Lessons on the Plan of Salvation
Lesson No. Nine
The Doctrine of Christian Dispensations
The doctrine of Christian dispensations is that the plan of salvation, centered on the atonement of Jesus Christ, has been revealed and understood in all dispensations beginning with Adam (See Alma 12:20-35) – “A dispensation of the gospel is a period of time in which the Lord has at least one authorized servant on the earth who bears the holy priesthood and the keys, and who has a divine commission to dispense the gospel to the inhabitants of the earth. When this occurs, the gospel is revealed anew, so that people of that dispensation do not have to depend basically on past dispensations for knowledge of the plan of salvation” There have been many gospel dispensations since the beginning. The Bible suggests at least one dispensation identified with Adam, another with Enoch, another with Noah, and so on with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus with His Apostles in the meridian of time…In addition there were dispensations of the gospel among the Nephites, the Jaredites, and the Lost Tribes of Israel” (Bible Dictionary, Dispensations, 657).
In the Book of Mormon we learn that Jesus personally established a new gospel dispensation to the Nephites. (See 3 Nephi 11:21-27; 12:1; 15:1-10)
Dispensation heads – In each dispensation angels declare the plan of salvation to “chosen vessels of the Lord” who "bear testimony of him. And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men” (Moroni 7:31-32).
Dispensation heads restore the knowledge of the plan of salvation to their dispensation. They include Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Joseph Smith.
They each knew the Lord Jesus Christ and are His primary witness to the people of that dispensation. All prophets that come after the dispensation head bear testimony that Jesus is the Christ and that their dispensation head has restored the gospel in that dispensation. Successor prophets to Moses or Joseph Smith testify that Jesus is the Christ and that Moses or Joseph Smith was his prophet to that dispensation. The people of each dispensation also testify in this pattern.
Dispensation Heads
Adam - Enoch - Noah - Abraham - Moses - Jesus Christ - Joseph Smith
Our dispensation is the dispensation of the fulness of times – “Paul writes of ‘the dispensation of the fulness of times’ in which the Lord will “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (Ephesians 1:10). The fulness of times is the final dispensation and began with the revelation of the gospel to Joseph Smith. It is a dispensation of restoration and of fulfillment of the Lord’s plans and purposes since the world began. There are also things reserved for the fulness of times that have not been revealed previously. It is a glorious time, the time in which we live today” (Bible Dictionary, Dispensations, 657).
In the dispensation of the fulness of times there will be a “welding together” of all Christian dispensations of human history in “a whole and complete and perfect union” (D&C 128:18).
All other dispensations fell into apostasy, ours will not – I prepared the accompanying Diagram of the Doctrine of Dispensations as a missionary in London. It shows that the plan of salvation was first revealed to Adam who, with Eve, taught it to their children. (See Moses 5:12) But Satan came saying: “Believe it not; and they believed it not, and they loved Satan more than God. And men began from that time forth to be carnal, sensual, and devilish” (Moses 5:13).
Great things were accomplished in prior dispensations; the atonement, the greatest of all, took place in the Meridian Dispensation. Unfortunately, all prior dispensations repeated the same pattern and ended in apostasy.
In our dispensation individuals will apostatize, but there will not be a general apostasy. The Church and Kingdom of God on the earth will increase and be in place at the Second Coming.
Safety is in the Main Stream of the Church – When river rafting it is important to stay in the main stream or current. Close to the bank of the river there is often eddies and whirl pools and other hazards which can be dangerous. At best progress down the river is slowed.
Eddies, whirl pools, and back water abound in our dispensation. If we get out of the main stream of the Church we are in danger of being over turned. However, we know that there will never be another general apostasy. Therefore, if we stay in the main stream of the Church and follow the prophet our future, regardless of what happens in the world, is certain, secure, and bright. Whether in this life or the next, we will rejoice when the Lord comes again.