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Dispensationalism II - Lesson 1
Attached Audio:
- DEFINITION OF DISPENSATIONALISM (Continued)
- Objections to Dispensationalism
- Dispensationalism describes a changeable God
- The argument
- God does not change (Malachi 3:6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
See All...; Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
See All...) - Therefore, God cannot alter in His plan for man
- The answer
- No one denies basic dispensational differences (for example, from law to grace)
- God’s immutability does not mean He always deals in the same way with man.
- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
See All...) - Yet, Jesus was born as a baby in a manger and died on the cross; is now seated at the right hand of God and will in the future sit on the earthly throne of David.
- His differences in His dealings with man do not deny His unchangeable nature.
- The Bible clearly teaches that what God requires of man at one time is not the same as at another time (Acts 17:30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
See All...; Galatians 3:21-26 [21] Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. [22] But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. [23] But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. [24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. [26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
See All...) - Dispensationalism destroys the unity of scripture
- The argument
- All scripture is profitable for doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
See All...) - And the scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
See All...) - Therefore, no portion of scripture can teach different doctrine than any other portion of scripture; the teachings of scripture must be understood to say the same thing.
- The answer
- This argument is never taken to its logical end because it would be ludicrous to do so. Clearly, we do not offer animal sacrifices today. All agree with this. To make this logic work at all, the plain statements of scripture must be watered down to vague spiritual generalizations.
- The sacrifice of Christ and our living sacrifice are the sacrifices of today. [Of course they are, but that does not mean the commands have not changed.]
- Circumcision is replaced by baptism. [This is not true but, even so, the plan has changed.]
- The Jewish Sabbath is replaced with the Christian Sabbath. [The Bible does not teach this equality.]
- The same Bible book that tells us that all scripture is profitable for doctrine also tells us to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
See All...). - Dispensationalism declares the failure of the gospel
- The argument
- The gospel is part of God’s perfect plan
- God cannot fail in His plan
- If this age ends in failure, then God’s plan has failed
- The answer
- It is not God’s plan that fails, but man’s obedience to God’s plan that causes failure.
- Adam failed to remain in the Garden of Eden
- Israel failed to maintain her kingdom because of sin
- How are these different from the age of grace ending in another failure of man to follow God’s plan?
- However, dispensationalism is the only doctrinal system that completely establishes the success of God’s plans for man
- The earthly paradise offered to Adam will be realized in the new earth
- The earthly kingdom offered to Israel will be realized in the kingdom age
- The heavenly home promised to us will be realized
- God, not man, will receive the glory for all
- THE DISPENSATION OF INNOCENCE (Genesis 2:4-9 [4] These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
[5] And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
[6] But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
[7] And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
[8] And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
[9] And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
See All...) - Content
- From the creation of man to the fall
- Genesis 1-3
- Duration unknown but probably short
- Adam 130 at birth of Seth (Genesis 5:3And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:
See All...) - At this time, he and Eve had had two sons (Cain and Abel) to grow up, establish careers, and had one of them get killed by the other.
- The story of Adam and Eve in the garden indicates a short time.
- The temptation mentioned in chapter three was evidently the first one
- They had probably not been eating of the tree of life (Genesis 3:22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
See All...) - Conditions
- Perfect world (Genesis 1:31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
See All...) - Unfallen creation (Romans 8:19-23 [19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
[20] For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
[21] Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
[22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
[23] And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
See All...) - Innocent nature (Genesis 2:25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
See All...) - Perfect home: Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8-10 [8] And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
[9] And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
[10] And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
See All...) - Purpose given by God (Genesis 2:15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
See All...) - Limited opportunity to sin (Genesis 2:16-17 [16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
[17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
See All...) - Unhindered fellowship with God (Genesis 3:8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
See All...) - Commission (Genesis 1:28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
See All...) - Be fruitful
- Multiply
- Replenish the earth
- Subdue the earth
- Have dominion over the animals
- Covenant (Genesis 2:16-17 [16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
[17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
See All...) - Liberty: Eat freely of the trees of the garden
- Restriction: Do not eat the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
- Judgment: In the day you eat thereof you die
- Crisis (Genesis 3:1-8 [1] Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
[2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
[3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
[4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
[5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
[6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
[7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
[8] And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
See All...) - The Test: God allows the serpent (Satan) to tempt Eve concerning the tree (verse 1)
- The Plan
- The serpent questions God’s word (verse 1)
- The serpent contradicts God’s word (verse 4)
- The serpent changes God’s word (verse 5)
- NOTE: Compare the three attacks made on the word by the Pharisees (Matthew 15:3But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
See All..., 6, 9) - The Fall
- Eve adds to the word (verse 3)
- Eve takes of the forbidden fruit (verse 6)
- Good for food
- Pleasant to the eyes
- Desired to make one wise
- NOTE: Compare to the three kinds of lust in the world (1 John 2:16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
See All...) - Eve gave of the fruit to Adam (verse 6)
- The Consequences
- They lost their innocence (verse 7)
- They lost their fellowship (verse 8)
- Their spirit died at that moment (see Romans 7:9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
See All...) - Condemnation (Genesis 3:14-24 [14] And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
[15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
[16] Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
[17] And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
[18] Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
[19] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
[20] And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
[21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
[22] And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
[23] Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
[24] So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
See All...) - The serpent is cursed (verses 14-15)
- The woman is judged (verse 16)
- The ground is cursed (verses 17-18)
- The man is judged (verses 19-24)
- Compassion
- God covers man with coats of skins (Genesis 3:21Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
See All...) - God promises a future Redeemer (Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
See All...) - Change
- Man now has a fallen, sinful nature
- Man now lives in a sin-cursed world
- Man is cast out of the Garden of Eden
- Man now will die and return to dust
Proverbs 28:11
The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.