithful” believers are one “in Christ.” Paul wrote;

“Give none offence, neither to the Jews [the unbelieving], nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God [Israel’s believing “little flock” remnant of believers of that day]” (1Cor 10:32).

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you GENTILES, ² If ye have heard of the DISPENSATION of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” Ephesians 3:1-2)

This study has been to highlight the main concern that we must rightly divide the Bible dispensationally.

Today we have of Paul that which is written to and about the spiritual Gentile church of this age, the spiritual “body of Christ.” With Israel fallen and set aside, today God is focusing upon His heaven-bound, undivided, “One body” today. This has been the case since Acts 28:28 and it will be so until we “appear with Him in [heaven’s] glory” (cf. Col. 3:4). Only then will He fulfill all promises to the Nation Israel.