Things that Differ (Stam) Ch1
- What is a dispensation?
- the act of dealing out or that which is dealt out
- Eph 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God whichis given me to you-ward:
- What other word (besides dispensation) is sometimes used in the Authorized Version to translate oikonomia?
- steward
- house manager
- Prove by Scripture that the moral law could not, in itself, save from sin.
- Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.
- Prove by Scripture that the ceremonial law could not, in itself, save from sin.
- Hebrews 10:4 For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
- In what sense did works once save?
- “faith works” was an act of believing what God told them (faith) and doing it (act/work). It was not the work itself that saved them, but believing God. Their work was an act of faith. For me (and anyone after God revealed the grace gospel to Paul) today, what God tells me through Paul is that I am to believe alone without works.
- Believe that Christ did all the work for me on the cross. He died, was buried and resurrected on the third day as scriptures said He would. Through His work, I am imputed His righteousness. A free gift. (A gift is not a gift if I work for it or pay anything). I am also sealed with by the Holy Spirit. (I didn’t earn salvation, i cannot maintain salvation, I cannot therefore lose it.)
- Were men of past dispensations saved by the death of Christ?
- Technically yes, but they didn’t know of Jesus Christ and how His work would usher in salvation to those who believe. They are saved by Christ in the sense that they are looking forward what God would do, but they themselves had a different dispensation (God dispensed another method) for their salvation.
- All who were saved (saints) were saved by the merit of Jesus Christ’s shed blood, but not through their faith in that shed blood.
- Was this preached to them?
- No, Jesus Christ had not yet been crucified.
- Were they offered salvation by faith in the death of a coming Christ?
- No, their salvation was given in another way. The way God instructed them.
- Prove by Scripture that salvation by the blood of Christ, apart from works, was not proclaimed in Old Testament times.
- Luke 18:34
- 33 And they shall scourge [him], and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
- Draw a chart or state in geometrical terms the difference between truth and the revelation of truth.
- Explain how the dispensation of law did not violate God’s principle of saving men by grace through faith.
- the works themselves did not save. The obedience proved their faith. God tells us today through the mystery revealed to Paul to believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ, no works allowed to be added to our salvation. Eph 2:8-9
- Would it be wrong today to observe ordinances once required for salvation?
- If this is for salvation, then yes. For you cannot be saved by another means other than what God has dispensed to us today. (These can only be found in Pauls epistles)
- 13. Would it be wrong to observe an ordinance once required for salvation, if we acknowledged that it had no saving value?
- Not sure, Ill have to come back to this one. I think though it could stumble others and might also display or enact a “lack of faith”. At the moment I would not do this in obedience to what God has already done and done away with. (Not that my obedience to this work would merit me anything)
- Prove this by Scripture.
- What statement by our Lord concerning baptism has been changed by most Fundamentalists to make it correspond with their views on baptism?
- Mark 16: 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
- This is to say that if you did not get baptized, you cant get saved. This would have been an act of no faith.
- Adding another interesting note: If this was the same gospel by which we operate under, then verse 17 would also be active: 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
- This is where the Pentecostals go wrong in not dividing rightly the gospel for us today (Pauls epistles) and where the Baptist go wrong denying this or making excuse why they dont practice that part
- Luke 7: 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
- A Baptist preacher will not say that baptism is required for salvation, but the scripture says it was. The problem is that they are mixing the 2 gospels and trying to make them work in harmony. This is wresting the scripture, when they need to rightly divide it instead.
- Through whom did God first begin to dispense His message and program for today?
- Paul the apostle
- Interestingly, he was chosen by the ascended Jesus Christ, the other apostles were chosen by the descended Jesus Christ (earthly ministry vs heavenly ministry)
- Prove this by Scripture.
- Ephesians 3: 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
- (Risen Jesus speaking here..) Acts 26: 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
- Galatians 2: 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
- (Jesus Christ speaking) Acts 22: 21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
- Could any Old Testament person, refusing to bring sacrificial
offerings, be saved? - No, this was the way God chose for them. God was operating in a different way in their time.
- Could any under John the Baptist or at Pentecost, refusing to be baptized, be saved?
- No, this was how God was operating or dispensing salvation in their time.
- Note: Most Baptist will say “its not required for salvation” , but they think you should, they call this “believers baptism”
- In grace gospel, Paul teaches through revelation that there is ONE baptism, we are baptized in Jesus Christ’s death. How then could we add another baptism? -> Human tradition / blind loyalty. Loyalty ought be reserved to Gods word alone. Diligence ought to be accounted of the christian to study Gods word earnestly. (my little rant)
- Give Scriptural examples.
- Mark 16:15,16
- Acts 2:37
- Mark 1:4
- This is how they received the remission of sins