Dispensationalism believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible, including prophecy. Dispensationalists interpret the “thousand years” in Revelation 20:1-7, as literal, but not covenant theology. Because of this, dispensationalism will result in a premillennial interpretation (that Christ will bodily return to Earth at the end of the tribulation and before the start of the 1,000-year millennium) and dispensationalists often believe in pretribulation (that the rapture takes place before the seven-year tribulation).
Covenant theology has the church beginning in Genesis. But dispensationalism believes that Israel is separate from the church and has the church starting in the New Testament. In Matthew 16:18, Christ said, “I will build my church” (future tense) not I did build it in the Old Testament. Covenant theology takes the promises of God made to Abraham and gives them to the church. But God made a covenant with Abraham to give his decedents (Israel) the land of Canaan, the church will not inherit the land of Canaan. Dispensationalists believe that God in this age is centering His attention on the Church, but God will again, after the rapture, center His attention on Israel (see Romans 9-11 and Daniel 9:24).
Classical dispensationalism identifies seven dispensations in God’s plan for us: Innocence (Genesis 1:1-3:7), Conscience (Genesis 3:8-8:22), Human Government (Genesis 9:1-11:32), Promise (Genesis 12:1-Exodus 19:25), Law (Exodus 20:1-Acts2:4), Grace (Acts 2:4-Revelation 20:3), and the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). These are not different paths to salvation, but how God works with man. Dispensationalists believe that salvation has always been by faith alone. God told the first family that He would send a savior (Genesis 3:15).
Covenant theology has the church beginning in Genesis. But dispensationalism believes that Israel is separate from the church and has the church starting in the New Testament. In Matthew 16:18, Christ said, “I will build my church” (future tense) not I did build it in the Old Testament. Covenant theology takes the promises of God made to Abraham and gives them to the church. But God made a covenant with Abraham to give his decedents (Israel) the land of Canaan, the church will not inherit the land of Canaan. Dispensationalists believe that God in this age is centering His attention on the Church, but God will again, after the rapture, center His attention on Israel (see Romans 9-11 and Daniel 9:24).
Classical dispensationalism identifies seven dispensations in God’s plan for us: Innocence (Genesis 1:1-3:7), Conscience (Genesis 3:8-8:22), Human Government (Genesis 9:1-11:32), Promise (Genesis 12:1-Exodus 19:25), Law (Exodus 20:1-Acts2:4), Grace (Acts 2:4-Revelation 20:3), and the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). These are not different paths to salvation, but how God works with man. Dispensationalists believe that salvation has always been by faith alone. God told the first family that He would send a savior (Genesis 3:15).