Rightly Divide the Word of Truth
Every year at the end of October, young and old across the United States get caught up in festive preparation for a night devoted to ghouls, goblins, and evil spirits. Though there is ample documentation that the practices associated with the observance of Halloween came from pagan religions, few Christian groups take a stand and tell their faithful to avoid the holiday. Instead, most either open up their sanctuaries for parties or just look the other way while church members are having a little “innocent” fun. It seems they never think to ask if the observance of Halloween is sanctioned by the book that they say is the source of their beliefs. The Bible which contains the truth of God is not consulted at all. Sadly, many who have been associated with the Church of God also are guilty of the same error. They say they believe the Bible, yet they veer from what the Bible says onto some oft-repeated heresy.
It seems that every year, some church leader comes out with accusations and so-called evidence that his former group has departed from the faith. Such events are not new. They have been happening since the first century – and they will continue to happen until the return of Christ. Too many are more eager to promote themselves or to find the better way than to adhere to The Way clearly taught in the Bible. The question is, “Will we get taken in by some controversy, argument, or accusation in the future and depart from the faith? Or, will we remain steadfast and faithful to the truth revealed in the Bible?”
The Word of God gives us keys to help us weather the storms of false teachers and doctrinal heresy. When Paul wrote the letters to Timothy, he was very mindful of what was happening in the churches. He saw the tumult created by those with “new truth,” which was just old false doctrine. He gave Timothy instruction on how to approach these situations. That instruction is equally valuable for us today.
2 Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
To be protected from false prophets and false doctrine, we must “rightly divide the word of truth.” Strong’s Concordance indicates that “rightly divide” means to dissect the divine message correctly. Thayer’s Lexicon indicates that we should “hold a straight course” and “teach the truth correctly.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary indicates that Paul’s instruction is that the truth should be handled rightly and carefully.
NT:3718 orthotomeo (or-thot-om-eh'-o); from a compound of NT:3717 and the base of NT:5114, to make a straight cut, i.e. (figuratively) to dissect (expound) correctly (the divine message): KJV - rightly divide. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
How can we rightly divide the word of truth when faced with controversy and confusion?
DO NOT ADD TO OR TAKE AWAY FROM SCRIPTURE
Christ inspired John to record an extremely important key to rightly dividing the Word of truth in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 22:18-19
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
The basic principle we must always adhere to is that we should never add to or take away from what is written in the Bible. The Bible is our authority; it is the source of our beliefs. If an idea is not clearly taught in the Bible or if it cannot be derived from clear Biblical principles, then it should be discarded or discounted.
That principle was not a new one. Moses was given the same admonition by the same Spirit in the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy 4:2
You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 12:32
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
Proverbs 30:6
Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
It is God’s words, not man’s words, which contain the truth.
THE TRUNK OF THE TREE…
A second key to rightly dividing the word of truth is found back in 2 Timothy.
2 Timothy 2:14-26
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
Timothy was instructed not to strive about words to no profit. There are always questions and controversies which come up that are useless to get involved in. Some questions have no answer in the Bible, so there is no need to fall out of a tree because you have hung your spiritual life on some twig. There are two other ways to phrase this principle.
1) Stick to the trunk of the tree. If we build our spiritual foundation on what is rock solid and clear and keep our focus on that foundation, we will not likely fall off the rock or out of the tree.
2) Don’t major in the minors – or minor in the majors. Too many base their teachings and reason for existence on small or inconsequential matters – or on ideas that are just plain false.
For instance, one of the foundational beliefs of two groups which are led by individuals who audaciously claim to be prophets and apostles of God is that Herbert Armstrong was the prophesied Elijah and that he restored all things. This (unproven) idea leads them to the belief, in essence, that all the words of Herbert Armstrong are equivalent to and should be followed as the Holy Scriptures. They then condemn, attack, and accuse others for supposedly not following what Herbert Armstrong taught. Rather than follow Herbert Armstrong’s oft-repeated instruction to “follow me as I follow Christ” – words God inspired Paul to write and that were codified in the Bible, they create strife by erecting a false standard. Even while they accuse, they fail to follow Mr. Armstrong’s instruction to stick to the trunk of the tree. Minor matters and differences of administration are given more emphasis than the rock solid truth of the Bible. (The clear and plain truth is that not one word of Herbert Armstrong has been elevated to the level of scripture. No Bible has I, II, or III Herbert - and those statements are not an attack on Herbert Armstrong. The vast majority of what he wrote is accurate and based on the truth of the Bible. But, there are some areas he made mistakes in. Some were corrected in his lifetime; some were not. To correct those errors now is not departing from the truth.
Paul wrote of the effects of straying from the truth of the Bible and engaging in foolish disputes.
2 Timothy 2:17-19, 23-26
17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."…. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
LOOK AT ALL THE SCRIPTURES
One of the most important keys to understanding the Bible is that you must not overly emphasize one verse, or a few verses, to the exclusion of what is stated in other places in the scriptures. You have to take all the passages relating to a topic into consideration to gain full and complete understanding. If you just look at Old Testament passages, you might conclude that the sacrificial system is still in effect. Similarly, if you narrowly define the gospel as only what is mentioned in Matthew 24:14, you throw out all that Paul and the other apostles wrote and said about what they preached as the gospel message. (And while I am on that topic, know this. There can be no Kingdom of God without a King – Jesus Christ. If the person of Christ had not come to this earth and died for our sins, there would be no need for the holy days, which instruct us of God’s plan of salvation. Christ is our Passover. Without His death no human could ever enter the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the end result; it all starts with Christ. You have to believe in Christ and what He taught to be able to enter that Kingdom. If Christ is not preached – and there is salvation through no other name, then no one will know the way to salvation and no one will be able to enter the Kingdom. If the person of Christ is not preached, we are all still in our sins. The good news of the Kingdom of God is that we may be born again as sons of God and that Christ Himself came to make a way for us to inherit eternal life and be on His and the Father’s plane of existence. The Kingdom of God will be instituted on earth when the King, Jesus Christ, returns as King of kings and Lord of lords. So, when the gospel is preached it must be about Christ and it must include the message of the Kingdom of God.)
The Bible gives us clear instruction which will help us weather the storms of confusion and keep us from being tossed about by every wind of doctrine. If we rightly divide the word of truth, making sure we do not add to or take away from scripture and are careful to stick to the trunk of the tree, we will not be tripped up by those who are false prophets and false apostles. Paul wrote that “The Lord knows those who are His.” We too can know who are His when we rightly divide the word of truth.
Part of this post was given as a sermonette in October 2006.
It seems that every year, some church leader comes out with accusations and so-called evidence that his former group has departed from the faith. Such events are not new. They have been happening since the first century – and they will continue to happen until the return of Christ. Too many are more eager to promote themselves or to find the better way than to adhere to The Way clearly taught in the Bible. The question is, “Will we get taken in by some controversy, argument, or accusation in the future and depart from the faith? Or, will we remain steadfast and faithful to the truth revealed in the Bible?”
The Word of God gives us keys to help us weather the storms of false teachers and doctrinal heresy. When Paul wrote the letters to Timothy, he was very mindful of what was happening in the churches. He saw the tumult created by those with “new truth,” which was just old false doctrine. He gave Timothy instruction on how to approach these situations. That instruction is equally valuable for us today.
2 Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
To be protected from false prophets and false doctrine, we must “rightly divide the word of truth.” Strong’s Concordance indicates that “rightly divide” means to dissect the divine message correctly. Thayer’s Lexicon indicates that we should “hold a straight course” and “teach the truth correctly.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary indicates that Paul’s instruction is that the truth should be handled rightly and carefully.
NT:3718 orthotomeo (or-thot-om-eh'-o); from a compound of NT:3717 and the base of NT:5114, to make a straight cut, i.e. (figuratively) to dissect (expound) correctly (the divine message): KJV - rightly divide. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
How can we rightly divide the word of truth when faced with controversy and confusion?
DO NOT ADD TO OR TAKE AWAY FROM SCRIPTURE
Christ inspired John to record an extremely important key to rightly dividing the Word of truth in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 22:18-19
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
The basic principle we must always adhere to is that we should never add to or take away from what is written in the Bible. The Bible is our authority; it is the source of our beliefs. If an idea is not clearly taught in the Bible or if it cannot be derived from clear Biblical principles, then it should be discarded or discounted.
That principle was not a new one. Moses was given the same admonition by the same Spirit in the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy 4:2
You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 12:32
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
Proverbs 30:6
Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
It is God’s words, not man’s words, which contain the truth.
THE TRUNK OF THE TREE…
A second key to rightly dividing the word of truth is found back in 2 Timothy.
2 Timothy 2:14-26
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
Timothy was instructed not to strive about words to no profit. There are always questions and controversies which come up that are useless to get involved in. Some questions have no answer in the Bible, so there is no need to fall out of a tree because you have hung your spiritual life on some twig. There are two other ways to phrase this principle.
1) Stick to the trunk of the tree. If we build our spiritual foundation on what is rock solid and clear and keep our focus on that foundation, we will not likely fall off the rock or out of the tree.
2) Don’t major in the minors – or minor in the majors. Too many base their teachings and reason for existence on small or inconsequential matters – or on ideas that are just plain false.
For instance, one of the foundational beliefs of two groups which are led by individuals who audaciously claim to be prophets and apostles of God is that Herbert Armstrong was the prophesied Elijah and that he restored all things. This (unproven) idea leads them to the belief, in essence, that all the words of Herbert Armstrong are equivalent to and should be followed as the Holy Scriptures. They then condemn, attack, and accuse others for supposedly not following what Herbert Armstrong taught. Rather than follow Herbert Armstrong’s oft-repeated instruction to “follow me as I follow Christ” – words God inspired Paul to write and that were codified in the Bible, they create strife by erecting a false standard. Even while they accuse, they fail to follow Mr. Armstrong’s instruction to stick to the trunk of the tree. Minor matters and differences of administration are given more emphasis than the rock solid truth of the Bible. (The clear and plain truth is that not one word of Herbert Armstrong has been elevated to the level of scripture. No Bible has I, II, or III Herbert - and those statements are not an attack on Herbert Armstrong. The vast majority of what he wrote is accurate and based on the truth of the Bible. But, there are some areas he made mistakes in. Some were corrected in his lifetime; some were not. To correct those errors now is not departing from the truth.
Paul wrote of the effects of straying from the truth of the Bible and engaging in foolish disputes.
2 Timothy 2:17-19, 23-26
17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."…. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
LOOK AT ALL THE SCRIPTURES
One of the most important keys to understanding the Bible is that you must not overly emphasize one verse, or a few verses, to the exclusion of what is stated in other places in the scriptures. You have to take all the passages relating to a topic into consideration to gain full and complete understanding. If you just look at Old Testament passages, you might conclude that the sacrificial system is still in effect. Similarly, if you narrowly define the gospel as only what is mentioned in Matthew 24:14, you throw out all that Paul and the other apostles wrote and said about what they preached as the gospel message. (And while I am on that topic, know this. There can be no Kingdom of God without a King – Jesus Christ. If the person of Christ had not come to this earth and died for our sins, there would be no need for the holy days, which instruct us of God’s plan of salvation. Christ is our Passover. Without His death no human could ever enter the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the end result; it all starts with Christ. You have to believe in Christ and what He taught to be able to enter that Kingdom. If Christ is not preached – and there is salvation through no other name, then no one will know the way to salvation and no one will be able to enter the Kingdom. If the person of Christ is not preached, we are all still in our sins. The good news of the Kingdom of God is that we may be born again as sons of God and that Christ Himself came to make a way for us to inherit eternal life and be on His and the Father’s plane of existence. The Kingdom of God will be instituted on earth when the King, Jesus Christ, returns as King of kings and Lord of lords. So, when the gospel is preached it must be about Christ and it must include the message of the Kingdom of God.)
The Bible gives us clear instruction which will help us weather the storms of confusion and keep us from being tossed about by every wind of doctrine. If we rightly divide the word of truth, making sure we do not add to or take away from scripture and are careful to stick to the trunk of the tree, we will not be tripped up by those who are false prophets and false apostles. Paul wrote that “The Lord knows those who are His.” We too can know who are His when we rightly divide the word of truth.
Part of this post was given as a sermonette in October 2006.
posted by Manuel at 10:27 PM
1 Comments:
Important points to help keep a proper perspective. Excellent post!
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