Deep Waters

The Bible’s Definition Of The Terms “Ages” And “Dispensationalism” And What Salvation Looks Like In There Differences

Kenneth Shelton Season 23 Episode 4

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0:00 | 30:18

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I am doing a series of messages that will contain around ten end time word definitions so that you, when you are reading your bible and come across some of the words, you will know what the word is and even the differences in words as they relate to timeframe. 

An example of the next three messages following this one will be to define the differences between two words or period of times for the same word like 1st and 2nd resurrection, or 1st and 2nd death, or 1st and 2nd coming. 

This message will be to explain and define periods of time in the bible and why it matters in relationship to salvation and to the words “resurrection”, ‘death” and “coming.” For example right now we are in the church age or dispensation. Salvation works differently for us as it did for the Old Testament Jews. Now, now it still has to come through Jesus but in what manner God set up the two periods of time differs one from another. 

Ok so first let’s distinguish the differences between an “age” and a “dispensation” so that as we move through, we maintain our biblical bearings.

The difference between ages and dispensations in the bible are as follows:

An age refers to a measure of time, while a dispensation refers to a system of administration or stewardship during that time. 

Key Differences

·        Ages are chronological. They mark distinct periods or eras on a historical timeline.

·        Dispensations are administrative. They define how God relates to humanity and what responsibilities He gives them in that particular dispensation. For example in the OT they sacrificed animals yearly so that the sins that they committed throughout the year would be “covered” by the invoking of the dispensational rules that God set up. But in the NT example Jesus was the final sacrifice:

o   Hebrews 7:27: He does not need to offer daily sacrifices like other high priests, "for this he did once for all when he offered up himself".

o   Hebrews 9:28: "So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time..."

o   Hebrews 10:10: "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all".

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