Ephesians 2:7 Archives - Word of Grace Studies

The Church Age

An age (αἰών) is a period in which God shows something about Himself to intelligent beings. Ages are not limited to time, which was created when God made the sun and moon for the purpose of distinguishing days, months, and seasons, Genesis 1:14. There are ten revealed ages; however, the actual number of ages that God has planed are not known, only that there will be ages of ages beyond those currently disclosed, Ephesians 2:7. The known ages are: The Age of the Creation of the Universe, Job 38:7, The Age of the Kingdom of Lucifer, Ezekiel 28:14, The Chaotic Age, Genesis 1:2, The Age of the Creation of Humans, Genesis 1:26, The Age of God’s Faithfulness, Genesis 4:1, The Age of God’s Kindness, Genesis 9:1, The Age of God’s Sovereignty, Exodus 12:41, The Legal Age, Exodus 20:1, The Malignantly Evil Age, Galatians 1:4, The Kingdom Age, Matthew 13:41.

A dispensation (οἰκονομία) is a period in time in which God shows something to humans about themselves. These occurrences are restricted to time and directly relate to humans, not spirit beings. The word “Dispensation” is derived from combining “house” with “law”. This “household law” governs the activities of the people within the house and is administered by a steward. In modern language, we use the term administration, especially when describing government. Since the concept of a dispensation is well defined in Scripture by use, we are able to factually discern there are seven dispensations: Innocence, Genesis 2:25, Conscience, Genesis 4:7, Government, Genesis 9:5, Promise, Genesis 12:2, Law, Exodus 19:8, Grace, Ephesians 3:2, Fullness of Times, Ephesians 1:10.

Since ages and dispensation run consecutively, the dispensation and age we are currently in are the dispensation of grace and […]

The Definition of Love – Kindness

Love is longsuffering, love is kind … 1 Corinthians 13:4

Another aspect of God’s quality of love is kindness. One who is kind is described as having a good or benevolent nature or disposition, which will put others at ease. This is not an aspect of the human nature.

All turned away. They altogether became useless. There are no doers of kindness, there is not even one. – Romans 3:12

Unlike anywhere else in Scripture, here in first Corinthians Love is defined as a verb, where all other times it is a noun or adjective. Kindness is expressed in how we make others feel at ease around us not so much in an emotional sense, but an ease of mind, due to expressing a benevolent nature. This is the kind of person you feel comfortable around, not because they agree with you, on the contrary they are typically the ones that will call you out for doing wrong, but they do not judge, they do not speak harshly, mock, make fun of, or embarrass others. They are just good people to be around who understand the importance of having a benevolent disposition towards others.

If we want our lives to have a big impact on others, we need to pay attention to what God does, for it is the kindness of God that leads us to a change of mind, not hell, fire and damnation.

Or do you think little of the riches of His kindness, and tolerance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the kindness from God leads you into a change of mind – Romans 2:4

Without God showing us kindness, we would not be saved; therefore, this should be our same attitude and actions towards […]