Definitions are important, so we must be clear in how we define the terms reformed and dispensational. Both approaches would affirm such essential truths as classic theism, a God-centered worldview, salvation by grace, the priority of preaching, practical holiness, and the need for evangelizing the lost. But at the heart of each theological system lies the hermeneutic used to interpret and apply Scripture. When all is said and done, we want to be consistent in identifying and affirming those doctrines which the Bible clearly teaches.

Note: While there are exceptions to this generalized presentation of these theological systems, we offer this summary to illustrate points of similarity and difference between them.

We Are “Reformed and Being Reformed.”

We consider ourselves to be “reformed and being reformed” (reformata et reformanda) as it relates to the work of aligning God’s people to the standard of God’s word. This work began in the Garden of Eden, continued throughout the remaining history of the Old Testament and the ministries of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus into the apostolic age, and remains a constant practice even now as various persons and movements have sought to correct erroneous doctrine and practices of God’s people. These corrections have appeared in various movements, councils, creeds, catechisms, and other circumstances throughout the ages.

This reformational work should not cause us to despair in ourselves or lead us to uncertainty of the truth, for the word of God is our sufficient and transcendent authority and the Holy Spirit is transforming us by the renewing of our minds according to His word.

We Are Protestant.

We consider ourselves to be Reformed in sharing the concerns of the Protestant Reformation which sought to “reform” errors in the late medieval Roman Catholic Church. These errors especially related to the authority of Scripture, the canon of Scripture, the papacy, justification by grace through faith, the practice of worship, and the meaning of baptism and communion.

Five statements characterize the Protestant Reformation: the authority of Scripture alone (sola Scriptura); salvation granted by grace alone (sola gratia), received by faith alone (sola fide), based on the merit of Christ alone (solus Christus or solo Christo); and all things to the glory of God alone (soli Deo gloria).

We affirm Christ-centered preaching and the representative headship of both Adam and Christ, and that the righteousness of Christ must come in the same way as the sin of Adam came—through divine, judicial reckoning.

We Affirm the Doctrines of Grace.

We consider ourselves to be Reformed specifically in relation to salvation doctrine (soteriology), in contrast to the synergistic teachings of Jacob Arminius and his followers (summarized as Arminian theology).

Reformed soteriology is usually summarized as and named the Doctrines of Grace, the Five Points of Calvinism, or TULIP: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement (or particular redemption), irresistible grace, and perseverance (or preservation) of the saints.

We Do Not Affirm Covenant Theology.

Related to Reformed theology is covenant theology or covenantalism. In fact, many equate Reformed theology with covenant theology. Others claim that Reformed theology includes and necessarily depends upon covenant theology. As such many would view Reformed theology (i.e., covenant theology) as incongruous with dispensational theology (see below). Insofar as this truly represents the situation, we would not consider ourselves to be Reformed in this sense.

Covenant theology typically interprets Scripture by means of three inferred theological covenants: the covenant of redemption (the eternal plan of God to save His people), the covenant of works (requiring Adam’s obedience and anticipating Christ’s perfect obedience), and the covenant of grace (by which His people to receive salvation). The covenant of grace sees a unity between Israel and the church, identifying the true and faithful Israel of biblical history with the church. Proceeding from this covenantal view, children of believers are baptized as an effective means of grace.

Covenantalism interprets certain portions of Scripture typologically. It sees figurative fulfillment of the biblical covenants (such as the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants) in Jesus Christ Himself as “the true Israel,” thus eliminating the expectation of a literal fulfillment of the biblical covenants to Israel as a nation.

Covenant theology asserts that the New Testament is the interpretive lens by which we must read the Old Testament, particularly in seeing how prophecies of the Old Testament (“shadows”) find their fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Covenant theologians take a non-literal approach to the millennium described in Revelation 20. They typically affirm either that Christ from heaven presently rules His kingdom (amillennialism), or that Christ will inaugurate His kingdom after a period of Christian hegemony in this age (postmillennialism).

Covenant theology finds its confessional expression in the Three Forms of Unity (i.e., the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of the Synod of Dort), the Westminster Confession and its related catechisms (for Presbyterian churches), and the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 (for Reformed Baptist churches).

We Apply a Consistent Hermeneutic to Scripture.

Hermeneutics refers to the science and art of interpreting the Bible. We emphasize the consistent application of a literal, grammatical, and historical interpretation of Scripture. This approach recognizes and/or expects the plain fulfillment of the covenants clearly stated in the Bible (such as the Noahic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New Covenants), including many prophecies yet to be fulfilled.

We identify the Bible’s use of types, genres, symbols, and figures of speech, though these aspects of language do not override the plain meaning of the text as the author intended.

We affirm the progressive revelation of Scripture, from truth to greater truth, while denying that subsequent revelation can reinterpret, contradict, transform, spiritualize, or override the meaning of an earlier passage.

We recognize that some aspects of the Old Testament are shadows which prefigure the substance of the New Covenant. However, we expect God to fulfill His promises of blessing to His people Israel in the same manner that He fulfilled His promises of cursing.

We Affirm Dispensationalism.

Flowing from this hermeneutic, we see that dispensationalism best summarizes biblical teaching. The term dispensation generally refers to a state or order of arrangements to describe how things are managed. So, dispensationalism (and covenantalism to some degree) would see a distinction in how God has worked with people in the progress of time relative to Adam’s fall, God’s covenant with Abraham, the cross of Christ, Pentecost, the tribulation, the millennium, and the new heavens and new earth. (The number of dispensations is less significant than the fact that dispensations exist.) Nevertheless, throughout the ages, God has provided only one path of redemption offered by His grace with righteousness reckoned to those who believe His word.

We see a distinction between ethnic Israel, which is comprised of both believing and unbelieving Jews, and the church, which is comprised of believing Jews and Gentiles as the people of God. We recognize that national identities will persist in the millennial kingdom and in eternity. We affirm that the church is a spiritual body which began at Pentecost, and which is comprised of Jews and Gentiles who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

We affirm the salvation of those Jews alive at the coming of Christ. We affirm a future, earthly, millennial kingdom established by Christ where He rules on the throne of David in Jerusalem, in fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel and His original intention for Adam and his descendants to rule the earth.

Conclusion

As we mentioned at the beginning, differing hermeneutics underlie these theological systems: how we read and understand the Bible has serious implications on the doctrines we discover and how we practice these truths.

To be sure, we view these differences as disagreements between brothers in Christ. But for the purposes of our congregation, we seek to foster within Liberty Bible Church a likeminded approach to the interpretation and application of Scripture as delineated further in our Statement of Faith.

Standing in the tradition of the Protestant Reformation, we seek to evaluate all of church history, doctrine, and practice under the lens of God’s word.

Further Study

“Statement of Faith.” Liberty Bible Church. https://libertybiblechurchky.org/bylaws/#statement-of-faith.

Johnson, Jesse. “Evening Message: Covenant Theology vs Dispensationalism (01/30/2022).” Immanual Bible Church. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxjbUyEdFvg.

Showers, Renald. There Really Is a Difference!: A Comparison of Covenant and Dispensational Theology. Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, 1990.

Reformed Theology

Challies, Tim. “What It Means to Be Reformed.” June 21, 2006. https://www.challies.com/articles/what-it-means-to-be-reformed/.

Hyde, Daniel R. “What Is Reformed Theology? Its Roots, Core Beliefs & Key Leaders.” Logos. https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-reformed-theology/.

Sproul, R. C. What Is Reformed Theology? Understanding the Basics. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005.

The Doctrines of Grace

Boice, James Montgomery and Philip Graham Ryken. The Doctrines of Grace: Rediscovering the Evangelical Gospel. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2002.

Horton, Michael. Putting Amazing Back into Grace: Embracing the Heart of the Gospel. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011.

Covenant Theology

Clark, R. Scott. “A Brief History Of Covenant Theology.” The Heidelblog. August 22, 2015. https://heidelblog.net/2015/08/a-brief-history-of-covenant-theology/.

Hicks, Tom. “The Five Points of Calvinism and Covenant Theology.” Founders Ministries. https://founders.org/articles/the-five-points-of-calvinism-and-covenant-theology/.

Horton, Michael. Introducing Covenant Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2009.

The Westminster Confession of Faith. https://thewestminsterstandard.org/the-westminster-confession/.

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. https://1689londonbaptistconfession.com/.

Dispensationalism

Chou, Abner and Nathan Busenitz. “What Is Dispensationalism?” The Legacy Room (podcast). May 22, 2024. https://rss.com/podcasts/thelegacyroom/1472551/.

Goeman, Peter and Doug Bookman. “What Is the Defining Mark of Dispensationalism? Hint: Not the Rapture or Seven Dispensations.” The Bible Sojourner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaFA7OIHO0M.

Chou, Abner. “A Biblical Theology of Israel.” Grace Community Church. July 2024. https://www.gracechurch.org/sermons/22547.

MacArthur, John F. “Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist.” Grace to You. https://www.gty.org/library/topical-series-library/300/why-every-calvinist-should-be-a-premillennialist.

Vlach, Michael. “10 Strategic Emphases of Dispensational Theology.” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWYMVK4D_LY.

Vlach, Michael. Dispensational Hermeneutics: Interpretation Principles That Guide Dispensationalism’s Understanding of the Bible’s Storyline. Columbia, SC: Theological Studies Press, 2023.