Lessons

The lesson on April 26, 2009 was the tenth lesson in the Romans Study and started with the scripture reading of Romans 9:1-5. This is an exciting lesson because it deals with a dispensational change. We have learned that Romans is divided into three sections. Chapters 1-8 finished the first section where we learned of he righteousness of God is satisfied in Christ Jesus. Chapters 9-11 are dispensational and we see that quickly in verse 4, where Paul is speaking about Israel having the advantage. Romans 9:4 says “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;” At this time in scripture, God had not given any promises to Gentiles, only the Jews. Israel looked down upon the Gentile dogs. The Jew is set apart in the plan of God to inherit the Earth. The Jew has preeminence and is preferred over the Gentile. In the first section of Chapters 1-8, the message was speaking to an individual. In the second section, it is speaking to the nation of Israel so it is a national message, not individual. Compare Ephesians 2:11 which was written after the Acts period when Israel was set aside (this dispensation is called the Mystery), Paul says in Ephesians 2:11-12 “ Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” After Acts 28:28 we have a different relationship with God based on Christ himself. Paul explains that in Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” We are the members of the Body of Christ and we have all of His promises, not the promises of Abraham (be sure and read this). What is a dispensation and what does it mean to say a dispensational change? A dispensation is simply defined as how things are being handled in the administrating ways of God. A dispensational change occurs when the way the administration process changes and who administers it. We don’t want to mix up kingdom teaching with the church. We don’t want to mix up a Gentile with a Jew. The lesson take us through scripture and shows how dispensational changes occurred regarding food.