The Dispensational Principle of Carryover
And how it can save you from theological error!
Dr. Randy WhiteOne of the bedrock principles of dispensational theology is “rightly dividing” the Word. Far more than “careful handling,” this phrase means to “make a straight cut” in the Word. Without dividing the Word into its various portions (Heb. 1:1) or dispensations, the Word will be a mish-mash of teaching that will be handled in a pick-and-choose style. Covenant theologians are notoriously famous for this cafeteria approach to the Bible.
The Pick and Choose Approach
Not having a theological means of making a division, the Covenant theologian (e.g. R.C. Spoul, John Piper, Tim Keller, and Matt Chandler) will determine what is valid for today and what is not based on personal conviction. When it comes to the Law (Torah), they have created a not-so-clean system to suit their needs. It is a system which, upon close scrutiny, is patently unbiblical. They tell us that the Law is divided into three areas, the moral law, the civil law, and the ceremonial law. They teach that the ceremonial law has been fulfilled, the civil law was only for Israel, and the moral law remains. There are, however, two huge problems with this system. First, the Bible is consistently clear that the Law is a unit, an indivisible whole. Below are three passages evidencing this fact-- “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10, NKJV)
- “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:18, NKJV)
- “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”” (Galatians 3:10, NKJV)
The Carry-Over Principle
A far better approach is to look to a passage of Scripture and then, using Scripture alone, determine if the instruction or principle will carry over into our age. Using this principle, I can trust that the Law, in its entirety, is fully of the past dispensation (Romans 7:1-6). The Law has served its purpose of preserving Israel until Christ, but it has no hold has no hold on my life today. I live under grace. When I find a principle in the Law that appears to be valid for today, I simply look into the Scriptures to see if there is a carryover of the principle into other dispensations, previous and following.A Biblical Example
The condemnation of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum in Matthew 11:20-30 provides three examples for understanding this interpretive principle.How Should We Repent?
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” (Matthew 11:21, NKJV)While I’ve heard plenty of sermons on repentance, I’ve never heard anyone call for sackcloth, and very rarely for ashes (at least since the days of Tertullian, who promoted the practice before his death in 225 AD). The Catholic-originated Ash Wednesday (along with Lent) has no Biblical merit and should be wholly rejected by Bible-believing Christians. The Lenten fast has the same merit and involves the same practices as the Muslim Ramadan fast: it is all about an appearance of godliness but denies the power thereof.Sackcloth and ashes are found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, and in Matthew 11:21 Jesus says that even the pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon would have repented in such a manner if He had performed his miracles in them. Shouldn’t we repent in the same manner?No, we shouldn’t. To do so would display a begging for forgiveness that denies the grace of our age. Ours is not an age of sorrow, but of joy over the unbelievable truth that, in Christ, God is not counting our trespasses against us (2 Cor 5:19)The Judgment of Cities and Nations
“But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”” (Matthew 11:24, NKJV)If Jesus condemned Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, and the Hebrew Scriptures display judgment on many cities (Tyre, Sidon, Sodom, Nineveh) and nations (Egypt, Assyria, Persia), does God judge cities and nations today? The carryover principle will help us decide. Rather than build a case based on anecdotal evidence, it is far better to search for the Biblical evidence that God is currently judging cities, states, and nations. If you study it, you will find that, in this age of grace, God deals with individuals, not groups. Today, there is neither slave nor free, male nor female, Jew nor Gentile. God is judging individual people.Will God judge nations and cities again in the future? Yes, clearly. We see the Judgment of the Nations in Matthew 25, and the judgment of Babylon in Revelation 17-18.The Election of Individuals for Salvation
“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27, NKJV)This verse is used by Reformed Theology (Calvinism) to support their claim that God has selected certain people to salvation. Such a theology would be valid if one could show that what is being taught in this passage is applicable in the age of Grace in which we live. The challenge is that several scriptures become a direct contradiction to such a concept if it is carried over into this age. For example:- “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17, NKJV)
- “…you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15, NKJV)
Conclusion
I believe you will find great joy and meaning in the Scripture when you begin to carefully and correctly divide the Word. You will learn to recognize religious demands by preachers or churches that are Biblically unmerited, and you will increase in confidence as you grow in understanding of what it takes to live as a fully obedient Christian.Use these carryover principles when you need to determine whether an instruction, command, or historical account is valid for your life today:- Is the account anecdotal?
- A description of what someone, somewhere, sometime did, thought, or experienced should not become a principle for all people, all places, and all times.
- Is the instruction solely contained within the Mosaic Law?
- The books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy are the Mosaic Law.
- Teachings of the Law had a purpose which has now been fulfilled.
- While the principles of the Law may be valid, a legalistic conformation to the Law is against the principles of freedom Paul teaches in Galatians.
- Is the instruction in the Law and also prior to the Law?
- Be careful claiming that a Law matter that is also pre-Law must be taken as a normative standard for Christian living.
- The Sabbath and the sacrifices are both pre-Law and also included in the Law, but are not required of believers today.
- Is the instruction or principle a moral demand on mankind based on the character of God?
- The Law contains many moral demands that are not based on the Law, but are reflected and restated in the Law.
- Morality is based on the character of God, and is a requirement of all who were created to bear His image.
- If you can determine through Scripture that a behavior is offensive to God’s character, then the carryover principle applies because the instruction, principle, or demand is not based in a particular dispensation, but transcends time and space.
- Is the instruction stated in Paul’s writings?
- Paul clearly wrote to those of our current age of Grace, so his instruction will, by default, be applicable in today’s dispensation.
- An oft-made error with the works of Paul is to “backflow” his teachings of Grace upon those living in previous generations. This violates the carryover principle (as well as the teaching of Hebrews 1:1 that tells us God spoke in “portions,” none of which were complete).