English Service Sunday at 8.30 am

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RIGTHLY DIVI DING THE WORD

Writing to Timothy, Paul said-

“Study to show thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth.” 2 Tim. 2:15

The student of the “Word of God” is here spoken of as a “Workman.” A workman cannot intelligently do his work without a plan. He must have drawings and specifications. God said to Moses as to the Tabernacle,

“See that thou make all things according to the 'Pattern' showed to thee in the mount.” Heb. 8:5.

The student of God's Word must understand “ God's Plan and Purpose in the Ages,” or there will be confusion in his work of interpreting the Scriptures.

We must learn to “Rightly Divide the Word of Truth.”

While the “Word of Truth” is written FOR all classes of people, and for our learning, it is not addressed to all peoples in general, but part of it is addressed to the JEWS, part to the GENTILES, and part to the CHURCH. These three constitute the THREE CLASSES into which humanity is divided. 1 Cor.10:32. It follows therefore that while the whole Bible was written for the instruction of the Church, it is not all written about the Church. The Church is not mentioned in the Old Testament. It is hid from the Old Testament prophets, and was a “Mystery” first revealed to Paul, and disclosed by him in Eph. 3:1-10. The Old Testament is mostly taken up with the history of one nation, that of Israel. In the first five chapters of Genesis we are given the history of Creation, and 1700 years of human history. In the next four chapters we are given the account of the Flood. The tenth and eleventh chapters give the account of 400 more years of human history, and then God singles out one man, Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), and from there on the whole of the Old Testament centers around the Jewish Race. When we take the Old Testament promises and apply them to the Church we rob the Jew of that which is exclusively his. For illustration, the prophecy of Isaiah is largely applied to the Church, whereas the very first verse declares that it is – “Concerning JUDAH and JERUSALEM.” Isa. 1:1. In the New Testament the Epistles of Hebrews and James are Jewish. The Epistle of James is addressed, not to the Church, but to the “ TWELVE TRIBES scattered   abroad.” James 1:1. Therefore the “Prayer of Faith” (James 5:13-16) for the sick is not primarily a promise to the Church but to Israel, though doubtless it will be answered for all who complied with the conditions. In the Epistle to the Hebrews many Christians stumble at the words “fall away” (Heb. 6:4-6), and “if we sin wilfully.” Heb.10:6. But these words do not apply to Christians. They were spoken to apostate Jewish professors of Christianity who had never been born again, and who, if they did not accept Jesus as their Messiah, practically crucified Him again, and were as bad as their brethren who did crucify Him.

Some books are general, as for instance the Epistle to the Romans. No one would apply Romans 8^th to the Jews, or Romans 11^th to the Church, for in it Paul speaks not only to Israel but also to the Gentiles. Romans 11:11-13 . ALL Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for i nstruction, (2 Tim.3:16), and what happened to Israel was written for our ENSAMPLE and ADMONITION, (1 Cor.10:11), but we must not apply to the Church what does not belong to it. We see then that to misapply scripture is to not “Rightly Divide the Word” and tends to confusion an error.

In “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth” we must also distinguish the work of Christ. We are told in Scriptures that He is a “Prophet,” “Priest,” and “King.” But He does not hold those offices conjointly but successively. From the Fall in Eden to the Cross, He was a “Prophet.” He is now a “High Priest” and when He comes again He will be a “King.”   From Eden to the Cross there was an “Altar,” from the Cross to the Crown there is a “Table” (the Lord's Table), and from the Crown to Christ's surrender of the Kingdom there is a “Throne.”

In Heb.1:1, we read – God hath spoken “ at SUNDRY TIMES,” as well as “ in DIVERSE MANNERS,” and if we are to understand what He has spoken, we must not only distinguish between the class of people He has spoken to as Jews, Gentiles or the Church, but we must also note the “ SUNDRY TIMES” at which He spoke, and the “ DIVERSE MANNERS.” We must also distinguish between the “ TIME PAST” when He spoke by the Prophets, and these “ LAST DAYS” in which He has spoken to us by His SON. Heb. 1:1-2. We must not forget the “ DIVINE CONJUNCTIONS” and “ DIVINE DISJUNCTIONS” of the Word of God. We must not separate what God has joined, as the “Word of God” and the “Spirit of God,” “Christ and Salvation,” “Faith and Works.” Neither must we join what   God has separated, as “Heaven and Hell,” “Baptism and Regeneration,” “Natural Heredity” and “Spiritual Heredity,” “Standing and State,” “the Church and the Kingdom.”

We must also distinguish between the “ TIMES” and “ SEASONS” of the Scriptures. Daniel said of God – “He changeth the ' TIMES' and the ' SEASONS',” (Dan. 2:21), and Jesus said to His Disciples – “It is not for you to know the “ TIMES” or the “ SEASONS.” Acts 1:7.

But it is not enough to classify the Scriptures in the manner already mentioned, we must learn to separate the Scriptures according to the Dispensation of the FULNESS OF TIMES.

Unless one understands the Dispensations, one cannot understand God's Book, and it becomes a Book of confusion and contradictions.