Dispensationalism?

Question

I was wondering if anyone has heard of Dispensationalism? One of the builders my husband does work for is one and wants my husband to come study with him. What is it?

Answer 1

It's a time period.
Like right now we are the the dispensation of grace. Meaning we have until Christ returns to accept Him. No one knows the time of His return but the grace He gives us is the freedom to choose salvation or damnation.

Answer 2

A literal way of interpreting the Bible; very popular among Protestant Evangelicals.

One of the reasons that it is popular is because of the way that it interprets the prophecies of the end times (think of the "Left behind" series of books). Of course, it is much more than this, but no one seems to care about the rest, since it varies only slightly from conservative protestant theology.

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As a current theology among many Protestant and other Conservative Christian groups, Dispensationalism is a form of premillennialism which teaches biblical history as a number of successive economies or administrations, called dispensations, each of which emphasizes the discontinuity of the Old Testament covenants God made with His various people....

....In the context of Christianity, dispensationalism is an interpretive or narrative framework for understanding the overall flow of the Bible, and is frequently contrasted with an opposing interpretation: supersessionism (also referred to as Covenant Theology, see also New Covenant (theology)). In simple terms, supersessionism teaches that the Christian Church has been established for the salvation of "the Jews first, and also to the Gentiles", and that there is one people of God joined in unity through Jesus Christ....

...In contrast, dispensationalism teaches that the Christian Church is a "parenthesis" in God's dealings with the Jews, when the Gospel began to go to the Gentiles instead of the Jews, but that God's continued favor of the Jews will be revealed after the Church Age (or Dispensation), when the Jews will be restored to their land and will accept Jesus as their Messiah. Hence, dispensationalists typically believe in a Jewish restoration...

Answer 3

A method of biblical interpretation that divides human history into seven ages, or dispensations. People are tested in each dispensation as to their response to God's revelation. Salvation is always by God's grace, but the faith required of humans is different in each dispensation. The present dispensation, the sixth, is the age of the church.

Dispensationalists hold to a literal interpretation of the Bible and a premillennial view of the Second Coming . Dispensationalism arose in the nineteenth century and flowered in twentieth-century fundamentalism. It was promoted and popularized through the notes in the Scofield Reference Bible and is espoused by Dallas Theological Seminary.

Answer 4

It is being able to discern the bible and associate things that should be taken literal or not. Also, it is the ability to understand what part of scripture pertained to the OT believers and the NT believers. To be able to see the difference between the law in how it is applied physically and how it is applied spiritually. For instance, the Jews at times were spiritual people, but over time, they became physical, unable to discern the signs of the times for the coming of their messiah. Now, beware of the many false teachings that dabble on dispensationalism. Many attempt to drag believers under the physical law by using tactics of the flesh. For instance, some may insist we have circumcision, which is a mark in the flesh and under the old covenant. When the correct discernment of circumcision of a new born believer is circumcision of the heart. Anyway, when you come to those who emphesize dispensation, be very careful. For many preach this, but few can properly seperate or have correct placement of perticular times and how scripture pertains to that time. Here is the problem, the OT is known as the physical law. The law written in stone. The NT is written on the fleshly tablets of the heart. Regardless, many choose to disregard the OT when it was not meant to do so. The entire Word of God, both old and new is spiritual. It is the hearts of men and the changing of God's Word that attempts to bring the spiritual to the physical. Just beware of wolves in sheep's clothing.

Answer 5

A dispensationalist is a person that believe all the chismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit died when the Scripture were completed.
Personally I have two problems with this doctrine. 1. God can give as much revelation to mankind as He wishes. (Understand it would have to be in totally agreement with what is already there) 2. God can again give gift to people as He sees fit. Who are we to tell God what is best for our brothers and sisters.. I think decisions like that are better left to Him.. Jim

Answer 6

Belief in the Rapture and all...