Dispensationalism
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There are many doctrines men have contrived to attempt to explain what is already clearly laid out for us in scripture, the best thing to do is question everything, no matter how basic, see if its really there, (acts 17:11) prayerfully seek the truth with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, seems mankind is always trying to complicate things when it is not so complicated after all.
E
So that makes it a bad thing? I do not understand the question.
How can you understand how God dealt with people in Abraham day to properly interpret the text. if you do not understand historical context (which is all dispensationalism does)
My advice is to stop looking at it as a key word. but as a way of seeing things.
orthotomeó: to cut straight
Original Word: ὀρθοτομέωPart of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: orthotomeó
Phonetic Spelling: (or-thot-om-eh'-o)
Short Definition: I cut straight, handle correctly
Definition: I cut straight; met: I handle correctly, teach rightly.
HELPS Word-studies
3718 orthotoméō(from temnō, "to cut" and 3717 /orthós, "straight") – properly, cut straight (on a straight line), i.e. "rightly divide" (correctly apportion).
from the Pulpit Commentary:
Handling aright the Word of truth (ὀρθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας). The verb ὀρθοτομεῖν occurs only here in the New Testament. In the LXX., in Proverbs 3:6, it stands for "he shall direct [or 'make straight'] thy paths;" and so in Proverbs 11:5. The idea is the same as that in Hebrews 12:13, "Make straight paths for your feet (τροχιὰς ὀρθὰς ποιήσατε)." But this does not at all suit the context. We must look, therefore, at the etymology of the word. Ὀρθοτόμεω must mean "to cut straight," and, as the apostle is speaking of a good workman, he must be thinking of some work in which the workman's skill consists in cutting straight: why not his own trade, in which it was all-important to cut the pieces straight that were afterwards to be joined to each other (see ὀρθότομος and ὀρθοτομία)? Hence, by an easy metaphor, "divide rightly," or "handle rightly, the Word of truth," preserving the true measure of the different portions of Divine truth.
2 Timothy 2 Pulpit Commentary <--- source
i believe your NASB has it right, Pamella. it's a workman's word, and most modern translations say something like the NASB.
===================================================
it is written,
LUKE 11:13.
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
ROMANS 8:9.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
GAL. 3:8.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
we see that the gospel was preached and that Abraham believed God, and it was counted
unto him for righteousness, therefore he was one of God's 'called-chosen-and elect',
for the Spirit of Christ dwelt in all of the prophets...
1PETER 1:2.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit,
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
there is only ONE GOSPEL,
it is written,
HEB. 4:2.
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them,
not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
so in conclusion we see that the Gospel was preached long before the NT came into being, and also
the Apostles preached the Gospel from the Law, the Writings, and the Prophets...
it is written,
LUKE 24:44.
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets,
and in the psalms, concerning me.
it is written,
LUKE 11:13.
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
ROMANS 8:9.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
GAL. 3:8.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
we see that the gospel was preached and that Abraham believed God, and it was counted
unto him for righteousness, therefore he was one of God's 'called-chosen-and elect',
for the Spirit of Christ dwelt in all of the prophets...
1PETER 1:2.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit,
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
there is only ONE GOSPEL,
it is written,
HEB. 4:2.
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them,
not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
so in conclusion we see that the Gospel was preached long before the NT came into being, and also
the Apostles preached the Gospel from the Law, the Writings, and the Prophets...
it is written,
LUKE 24:44.
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets,
and in the psalms, concerning me.
Perhaps it is because it is the way I already see things, that I don't have to dig deep and figure out everything in depth about what dispensationalists think and then call myself a dispensationalist. I am just a bible reader. I ask God everytime I read to bring things to greater understanding as we all if continue reading will gradually learn more from what we are reading. And teachers are good, too, yes of course, that is why God made teachers.
But really, the importance lies in my character and becoming Christlike.
But really, the importance lies in my character and becoming Christlike.
E
Your reading way to much into it, I do not "think" Like a dispensationalist thinks.
I look at scripture. and when I interpret it, I interpret it in historical concept. so I do not misinterpret what is being said..
That is what a dispensationalist does.. not by following some law. or some list of rules called dispensationalism. Just by using historical perspective (when interpreting past events or scripture) Or attempt to interpret in a future perspective things which have not occured yet, But not setting them in stone, knowing until it actually happens it is all just a guess anyway.
I look at scripture. and when I interpret it, I interpret it in historical concept. so I do not misinterpret what is being said..
That is what a dispensationalist does.. not by following some law. or some list of rules called dispensationalism. Just by using historical perspective (when interpreting past events or scripture) Or attempt to interpret in a future perspective things which have not occured yet, But not setting them in stone, knowing until it actually happens it is all just a guess anyway.
Dispensational approach is considered politically incorrect by some as it recognizes that God chose ONE nation to carry out his purposes and still is using that people.
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
(Rom 9:4)
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
(Rom 9:4)
Just look at dispensationalism as a "play", metaphorically. God is the play write . . . Plays have opening scenes: In the first scene - God created the heavens and the earth, then man and woman - we now have two main characters. They are to dress and keep the garden; they may freely eat of every tree of the garden but NOT eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They disobeyed and ate of the tree . . . they were ashamed . . . God made them coats of skins to clothe them (first animal sacrifice to cover sin) . . . they were sent out of the garden of Eden. End of scene 1.
(Adam and Eve were fruitful and multiplied.) Scene 2 opens with man's wickedness; God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were evil continually . . . Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD - He was a just man. God decides to destroy the "evil" with a flood . . . Tells Noah to build an ark to save him and his family . . . Noah obeys . . . rain started . . . all flesh died that was upon the face of the earth . . . waters dried up . God told Noah and his family; be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth . . . God made a covenant with Noah; I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth - the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. End of Scene 2 . . . the covenant remains (rainbow) Noah and his sons were fruitful and multiplied. Then we move on to Abraham . . . men were self governing; on to Moses to whom the law was given . . . the birth of our Messiah and his death and resurrection ended that scene . . . Now Christ is the end of the law for righteousness; this being called the grace administration . . . we are still in this scene!
This is really simplified but I think you get the drift . . . it's no big deal but it does help in our rightly dividing the word of truth!
(Adam and Eve were fruitful and multiplied.) Scene 2 opens with man's wickedness; God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were evil continually . . . Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD - He was a just man. God decides to destroy the "evil" with a flood . . . Tells Noah to build an ark to save him and his family . . . Noah obeys . . . rain started . . . all flesh died that was upon the face of the earth . . . waters dried up . God told Noah and his family; be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth . . . God made a covenant with Noah; I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth - the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. End of Scene 2 . . . the covenant remains (rainbow) Noah and his sons were fruitful and multiplied. Then we move on to Abraham . . . men were self governing; on to Moses to whom the law was given . . . the birth of our Messiah and his death and resurrection ended that scene . . . Now Christ is the end of the law for righteousness; this being called the grace administration . . . we are still in this scene!
This is really simplified but I think you get the drift . . . it's no big deal but it does help in our rightly dividing the word of truth!
Dispensationalism - For me there is only one dispensation, God loves me. I just want to know how and how I can respond.
A child runs to their parent with trust. Things grow and become clearer as trust and maturity is gained. So many think there is the solid interpretation to take from each word, when actually this is God speaking the same things to different historical situations, and repeated rejection. The theme is simple, men prefer their own point of view, and reject the need to be righteous pure and holy.
Jesus is the ultimate declaration of one to one love, plain open and pure. But listen to the church and you could think Jesus is talking about miraculous power that demonstrates God exists, that wealth and health is Gods heart and domination by the church over the world is His heart for the church age. Perhaps these people have not really met Jesus or know a man who walked in poverty, purity and friendship to His death and resurrection, who said either you love money or God, not both.
A child runs to their parent with trust. Things grow and become clearer as trust and maturity is gained. So many think there is the solid interpretation to take from each word, when actually this is God speaking the same things to different historical situations, and repeated rejection. The theme is simple, men prefer their own point of view, and reject the need to be righteous pure and holy.
Jesus is the ultimate declaration of one to one love, plain open and pure. But listen to the church and you could think Jesus is talking about miraculous power that demonstrates God exists, that wealth and health is Gods heart and domination by the church over the world is His heart for the church age. Perhaps these people have not really met Jesus or know a man who walked in poverty, purity and friendship to His death and resurrection, who said either you love money or God, not both.
It's simple. When you read a text of Scripture, there are three applications:
1. Historical - there is historical significance throughout the word of God
2. Doctrinal - direct instructions to the audience
3. Application - I may not be the intended audience, but what lesson can I learn and apply to my life
A dispensationalist will rightly divide the word of truth in order to understand how to apply the passage. I'll give you an example:
Jonah 1, "1 Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me."
Historical - there was an actual guy named Jonah and his father was Amittai. There was a actual place called Nineveh. The events that follow actually happened in history.
Doctrinal - God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and cry against it. That message would be "yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown."
Application - likewise, the believer today has a message of salvation not destruction, however, it includes a warning of hell if one rejects the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to take our message, not just to Nineveh, but to the whole world.
That's dispensationalism! The whole Bible is written for us, but not all of it is written to us.
1. Historical - there is historical significance throughout the word of God
2. Doctrinal - direct instructions to the audience
3. Application - I may not be the intended audience, but what lesson can I learn and apply to my life
A dispensationalist will rightly divide the word of truth in order to understand how to apply the passage. I'll give you an example:
Jonah 1, "1 Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me."
Historical - there was an actual guy named Jonah and his father was Amittai. There was a actual place called Nineveh. The events that follow actually happened in history.
Doctrinal - God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and cry against it. That message would be "yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown."
Application - likewise, the believer today has a message of salvation not destruction, however, it includes a warning of hell if one rejects the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to take our message, not just to Nineveh, but to the whole world.
That's dispensationalism! The whole Bible is written for us, but not all of it is written to us.