What does it mean to live by grace? As Biblical dispensationalists, we affirm that we are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14). Believers affirm that grace is now their rule of life. Yet many dispensationalists have not properly understood this. Many can state that fact but are unable to explain how it works.

Grace as a rule of life has been misunderstood and mis-taught. Peter and Jude wrote of false teachers who would pervert grace even changing grace into lewdness (Jude 4; 2 Peter 2:18). Hand in hand with this perversion was a denial of our Lord’s authority as absolute master (2†Peter 2:1). If grace means anything goes, then no one, not even our Lord can be in charge. This version of grace is an extreme perversion. Other less extreme versions exist none of which accurately understand or represent Biblical grace.

Grace as a rule of life is sometimes ignored. Many believers who have been taught dispensationalism have also been taught to live by the Law and/or the Sermon on the Mount. Combining law teachings - perhaps the Ten Commandments - with grace alters both resulting in a hybrid that is neither Law nor Grace (Romans 10:6). This was the sort of teaching under which the author was raised. It results in confusion and frustration rather than growth.

The goal of this paper is to briefly demonstrate the proper motivation for the Grace believer from Grace revelation. Having done this, a comparison with motivations of the other six dispensations will be made. Illustrations of misuse will be drawn primarily from other dispensational students. The intent is not to sow dissension among brothers but to point out that even among fairly consistent dispensationalists (not all are) errors regarding life and motivation creep in. It is necessary that we remember this, as we too are potentially susceptible to such errors. Pragmatism in ministry sometimes results in poor decisions. Many dispensationally consistent pastors have erred when desperately trying to motivate Grace believers. They resort to using truths not directed at the Grace believer’s life. Consistency is blessed but diligence must be exercised to maintain it. It will be helpful to recognize some common errors by dispensationalists which lead to errors in motivation for grace living. The goal is to better understand what it means to be taught or raised by grace.

Many dispensationalists do not recognize the proper household in each dispensation. They err by making the household the whole human race in every dispensation. Charles Ryrie writes, “Under Grace the responsibility on man is to accept the gift of righteousness that God freely offers to all (Rom. 5:15-18).” This statement confuses the household and makes the dispensation of grace a way of salvation, a fact which Ryrie states is wrong. Renald Showers also applies the present dispensation to the whole human race, “Man fails the test of the sixth dispensation. The majority of unsaved Jews and Gentiles do not accept the gift of righteousness.” This problem is common among dispensationalists. It is crucial to accurately identify the proper household of each dispensation.

The Scriptures reveal that the household in some dispensations is less than all people living at that time. When called called Abraham from Ur, He limited the household. For the two following dispensations, Abraham’s family known as Israel was the household. During the present dispensation, the household is the body of Christ, the Church, the “you” of Ephesians 3:2. Grace as a way of life is only a rule or governing factor for the body of Christ. God does not govern the lives of the unsaved by grace. The unsaved are saved by grace but that is another matter and not the point of a dispensation. The household was the entire human race during Innocence, Conscience and Human government. One must determine from Scripture who God includes in the household in each dispensation.

In the dispensation of grace, one can find references to principles which were the rules in previous dispensations. Paul refers to his conscience, to government, even to the Abrahamic covenants. However he never treats these as the rule for believers in this present dispensation. Paul considered the believer’s relationship to these to be different than his relationship to grace as a rule of life. He did not consider human government and the conscience as absolute. Some have confused the rule of life by treating the rules of previous dispensations as on going. Renald Showers writes, “During most of its course, the sixth dispensation has five ruling factors which God uses to govern people: human conscience, the restraint of the Holy Spirit, human government, promise, plus grace.” [emphasis his] Some of his confusion arises from his failure to recognize the proper household. These additions allow for the misapplication of truth. Grace living depends on recognize the proper rule of life.

Many differences can be observed when comparing the dispensations to one another: different groups of people, different rules, different provisions, different judgments, different relationships to God, different activities of God, different covenants, different promises. This study will focus on the different motivations in each dispensation.

It is important to establish briefly the nature of grace living. Dispensationalists err in this regard because few understand what it means to live by grace. Understanding grace and how to live by grace often prevents errors in the misuse of other dispensational rules.

The grace from God is vital to the believer’s position in Christ. Those aspects of his position, distinct from possessions, exist because God says good things about the believer in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). God says the believer died with Christ, was buried with Christ, rose with Christ and is seated with Christ (Romans 6:3,4; Colossians 2:12; 3:1-3; Ephesians 2:5-6). These are some of the “good words” or “blessings” which the believer has in Christ. The believer deserves none of them that is why Paul wrote that the believer has been graced in the One who is loved (Ephesians 1:6). Every aspect of one’s position and every possession associated with that position exists because of the grace from God.

The believer has grace in Christ where he stands (Romans 5:2). The believer can access that grace by faith and even be strengthened in his inner man by that grace (2 Timothy 2:1). Therefore, grace is not just in the provision of the position and possessions but also provisions associated with that position.

“Grace is to you” is Paul’s common salutation. This is a reference to one’s position. He closes his letters “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with you.” In four passages Paul clarifies this meaning by adding “with your spirits.” (Galatians 6:18; Philippians 4:23 ; Philemon 25 and 2 Timothy 4:22). “Spirit” is the part of man in which he has experienced regeneration. “With” is meta, describing a looser association than sun. The benefits of regeneration are distinguished from those of one’s position by the Spirit’s baptism. One’s position is unalterable and never affected by his actions. It depends wholly upon God. As far as Paul was concerned, the believer is always counted by God to be co-raised [sunegeirw], co-made alive [suzwopoiew], and co-seated [sugkaqizw] with Christ (Ephesians 2:5-6). However the benefits of regeneration while always available are considered to be more loosely associated with the believer.

Christ being in the believer is distinguished from Christ settling down at home in the believer’s heart (Galatians 2:20; 1 John 5:12; Ephesians 3:17). In the former the Indicative mood of the verbs indicate reality; Christ is in the believer. The latter is potential indicated by the Subjunctive mood of the verb “might give” in Ephesians 3:16. The grace is loosely associated with his spirit because, like Timothy, the believer may lay hold of eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12, 19) or he may simply have it but not use it. Like all Grace believers, Timothy had eternal life but also needed to lay hold of it. Possession is not the same as use or manifestation. If he merely has it, the grace is loosely with him. He has the potential to really use it.

God’s grace is involved in the process of regeneration. The birth from the Spirit affected the believer’s spirit (John 3:6). In his spirit, he is joined to the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:17); he has eternal life (1 John 5:11-12); he has experienced a renewedness of mind (Ephesians 4:23); he shares in God’s kind of nature (2 Peter 1:3-4; John 4:24).

The believer’s actions do not change the fact that he has eternal life, Christ’s kind of mind, God’s kind of nature and the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. He may not relate to it but each is still his. Likewise God continues to say good things about the believer in Christ. Since the believer’s entire position is a result of God’s grace it is unalterable. This is the way grace works, the provisions of salvation are given without regard to merit.

The unchanging nature of God’s grace and the benefits of the resulting salvation are the basis of this present salvation. The reception of our initial salvation is, as always, by grace. No one in history has experienced regeneration prior to the dispensation of Grace. No one in history has been placed into Christ prior to Pentecost. The Scriptures which describe the exact content of salvation prior to Pentecost are scarce. It is plainly revealed in New Testament revelation that both regeneration and Spirit baptism are works of the Holy Spirit restricted to this present dispensation (Mark 10:30; Acts 1:5). Therefore, the very unalterable content of salvation which is historically unique to this dispensation, gives character to this dispensation of grace.

Regarding the believer’s position, Paul’s personal experience illustrates this principle of grace. Paul was a Pharisee regarding the Law (Philippians 3:5). He studied the law and pressed himself and others to keep the Law. As a student of the Law, Paul knew that one’s ability to approach God and enjoy God’s provisions depended upon his obedience to the Law. Even after three years of training directly from the Lord (Galatians 1:11-12, 16-18), Paul still struggled with the ingrained law approach to living. Luke recorded that Paul was sent to Tarsus and was still there about 7 years later when Barnabas went to seek him (Acts 9:30; 11:25). During this time God taught Paul to practice that which he had learned as truth. Paul recounted this prolonged experience in Romans 7. One can mature in his salvation but he is no more saved when he is victorious than when he operates in the sin nature. This struggle to make himself acceptable to God as he had done under Law, only resulted in failure. It culminated in his cry “Who will deliver me ...” (Romans 7:24).

The light dawned for Paul in 7:25-8:1.

In verse 25 Paul uses “law” twice both times to describe principles. The first use is a principle which relates to God and the second relates to the sin nature. Paul could see the contrast. By regeneration, his mind would serve God as a slave of righteousness resulting in eternal life being plainly visible (cp Romans 6:19, 22). His flesh still wanted to manifest the sin nature. This left Paul in utter frustration until he finally understood that the believer who is in Christ is not condemned (Romans 8:1). This was a contrast to life under Law. Under the Mosaic Law sin brought condemnation and death (2 Corinthians 3:7-9). Under this Grace in Christ there is none. Paul experienced in practice what he had been taught. He learned what the grace from God really is. His failure, like that of the believer today, only made the reality of this present grace more vivid (cp Romans 5:21)! This was the basis of victory. It was also the motivation for victory (Romans 6:14). The motivation was not fear of judgment but the fact that one is not condemned in Christ.

axiow means “to weigh.” The weight of an object often determined its price. The idea of worth was a natural development. In 2 Thessalonians 1:11 Paul expressed that his worship of God which was done around the thought of the Thessalonians led him to ask that God might deem them worthy. God already placed them in Christ. Paul desired that when God viewed the Thessalonians’ conduct it would weigh in at or measure up to their calling. This calling is by God’s grace (2†Timothy 1:9). The New Testament revelation indicates that the only calling which the believer received was to salvation. Paul desired the Thessalonians to live in accord with their God-given position. If they did, God would deem them worthy.

This idea is repeated in Ephesians 4:1. The saints were to walk worthy of their calling. They didn’t make themselves worthy to receive the calling. They had already been called to their position. They were already called one’s of God (cp 1 Corinthians 1:2). To the Colossians Paul wrote, “You walk worthy of the Lord...” (Colossians 1:10). As in the last two passages, God had already given to them salvation. Specifically, God had made them qualified for the share of the inheritance of the saints in light (v. 12). God had rescued them out of the authority of darkness and transferred them into the kingdom of the Son of His love (v. 13). It was only natural that Paul would desire this great work of God to produce fruit in a walk worthy of the Lord (cp 1†Thessalonians 2:12).

In each case, the believer is faced with living because of God’s work not with the goal of getting or earning God’s work. God by grace has already provided and simply points the believer to the life which is consistent with that provision.

The believer can also respond to the benefits of regeneration. The believer is already a child of God. He has been loved as God’s child. (1†John 3:1). Now he is to become a mimic of God as a beloved child (Ephesians 5:1). He is to live like his Father. He doesn’t live to be a child of God but lives because he is one.

Under Law, no once could mature. It wasn’t the right environment for maturity. Grace is the right environment (Hebrews 7:19). The believer now has a better hope. That better hope is his access to God. He is to realize that by God’s grace he can draw near to God in his position in Christ. Unlike those under Law who had to be worthy by obeying the Law, the Grace believer has already been made worthy. He can not change that fact.

This access is also expressed by the word prosagwgh. The believer has access to God through Christ, Who is his position (Ephesians 2:18). The believer has already been made near to God in Christ by His blood (v. 13). L.S. Chafer wrote, “being thus in Christ, their standing before God is no less than the perfection of Christ in whom they are accepted (2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:6). This bold and confident access is a promise related to his position and is therefore to be an object of faith.

Because the basis of this access is not himself but His Savior Jesus Christ, he has boldness [freedom of speech] and confidence when coming to the Father ( Ephesians 3:12). Parrhsia means “running words.” It involves the idea of words the flow easily like water. In modern terms it is akin to the idea of freedom of speech. The believer’s position exists because of God’s grace. Everything associated with it is based on the Person of Christ and the Father’s saying it is so. When the believer properly relates to this position, he has a freedom of speech with the Father.

Christ’s flesh is the veil into the heavenly holy of holies (Hebrews 10:20). He and His work are the basis of this access. Therefore the believer has confidence which he should not cast away (Hebrews 3:6). He can approach the throne of grace (4:16). Since the throne is characterized by grace it removes all forms of the believer’s merit. He has nothing to offer which makes him acceptable to approach this throne. He approaches on His Savior’s merits. If His Savior’s merits can’t make one bold, nothing can. On His Savior’s merits and work, the believer has a confidence of great value (Hebrews 10:19, 35). This spiritual believer is eager to enter into the rest by faith (Hebrews 4:11).

The believer’s labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). Three Greek words convey the idea of emptiness in the New Testament: eikh - empty of goal; keno_ - empty of content; mataio_ - empty of result. Human nature would expect the idea of vain in this passage to be result. Man is most concerned with what he actually accomplishes. The Spirit moved Paul to use keno_. God is concerned with the result but the content or motive in the accomplishing of any work is at least if not more important to Him. Regardless of the result, the work done in the Lord has a content which is not empty.

God uses His grace to raise us as children (Titus 2:11-13). It teaches us to say “no” to those attitudes and actions which are inconsistent with grace. Paul categorized these as ungodliness and worldly lusts. Ungodliness [asebeia] is the opposite of godliness [sebw / eusebeia]. In secular usage godliness was that which honored a deity or was reverential or fearful. Through Paul, God altered this idea of godliness. The New Testament idea of Godliness is that which honors God by showing forth His kind of life and nature. Therefore, ungodliness is an action which does not honor God because it does not show forth His life and nature. In most of its New Testament contexts, it appears to emphasize manifestations of the works of the flesh (the old nature) in contrast to the believer’s new nature. God has given the believer the opportunity to love with His kind of love through the fruit from the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The believer is to love other believers like his Savior loved him (John 13:34-35). Worldly lusts distract the believer to love the world and its things (1 John 2:15-17). The believer can be tempted to be too focused on joy in the temporary things of this world system (1†Corinthians 7:30). God intends the believer to use His provisions and to use them correctly. Misuse is inconsistent with His grace.

Positively, grace points the believer to activities and attitudes which are consistent with it. Soberly is a compound word involving one’s frame of mind (reflective thinking) and salvation. The Greeks emphasized physical salvation or safety and modern versions translate it prudence. Paul is concerned with one’s spiritual safety (spiritual salvation) and therefore prudence in spiritual matters is consistent with grace. The believer does this by setting his frame of mind to his position in Christ where he is graced. That is spiritually “prudent”.

Righteous living is consistent with God’s provisions from grace. Paul desired to be found, not having his own law oriented righteousness but that which is by faith in his position in Christ (Philippians 3:9). The believer is already positionally righteous in Christ. He has the potential, as he relates to his position in Christ, to live out a practical righteousness.

Godly living honors God by reflecting God’s kind of life and nature. This term [eusebeia] is more emphatic prefixing eu [good] to sebeia emphasizing actions which honor God. The Son is in the believer (Romans 8:10; Galatians 2:20). The believer has eternal life because the Son is in him. Godliness is the practical use of that life in the manner which God would use it. This honors God.

The New Testament includes several references to negative chastening, popularly called discipline. The first New Testament account is of Ananias and Sapphira who died because they lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 1-11). Such discipline is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 regarding an immoral brother. 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 cites the physical sicknesses and deaths of believers who did not properly evaluate the body of Christ when they approached the Lordian Table. Mental illness is mentioned by James (James 5:15) and is associated with the possibility of sin. Paul turned certain men over for misapplying truth (1 Timothy 1:19-20).

Fear seems to play a role in this discipline. This is fear of physical illness or death. How does this square with grace? Such discipline is enacted on those who refuse to live in light of grace. Elders who were sinning were to be reproved so that the other elders would fear (1†Timothy 5:19-20). In keeping with 1 John 4:17-18 it would indicate a lack of maturity, perhaps a refusal to mature in a specific area of truth and practice. With the exception of Ananias and Sapphira, whose actions were prior to clear grace revelation, the other instances of discipline appear to involve a persistent action. Fear will not bring one to maturity. Fear can get the attention of a believer so that he gets back on track and turns his attention to grace revelation. Fear is not a motivation to live by grace but a motivation to allow grace to motivate the believer.

Love rather than grace is specifically associated with discipline. God chastens His sons, so they will not be condemned along with the world (Hebrew 12:6; 1 Corinthians 11:30-31). He chastens His sons, those who are counted to be of age with the potential for maturity. Therefore, chastening is a response to those who do not live up to their gracious position.

Some teach that the sin nature has been removed or displaced, that the believer can be so wholly sanctified that he no longer sins. “This is why John Wesley taught (and the Church of the Nazarene believes) that after we are saved from our sins we must go on to a second level of experience that deals with the inner nature of sin. Here we consecrate - that is, we surrender or dedicate our complete selves (mind, emotions, will) to God (Romans 12:1-2), and through faith receive the cleansing of our hearts by the incoming presence of the Holy Spirit.” Though not promoted as follows, the idea of entire sanctification during this life is a motivation to be like Adam or like him before the Fall. The desire to be during this life without the taint of sin and innocent once again is used to motivate individuals to a “christian” or “holy” kind of life.

The improper motivation and goal is sinlessness. A believer taught these errors seeks to attain a deeper level of holiness or a second blessing. It is not surprising that where such heretical truths are emphasized, believers who are carnal or sometimes sin even once, fear the loss of salvation, something which has never been possible during any dispensation. Because the believer may have victory over sin but during this life can not be absolutely free from it, the above teaching leads a life of grief.

The believer will not be free from the presence of the sin nature during this earthly life. The believer can not claim that he has no sin or that he does not sin (1 John 1:8, 10). In this first case, “having sin” refers to the sin nature or principle which is in the believer. Paul described it as “the sin dwelling in me” (Romans 7:17, 20). In the second case, John referred to “sinning.” “Have not sinned” is a Perfect tense and can be translated more fully, “we have not sinned and are not now in such a state that we could sin.” The testimony of the New Testament writers is that the believer will not be completely released from the sin nature until our Lord returns in the air to catch His church away (Ephesians 4:32; Romans 8:23).

Misapplying Conscience to the Grace Believer as proper motivation

Many dispensationalists would clearly deny the last misapplication but frequently misapply the dispensation of conscience. Grace believers are frequently taught to let their conscience be their guide or that it is at least part of his rule of life.

In the dispensation of conscience, individuals were motivated to seek God and approach Him. This would have been good. However, most of mankind chose the intermarrying of fallen angels with their daughters to be good. They failed to use their conscience correctly. Societal pressure caused them to alter their way of life to the point that they did not approve of having God in their experiential minds.

The conscience is similar to a balance scale. The Greek sunoida literally meant “with knowledge.” The conscience is that faculty of the mind in which an individual weighs his or another’s actions with what he knows, hence with knowledge. When such actions agree with his knowledge the scale balances and he has a good conscience. When such actions disagree with his knowledge the scale is tipped and his conscience is evil . His self-integrity or sense of well being is based upon a good or evil.

A good or clear conscience is important (1 Timothy 1:5, 19; 1 Peter 3:21). Paul appealed to his conscience as a witness to his actions (Romans 9:1; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Timothy 1:3). When Hymanaeus and Alexander thrust themselves away from faith and a good conscience they shipwrecked that body of doctrine which details the Christian’s life, the faith (1 Timothy 1:19-20). Therefore, the conscience is not to be completely discounted in all circumstances.

The conscience is not infallible. God taught man this lesson during the dispensation of Conscience. The Conscience can both accuse or excuse (Romans 2:15). One could be conscious of nothing against himself and not be justified by this (1 Corinthians 4:4). A person could act contrary to God’s expressed will for so long that he sears his conscience, meaning that even when the scales are out of balance, he feels no conflict (1 Timothy 4:2). Sometimes the believer’s heart has knowledge against him (1 John 3:20). The heart is part of the conscience and God is greater than the heart. The Hebrew believers needed to be cleansed from an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22). Their knowledge was incomplete. They were still operating primarily on Old Testament revelation. Their Old Testament training taught that the sacrifices, priests and temple were necessary for them to have access to God. They were no longer able to engage in the temple rituals. They had a conscience which was evil because they were not able to live in keeping with their knowledge. Therefore, the believer must sometimes rely upon God and His revealed truth rather than his conscience.

It is more important that the Grace believer is led by the Holy Spirit. The believer is a son in Christ (Galatians 3:26). When he is led by the Holy Spirit he is not only a son in Christ but a son in practice (Romans 8:14). The one who is led by the Spirit is under no kind of law (Galatians 5:18). Therefore, a son doesn’t live by a set of rules to which his conscience is balanced.

Ever since “christianity” ceased being an illicit religion, it has attempted to flex some muscle in government locally and nationally. Even among genuine believers, there has been an increasing emphasis on using government to enforce a Judeo-Christian value (a description which does not reflect Biblical Christianity nor Grace teaching). Christians protest, run for office and attempt to change culture for the better. Believers are even told that their spiritual gifts can be used in social and political arenas, perhaps as a member of a school board or Congress.

Believers are to submit to human government (Romans 13:1-3; 1 Peter 2:13-14). His motive is not to be law but love for his brother. As long as government doesn’t require anything contrary to God’s revealed will for the believer, the believer is to obey government (Acts 4:19-20). Believers are not to be boisterous opponents of or for government. The believer is to communicate to God on behalf of governing officials (1 Timothy 2:1-3). His purpose is to have both an inward and outward quietness. The only accounts of New Testament believers speaking to governing officials involved the gospel. They did not speak against corruption, immorality, taxation, schooling, or anti-christian biases. Believers are to remember they are citizens of heavens (Philippians 3:20) and not citizens of this earth (1 Peter 2:11). The believer may have to use the world system but he never uses it to the full (1†Corinthians 7:31). Human government is not a rule of life for the grace believer.

“Christianized” human government will not encourage grace living. The history of the “Church” has demonstrated that when such governmental authority is exercised, it usually is contrary to plainly revealed truth. E.H. Broadbent sketched the history of the Church outside the mainstream. His history is replete with instances of the established churches legally persecuting that element of the Church which attempted to operate by God’s Word as opposed to tradition.

“Many believe that God will save the West, especially the U.S., because of his promise to Abraham.” wrote Tim LaHaye, misapplying God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you;” Arnold Fructenbaum severely confuses the life of grace believers by misapplying the Abrahamic covenants. He treats the four Abrahamic covenants as one and applies the benefits as seed, land and blessings. He states that Jewish believers remain Jews, view Israel as their homeland, and are the objects of God’s promised blessings and cursings. He goes so far as to state, “Because Jewish believers today still fall under the physical and spiritual provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant, they also fall under the rule of circumcision as a sign and seal of this same covenant.” He misinterprets the blessings shared by Jewish and Gentile believers (Ephesians 3:5-6) to be Israel’s covenant blessings. Since Gentiles get to share in these spiritual blessings, they are obligated to materially provide for Jewish believers and should consider supporting a Jewish ministry. Like many inconsistent dispensationalists, Robert Saucy treats the four covenants with Abraham, and at times other covenants, as one. This leads to some confusion regarding the promise of seed especially as it relates to the fourth Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 22:15-19. “IN terms of the specific contents of the covenant, the “seed” promise continues in relation to the ethnic people of Israel, but is expanded to all those in Christ. The Jew according to the flesh is still recognized as the descendant of Abraham despite his spiritual status (Lk 13:16; 16:24; 19:9; Jn 8:37; Ac 13:26; Ro 11:1). [Emphasis mine]

God made four distinct covenants with Abraham and his descendants. Grace believers are related to only the fourth of these covenants (Genesis 22:15-19). Paul called this a covenant in Galatians 3:15-16. He also accurately represents Moses’ Hebrew by pointing out that God spoke of a singular seed Who is Christ (Galatians 3:16). The Grace believer is connected to this covenant only by being positionally in Christ, part of the one new man (Galatians 3:29). It is in this very context that Paul wrote, “In Him is not Jew neither Greek, in Him is not slave neither free man, in Him is not male or female, but you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28). The believer, whether of Jewish or Gentiles extraction, relates to this fourth covenant as part of the Christ for God counts his previous racial identity to be gone. The key provision for this promised seed is victory. Interestingly, a provision which Mr. Fruchtenbaum does not address focusing rather on covenants which have no specific provision or application in this present dispensation.

Believers during the dispensation of promise lived in anticipation God fulfilling His covenant promises to them. They anticipated a large nation. They anticipated possessing the land. Joseph so anticipated these future promises that even at death he gave instructions concerning his bones (Genesis 50:24-26). This should have motivated them to live in light of that and to anticipate God doing whatever was necessary to fulfill those covenant promises. Such an anticipation is plainly absent for believers in the dispensation of Grace. The believer is a citizen of heavens and is to eagerly expect his Lord’s soon appearing to snatch him away with all other Grace believers (Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:13). He anticipates being presented in heaven before the Father blameless (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13). He is to anticipate always being with his Lord from that point (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). He does not live in anticipation of receiving land or of becoming a great nation or sharing those blessings with the Jews.

Much of Christendom lives under the notion that the Mosaic Law is in force today. Keith Mathison, an anti-dipsensationalist writes, “Reformed theology teaches that Christians must presume continuity when approaching Old Testament commands. In other words, the commands of the Old Testament remain valid unless they are repealed in the New Testament.” Even fairly consistent dispensationalists sometimes err in this regard. John Walvoord when revising Major Bible Themes added the following regarding the Dispensation of Law, “The moral principles underlying the law continue, since God does not change; ... Although many applications of the law may be made, a strict interpretation relates the Mosaic law to Israel only.” Walvoord points out that the Law is not in force but does have applications. This kind of confusing ambiguity regarding the Law has often resulted in believers attempting to live by the Law.

The Law motivated the nation of Israel to obedience by the promise of blessings and cursings. Positively, Israel could anticipate blessings from God if they “guarded to do all His commandments” which He commanded them (Deuteronomy 28:1). These blessings can be summarized as physical and earthly. They were promised superiority over other nations (v. 1). The were promised that their offspring and that of the livestock would be blessed (v. 4). They were promised that their bread basket and kneading bowl would be blessed, that is, they would have plenty of food (v. 5). Everything they stretched their hand to, God would bless (v. 8). Therefore they were motivated to receive these physical blessings in the land (vv. 11-12). These blessings were conditioned on their obedience to the commandments (v. 13).

The Law also motivated by the promise of [threat] of cursings. If they did not obey God’s commandments and statutes, they would come under curses (Deuteronomy 28:15). In all the areas which He had promised blessings for obedience, He also promised cursings for disobedience (vv. 16-19, 20-68; 27:14-26). God extensively delineated the cursings. This was because law motivation was built primarily upon fear.

Fear motivated people to obedience. The people were to hear God’s voice and learn to fear Him all the days that they lived (Deuteronomy 4:10). Separated by thousands of years and a new dispensation, many Grace believers do not understand this fear. “The one who truly fears God is not standing around with trembling hands and knocking knees.” Yet this was exactly the kind of fear that was upon Israel when God met with them on the mountain (Exodus 20:18-19). They feared to die. They feared the terrible fire from which God spoke to them (Deuteronomy 5:5). God is a fearful God Who does not show partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17). When an individual did not fear and therefore did not obey, the people were to kill him (Deuteronomy 13:4, 6-11; cp 19:15-20; 21:21). In this way the nation would hear and fear. The fear of dying, of starving, of being enslaved to other nations, and many other fears motivated the nation to obey.

The nation was also motivated to be different from the nations around them (Deuteronomy 4:6-8). They were motivated to be a holy people to their God (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; Deuteronomy 7:6). If they obeyed His commandments God Himself would cause them to stand as a holy people for Himself (Deuteronomy 28:9). Therefore, Israel was motivated to be this special people for God.

The Grace believer already has all blessings which pertain to the spirit in the heavenlies in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). God has not promised the Grace believer material blessings. Misappropriating the Law promise of physical blessings has led many to conclude that “gain is godliness” (1 Timothy 6:5). Because Paul knew that God has not promised the Grace believer physical blessings, he was able to be content in any circumstance whether he lacked or had abundance (Philippians 4:11-12). All the needs of the Philippians which God would fill were spiritual and filled in Christ (Philippians 4:19). The Grace believer is not motivated by the promise of physical blessings in this life.

By the Spirit’s baptism the Grace believer has been placed into Christ where there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). By regeneration He has passed out of death and into life and is promised that he will not come into judgment (John 5:24). The maturing believer should know that maturing love casts out fear, for fear has punishment (1 John 4:18). The believer who is still fearing with regard to punishment has not matured in love. There is a fear which the Grace believer has. It is the same Greek word fobo_ but by context it has a different sense. It is similar to the fear a wife has for her husband (Ephesians 5:33). This is not fear of punishment, a beating or anything of the like. Rather it is the fear of displeasing one who is loving. This is the kind of fear which the Grace believer has.

As regards being different, a holy nation, the Church, the body of Christ is something altogether different. The body is formed with those from the Jews and from the Gentiles. Connected to the Head Christ, this body is the one new man (Ephesians 2:15). Before the foundation of the world God chose the believer in Christ to be holy (Ephesians 1:4). Therefore, all Grace believers together are forming a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:21).

The final dispensation is the Fullness of times (Ephesians 1:10). It is the dispensation in which all times are filled full and after which there will be no more time as we know it, only eternity. The Scriptures which address this dispensation are numerous in Old Testament prophecies. Christ spoke much of this future time during His earthly ministry. Even the Epistles to the Church give mention of this dispensation. In Revelation is found the exact length of time during which the Fullness of times will be in force (Revelation 20:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

The Sermon on the mount is the most prominently misapplied passage regarding this dispensation. Believers are told to be salt and light. They are told , “There is no clearer expression or more finely focused view of the Christian life than that which Christ presented in the Sermon on the Mount. The words of this sermon reveal a pure and undiluted expression of genuine faith.” The disciples’ prayer of Matthew 6:9-13 is commonly repeated and held as a model for the believer. Believer are often charged not to judged so that they are not judged. “To judge others is to invite judgment on oneself (7:1-2).” Popular songs challenge believers to make Christ the king of their hearts. One author interprets it as an expression of God’s holiness and in this way, “it becomes a guide as to demands that God’s holiness makes on believers of all generations.”

What will be the motivation for the dispensation of the Fullness of times? The nations will be able to see God’s supernatural blessing on Israel (Isaiah 61:9; Ezekiel 36:36). The physical earth will be changed. The curse on the physical creation which has existed since Adam’s transgression shall be removed (Romans 8:20-21). The mountains will be laid low and the earth will be amazingly productive (Amos 9:13). Society will be agrarian. As an agrarian society work and rain will be necessary.

The nations will be required to come to Jerusalem and worship the King, Jehovah of Hosts (Zecheriah 14:16). For those who refuse to come, God will supernaturally withhold rain (v.†17). They will be motivated to obey that they might receive rain. The nations will approach the earthly Jerusalem and bring their strength, their goods, that is their harvest, into Jerusalem (Isaiah 60:11; Revelation 21:26). Those nations who refuse to go up will be ruined (Isaiah 60:12). Therefore, there will be a motivation for quality of life involving rain and farming.

There will also be the potential for access to Jerusalem. Ten Gentile men will ask a Jew if they might approach the Heavenly Jerusalem with him via the earthly Jerusalem (Zecheriah 8:23). Death will be rare, for people being a hundred years old will be considered a child (Isaiah 65:20). This will be due to the leaves of the tree of life which are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2). Those who are clean will have the right to the tree of life (Revelation 22:14). Those who are dogs, sorcerers, and fornicators, etc. are excluded and will not have access. Therefore, there will be a motivation to maintain the longevity of one’s life and one’s health.

Christ’s words were not hyperbole, when He said, cut out your eye or cut off your hand. If this is to be allegorized, it should also be acceptable to allegorize gehenna [A.V. “hell”]. During the Fullness of times people will be cast bodily into the lake of fire (Matthew 5:22, 29, 30). During this kingdom, the Son of Man will direct His angels to gather things which cause one to stumble and people who are doing lawlessness (Matthew 13:41). The angels then cast these people directly into the furnace of Fire [gehenna] (v. 42). This will be a motivation. When others observe this punishment as the angels snatch such people from the kingdom it will motivate them to obey.

The Grace believer does not expect the physical world to be altered during his earthly existence. He does not expect the world to be preserved for or by him as if he were the salt. He can shine like a small star in the midst of a crooked generation (Philippians 2:15). This is not being the light of the world. The Grace believer always has access to the Father through his position in Christ (Ephesians 2:18). Since that position is by the grace from God the believer can not make himself worthy to enter God’s presence because the works already been done. The believer will have the right to the tree of life but only if he should die (Revelation 2:7). He has the right because he is a believer in Jesus Christ and therefore a victor [A.V. “overcomer”]. He will need such for the health of his temporary body between death and the Rapture (cp 2†Corinthians 5:1-4). After the Rapture when he is changed to be like the Son (1 John 3:2) he will have no need of physical healing.

This study has not been to survey dispensations. Dispensationalism is a Biblical truth. For those who recognize this truth there are many practical implications. Understanding the proper motivation for Grace believer’s life is one of these implications. Many appeals are made to other dispensations as the objectives or bases for Christian living. Inconsistent dispensationalists impose not only the rules but the motivations from other dispensations on the Grace believer. This is wrong.

Living in the dispensation of Grace, we have the benefit of more written revelation than any previous time. I’m not referring alone to revelation regarding this dispensation of Grace. We have details about the past interpreted for us in the New Testament. We have details about the future explained and expanded which had been previously reveal only in part. It is likely that only during this present dispensation has the idea of dispensations been plainly visible within God’s program. We then should benefit from this plainly revealed truth. The believer can benefit by recognizing the failure under these previous systems and that which is to come. He even knows that this dispensation will end in failure. He does not have to resign himself to being part of that failure. He can go on and live by grace. He can be child-trained by grace. He can see what God has done, what God will do and what God is doing now! It should be the goal of the grace believer to grow by grace and the experiential knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God’s great salvation provided by grace should motivate the believer to live in light of that grace; to live worthy of the calling with which we are called; to live worthy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Appendix 1

Biblical dispensationalism is based upon a consistent literal interpretation of the Scriptures. It is not an method of interpretation nor an approach to the Scriptures. The consistent interpreter of the Scriptures sees differences in God’s instructions throughout history. He observes a time in which God selected one man out of the earth to be the father of the nation Israel to whom He gave covenant promises. Recognizing this, he sees that there was a time before in which God dealt with all mankind. He can see a time in which Law was imposed upon the nation Israel. Recognizing this he is able to see that there was a time before the Law. He is able to see that at the present God is deal with an assembly of people distinct from Israel. He sees that the Law is idle and set aside. He also recognizes that there will be a time in which God will resume His work with the nation Israel. He hasn’t superimposed these teachings upon God’s Word. He observed these differences while interpreting God’s Word literally.

Biblical dispensationalism is also based upon a consistent literal application of the Scriptures. Once a passage of Scripture has been literally interpreted it is then to be applied in keeping with that interpretation. As a result, when the interpretation of a passage involves literal physical activities of people, those activities should not be reinterpreted in order that the modern interpreter can find some practical use for himself. Sadly many who have been taught to literally interpret the Scriptures have also learned to undermine that interpretation by application. By doing so, they have learned to allegorize Scripture. They have one interpretation which represents the meaning of the text and a second which fits their desired application. The consistent interpreter of God’s Word should recognize that not every passage of Scripture has an application to his life, a fact which does not make a passage any less God’s Word or important. Recognizing the proper application is vital to Biblical dispensationalism.

Appendix 2A brief outline of the Biblical Dispensations, each with its chief parts

Promise (in Covenants)