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Attested Truth.
pp. 93 - 99
(Being the substance of an address given by the Principal,
on Foundation Day, May 28th, 1949, at the Chapel of the Opened Book).
To the believer, brought up in orthodoxy, accustomed to the phrase "the Church began
at Pentecost", taking to himself as a matter of course the words "we are the people of His
pasture, and the sheep of His hand" (Psa. 95: 7), the results of the application of
"right division" and the somewhat startling claims of "dispensational truth", may seem
after all to rest upon the somewhat uncertain basis of human deduction and inference. It
may be that if we can discover that dispensational changes that subdivide the purpose of
the ages, have always been announced, and that spiritual deduction only finds its place
after, and not before, the announcement has been made public, the recognition of the
differences that claim attention and which are vital to the full acknowledgment of our
calling may be simplified.
First, in order to be sure that the term "dispensational truth" shall be understood, let us
consider its place in the revelation and interpretation of the Word.
THE THREEFOLD DIVISION OF ALL TRUTH.
The revelation given in the Scriptures comes to us in three forms (1) Doctrinal Truth;
(2) Dispensational Truth; (3) Practical Truth.
What do we mean by Doctrinal Truth?--Doctrinal truth embraces all that has been
revealed concerning the Being and Attributes of God, and all that God has done,
commanded, promised or foretold in Creation, Law and Grace. "All have sinned" is true
under whatever dispensation we may be called. "God is Just" is as true under grace as it
was under law. "To the Jew first" was true during the period covered by the Acts, but
cannot be put into practice since the dismissal of the Jew in Acts 28: This latter
statement therefore comes rather under the next heading.
What do we mean by Dispensational Truth?--Dispensational truth takes note of the
purpose of the ages, the changes that have been introduced since Creation, such as may
be denominated the dispensations of Innocence, Law, Kingdom, Grace, Church, Mystery,
&100:, and the office of dispensational truth is to decide whether any particular doctrine--
be it command, promise, calling or prophecy--does or does not pertain to any particular
individual. Dispensational truth would lead the believer to distinguish between the
blessing which says, "the meek shall inherit the earth", and those blessings which are
described as "all spiritual" and to be enjoyed in "heavenly places".
What do we mean by Practical Truth?--Not until doctrine has passed the mesh of
dispensational truth, can practical truth put in its claim. It is obvious that the people of
Israel, called to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation, with its sphere of influence in the