Capybara Paranormal

Hello, welcome to an installment of the Capybara Paranormal podcast. Today is a continuation of the Spirit of Formalism episode from last week. I’ve been gathering as much information as possible to further this investigation. I’ve gathered some more reference materials, but I’ve lost some sleep. I’m now the proud owner of an interlinear bible, the Ethiopian bible, and two different concordances. I’ve found a thesis paper on the Pocket Bible app from the founder of the Dallas Theological Seminary, published in 1951.

It’s been a busy week, so let’s dive right in. I’d like to start with some additional backstory before diving into the information I uncovered this week.

Growing up, I didn’t have regular exposure to the gospel, Christ, or Christianity, for that matter. My Grandmothers took me to church a few times during the summers, whichever grandmother I was with. No one taught me anything, however. I had Veggie Tales and those two DreamWorks movies, “Joseph King of Dreams” and “The Prince of Egypt”. I grew up knowing that the Bible was a guidebook. Otherwise, I was left to my own devices and the internet… I was left to my own understanding. And we are explicitly told not to do that (Proverbs 3:5). Thanks, Satan.

One of my grandmothers did say to me, “I’m not going to force you to go to church and participate in any of that. Just know one day you’re going to hear him calling for you and you’re going to answer.” This being the same grandmother, both my father and I were thinking about her one day, and thinking about calling her when he got the call that she had passed and gone to be with Jesus.

That being said, in dealing with the occult like I did for many years through yoga/meditation, tarot cards, spirit box sessions, paranormal investigations, scrying, and candy/alcohol offerings, I’ve downloaded the understanding that there is no other being like Jesus, and without Him, everything you do will fail. I didn’t yield many results with the paranormal investigation, mainly because I was going about it without Him by my side. I know now he was near and making sure I was going to be ok. He made sure I escaped the enemy’s rabbit hole and retained my sanity. There is no way it wasn’t God.

One more thing about God/Jesus, he doesn’t force himself on you like the enemy. He honors the free will with which he built all of us. I didn’t have to let him take over my life, but I’m glad I did.

-Lewis Sperry Chafer, Founder/President of Dallas Theological Seminary, “Dispensationalism”, a Thesis ( found on the pocket bible app store) , published in 1951

• Theological import of the word Dispensationalism: The method or scheme by which God has at times developed his purpose, and revealed himself to man; or the body of privileges bestowed, and duties and responsibilities enjoined, in connection with that scheme or method of revelation: as the old/Jewish dispensation; The new gospel Dispensation.
• The patriarchal dispensation (from Adam to Moses)
• The Mosaic dispensation ( from Moses to Christ)
• The Christian Dispensation I’m assuming the modern church.

-dispensations listed in the book “Rightly Dividing God’s Word Through Dispensations” by Victor B Shingler, Jr.

• Innoccence
• Conscience
• Human Government
• Promise
• Law
• Grace
• Judgement
• Millenial Reign

(Scofield Reference Bible, p.5)” A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God.”

The definition in the concordance I have:

Definition (The new Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible)-  (Greek) Oikonomia: Primarily signifies “the management of a household or of household affairs. (4) A “dispensation” is not a period or epoch, but a mode of dealing, an arrangement or administration of affairs; but by metonymy, dispensation is applied to that period of time (not clearly demarked in the Scriptures) wherein God deals specifically with man, giving him a special stewardship to administer.

(Read three verses before and three after)

1 Cor 9:17 “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.”

Eph 1:10 “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

3:2 “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Col 1:25 “Wherefore I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God;

This leads me to believe a dispensation is on an individual basis and requires intimacy with God. Something isn’t quite adding up,; it’s not really a group thing, but let’s continue.

According to a Copilot search

-Covenant Vs. Dispensational Theology

Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology are two distinct theological frameworks that interpret the Bible and God’s relationship with humanity differently, particularly regarding the role of Israel and the Church, the nature of God’s covenants, and eschatology (the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind)

Overview of Dispensationalism

Definition: Dispensationalism is a theological system that divides history into distinct periods or “dispensations,” during which God interacts with humanity in different ways. It emphasizes a clear distinction between Israel and the Church, viewing them as separate entities with different roles in God’s plan.

Eschatology: Dispensationalists typically hold a premillennial view, believing in a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on earth following a rapture of the Church and a period of tribulation.

Covenants: In dispensationalism, God’s promises to Israel remain intact and will be fulfilled literally in the future. At the same time, the Church is seen as a distinct body that receives spiritual blessings but not the physical promises made to Israel.

Overview of Covenant Theology

Definition: Covenant Theology posits that God interacts with humanity through a series of covenants, emphasizing the unity of God’s plan throughout Scripture. It views the Church as the continuation of Israel, with both Jews and Gentiles being part of one covenant community.

Eschatology: Most adherents of Covenant Theology lean towards amillennialism or postmillennialism, rejecting the idea of a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on earth.

Covenants: Key covenants in this framework include the Covenant of Works, the Covenant of Grace, and the New Covenant, which collectively demonstrate God’s redemptive plan through history.

Key Differences

Israel and the Church: Dispensationalism maintains a strict distinction between Israel and the Church, while Covenant Theology sees them as part of one unified people of God.

Eschatological Views: Dispensationalists typically believe in a premillennial return of Christ, while Covenant theologians often adopt amillennial or postmillennial views.

Understanding of Covenants: Dispensationalism emphasizes multiple distinct dispensations, whereas Covenant Theology focuses on the continuity of God’s covenants throughout Scripture.

Conclusion

Both Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology offer valuable insights into the interpretation of Scripture and the understanding of God’s relationship with humanity. While they differ significantly in their theological frameworks, both perspectives contribute to the broader conversation within Christian theology. Understanding these differences can enhance one’s grasp of biblical teachings and the diverse views within the Christian faith.

Personally, coming from a more covenant perspective, but also being a dark nerd and prefer some semblance of order, both theology methods should be used in unison. Both methods have their merits but seem to fall short of being well rounded. Dispensational theology to read through scripture, learn it and make sense of it. Then Covenant theology to apply it to whatever God told you individually to do with whatever gift He’s given you. A house divided cannot stand (Luke 11:17) and God works in mysterious ways! At least mysterious to us, because were dumb.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1E3UedwySrJGpE4WhI48TG?si=8-JL9Zs0QA6jjW6H-sqtHg

That’s all I have for now. Thank you for reading this far. I’d really appreciate a follow so you can catch future installments and keep up with my journey. All additional materials used to put this episode together will be listed below, as well as my social links. I’ll catch you next time!

Photography Store : https://robingrooms.picfair.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38fpfJEzw3JnGhhyxuvA98?si=0-w4_BNORFSkI_0rJxkxDg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@capybaraparanormal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capybaraparanormal

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UChs7GgZYyP8nCoszYWx3DGQ

Resources-

-Victor B Shingler, Jr. “Rightly Dividing God’s Word Through Dispensations” King James Version.

-King James Bible with Apocrypha

-The New Strongs Concise Concordance & Vines Concise Dictionary

-The New Strongs Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

-Copilot

-Laridians Pocket Bible App

– Jerry Lewis Chafer “Dispensationalism” a thesis paper from 1951