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DISPENSATIONAL SANCTIFICATION:

A MISNOMER

Since its inception, dispensationalism has offered a distinctive contribution to

theological discussion. The fields of ecclesiology and eschatology have been significantly
affected by dispensationalism's emphases. Hermeneutics has also been influenced as
scholars have been forced to consider the question of the relationship between national
Israel and the church. But does dispensationalism provide a distinctive contribution to
other areas of theological inquiry such as the doctrine of God, sin, man, or salvation?

Some have argued that dispensationalism does relate to the doctrine of salvation

and particularly to the scriptural teaching of sanctification. But the evidence we have
found would appear to contradict this assertion. The purpose of this paper is to
demonstrate that there is no organic connection between dispensationalism and
sanctification. In order to support this thesis we will provide a survey of the discussion.
This will be followed by a brief study of the definition of dispensationalism in order to
determine whether or not dispensationalism's purview includes sanctification issues.
Finally, we will seek to provide an analysis of the model of sanctification commonly
referred to as "dispensational sanctification" by comparing and contrasting it with other
models.

Representative Survey

In order to support the thesis mentioned in the previous paragraph, we must

provide an overview of the writings of those who do see an organic connection between
dispensationalism and sanctification. These scholars include both dispensationalists and
nondispensationalists. We do recognize there are also many dispensationalists and
nondispensationalists who do not make a connection between dispensationalism and
sanctification. But our goal here is intentionally limited to those dispensationalists and
nondispensationalists who have connected dispensationalism with a model of
sanctification calling it "dispensational sanctification." We will survey these scholars and
then inquire whether or not they agree as to the particular model of sanctification they are
identifying as "dispensational sanctification."

Dispensationalists

John Walvoord clearly stands out as one of the most prominent dispensational

scholars of the twentieth century. When asked to contribute to a book dealing with
sanctification in Zondervan's Counterpoint Series, Walvoord entitled his chapter, "The
Augustinian-Dispensational Perspective."

Walvoord never attempts to explain the

connection between his view of sanctification and dispensationalism; he merely assumes
it. He equates his "Augustinian-dispensational perspective" of sanctification with the
teaching of Lewis Sperry Chafer.

John F. Walvoord, "The Augustinian-Dispensational Perspective," in Five Views on

Sanctification (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1987), 199-226.

Ibid., 223-24.