In my previous post “The Dispensation of Christ” I submitted my discovery that, satisfying the requirements to meet the definition of a “biblical dispensation”, the time frame of Christ’s ministry represents it’s own dispensation, and not just any dispensation, but the most significant of them all.

A common attribute, but not a defining requirement of most biblical dispensations is found in the extended period of time which they cover. The Dispensation of Christ obviously does not share this characteristic, however comparatively speaking one could say the equivalent of a multi-millennia of transformation and power came to bear during the 3 1/2 years of Christs ministry; indeed, 3 days consummated all the Dispensations!

The Lamb, having been slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8, IPet. 1: 19-20), defines the prevalent sacrifice-natured theme of salvation across the multi-dispensational landscape. Also from the earliest days (Heb. 11:4), faith and sacrifice would become the vehicle through which fallen man could offer his gift and find restoration and life in God. With each dispensation, fellowship with God is the objective as each also features its own faith/sacrifice structure facilitating that fellowship.

To include Abrahamic circumcision- an emblem of faith and obedience, the Old Testament had its “plan of salvation” as the tabernacle of Moses, the function of the priesthood, and the various animal sacrifices served as the collective vehicle whereby atonement and forgiveness of sins could be obtained (Lev. ch.’s 4, 5, 6: 1-7, 16, Num. 15: 25-28). Likewise, the New Testament retains its “plan of salvation” as faith induced obedience manifests as repentance and water-baptism (for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Col. 2: 11-12), and Holy Ghost infilling, all to be engaged in the name of Jesus, the Lamb of God. This demonstrating that along with their Old Testament brothers, New Testament believer’s are also subject to some “mechanics” concerning their sin-remitting salvation doctrine, with both Old and New Testament doctrines being patterned after a preexistent heavenly form.

Following this dispensational rule of a unique sacrifice-themed faith/obedience structure for each era, what then was the “plan of salvation” and vehicle-for-fellowship-with-God structure during the time of Christ’s (THE Lamb) active ministry (the Dispensation of Christ)? Was it the Law that he continually improved upon as he fulfilled it with a metaphoric cross slowly growing on his back like a fatal malignant sin-tumor even from his birth? Or was it that New Testament form of doctrine whose cornerstone he was laying, and whose foundation the apostle Peter was preaching at Pentecost (Eph. 2:20), and being repeated throughout the book of Acts, and even unto this day?

It was neither.

The doctrinal structure for salvation during Christ’s ministerial years was neither the OT Law or NT doctrine, but it was HIM!!! the God-man Christ Jesus, HE, the embodied Savior and Lamb of God was the dispensational structure for salvation during his ministering years, thus creating the “Dispensation of Christ”, no other saving “apparatus” was necessary, it was all in him.

In Jesus “…dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). In Him dwelt the salvation of Moses’ Passover lamb. In Him was all of the righteousness of Abraham’s circumcision, of Moses’ law, and all of the sin-atoning function and power of the tabernacle. Embracing Jesus with faith in his earthly years incurred to the believer the righteousness, justification, and salvation that was purchased by his death, burial, resurrection, and appearance with his own blood in the Holy of Holies in heaven.

As a “continuation” of Jesus’ ministry after his death (Mat. 28: 18-20, Jn. 14:12, Jn. 20: 22-23), the disciples were commanded by Jesus to “…tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Lk. 24:49), as they then congregated in prayer in an upper room and “were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2: 1-4), with a command to follow-through and “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”(Mk. 16:15)

However, what then would have been the fate of someone who believed in Jesus during the time of his earthly ministry- The Dispensation of Christ, but whose death precluded them from progressing on to Pentecost? Is there a biblical account of any contemporary of Jesus believing in him, but dying before the birth of the church in Acts 2? YES, there is…

Luk 23:39-43 “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. (40) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? (41) And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. (42) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.“

It is clearly written and widely understood to be the case that with his humble prayer and confession of faith in Jesus, the thief on the cross secured for himself a blessed place in the afterlife, even to commence on that very same day, as all the mechanism of salvation, there in bodily form, accepted him and his prayer. Again, when the thief acknowledged his errors, petitioned his newfound savior hanging to his side “…Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”, he did his (Christ’s) dispensation’s equivalent of keeping Abraham’s circumcision, Moses’ Law, and Peter’s gospel, awaking with Jesus in paradise.

Jesus’ ministerial years represented their own dispensation with its own “plan of salvation”, that being simply HIM and believing and embracing him, this being the actuator for salvation then as is demonstrated in the text of the Gospels (and but for one well-known exception- Mk. 7: 24-30, this was exclusively for the Jews). The thief on the cross obeyed the plan of salvation for his time, died in the Dispensation of Christ and obtained eternal life.

However, as dispensations transitioned from the “Dispensation of Christ” into the New Testament church’s “Dispensation of Grace”, it would also become necessary for genuine believers whose lifetimes also extended into the New Testament church era, to “update” so-to-speak their salvation experience. This is demonstrated in the (above mentioned) book of Acts ch.’s 1 & 2 where 120 believers, to include the 12 apostles and even Mary the mother of Jesus, transitioned from the Dispensation of Christ into what is called the Dispensation of Grace or the Church age, with 3000 to follow that same day. Also, Acts 19: 2-6 where we see that it was necessary for the Ephesian disciples who only knew John’s baptism and who had yet to receive the Holy Ghost, to submit to the apostle’s doctrine (of Jesus’ name baptism and Holy Ghost infilling verified by glossolalia), the New Testament/Church age/Dispensation of Grace plan of salvation.

So again, after his resurrection and just before he ascended, Jesus told believers to go to Jerusalem and tarry until they were “endued with power from on high”; there the church age, or what traditional dispensationalists refer to as the Dispensation of Grace, began. Going forward into this new dispensational era, the church would then accordingly feature its own doctrinal structure of salvation complying with Jesus’ commands, those being repentance coupled with water-baptism while invoking the name of Jesus, thus effecting the removal of all sin (and its subsequent guilt and punishment), and Spirit-infilling authenticated by speaking in tongues. (Matt. 28: 19-20, Mk. 16: 15-18, Lk. 24: 46-49, Jn. 7: 38-39, Jn. 14: 15-18, Jn. 20: 22-23, Acts 1:8, Acts 2: 1-4, Acts 2: 36-39, Acts 8: 12-40, Acts 10: 44-48, Acts 19: 2-6, Acts 22:16, Rom. 6:17, etc.).

To then conclude that the “faith alone” schematic that facilitated the thief on the cross’ salvation is the exemplary pattern of salvation doctrine for the New Testament church in the Dispensation of Grace- the Church age, is to neglect the profound transformational effects of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and is perhaps the mother of all eisegetic errors. This is especially so when one considers that the Bible’s book of Acts, the record of the birth of the Grace/Church era, so thoroughly documents the beginning and early history of the church and its doctrine.

Not unlike the four Gospels, the book of the Acts of the Apostles is invaluable for its historical record of the establishment of the church. There in its vestal origins we read of the initial outpouring of God’s Spirit (Again, Acts 2, also 8, 10, 19), the Holy Ghost, and of Peter’s report saying “…this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…”. He then declaring to the convicted crowd after they asked “…what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)

The remainder of the book of Acts documents the establishment and expansion of the the church as it bursts forth into “…Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”, to include the gentiles (Acts ch.’s 10 and 11: 1-18). This Dispensation of Grace, the Church age, is the one you and I are living in right now!

GS