This should be obvious, for it is the practical working out in
experience, of the doctrine or instruction given to us in the Word of
God.
However, problems will arise if (1) and (2) are
not understood and acted on, and some dispensationalists seem to be
confused here. It has been pointed out that, in reading the Word of
God, we should note “the address on the envelope”,
that is to say to recognize to whom the passage of Scripture is
addressed. This is right, but we must not draw wrong conclusions. The
name and address of the person on the envelope decides who is the owner
of the letter. But the owner would be foolish, if, before he opened the
letter, he decided that every sentence must refer to him and no one else
because he is the owner! Statements in the letter might refer to a
dozen different people and these would have to be given their place.
We must bear this in mind when we come to the
Scriptures. By all means let us note to whom it is addressed. Failure
to do this will affect the interpretation. But don’t let us assume that
every statement in Scripture can only relate to those who are mentioned
in the opening verses.
Let us take for instance the prophecy of Isaiah in
the O.T. and the epistle of James in the N.T. Isaiah tells us that his
prophecy is “concerning Judah and Jerusalem” (i. 1). James addresses
his epistle to “the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (i. 1).
We have heard it said that because these Scriptures are addressed to
Israel, they are not “for the Body” and therefore they need not receive
careful study by those who belong to the Body of Christ. And this, in
spite of the statement by the Apostle Paul, that “all Scripture
is profitable for doctrine (teaching), . . . . .that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Tim. iii. 16,
17).
Let us turn to Isa. xxvi. 3 where we read:
“Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he
trusteth in Thee”,
and then
compare this with Phil. iv. 7:
“. . . . . the
peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.”
These two
Scriptures are addressed to two different groups of God’s children, the
people of Israel, and the Church which is His Body, but both deal with
the same basic truth that peace of mind can be enjoyed to the
full through complete trust in the Lord. The previous verse in
Philippians mentions prayer and thanksgiving which must include trust in
God. This is typical of what we can find right throughout the Word of
God and therefore we must be careful to distinguish between what is
foundational or basic, with what is dispensational.
The command to “rightly divide” the Word of God
(II Tim. ii. 15) goes far beyond making a distinction between Israel and
the Church, or recognizing Acts xxviii. as a dispensational division.
It means that we must go carefully through every passage of Scripture we
are studying and note what is basic and what is the position of the
people in the context (dispensational) and their relation to the purpose
of God. Foundational truth upon which the purpose of the ages is built
is covered by such Bible terms as justification, redemption, atonement,
sanctification, propitiation, reconciliation, substitution,
identification, forgiveness, pardon, ransom. Dispensational truth on
the other hand, notes the differences that God has planned for various
sections of His redeemed family. Their placing in glory depends
entirely on His elective purpose and in His wisdom, love and grace. He
knows just where is the best place for each in the new heaven and earth
He will yet create.
Some He purposes to bless on the new earth (Psa.
xxxvii. 11; Matt. v. 5); others look forward by faith, like Abraham,
to the heavenly Jerusalem which finally descends to the new earth (Heb.
xi. 9, 10, 16; xii. 22; Rev. iii. 12; xxi. 10-27). Others will be
enthroned with the ascended Christ, “higher than all the heavens” (Eph.
iv. 10; ii. 6). The whole of God’s vast creation will be peopled with
His children.
The Lord’s great redemptive plan is much greater
and wider than the average Christian appreciates. Certain it is that
the glory of God will completely fill this new creation as will His
redeemed family as they contemplate for eternity and praise the One Who
has done “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph. iii. 30,
N.I.V.). Then “all things in heaven and earth” will stand in the
Headship and power of Christ (Eph. i. 10).
The need to distinguish what is basic and what is
truly dispensational is essential when we are dealing with such an
epistle as that by James. It is easy to call this Scripture “Jewish”;
but what is meant by this? Do those who use this term mean the passage
is predominantly Jewish, or entirely Jewish, that is,
every verse is not only addressed to Israel, but concerns Israel
and no one else. Unless this term is used with care it can lead to
considerable misunderstanding. This can be seen in the interpretation
of the Gospels. When we come to the Gospel of John, some assert that
this is Jewish. If they mean that it was primarily addressed to the
nation, they are right, for it is a history, as all the Gospels are, of
the earthly life and ministry of the Lord Jesus and this is looked at
from four different angles. If they mean that every statement of the
Lord recorded by John is about Israel alone and has no reference to the
Gentile, then their viewpoint is sadly wrong.
One of John’s key words is the word “world” which
occurs no less than 79 times. It means mankind in general and
not one nation in particular. No one can give a correct
interpretation of this Gospel, unless they study every occurrence of
this important word. Obviously it must have taken a prominent place in
the Lord’s ministry, for we should remember we only have a selection
under the Spirit’s guidance of the Lord’s words spoken during His
lifetime. As to why He should stress His relationship to the whole of
mankind in a ministry which He Himself said was limited to Israel (Matt.
xv. 22, 24) and also that of the Twelve (Matt. x. 5, 6), we have dealt
with in a previous article on The Great Commission of Matthew
xxviii. But we should carefully note that while Christ’s ministry
was primarily to Israel, yet He declared “I am come not to judge the
world, but to save the world” (John xii. 47), not just to save
Israel, and His goal was the belief of the world (John xvii. 21,
23), not just the belief of Israel. The comment of the Evangelist is to
the point here “for God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John iii.
17). And the previous verse, which has been the means for the salvation
of thousands, gives the way this salvation with eternal life may be
realized, namely by faith, belief or trust in the Saviour. “He that
heareth My Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting
life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto
life” (John v. 24). These verses give the simplest expression of
salvation, eternal life and freedom from condemnation in the N.T. It
mattered not whether a Gentile or a Jew were listening to the Lord’s
words, if they responded by faith, then this salvation was theirs.
And this is still true today.
Here is a good example of basic or foundational
truth which is truth for all time. Sin and death are not
dispensational, nor is God’s remedy for them dispensational. God has
only one way of removing sin and justifying the sinner, namely by the
redemptive work of His beloved Son and this is received on the principle
of faith and John’s Gospel gives a clear witness to these facts.
This being so, we must carefully distinguish what
is dispensational in this Gospel from what is basic and unchanging. If
we do not do this our exposition is bound to be unbalanced and
lop-sided. On the other hand, if we do it, the purpose of God for the
heaven and earth becomes clearer and more wonderful. To have an
inheritance in any part of these spheres is a tremendous privilege and
reveals how great is the love and grace of God which alone makes it
possible. Human goodness and merit cannot intrude here.
We are in the hand of One Who is working “all
things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph. i. 11), and the design
that He has will surely be fulfilled in His time and His own way.
Because of this we can go on in “full assurance of faith” and not be
moved by anything around us.
Like the Psalmist, we look forward to resurrection
glory and can say with him, “I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy
likeness” (Psa. xvii. 15).
Dispensational
Truth>
Related Audio:
Comparing Doctrinal and Dispensational Truth (S. Allen)
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