These challenges are for us to examine ourselves to see what level of spiritual maturity we’re at. The topic today is “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth” I was taught many years ago that the opposite side of rightly dividing the truth is to divide the truth wrongly. Let’s visually think about being school and being taught a certain class. Actually, I wanted to be a teacher during my early years. Let’s continue with the lesson for today.
Some people will single out a particular scripture and take it for face value when all scriptures: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and: Be diligent [study] to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. This means it takes discipline and consistency.
In dividing the Word, one must know some history, language, and culture of the people in the days of old.
Example:
the Old Testament was written for the Jews, who were God’s special people. However, we do benefit from the principles. The ceremonial laws were pertaining to the Hebrews only, they were no longer needed after Christ died and rose from the grave.
There are scriptures in the Old Testament that were pointing to Christ in symbolism and foreshadowing. One example is the Passover: The Israelites were told to kill an unspotted lamb and put the blood on their doorpost and the destroyer would pass over them. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.
And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. And thus, you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So, you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.
‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:5, 11-13).
The Lamb is symbolic of and a foreshadowing of Christ’s death and resurrection. The destroyer passed over those whose lives would be spared because he saw the blood on their doorposts. This is salvation; Christ, the Lamb of God shed His blood for our sins.
Remember how John the Baptist said “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). It is sad for anyone to still celebrate Passover after Christ became the Passover Lamb that brought us new life. This is what it means to wrongly divide the Word of truth. Christians are to celebrate the “Resurrection” of Christ.
This is also of utmost importance when it comes to perspectives. This same Christ was slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8b). With the Triune God everything has already been done, accomplished, and complete. God is not confined to time or space; He has always been and He will always be, God is eternal; He is Sovereign and He cannot be boxed or locked into our finite (limited minds).
Saints, this is the reason we need to see God from His perspective, even though He gave us wonderful brains, we should never let our intellect go to our heads. When that happens, we don’t realize how humble we should be in knowing that God loves us so much that He wants us to think and act like He does. But the devil wants us to think God is holding something back from us just as he tricked Eve into believing his lie.
Don’t let the devil deceive you into thinking it’s okay if you don’t study the Word. Remember this, he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). Lord willing. Tomorrow I plan to continue with Tithes and Sowing Seeds.
PS. How are you going to become more intimate with God unless you study His Word? After all, the Word is God!
His handmaiden, Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org
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