Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth – Part 3A

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

 

 

In listening to other Christians as they discuss the Scriptures, there are some obvious differences in how we interpret the messages taught. That has prompted me to add this third part of my comments on “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth”. 

 

A primary source of confusion seems to lie in the failure to distinguish between scripture written directly to members of the Nation of Israel for their specific attention but shared with us today through the Holy Spirit for our learning (2 Timothy 3: 16-17).  Perhaps the most significant point of disagreement among many Christians is what is required for our acceptance by our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus unto salvation towards eternal life. Based on the Scriptures, some have determined that they must do their best to obey the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 1-17).  Some have added water baptism, church membership, tithing, and or other things they feel they must accomplish to be accepted by our Father and Lord Jesus. Because the Ten Commandments are most foundational, for the limitations of space this narrative will focus on them.

 

The Old Testament defines the Commandments as Laws given under Covenant directly from the “LORD thy God” to Moses for the Nation of Israel, to guide them to become God’s holy nation and a kingdom of priests.  Through their self-righteousness, Israel accepted this daunting challenge without question (Exodus 19:1-8). In the New Testament, in his message to his fellow Jewish believers, the Lord Jesus’ half-brother James clarified that “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”  History has taught us that no one has been able to keep all the Commandments with the notable exception of our Lord Jesus. Regardless of a person’s best efforts, even as the Nation of Israel tried, attempting to keep the Commandments will not lead to Salvation. Further, the Apostle Paul pointed out that the true purpose of the Law was to bring Israel and mankind to the knowledge that man’s efforts to fully obey the Law were futile. The purpose was to bring knowledge of the need for a Savior, our Lord Jesus (Galatians 3: 1-26).  What was written for the Nation of Israel then was shared with us today for our learning.

 

As another example of the need to rightly divide the word of truth, note that when James and the Apostle Peter wrote in the New Testament, their messages were directed respectively to the “twelve tribes scattered”, and the “strangers scattered” from their homeland of Israel (James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1).  Also, even as the Bible closes, the Apostle John notes (Revelation Chapter One) how he saw seven candlesticks representing the seven churches in Asia (Picture Israel’s Menorah).  As believers that Jesus was Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, those “scattered” Jews had become fugitives from the persecution of those who did not believe, especially those led by Saul of Tarsus (Acts Chapter 9).

 

Other examples of Bible messages directed to the Nation of Israel are apparent in the numerous references made to Israel’s Fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), the Law of Moses, Israel’s Temple and Priesthood, animal sacrifices, et al.  Those scriptures and references were not directed to the doctrine followed by Gentiles today. However, there are clearly lessons that can be to our benefit from the messages of the Disciples / Apostles and Israel’s experiences through the Holy Spirit. They provide an important context for our current doctrine: the Gospel of Grace (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; Romans 10: 9-13).

 

When the Christian reader today makes the separation between what was written to us versus what was written for us, the Bible can be more clearly understood. The Holy Spirit guides that discernment.

 

Now that that has been made clear (I hope), I’d like to offer another perspective that might seem to muddy the water.

 

Under the revelation of the Ascended Lord Jesus, the Apostle Paul introduced the concept of the “Body of Christ” (Romans Chapter 12; 1 Corinthians 10: 15-17; 12: 12-28; Ephesians 1: 17-23; 4: 1-16).  The Body of Christ consists collectively of all those who believed in the Lord Jesus, …whether it was during His Earthly ministry (when they acknowledged that He was the Son of God), or later, even now, with those who have believed in Him (that through His suffering, shedding His blood, death, burial and Resurrection) that He has paid for all our sins and redeemed us to eternal life and countless blessings in this current life. See the references above for the Gospel of Grace. 

 

Jew and Gentile alike, we have had the opportunity for salvation, through believing in who our Lord Jesus is and what He has done for us.  Carefully reading the Scripture and rightly dividing the word enhance our understanding of how the past 6,000 years have shaped both the circumstance of the Nation of Israel over the centuries, and the impact on individual Jews and Gentiles over that period…leading to today.

 

Dr. W. A. Robinson