Consider Ephesians 1:10, here taken from the NKJV; “that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.”
Here the word oikonomian is used not as a stewardship to a specific person but in a very broad sense of a stewardship (dispensation, administration) that is “suitable to the fullness of the times” (NASB). The word “times” is “kairos”, is generally translated as “time”, and here is in the plural. It might be best to think of this as seasons or epochs. This then is a stewardship that well fitted to the completion of the epochs of history, when God will gather together in one all things in Christ.
This is the word dispensation used in the same manner that dispensationalists use it, and thus gives evidence that dispensationalism is, at least in a rudimentary form, grounded in scripture.
A second passage used in connection with this is Ephesians 3:2, “if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you” [4]. This passage is understood by many, including non-dispensationalists, to refer to a dispensation, referred to as grace, which was the emphasis of Paul’s preaching at that time [3, 5]. The following verses detail that this involved the mystery that the Gentiles would be fellow heirs.
What is the definition of a dispensation that is used by dispensationalists? One of the most commonly referenced definitions is from C. I. Scofield,
“A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God.” [2]
C. C. Ryrie defines a dispensation as;
“A dispensation is a distinguishable economy in the outworking of God’s purpose.” [3]
The basic idea of dispensationalism, then, is that God reveals Himself in certain ways at certain points in history, and humanity must respond to that revelation. The timing belongs to God to begin and end a dispensation, and He also determines the particular revelation that will be revealed.
Further, a dispensation may include certain aspects of previous dispensations; for instance, conscience is still functioning today, despite additional revelation since conscience was given at the fall of humanity.
Classic dispensationalism generally finds seven dispensations, though there is disagreement in this regard. These dispensations are:
1. Innocence – from creation to the fall
2. Conscience – from the fall until the flood
3. Civil or Human Government – from the flood until Abraham
4. Promise – from Abraham to the giving of the law
5. Law – from giving of the law until Christ
6. Grace – from Christ until the return of Christ
7. Millennium – from the return of Christ until the end of the world
[1] New American Standard Bible, 2008, Foundation Publications, Anaheim, California.
[2] The Scofield Reference Bible, 1945, Oxford University Press, Inc.
[3] C. C. Ryrie, 2007. Dispensationalism. Moody Publishers, Chicago, Illinois.
[4] New King James Version, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.
[5] J. AW. Bowman, 1956. The Bible and Modern Religions, Union Theological Seminary, Virginia.
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