THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE
We have been looking at the fact that grace reigns, and have considered not only the fact of grace reigning in the expression "the throne of grace" but also the principle by which it operates, namely righteousness. We now come to consider the agenda, the administration of grace in the present day. Every kingdom, every dynasty has an agenda, a programme by which it achieves its objectives; the reign of grace is no different. In placing grace as the ruling principle on the basis of righteousness, God has a very definite programme in mind.
The word "dispensation" is "oikonomia" which means stewardship or administration. It is most commonly used in the context of the management of a household, and actually carries the idea of someone looking after the business of somebody else's property. This is the idea of stewardship in the bible and brings before all believers a solemn responsibility. God has placed in the hands of his people the management of His affairs on earth. Some interpreters try to link the word dispensation with time periods, but this would be more relevant in the use of the word "ages." Dispensation is a description of God's agenda of grace in the present day, not so much a time period but in fact details of what God is doing. What God is doing today is dispensing grace to the world, to His church in all things.
The reign of grace has an administration, the head office is heaven and the CEO is the Holy Spirit who appoints and energises the workers with "charis" the gifts of enablement. The apostle Paul, writing to Timothy establishes this fact from the outset of his letter when he says that the business of God is described as the "administration of God" in 1st Timothy 1v4 In Ephesians 3v2 Paul says that this stewardship of the grace of God was given to him on our behalf. He repeats this in 1st Corinthians 9 v 16-17 where he says that "necessity is laid upon me, yea woe is me if I preach not the gospel! for if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me." Paul in writing to Timothy transfers this responsibility to the young man in the form of a charge (a trust endowed), which he is to guard with all his energy and which he is to promote to everyone else. Throughout his letters to Timothy he repeats this charge many times and his appeal is summed up in these words "the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also." 2nd Timothy 2v2. He warns all believers that the subject matter they are propagating, the grace of God is so important that they should not be side tracked by lesser matters like human opinions and endless questions, which only detract from the truth of the gospel. In short, he warns them not to major on minor issues, but to focus on the truth of the grace of God.
The programme was initiated by Jesus Christ just before He was received back into heaven " ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1 v 8
It has continued for nigh on 2,000 years, but it will have an end.
If you go to the book of the Revelation, the same throne takes on a different role. God can change His agenda at any time and He will. The throne of grace, that is the throne from which the primary dispensation is of grace, will change to being a dispensation of wrath. If you consult Revelation 4v5; Revelation 8v5; Revelation 11v19; Revelation 16v18 - 21 , you will find that the administration of the throne has changed, and that each time it is mentioned there is added a further dimension of the wrath of God upon a Christ rejecting world: in other words there is increasing intensity of judgement that will fall on a world that has turned its back on the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and God will take control visibly and directly in the world which He has made. THERE IS A TIME LIMIT ON GOD'S OFFER: it will change suddenly, it will come like a thief in the night. In that day the primary dispensation will be wrath.
O sinner seek His grace, whose wrath thou canst not bear,
Flee to the shelter of the cross, and find salvation there.
Tomorrow d.v. we look at the manifold grace of God.
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