STUDY # 4 – “Right Division” of the Biblical Dispensational Ages

It will be evident to the thoughtful Bible Student that the application of the Pauline principle of “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Tim. 2:15) brought forward in Study #2 will be widespread. To give all the significance of “rightly dividing the Word of truth” would occupy more space than we have here.

Rightly dividing His word is what distinguishes all the unique blessings we enjoy as members of today’s grace-saved heaven-bound “body of Christ” from Israel’s Law program and its promised Kingdom to come on earth.

This writing has an object in view, which is that the believer may thereby be led to see the blessing and the glory which God had long “kept secret” …  being reserved until the present Post-Acts, unique. “dispensation of the grace of God” as referred to in Paul’s Ephesians 3:2 and 9.

“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” Ephesians 3:2 “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid [reserved, kept secret] in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” Eph. 3:9

Two most important points for us in Bible Study affecting today’s dispensation:

(1) The principle. — to ‘Rightly Divide the Word of Truth.’ (2) The application. — is seen in Acts 28:17-28 … setting the Dispensational boundary for us today.’

Traditional Christendom teaches the false idea that that Pentecost marked the commencement of the ‘church’ of the present dispensation, saying Acts 2 was the dispensational boundary. Not true! Yes, ‘a church’ of Israel certainly began at Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:47), but today’s Gentile church of “the mystery” that Paul calls “the church, which is His Body,” of which the Gentiles are ‘fellow-members’ did not begin until Acts 28:28. This is where Paul sealed “the fall of them [Israel” (Rom. 11:12), as the Lord turned from Israel to the Gentiles, now totally apart from Israel’s program. “… ye should be ignorant of this mystery [Grk. musterion, this God ordained “secret”]; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” Rom. 11:25

If the reader accepts nothing further than the truth that Acts 28 is the dispensational boundary line, the object of this Study Series is achieved. With this realization, the student of Scripture can be safely left to the Holy Spirit and the Word itself. For example, he will soon then understand why it is that there are no miraculous Acts type gifts today, and why he is not called upon to seek them and why we have no rituals, rites, or holy days. Thus Paul wrote in his post-Acts epistle of Colossians; “Let no man therefore judge you in meat [food], or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” Colossians 2:16 (KJV)

We must realise the differences there are between “the kingdom” and “the church which is His body”, and between the church constituted DURING the Acts period, and the church of the “One Body” AFTER Acts 28:17-28. Then so many seeming contradictions disappear, as grace alone will stand by faith (cf. Eph 2:8-9).

Before we consider the claim of the Acts 28 as the dispensational boundary, some important side issues will need attention. We shall note what the divisions within Scriptures reveal, so that we make no mistake by appropriating Scriptures that do NOT Apply To Us Today.

W must note the detail of various dispensations in which God has dealt with man differently, realizing thereby how futile it is to take the truth of one period and endeavour to ‘make it fit’ into a different dispensational period. Yet we know the core truths and principles that are inter-dispensational such as; no one dispensation has the monopoly the matter of sin and death, and no dispensation can do without Christ as the Redeemer.

The objects of this study is to clear the ground, to impress the fact that there is such a thing as the dispensation concerning “the Mystery,” in which there is the church of the “one Body” which is entirely separate from Israel, Abraham, miracles, and that there is a sphere of redemption to the heavenlies, and a set of Scriptures, written AFTER Israel was set aside in Acts 28:28 containing distinctive dispensational doctrine for us today.

If only the reader is stirred to go to the epistle to the Ephesians while setting aside any traditional views of Christendom, what a revelatory blessing he may receive! Jesus cautioned the religionists of His day saying ‘by your tradition’ you ‘make the word of God of no effect’ (cf. Matt. 15:6). I trust that the reader has his interest sufficiently stimulated to study and be willing to examine key aspects of Bible truths that are unique to today’s “dispensation of the grace of God” and the sacred “mystery” revealed in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.