Colossians 1:25-29 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Paul was always a zealot for God. His studies under Gamaliel had a distinct purpose for his conversion. No one could have argued against Paul’s knowledge of the Old Testament in the first century synagogues. He showed them Jesus Christ in the scriptures. God used who Saul was to create Paul and we can see that in how he was used. That does not however explain this dispensation Paul refers to here in the first chapter of Colossians.

A “dispensation” is not a period or epoch (a common, but erroneous, use of the word), but a mode of dealing, an arrangement, or administration of affairs. Cp. oikonomos, “a steward,” and oikonomeo, “to be a steward.” Source; Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.

A steward is a trusted member of a household who is given the responsibility to oversee the everyday operations or administrations of the affairs of a house. There is no sense of ownership, only duty. This responsibility is expanded within the context of the mystery revealed, Christ in you. You are the temple of God, and Paul’s administration extends from the first century church to our present day church.

Paul was put in charge of administration of the church age. His epistles lay out how we should operate together.

1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

Psalm 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Psalm 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Yesterday I asked if there is a wrong way to study the bible. Here I set before you two different attitudes. The first is self-seeking, to bolster up one’s own position. They give no real thought to God.

The key to the second is that this man has already made God the Lord of his life and his very flesh longs to drink of the living water.

Can one who is not a follower of Jesus find God in the scriptures? Absolutely.

Psalm 105:3-4 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

There is however a difference in knowing who God is from afar off and intimately. It is the difference between knowing of God by reputation and knowing God by experience. This intimate relationship God seeks with us has to be met by accepting His invitation into that relationship. It is not enough to answer the knock at the door with “Who is there?” You have to open the door to your heart and let Him in, making Him the Lord of your life. Until that moment all your bible studies will be self-effort.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

To answer my own question I would say: It is wrong to choose my own thinking above that of the Spirit of Truth.