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DIDN'T GOD DISPENSE HIS GRACE BEFORE THE CHURCH AGE?To some degree, yes, but not in the same manner as today in the church age. Man has not always been in the dispensation of grace, which is why the term “dispensation of the grace of God” isn’t used anywhere in the Old Testament or anywhere in the four gospels. It is used by Paul in Ephesians 3:2. This isn’t to say that God wasn’t gracious in the Old Testament, for He certainly was at times (Gen. 6:8; Exo. 34:6), but grace was not His most pronounced attribute at that time. The word “grace” is found only 39 times in the Old Testament, which averages only one occurrence per book. Yet, it is found 131 times in the New Testament, averaging nearly five times per book, and since the New Testament books are much shorter, this makes the grace emphasis per book even stronger. God has always been gracious, but never more than today. A few verses of scripture will make this abundantly clear:“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” (Rom. 5:20)“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Rom. 6:14)“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Rom. 11:6)