Dispensational Bible Study...
At In Christ Fellowship, we study the Bible through a dispensational lens. The word dispensation simply means “management” or “stewardship.” In other words, a dispensation is how God has dealt with humanity during a specific period in history.
To put it plainly: studying the Bible dispensationally means recognizing that God has worked in distinct ways at different times — not because He changes, but because His instructions and purposes for mankind have varied across the ages. These are not man-made labels, but God-ordained shifts in how He reveals truth, holds people accountable, and carries out His plan.
Each dispensation is marked by:
- A specific revelation or responsibility from God
- Humanity’s response (usually failure)
- A resulting judgment or transition
This chart outlines all seven biblical dispensations
Many might even say there is an 8th dispensation - which we would call the Eternal State. This comes after the 1000 year reign of Christ on Earth. God dwells with His redeemed forever, and there will be no more sin, sorrow, or death (Rev.21).
A Few Key Insights:
- The first five dispensations reveal man’s consistent failure to meet God's standards under different conditions.
- The Dispensation of Grace (our current age) was revealed through Paul and is distinct from Israel’s prophetic program.
- The Kingdom Dispensation refers to Christ’s literal 1,000-year reign on earth (Rev. 20), not the current church age.
- After the Kingdom ends in rebellion, God ushers in the Eternal State—where sin is no more and God dwells with His people forever.
Why This Matters:
Understanding the dispensations:
- Clears up confusing Bible passages
- Separates law from grace, Israel from the Body of Christ
- Helps us understand what God is doing today
- Anchors us in sound doctrine, not tradition or religious mixture
"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ..." —Ephesians 1:10