“Dad, are we dispensationalists? Because it seems like this is how anyone would read the Bible!”
I was in my first year of Bible college at Word of Life Bible Institute in upstate New York when I called my father (who was also my pastor) to ask about Dispensationalism, a term I had never heard before. As a young college student, I had no idea people approached the reading and studying of God’s Word in such different ways.
There Really Is a Difference
Dispensational Theology and Covenant Theology are the two major systems of theology in the evangelical world. Thousands of works have been published about each, and attempting to define each thoroughly in this article would be futile.
For summary, in his book There Really Is a Difference! A Comparison of Covenant and Dispensational Theology, Dr. Renald Showers defined Dispensational Theology as “a system of theology which attempts to develop the Bible’s philosophy of history on the basis of the sovereign rule of God. It represents the whole of Scripture and history as being covered by several dispensations of God’s rule” (p. 27). The seven dispensations are Innocency, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, Mosaic Law, Grace, and The Millennium.
Dr. Showers defines Covenant Theology as “a system of theology which attempts to develop the Bible’s philosophy of history on the basis of … covenants” (p. 7). These covenants are Redemption, Works, and Grace. The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry holds to Dispensational Theology.
Do We Owe It All to Darby?
I have friends who are not dispensationalists. They read and interpret Scripture very differently than I do, and we have lively discussions about those differences. I believe God has a future for Israel; they believe God is finished with Israel. I believe the church and Israel have unique places in God’s plan; they believe the church replaced Israel when Jesus presented Himself as Messiah and the Jewish people rejected Him. I believe in the Rapture of the church and a 1,000-year reign of Christ on Earth; they believe the Bible is not clear on end-times events.
One common statement I have heard and read from Covenant theologians is that Dispensationalism is a new system of thought invented by Plymouth Brethren founder and Bible teacher John Nelson Darby (1800–1882). J.N. Darby was quite the character, and his gravestone describes him well: “As unknown and well known.”
God used a flawed man to further the gospel. I can certainly relate to that!
Many talk, assume, and generalize about him, but most do not truly know him. Some say God would not use a man like Darby because of controversies they have heard about him. Yet Dr. James Fazio of Southern California Seminary has studied the life and writings of Darby and hails his work of interpreting Greek and Hebrew Scriptures into multiple languages. Regardless of one’s personal feelings about Darby, God used a flawed man to further the gospel. I can certainly relate to that!
History shows the thread of dispensational thought—the interpretation of God’s Word based on a literal, grammatical, and historical approach. Tones of Dispensationalism have been around since the 1st century, even though these beliefs were not organized into a system until the 1600s. In his Israel My Glory magazine article “A Presentation of Dispensational Theology,” Dr. Renald Showers explained,
Early church leaders did recognize some of the biblical principles which are basic to Dispensational Theology. For example, Clement of Alexandria (150-220 A.D.) recognized four dispensations of God’s rule. Augustine (354-430 A.D.) noted the fact that God has employed several distinct ways of working in the world as He executes His plan for history. Augustine used the term “dispensation” when referring to these different ways. It must be said, however, that these church leaders did not develop these recognized principles into a system of thought. They were not Dispensational Theologians.
Darby did not invent Dispensationalism. Instead, he was one of many who played a very important role in systematizing and spreading Dispensational Theology during his lifetime.
Darby did not invent Dispensationalism. Instead, he was one of many who played a very important role in systematizing and spreading Dispensational Theology during his lifetime.
Are You Accurately Handling His Word?
As a Bible college student, I learned how Scripture is interpreted. Although I was raised under dispensational teaching, it wasn’t until years later that I truly understood and agreed Dispensational Theology was the most natural way to read Scripture. Seeing God’s orderly plan throughout the ages from Genesis to Revelation simply made sense.
Christians need to remember that Scripture can be understood. Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NASB).
We should study all Scripture—even the difficult-to-understand passages—knowing they are all profitable for us and part of the story of God’s sovereign plan for His glory.
We must work to study and understand, but this is the beautiful truth: Because of the bond of the gospel in our churches, young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated believers are studying God’s Word together with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We should study all Scripture—even the difficult-to-understand passages—knowing they are all profitable for us and part of the story of God’s sovereign plan for His glory.
Paul also told Timothy,
Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene (2:14–17, NASB).
All believers in Jesus should strive together to be “accurately handling the word of truth.” I am grateful for men like J.N. Darby who placed structures for Dispensational Theology.
Are you accurately handling the Word? I encourage you to seek how to study Scripture. There are many resources both at The Friends of Israel and elsewhere that can help you better understand God’s Word. Here is a brief list of resources that will help you better understand Dispensational Theology:
1. Israel My Glory magazine (An online subscription provides access to each issue of our bimonthly magazine all the way back to 1980)
2. There Really Is a Difference! A Comparison of Covenant and Dispensational Theology
3. What on Earth Is God Doing? Satan’s Conflict With God
Share with us how God has taught you how to accurately handle the Word!
About the Author
Comments 8
Good article-Darby is well known to me- we are in the plymouth brethren movement.
Harpazo or rapturo has been in the bible since the apostle Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. Darby and Schofield had nothing to do with writing the rapture of the church. The Holy Spirit is the author of scripture. And God wanted Christians to know that the church is to be snatched away or taken up to heaven when Christ comes back for us.
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord…”
I don’t think there’s anyone disputing that those who are still alive at Christ’s return will all be changed, with the saved being caught up with the Lord. The dispute is in the timing and number of times it happens. The correct answers are “at the last trump”, and “at the last trump” (1Cor.15:52). Interestingly there are seven trumpets described in the book of Revelations beginning in chapter 8, with the seventh occurring at ch.11 v.15, being sounded after 6 pretty scary sounding tribulations, some might say “great” as in “remarkable in magnitude.” Just saying what the Bible’s saying, looks like Christians like Paul’s audience, (i.e. “the Church”) will be there for it. Peace.
I believe there will be a “rapture” or catching up of God’s people, both dead and living at Jesus’ return, this is the first resurrection. He himself tells us this will be “immediately after the tribulation of those days…”. Read Matt 24:29-31. I see no secret or invisible return of Christ in scripture prior to the Great Tribulation. Having read literature from several perspectives I now believe scripture is it’s own best interpreter, we should be careful not to force our own interpretation on the word.
The book “Dispensationalism before Darby” by William Watson
Hi Sarah,
The gospels and epistles lay the foundation for correctly understanding The Revelation. Interpretation conflicting with them is how to know it’s wrong. According to 2nd PETER 3:10-13, this earth will cease to exist at the Lord’s return, dissolved by His glorious appearing. Not for one day, let alone a thousand years. We are told to be looking for new heavens and new earth.
Some falsehoods the Futurists say: Believers in their glorified bodies will live amongst the unsaved in their unchanged natural bodies; Christ, who defeated death forever, returns to earth where death still remains; Animal sacrifices reinstituted?
The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Resist him and he will flee from you.
Looking for your response.
God bless!
Ray
Hi Ray Mosher,
The risen Christ in His Glorified body did eat and communed with disciples inside closed doors and on the shores of Galilee. Also on the shores of Galilee, Christ bides the disciples to ‘come and dine’.
So here scripture does mention of the risen Christ sharing his love, affection and partaking of bodily food with the disciples.
My comment doesn’t go much past the first paragraph because I can’t focus or take seriously anything after it due to the errors it contains.
Everyone says their view is the grammatical, literal, and historic view therefore the most biblical. It is inaccurate to say covenant theology believes God is done with Israel, and that the end times are uncertain.
Dispensationalists problem is they take clay symbolic passages “literally”. To take the Bible literally is not necessary words at face value, but how they are literally written. If something is poetic it is to be taken poetic. If it’s actual the actual. If it’s symbolic the symbolic. They also shove the entire book of Revelation in between two verses of Daniel 9 where it doesn’t belong. Dispensationists further follow the rules of interpretation everywhere in the Bible except Revelation.
Covenant theology believes in the continuity of Scripture. Gods one plan of salvation revealed through the covenants consummating with the New Covenant. We believe in the rapture, just not a secret one. When Christ returns is when the dead will raise and those still alive will all be called up to meet Him and enter with Him. We believe in Romans 11. God is still going to do something special with Israel, but not there are two different plans for the church and Israel as dispensationalists believe. The church is Jew and Gentile together. That doesn’t mean God has replaced Israel. He will still use the nation in a special way somehow. But there aren’t two different salvation programs for them. Paul himself declared several times there is no partiality with God, yet Romans 11 is clear God will still use the nation in a special way.
Revelation was written to 1st century Greeks facing severe persecution and needed to understand what God was doing. What was going on behind the scenes. It was for them and for us for the same evil forces are behind the same evil acts. Christ will return gloriously, triumphantly, and physically bringing heaven to earth and redeeming all creation. This is the major meaning of Revelation. One that is beautiful, assuring, and comforting.