Dispensationalism, How Far Is Too Far, Between the Testaments, and Family by Pastor Walter Snyder Q: I was at Bible Study when a gentleman said he was a "Dispensationalist." Can you tell me what he meant by that? A: Dispensationalism is a specific type of millennialism, a theology that grew out of Jewish intertestamental speculations. The ~Scofield Reference Bible~, a dispensationalist work, defines a dispensation as "a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God." Modern dispensationalism speaks of seven distinct epochs, or dispensations, concluding with a visible reign of Christ on earth before the world ends. The seven dispensations: 1) Man's innocence; ends with the fall. 2) Man governed by conscience, proves unfaithful, punished by the Flood. 3) Period of civil government begins at Gen 9:6, ending with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 4) Messianic promise revealed to the patriarchs. 5) God revealed Himself as the covenant-God to Moses; Christ's crucifixion catastrophically ended this epoch. 6) Dispensation of grace (also called mystery because of Rom 16:25, Eph 3:3-6, and Col 1:24-27); Christ reveals Himself through the Gospel; this period ends with the Great Tribulation and Christ's Second Coming of Christ; the nations judged according to their treatment of Christ's brethren (the Jews); Antichrist destroyed. 7) The dispensation of manifestation, the millennium, corresponding to the Sabbath of creation week, lasting 1,000 years; even here, not all obey; this world-Sabbath ends with judgment at the white throne and the destruction of Satan and the earth, (Rev 20:11-15); believers now enter heaven, unbelievers receive eternal destruction. Dispensationalists blame human resistance to God's will as the reason that God has been unable to complete His entire plan for the Creation. They say that Christ couldn't do everything to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies and thus they must be completed in the world's final age. These include a literal throne of David, a conversion of all the Jews, and related thoughts. Q: My friend is dating this guy and she wants to know what kind of behavior is acceptable. How far an unmarried couple can go before what they're doing is wrong? A: Let's start with kissing, which can be innocent in and of itself. But like a mild drug that can lead to something stronger, kissing may lead to going steady, to sex, or even to marriage! Actually, marriage is where God intends all such activity to either lead to or flow from. As singles, Christians should ask, as we are encouraged in so many things, "Is this a good thing? Is this a right thing? Is this the best thing to do?" The Bible doesn't give a complete measuring stick No verse says, "Thou shalt not kiss except upon the lips, neither shalt thy hands grasp flesh normally covered by clothing." When you ask what is too far, you're trying to get as close to sin as possible without actually falling into it. In so doing, you are already sinning, putting the Lord your God to the test. "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour," says 1 Peter 5:8. This doesn't mean don't have fun. It means be responsible and act responsibly. Think before you act and act the way you'd expect other good, decent people to act. Unless you are blessed with the privacy and privilege of the marriage bed, what happens in private shouldn't differ from what happens in public. When you act like the lights are on and all eyes are on you even when the lights are off and only the two of you are around, you are walking as a child of the light. Furthermore, in order to protect yourself and the one you love, you'll do all you can to avoid tempting circumstances. Q: I am having trouble remembering the name of the Christian teaching after the Old Testament but before the new. Can you answer the question? A: Do you mean the writings of the intertestamental period? These books, known collectively as the "Apocrypha," are found in many versions of the Bible. Most Christians don't take these on the same level as the generally accepted sixty-six books of Scripture. However, much of what they contain is good reading, including history, wisdom literature, and theological commentary on the Old Testament. Q: Do Christians value family ties? A: Yes, we do. Even though Christ speaks of "hating" family members, this is in comparison to a faith relationship with Him. Both Old and New Testaments honor marriage, commend loving parents and obedient children, and extol the family as a special creation of God wherein He works among His people. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from ~The Holy Bible, English Standard Version~, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Ask the Pastor, © 2004 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and redistribution. Translations into other languages should similarly note the United States and any appropriate international copyrights, as well as God's Scriptural injunctions concerning the property of others. Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe."