What does “Rightly Dividing the Word of God Mean”?

What does “Rightly Dividing the Word of God Mean”?

The Greek word “ὀρθοτομέω” (orthotomeō) is used in 2 Timothy 2:15 and is translated as “rightly dividing” in the King James Version of the Bible. The word literally means “to cut straight,” and it was originally used in a literal sense to refer to cutting straight paths or roads. In the context of 2 Timothy 2:15, however, the word is used metaphorically to refer to correctly interpreting and applying the word of God.

 

When applied to someone reading the Bible, the concept of “rightly dividing” emphasizes the importance of correctly interpreting and applying the Scriptures. This involves carefully studying the context of each passage, taking into account the historical and cultural context, the literary genre, and the intended audience. It also involves comparing different parts of the Bible to ensure that our interpretation is consistent with the rest of Scripture.

 

The Bible is a Progressive Revelation

To understand the Bible, we must come to grips with the fact that God is sovereign. We must allow God to be Who He is and believe by faith that He means what He says. When traditions and man-made theology mix law and grace, Israel and the Body of Christ, the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace, Peter and Paul, you end up with confusion and division. The Bible is a progressive revelation; it wasn’t all dealt out at once to Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses, or the apostle Peter. God is the same and will never change, but the instructions He gave to mankind for salvation throughout Biblical history changed significantly.

 

For example: For the first 2000 years, God dealt with all mankind directly and everyone spoke one language (Genesis 11:1). Then He made a change and chose just one man out of millions to start a new race of people for Himself (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). God deals with Jews with only (9 exceptions) for 2000 years. Dividing mankind by Jew and Gentile with the Gentile world without hope and no access to God (Ephesians 2:11,12). Then the sovereign God makes another change by choosing another man, Paul, (Acts 9:15; Acts 20:24; Galatians 1:11,12) with a new message of salvation for Jews and Gentiles apart from the Mosaic law and temple worship.

 

Takeaway

By “rightly dividing” the word of truth, we are able to avoid errors in interpretation and application, and we are able to more fully understand God’s message to us through His word. This leads to a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God and a stronger foundation for our faith.

 

Iron Sharpens Iron: The Urgent Need for Fellowship

Iron Sharpens Iron: The Urgent Need for Fellowship

It is absolutely crucial that, as members of the body of Christ, we fellowship with each other. Especially now, when Christendom is witnessing unprecedented abject rebellion against the truth of God’s word. The apostle Paul warns us what the world will be like as we get closer to the Lord’s return in 1 Timothy 4:1–3. And we are very close!

 

‘Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times* some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ‘

I Timothy 4:1-3

*“the latter times” refer to the time period of the Lord’s first coming and His return.

 

As believers, we are called to stand firm in our faith and remain steadfast in the face of deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that “iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” In other words, just as iron sharpens iron, we can strengthen and encourage one another through sharing God’s word and building each other up in our faith.

 

Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

 

These verses emphasize the importance of not only holding fast to our faith but also of coming together (In a local church, Bible Study, or Prayer meetings, anywhere) and exhorting one another as we see the day of the Lord’s return approaching. When we share God’s word and build each other up in our faith, we are able to stand strong in the face of adversity and remain steadfast in our walk with the Lord.

 

Devotion:

Dear Lord, help us to remember the power of sharing your word and building each other up in our faith. May we not neglect the importance of coming together and exhorting one another, so that we may remain steadfast in our walk with you. Help us to hold fast to our faith and to stay strong in the face of adversity. Amen.

 

 

 

Multiple Errors in Christendom’s Traditional Narrative

Multiple Errors in Christendom’s Traditional Narrative

This post is part 2 of 3. Please read Part 1 “The Narrative” if you haven’t read it already in order to get the flow and to better understand this post.

It is important to note that the traditional narrative of Christendom is not supported by scripture and is in fact, completely false. The truth is that the gospel of grace and the doctrine for the Body of Christ was revealed to the apostle Paul approximately 10 years after Pentecost by the ascended Lord Jesus Himself. Paul was designated the apostle to the Gentiles and received new revelations that were not known or understood by Peter and the other apostles. The gospel message that Paul preached was not learned or taught by men, but directly from the Lord many years after the cross.

 

“It’s impossible for anyone to believe something that was never revealed, but when God does reveal something He expects us to believe Him”

‘“The secret things belong to the L ord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.’

Deuteronomy 29:29

 

Multiple Errors:

 

  • First and foremost, the gospel of grace and the doctrine of the body of Christ was revealed to the apostle Paul 11 years after Pentecost. How could Christ be preaching death, burial and resurrection when He was still alive? Furthermore, Peter and the other apostles HAD NO CLUE THAT CHRIST WAS GOING TO DIE ON THE CROSS, BE BURIED IN A TOMB THAN BE RESURRECTED THREE DAYS LATER (Luke 18:31-34).
  • Peter and the 11 knew nothing about the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4) or the Body of Christ because it wasn’t revealed yet. How can anyone say that Peter was preaching the gospel of grace when God Himself says I revealed it only to the apostle Paul?
  • John the Baptist was a Jewish prophet, not a “Christian”. John lived under the Mosaic law and believed that Jesus was the Christ (“Israel’s Messiah”). He would have fulfilled the role of “Elijah” as prophesied in Malachi 4:5,6. If the nation of Israel accepted his message.
  • There is NO Scripture record of Paul joining Peter and the other apostles to preach the gospel of grace. The record is the exact opposite! God makes it clear that He chose Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles. The resurrected Lord Jesus said it Himself that I revealed the gospel of the grace of God to Paul. Paul didn’t learn what he knew nor was he taught it by men but by the risen Lord Jesus Himself. (Galatians 1:11,12) (Ephesians 3:3-5) Most in Christendom seem to think Paul was taught by Peter and the other apostles. Ridiculous!
  • It was God the Son who told the apostle Paul to go up to the Jerusalem Church and set the record straight. At the Jerusalem Council, it was Paul who stood his ground and told them “who seemed to be something” how it was going to be moving forward. (Galatians 2:2) (Galatians 2:6)
  • At the Jerusalem Council “those who seemed to be something” Peter, John and James shared NOTHING of value to the apostle Paul. (Galatians 2:6,7,8,9) (Acts 15:11)
  • It was the apostle Paul who shared with them what the risen Lord Jesus revealed to him. The apostle Peter at the Jerusalem Council makes his grand statement that most DO NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT PETER REALLY SAID. ‘But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”’ Acts 15:11 Not the other way around! Paul didn’t go back to his congregations and say sorry guys but now you have to be baptized, circumcised, and keep all 613 laws.
  • There is no Scripture support for Peter or any of the other apostles leaving Jerusalem to spread the gospel all over the world. They never left Jerusalem. (Acts 8:1; 7 years after Pentecost)
  • The word “Christian” wasn’t used until Acts 11:26, in Antioch, not Jerusalem. Well after Paul’s conversion. Those who believed that Jesus was the Christ the Son of God were called followers of “the way”.

 

There is so much confusion, division, and infighting among the Body of Christ because of this erroneous narrative. These biblical verses and facts demonstrate that the traditional narrative of Christendom is not supported by scripture, and it is critical for Christians to understand that the gospel of grace was revealed to Paul and not the other apostles, and that salvation is by faith alone in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, apart from any works or laws.

 

In conclusion, it is clear that the traditional narrative of Christendom is riddled with errors and misconceptions. The gospel of grace and the doctrine of the body of Christ was revealed to the apostle Paul approximately 10 years after Pentecost and not to the other apostles. Peter and the other apostles had no knowledge of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. John the Baptist was a Jewish prophet and not a Christian. There is no scripture record of Paul joining Peter and the other apostles to preach the gospel of grace, baptizing all over the world. It was the risen Lord Jesus himself who revealed the gospel of grace to Paul. At the Jerusalem Council, it was Paul who stood his ground and shared with Peter, James, and John what the Lord had revealed to him, not the other way around. The word “Christian” wasn’t used until Acts 11:26, in Antioch, not Jerusalem.

 

 

The Bottom Line

 

To avoid confusion, division, and false teachings, believers must maintain a literal, grammatical and historical (in-time) hermeneutic. There has been much too much of man’s theology governing Scripture when it is God’s Word alone that reigns over theology.

The Bible is a progressive revelation it wasn’t all dealt out at once to Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses, or the apostle Peter. God is the same and will never change but the instructions He gave to mankind for salvation throughout Biblical history changed significantly.

For the first 2000 years, God dealt with all mankind directly and everyone spoke one language (Genesis 11:1). Then He made a change and chose just one man out of millions to start a new race of people for Himself (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). God deals with Jews with only (7 exceptions) for 2000 years. Dividing mankind by Jew and Gentile with the Gentile world without hope and no access to God (Ephesians 2:11,12). Then the sovereign God makes another change by choosing another man, Paul, (Acts 9:15; Acts 20:24; Galatians 1:11,12) with a new message of salvation for Jews and Gentiles apart from the Mosaic law and temple worship.

 

 

 

Paul Did Not Join Peter and the Other Apostles to Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom

Paul Did Not Join Peter and the Other Apostles to Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom

95% of Christendom Ascribe to the Narrative Below

 

Christendom’s traditional narrative is that John the Baptist comes on the scene to announce to the world that the King and kingdom are coming. Jesus Christ chooses 12 disciples, and they perform many miracles, preach the gospel, and baptize many people, building the church. Jesus then appoints Peter as the leader of the apostles and the church’s spokesman.

However, the Jewish leadership rejects Jesus’ claims, and, along with the Romans, they crucify the Lord. Jesus Christ is raised from the dead three days later, and the Lord commands the apostles to preach the gospel of grace to everyone, Jews and Gentiles, all over the world.

Around the same time, one of the Lord’s greatest enemies, Saul, is confronted and converted by Christ Himself while on the road to Damascus. Saul, now Paul, joins the other apostles, and together they start the great commission. They preach the gospel of grace, baptize, perform miracles, and grow the church.

 

95% of Christendom is Wrong

 

The popular narrative is erroneous for one clear reason: there is ABSOLUTELY NO Scripture support for it. This narrative is loaded with true statements, but the underlying message is erroneous and has led to division, confusion, and false teaching.

 

 

 

Happy or Not “Believers” Have that ‘Joy’ Unspeakable

Happy or Not “Believers” Have that ‘Joy’ Unspeakable

‘For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.’

Romans 5:10

‘And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.’

Romans 5:11

 

The world system is set on happiness. Everybody wants to be happy, but few talk about joy, and do you know what the difference is? Happiness is the result of our material surroundings, joy is a spiritual attribute. That is why the apostle Paul rarely uses the word happy (just once), but he does use “Joy” over and over like in the Book of Philippians, “Rejoice, and again I say rejoice.”

Because we are filled with the Holy Spirit and have eternal life; regardless of whether we’re happy or not, we have that joy that is unspeakable!

 

‘whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: ‘

1 Peter 1:8

Christians can be happy in poverty as well as in wealth because joy is a spiritual thing.

Praying for all. Share the gospel. Study the Word.

Amen.

 

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