During the 70's and 80's a financial service company advertised on television with the phrase, "When E.F.Hutton talks, people listen." When Hutton's name is mentioned by a young professional during a dinner party, his overheard words cause the loud party to cease all conversation to listen to him. Today the same can be said among the Acts 2 dispensationalists, "When Charles Ryrie talks, people listen." Ryrie's teaching on the topic of dispensationalism is the gold standard among Acts 2 believers.

In this study it will be demonstrated that Dr. Ryrie lacks an understanding of the basic Biblical dispensational arrangement. We will see that his misunderstanding of the Biblical dispensational arrangement leads to his mistaken assertion that the present "dispensation of grace" began on the Day of Pentecost.

In his book Dispensationalism Dr. Ryrie explains the meaning of the Greek word translated "dispensation":

"The Greek word 'oikonomia' comes from the verb that means to manage, regulate, administer, and plan. The word itself is a compound whose parts mean literally 'to divide, apportion, administer or manage the affairs of an inhabited house.' In the papyri the officer (oikonomos) who administered a dispensation was referred to as a steward or manager of an estate, or as a treasurer. Thus, the central idea in the word dispensation is that of managing or administering the affairs of a household" [emphasis added] (Ryrie, Dispensationalism,[Moody Press, 1995], p.25).

Yes, the central idea is that of managing or administering the affairs of a household.

Next, Dr. Ryrie explains the "parties" who take part in a dispensational or stewardship arrangement:

"Basically there are two parties: the one whose authority it is to delegate duties, and the one whose responsibility it is to carry out these charges" (Ibid., p.26).

So in the Biblical sense we can understand that it is the Lord who has the authority to delegate duties and it is man (the steward) who is given certain responsibilities. Therefore we can understand that it is the "steward" who administers in the household.

Despite the fact that Dr. Ryrie seems to understand this simple arrangement he says:

"Dispensationalism views the world as a household run by God. In His householdworld God is dispensing or administering its affairs according to His own will and in various stages of revelation in the passage of time" [emphasis added] (Ibid., p.29).

"...it would seem from the concept of a dispensation as related to God's running the affairs of of His household (the world), that, when temporal history ends, the household arrangement...also ends" (Ibid.,p.48).

This is absolutely wrong. The person who is given a "dispensation" or "administration" is the one who is running or administering the household-world. For example, Paul states in no uncertain terms that the "dispensation" in regard to grace has been given to him:

"If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward" (Eph.3:2; KJV).

"Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you" (Eph.3:2; NIV).

The "dispensation of grace" was first given to Paul. Therefore the responsibilty of running the householdworld was given to him. As Christian's we are to follow Paul so therefore it is not God who is doing the administering but instead Christians:

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Pet.4:10; NIV).

Dr. Ryrie writes that "There is no more primary problem in the whole matter of dispensationalism than that of definition...To say that there is a great lack of clear thinking on this matter of definition is an understatement. Both dispensationalists and nondispensationalists are often guilty of lack of clarity " (Ryrie, Ibid., p.23).

Dr. Ryrie is not only guilty of a "lack of clarity." His understanding of exactly who is running or administering God's household (the world) is directly contradicted by the Scriptures. Using his flawed understanding of the basic Biblical dispensational arrangement Dr. Ryie attempts to prove that the beginning of the Body of Christ represents the beginning of the present "dispensation of grace":

"What the ultradispensationalists fail to recognize is that the distinguishableness of a dispensation is related to what God is doing...these are economies of God, not of man...The distinguishable feature of this economy is the formation of the church, which is Christ's Body. This is the work of God; therefore, the question that decides the beginning of this dispensation is, When did God begin to do this? Not, When did man understand it? Only by consulting the completed revelation can we understand that God began to do this work on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 11:15-16; 1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 1:18). Therefore, whether Peter and the others understood it then does not determine the beginning of the present dispensation" (Ibid., pp. 201-202).

What decides the beginning of a dispensation is when man begans to administer the affairs of the household-world.