And now we come to number 5, 6, and 7, and that’s going to be our lesson tonight. The fifth problem with Lordship salvation is it fails to make basic dispensational distinctions. So there I just used the dreaded “d” word, “dispensation.” And what does dispensation mean? And let me explain a little bit about what that means and then I’ll try to show you how this becomes very significant in the whole Lordship salvation controversy. The word translated “dispensation,” you’ll find a translation of it, depending on what Bible version you’re using, in Ephesians 1:10 and Ephesians 3:2. [Ephesians 1:10, “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:” KJV. Ephesians 3:2, “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” KJV]
Those are the two places where the word “dispensation” is translated in some Bible verses. But the Greek word that translates that word “dispensation” is the word oikonomia; oikonomia is a compound word, meaning two words making up one word. It comes from two words, oikos, which means house, and nomos which means law or rules. So oikonomia simply stated means house rules.
So what a dispensationalist is, is somebody that looks at the Bible and notices that from age to age the rules change. Now the plan of salvation is always the same, no matter what age of time you’re in, in the Scripture. In the Old Testament they were looking forward to a Messiah that would come and they were saved by faith. We look backwards to a Messiah that already came, we know His name, we’re saved by faith, so the plan of salvation is always the same for personal salvation from age to age. However, as you go through the Bible you’ll discover that there are dramatic changes of rules. For example, in between Genesis 1 and 2 and Genesis 3 do the rules change?
Well absolutely, Genesis 3 isn’t anything like Genesis 1 and 2. Genesis 3 you have death entering the picture, pregnancy becoming difficult, you have people working by the sweat of their brow. None of that’s happening in Genesis 1 and 2. So what happened in Genesis 3 with the fall of man is the rules changed. You see? God’s basic governing structure changes just in the first three chapters of the Scripture. And a traditional dispensationalist, like myself, would look back at the Bible and say there’s about seven times where the rules have changed. For example, how many of you brought with you to church last weekend an unblemished lamb? Let’s see a show of hands. Well, the Old Testament tells God’s people to do that. And by the way, why did you show up on Sunday, you should have showed up on Saturday. And you shouldn’t have gone to your church, you should have gone to the temple in the Middle East, if you’re really going to follow the Bible. Right?
Well, we all recognize that the rules have changed, in between the Old Testament and the New Testament, after the beginning of the church age we don’t bring animal sacrifices any more. And because Christ resurrected on Sunday we show up on Sunday rather than Saturday. And we understand that we’re not part of the nation of Israel; Israel was a nation, the church consists of people all over the world in multiple nations.
So there’s obviously a change of rules. So everybody is a dispensationalist whether they want to admit it, of one kind or the other. Now the reason this is such a big deal is I had you open up to Matthew 3:2 which is the preaching of John the Baptist. He says, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Now Lordship salvation people believe that’s the gospel. You know, that is the gospel that we are to proclaim to the unbelievers today, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” And they say there it is, it’s not just faith alone, it is personal repentance of sins. I’m not sure how they interpret “kingdom” but you notice the words, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” is thrown in.
And what I’m trying to argue here is early Matthew is a different stage of house rules in comparison to what we’re governed by today. And you see if you don’t understand basic dispensational distinctives within the Bible you get very confused as to exactly what gospel it is, what Scriptures we’re supposed to use to preach to unbelievers.
So what Matthew 3:2 is, is God’s program with Israel. Now the nation of Israel began, really in Genesis 12, and in Genesis 15 God made to Israel a covenant called the Abrahamic Covenant, given to the patriarch Abram, who later became Abraham, and He gave Israel an unconditional covenant consisting of three blessings: land, seed (or descendants) and personal blessing. So that’s the foundational structure of God’s beginning work with the nation of Israel.
Those are the two places where the word “dispensation” is translated in some Bible verses. But the Greek word that translates that word “dispensation” is the word oikonomia; oikonomia is a compound word, meaning two words making up one word. It comes from two words, oikos, which means house, and nomos which means law or rules. So oikonomia simply stated means house rules.
So what a dispensationalist is, is somebody that looks at the Bible and notices that from age to age the rules change. Now the plan of salvation is always the same, no matter what age of time you’re in, in the Scripture. In the Old Testament they were looking forward to a Messiah that would come and they were saved by faith. We look backwards to a Messiah that already came, we know His name, we’re saved by faith, so the plan of salvation is always the same for personal salvation from age to age. However, as you go through the Bible you’ll discover that there are dramatic changes of rules. For example, in between Genesis 1 and 2 and Genesis 3 do the rules change?
Well absolutely, Genesis 3 isn’t anything like Genesis 1 and 2. Genesis 3 you have death entering the picture, pregnancy becoming difficult, you have people working by the sweat of their brow. None of that’s happening in Genesis 1 and 2. So what happened in Genesis 3 with the fall of man is the rules changed. You see? God’s basic governing structure changes just in the first three chapters of the Scripture. And a traditional dispensationalist, like myself, would look back at the Bible and say there’s about seven times where the rules have changed. For example, how many of you brought with you to church last weekend an unblemished lamb? Let’s see a show of hands. Well, the Old Testament tells God’s people to do that. And by the way, why did you show up on Sunday, you should have showed up on Saturday. And you shouldn’t have gone to your church, you should have gone to the temple in the Middle East, if you’re really going to follow the Bible. Right?
Well, we all recognize that the rules have changed, in between the Old Testament and the New Testament, after the beginning of the church age we don’t bring animal sacrifices any more. And because Christ resurrected on Sunday we show up on Sunday rather than Saturday. And we understand that we’re not part of the nation of Israel; Israel was a nation, the church consists of people all over the world in multiple nations.
So there’s obviously a change of rules. So everybody is a dispensationalist whether they want to admit it, of one kind or the other. Now the reason this is such a big deal is I had you open up to Matthew 3:2 which is the preaching of John the Baptist. He says, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Now Lordship salvation people believe that’s the gospel. You know, that is the gospel that we are to proclaim to the unbelievers today, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” And they say there it is, it’s not just faith alone, it is personal repentance of sins. I’m not sure how they interpret “kingdom” but you notice the words, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” is thrown in.
And what I’m trying to argue here is early Matthew is a different stage of house rules in comparison to what we’re governed by today. And you see if you don’t understand basic dispensational distinctives within the Bible you get very confused as to exactly what gospel it is, what Scriptures we’re supposed to use to preach to unbelievers.
So what Matthew 3:2 is, is God’s program with Israel. Now the nation of Israel began, really in Genesis 12, and in Genesis 15 God made to Israel a covenant called the Abrahamic Covenant, given to the patriarch Abram, who later became Abraham, and He gave Israel an unconditional covenant consisting of three blessings: land, seed (or descendants) and personal blessing. So that’s the foundational structure of God’s beginning work with the nation of Israel.
