Growth The Three Distinctives

[netchaplain]

There are three distinct administrations in the Word, consisting of Israel up to the Cross, the Church from Pentecost to the Rapture, and the Millennial Kingdom. These three systems set up conflicting and opposing principles; but since these difficulties appear only when an attempt is made to coalesce systems, elements, and principles which God has separated, the conflict really do not exist outside these unwarranted unifying efforts. In fact, they rather demonstrate the necessity of a due recognition of all of God’s different and distinct administrations.

The true unity of the Scriptures is not discovered when one blindly seeks to fuse these opposing principles in one system, but rather it is found when God’s plain differentiations are observed. The dispensationalist does not create these differences as he is sometimes accused of doing. The conflicting principles, in the text of Scripture, are observable to all who penetrate deep enough to recognize the essential features of divine administration. Instead of creating the problems, the dispensationalist is the one who has the solution to them.

If the ideals of an earthly people for long life in the land which God unto them (Ex 20:12; Mat 5:5) do not articulate with the ideals of a heavenly people* who in respect to the earth are “strangers and pilgrims” and who are enjoined to be looking for and loving the imminent appearing of Christ, the problem is easily solved by the one whose system of interpretation is proved rather than distressed by such distinctions.

All Scripture is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2Tim 3:16), but all Scripture is not of primary application to a particular person or class of persons which the Bible designates as such. All Scripture is not of the angels, nor is it of the Gentiles. In like manner, all Scripture is not addressed to the Jew nor is it all addressed to the Christian.

These are obvious truths and the dispensationalist’s plan of interpretation is none other than an attempt to be consistent in following these distinctions in the primary application of Scripture as far as, and not further than, the Bible carries them. However, all Scripture is profitable, that is, it has its moral, spiritual, or secondary application.

To illustrate this: Much valuable truth may be gained from the great body of Scripture bearing on the Jewish Sabbath; but if that body of Scriptures has a primary application to the Church, then the Church has no Biblical ground for the observance of the first day of the week (which she certainly has) and she could offer no excuse for her disobedience—hence her individual members, like all Sabbath breakers, should be stoned to death (Num 15:32-36). In like manner, if all Scripture is of primary application to believers of this age then they are in danger of hell fire (Mat 5:29, 30), and to have the blood of lost souls “required at their hands” (Eze 3:17, 18).

Moral and spiritual lessons are to be drawn from God’s dealings with Israelites, quite apart from the necessity being imposed upon Christians to comply with all that a primary application of the Scriptures specifically addressed to Israel would demand. Of the believer of this age it is said that “he . . . shall not come into condemnation (judgement)” (Jhn 5:24), and “there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). These latter promises are disannulled by diametrically opposite declarations if all Scripture applies primarily to the Christian.

- L S Chafer


Poster’s Comment:
*”If the ideals of an earthly people . . . do not articulate with the ideals of a heavenly people”: One of the most speculative (but likely true in my opinion) concepts concerning the end-time Jew is that they will inherit the New Earth, and the Church of Christ, the New Heaven. Some are of the thought that the land of Canaan is meant for an earth inheritance, but I believe it is not a natural, temporal inheritance but an eternal one, isolated to the Jewish nation after they have been brought to faith by seeing Christ.

 

[Jim Parker]

There are three distinct administrations in the Word, consisting of Israel up to the Cross, the Church from Pentecost to the Rapture, and the Millennial Kingdom.

Well, that's one opinion.

*”If the ideals of an earthly people . . . do not articulate with the ideals of a heavenly people”: One of the most speculative (but likely true in my opinion) concepts concerning the end-time Jew is that they will inherit the New Earth, and the Church of Christ, the New Heaven.

That certainly is an example of speculation. Al the scripture says is, "All Israel will be saved." (Rom 11:26) There is no indication that the salvation Israel will experience is different from the salvation that everyone else experiences.

And I think all the saved may reside in the New Jerusalem which will come down from heaven.

iakov

 

[Kidron]

There are three distinct administrations in the Word, consisting of Israel up to the Cross, the Church from Pentecost to the Rapture, and the Millennial Kingdom.

Another simple way to teach "dispensations" (time periods) is like this..
Its interesting to see how God sets it up differently in His dealing with mankind over time.

1.) Creation -Adam - Moses, you have no law.

2.) Moses to the Cross, you have no Grace (no Cross yet) , but you do have Faith (Abraham).

3.) The Cross to the Tribulation , "time of the Gentiles" - Rapture of the Church

4.) Tribulation -- 1000 reign of Christ in Jerusalem

5.) Satan released for a season.

6.) New Heaven New Earth, New Jerusalem descends, Fellowship@ Eternity.

 

[netchaplain]

1.) Creation -Adam - Moses, you have no law..

Hi Kidron - I suppose it determines what is meant by "law," which began with "the law of sin," when God told Adam that he would die when he disobeyed Him. (Gen 2:17). The law of sin began then and is still in effect for unbelievers concerning the second death, i. e. "the soul that sins, it shall die" (Eze 18:4, 20--which is passed down via Gen 2:17).

I'm only stating this because death is the first (Gen 2) and last (Rev 20:14) element to be dealt with concerning sin, and "sin" is considered a principle or "law" (Rom 7:23, 25; 8:2). The Christian Jew died to the law of sin and the Law of Moses, and the Christian Gentile died only to the law of sin, so when Scripture declares that the Christian Gentile died to the law, it is in reference to the law of sin.

I believe what I've replied here has only indirect reference to your reply, and shared it only to ask of your opinion concerning it.

Thanks for your input and God's blessings to you!

 

[Kidron]

Hi Kidron - I suppose it determines what is meant by "law," which began with "the law of sin," when God told Adam that he would die when he disobeyed Him!

Yes, i understand your theology, here. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

But its also true that a sin is a transgression of a law, and as "The Law came by Moses, but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ", we see that there was no "law", strictly speaking, when Adam ate the apple, as Moses was yet to be born.
Also,
"Where there is no law there is no transgression".. Rom 4:15.



God bless,

K

 

[netchaplain]

Yes, i understand your theology, here. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

But its also true that a sin is a transgression of a law, and as "The Law came by Moses, but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ", we see that there was no "law", strictly speaking, when Adam ate the apple, as Moses was yet to be born.
Also,
"Where there is no law there is no transgression".. Rom 4:15.
God bless,
K

That's a good point, but wasn't there a law established when the command went forth? Gen 2:16, 17

 

[Kidron]

That's a good point, but wasn't there a law established when the command went forth? Gen 2:16, 17

command or law????
>law<
the 10 "commandments"......are laws.
thus, sin entered the garden, and death for us all began.

 

[netchaplain]

command or law????
>law<
the 10 "commandments"......are laws.
thus, sin entered the garden, and death for us all began.

I do like the points you bring up, and I suppose it's depends according to how one thinks. Yes, sin was in the garden before man--in the Serpent, and before creation--in the "angels that sinned" (2Pe 2:4).

 

[Kidron]

I do like the points you bring up, and I suppose it's depends according to how one thinks. Yes, sin was in the garden before man--in the Serpent, and before creation--in the "angels that sinned" (2Pe 2:4).

Yes.
And the angels that sinned, sinned in Heaven,..... so, that was sin IN Heaven, and Adam/Eve was sin on Earth.

Its interesting that one of the statements that is told to an unbeliever is that....."well, you cant go to heaven because you are a sinner and God does not allow sin or unjustified-unredeemed sinners, in heaven".
And God doesn't, as we see by 2nd Peter 2:4......> he cast out the angels that sinned....
What is interesting about these angels that sinned, is that God in His foreknowledge KNEW this was going to happen, and also, it shows us that in Heaven there can be sin, but it will be cast out.
And even more......Jesus said that Satan was a murderer "from the beginning, and that there is no truth in him".. Jn 8:44
So, if this is to be understood as Satan before his "casting out", then this means that Satan was in heaven from the beginning of his creation as a murderer and there was no truth in him, the entire time he was in heaven.
We can say that Jesus was speaking of the post-heaven Satan, but then we have accept that the verse infers it, as it certainly does not state it.

 

[Jim Parker]

I do like the points you bring up, and I suppose it's depends according to how one thinks. Yes, sin was in the garden before man--in the Serpent, and before creation--in the "angels that sinned" (2Pe 2:4).

The angels that sinned are creatures, part of creation. Therefore, their sin was after the creation.

Before creation, there was only God and there is no sin or evil in God.

my 2 kopecks
iakov

 

[Kidron]

The angels that sinned are creatures, part of creation. Therefore, their sin was after the creation.
Before creation, there was only God and there is no sin or evil in God.

"Creation", is understood as earth - water- atmosphere, and the cosmos, and all living things related to the earth.
In Genesis it says...."lets make man in OUR image".
When the heavenly host was created is not stated in the Bible, so, there is no way to know when they were created, tho perhaps there is some theory found in "pre-adamic" theology that suggests the "when".

 

[Jim Parker]

"Creation", is understood as earth - water- atmosphere, and the cosmos, and all living things related to the earth.
In Genesis it says...."lets make man in OUR image".
When the heavenly host was created is not stated in the Bible, so, there is no way to know when they were created, tho perhaps there is some theory found in "pre-adamic" theology that suggests the "when".

Creation is all that exists. Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The fact is there is a time at which angels were created by God.

Before Satan was Satan, he was the "covering cherub." He was created perfect and became corrupt.

Eze 28:14-17
“You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,
Till iniquity was found in you.
... You became filled with violence within,
And you sinned;
Therefore I cast you as a profane thing
Out of the mountain of God;
And I destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the fiery stones.
Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;
I cast you to the ground,
I laid you before kings,
That they might gaze at you."

So being a murderer "from the beginning" must refer to the beginning of his existence as Satan.

Everything that God created was good. (Gen 1:31) A murder is not good so he could have not been created that way but, like man, who was created "very" good and in the image and likeness of God, he had free will to do good or to do evil. When he decided to do evil, he was changed i his nature in the same manner that man was changed.

Anyway, that's how I see it.

iakov

 

[Kidron]

Creation is all that exists. Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.



So being a murderer "from the beginning" must refer to the beginning of his existence as Satan.

Everything that God created was good. (Gen 1:31) A murder is not good
iakov

The wonder of the New Testament is that it supplements and often explains some things found in the OT that are slightly obtuse.

For example, it is stated in Gen 1:1 that "in the beginning God created"....and this is true.

However, when we turn to Colossians, we find that God as Jesus is the vehicle through which creation was created.

Colossians 1:16 """ For by Jesus were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him""""

So we understand in the OT that "God created", but then we are given the exact understanding that God as JESUS the Word, did the creating.

And regarding Satan.
Well, EZE 28 says what it says, but Jesus says what he said.., Later.
Jesus said that Satan was a murderer from the beginning and no truth was found in him.
The fact is, his sinning was found in Heaven, and not after he came here.
So, if you say this beginning was a secondary beginning, then.....
The fact is, he was corrupt before he fell, before he was sent to earth.
The bible does not indicate , as you have surmised, that he was given his Name upon becoming corrupted.
Nor does the bible indicate that he was given the name Satan once he was sent to the Earth.

 

[Jim Parker]

So, if you say this beginning was a secondary beginning, then.....

Again, Gen 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.

Satan is a creature which God created. Gen 1:31 says that when God created him, he was good.
Therefore, Satan's being a liar and murderer "from the beginning" cannot refer to his original created state because that original state was good.

The bible does not indicate , as you have surmised, that he was given his Name upon becoming corrupted. Nor does the bible indicate that he was given the name Satan once he was sent to the Earth.

Unlike modern, western names, (Bob or Sally) ancient Biblical names were a statement about the one bearing the name. The name Satan means, "Adversary." He was not created an adversary. He was created as the covering cherub, the highest of all orders of angels. He did not remain that way. His Hebrew name, Satan, reflects his being the adversary, the enemy of man That was not his original occupation and, therefore, not his original name which may have been Lucifer.

Isa 14:12
“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer*, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!

*Literally: Day Star

My 2 kopecks
iakov