Intheology, one meaning of the termdispensation is as a distinctive arrangement or period in history that forms the framework through whichGod relates tomankind.
The concept of a dispensation – the arrangement of divisions inbiblical history – dates back toIrenaeus in the second century. Other Christian writers and leaders since then, such asAugustine of Hippo andJoachim of Fiore (1135–1202), have also offered their own dispensation arrangements of history.[1] ThePlymouth Brethren systematizeddispensationalism, which has since been adopted by other groups, including certainBaptists andPentecostals. ModernCatholic documents refer to God's covenant with Israel in the Old Testament as "a special dispensation" which anticipated "the Christian dispensation",[2] and also refer to the era of the new covenant as "the new dispensation".[3]
Below is a table comparing some of the various dispensational schemes:
| Range of Bible Chapters[citation needed] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schemes | Genesis 1–3 | Genesis 3–8 | Genesis 9–11 | Genesis 12 to Exodus 19 | Exodus 20 to Acts 1 | Acts 2 to Revelation 20 | Revelation 20:4–6 | Revelation 20–22 |
| 7 or 8 Dispensational Scheme[clarification needed] | Innocence or Edenic | Conscience or Antediluvian | Civil Government | Patriarchal or Promise | Mosaic or Law | Grace or Church | Millennial Kingdom | Eternal State or Final |
| 4 Dispensational Scheme | Patriarchal | Mosaic | Ecclesial | Zionic | ||||
| 3 Dispensational Scheme (Reformed or minimalist position) | Freedom | Grace (Law) | Grace (Gospel) | Kingdom | ||||
Although the divine revelation unfolds progressively, the deposit of truth in earlier time-periods is not discarded, rather it is cumulative. Thusconscience (moral responsibility) is an abiding truth in human life (Romans 2:15; 9:1; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 4:2), although it does not continue as a dispensation. Similarly, the saved of this present dispensation are "not under law" as a specific test of obedience to divine revelation (Galatians 5:18; cf. Galatians 2:16; 3:11), yet thelaw remains an integral part of dispensational teaching. The Law clarifies that, although Christ fulfilled the law for us, by it we have had the knowledge ofsin (Rom 7:7), and it is an integral part of theHoly Scriptures, which, to the redeemed, are profitable for "training inrighteousness" (2 Ti. 3:16–17; cp. Ro. 15:4). The purpose of each dispensation, then, is to place man under aspecific rule of conduct, but such stewardship is not a condition of salvation. In every past dispensationunregenerate man has failed, much like he is failing in the present dispensation, and will fail in the future untilEternity arrives. Salvation has been and will continue to be available to everyone by God's grace through faith.[4]
In theBaháʼí Faith, a dispensation is a period ofprogressive revelation relating to the major religions of humanity,[5] usually with aprophet accompanying it.The faith's founderBahá'u'lláh advanced the concept that dispensations tend to bemillennial, mentioning in theKitáb-i-Íqán that God will renew the "City of God" about every thousand years,[6] and specifically mentioned that a newManifestation of God would not appear within 1,000 years (1852–2852) of the inaugurating moment of Bahá'u'lláh's Dispensation, but that the authority of Bahá'u'lláh's message could last up to 500,000 years.[7][8]
In theLatter Day Saint movement, a dispensation is a period of time in which God gavepriesthood authority to men on the Earth throughprophetic callings. Between each dispensation is anapostasy where the priesthood is at least partially absent.[9] TheLDS Bible Dictionary says
A dispensation of the gospel is a period of time in which the Lord has at least one authorized servant on the earth who bears the holy priesthood and the keys, and who has a divine commission to dispense the gospel to the inhabitants of the earth.[10]