THE DISPENSATIONS

Earlene Davis

Sixth Dispensation: The Age of Grace

The Age of Grace is also called The Church Age. It is the dispensation in which we live. It began at the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and has continued over 2,000 years now. It will end with the second coming of Christ.

The covenant of Law made between God and man was abolished because it was weak and unprofitable. It could not change men’s hearts, Heb. 7;18-19. This dispensation if based on the everlasting covenant made between the Father and the Son before the foundation of the world, Heb. 13:20 and Acts 2:23. Christ is the mediator of this better covenant, Heb. 8:6. It was ratified by the shed blood of Christ, Heb. 12:24; it was once for all, Rom. 6:10 & Heb. 9:24-28.

John 1:14,17, “…the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…full of grace and truth. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Verses 10-12, “He was in the world, and world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not…But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” II Cor. 8:9, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.”

This gospel of grace is not just for the children of Israel, but also to the Gentiles, Acts 9:15. God is visiting the Gentiles to take out a people for His Name, Acts 15:14. God so loved the world that He gave His Son to redeem whosoever would believe on Jesus, John 3:16. In this grace space of time God is dealing with all humanity and their attitude toward His Son and His work of grace on the cross.

God was is Christ reconciling the world unto Himself (II Cor. 5:19), bring many sons unto glory (Heb. 2:10). Man’s responsibility is to “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” Acts 16:31. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” – Eph. 2:8.

We know by scripture that man’s failure is apostasy and the rejection of Christ which will bring the tribulation days on this earth. God will pour out His judgment on the ungodly nations. The Antichrist and false prophet will be cast alive into the lake of fire, Rev. 19:20.

The Apostle Paul is the steward of this Age. He said, “
A dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me” – I Cor. 9:17. See also Col. 1:25; I Thes. 2:4; I Tim. 1:11 and Titus 1:3. He said in Acts 20:32, “…brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

As the chief apostle to the church, it is so important to study and know the epistles written by Paul. For therein we learn that God would have us to grow up in Christ (Eph. 4:13); bear fruit (Phil. 1:11); be rich in good works that will glorify God; that we can be overcomers through Christ (Rom. 8:37); and run to win Christ as our Bridegroom on this Christian race course (Phil. 3:8-14).

Next issue: The Kingdom Age