Dr E, the dispensations are God’s economy, and recognizing how God’s economy works is expected of us.
Neither you nor I can know how many Christians there are, and it would be wonderful if your guess is right, but what does that have to do with this discussion?
Our salvation through Jesus Christ is certainly the crowing achievement of creation, but again, that neither adds nor subtracts to either of our positions WRT this discussion.
The millenial reign has a purpose, and it relates mostly to Israel, not the church. The present age is the church age, and it definitely is in a steep falling away, leading to greater strife, and a false peace that will bring God’s wrath on mankind. I’m thankful that he has promised to meet the church in the air before it happens.
I see the time before Christ and the time after Christ.
Israel is a democracy that should be supported by United States foreign policy. But regarding God's people, it is just a pile of dirt and rocks like the rest of the planet, no better and no worse.
To venerate real estate is no different than what the papists do with their "holy" scraps and relics.
I don't understand Christians who do not see Christ in the Old Testament or who believe that all men are not commanded today to kneel to Jesus Christ alone.
B.C./A.D.
Those are the only "dispensations" that mean anything.
Baloney Statement: There are no “dispensations” ala dispensationalism in the Bible. There is nothing to “figure out.”
The Bible's division is simple, Old Testament and New Testament. Before Christ and After Christ. Before Christ salvation was generally limited to the nation of Israel, the ekklesia of God in that age. After Christ the gospel has gone out into all the world, and the ekklesia of God is now universal. Salvation has been and always will be by the blood of Christ. No works required.
There are no 4 or 7 or 10 “dispensations.”