Post by ambassador on Aug 22, 2009 0:29:21 GMT -5
“Rightly Dividing” the Scriptures: The Basics of Dispensational Bible Study
My parents were saved in 1980 whereas I was saved at the age of four years. As I was growing up in church, we were under the impression that God mandated a 10 percent tithe from us and we were told that water baptism was “the first step of obedience after salvation.” That is not Scriptural: that is denominational doctrine (men’s ideas). Two years ago, the Lord opened our understanding of how to properly use the Bible: “rightly divide” the Scriptures as 2 Timothy 2:15 states. “STUDY to show yourself approved unto God: a workman who needs not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the Word of Truth.”
Why does the Bible say one thing I one place and something entirely different in another place? Different portions of the Bible were written to various groups of people under varying circumstances. The Apostle Paul’s 12 books of Romans through Philemon are written to us Gentile (non-Jewish) believers in the Age of Grace (our present day). Every other Bible book—the Old Testament, the Four Gospels, and Hebrews through Revelation—was written to Jews under the Law. We cannot go by “what Jesus and twelve apostles said” because Jesus and His twelve apostles ministered to Jews under the Law (Matthew 10:5-7; Romans 15:8). We go by what Paul said, because Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13).
When people fail to “rightly divide” God’s Word as He instructs, the Bible will seem like nonsense and appear to have “contradictions.” There are THOUSANDS of professing Christian groups and denominations who are relying on the Old Testament and Jesus’ earthly ministry for their doctrine. People are not STUDYING the Bible RIGHTLY DIVIDED, which is why there is so much confusion! This is not what God wants; people are upholding practices and doctrines that were given to Jews thousands of years ago—things that have nothing to do with us today! While we do not throw away any part of God-breathed Scripture, the Old Testament was written to Israel, and the Mosaic Law has NOTHING to do with us in the Body of Christ! We are living in the Age of Grace, separate from God’s dealings with Israel in the Four Gospels and the Old Testament. We follow Paul’s writings because Paul is following Christ post-resurrection (1 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17).
Do not just take my word for it: “search the Scriptures, and see if these things be so” (Acts 17:10-11). I know most people have not heard of dispensational Bible study, but the Bible makes so much sense once you use It the way God designed It! Mass confusion in churches would disappear almost instantaneously if people simply used the Bible correctly, instead of trying to force the Mosaic Law into our Church Age! We are NOT UNDER THE LAW; WE ARE UNDER GRACE (Romans 6:1-2, 14-15).
_____________
TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE, look in the first few verses of the particular Bible book for this information:
(1) Who is writing the particular book: Paul or someone else? God chose Paul to be your apostle.
(2) To whom are they writing: Jews or Gentiles? You are not a Jew under the Mosaic Law.
(3) What are they saying: Law or Grace? You are under Grace, NOT Law.
My parents were saved in 1980 whereas I was saved at the age of four years. As I was growing up in church, we were under the impression that God mandated a 10 percent tithe from us and we were told that water baptism was “the first step of obedience after salvation.” That is not Scriptural: that is denominational doctrine (men’s ideas). Two years ago, the Lord opened our understanding of how to properly use the Bible: “rightly divide” the Scriptures as 2 Timothy 2:15 states. “STUDY to show yourself approved unto God: a workman who needs not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the Word of Truth.”
Why does the Bible say one thing I one place and something entirely different in another place? Different portions of the Bible were written to various groups of people under varying circumstances. The Apostle Paul’s 12 books of Romans through Philemon are written to us Gentile (non-Jewish) believers in the Age of Grace (our present day). Every other Bible book—the Old Testament, the Four Gospels, and Hebrews through Revelation—was written to Jews under the Law. We cannot go by “what Jesus and twelve apostles said” because Jesus and His twelve apostles ministered to Jews under the Law (Matthew 10:5-7; Romans 15:8). We go by what Paul said, because Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13).
When people fail to “rightly divide” God’s Word as He instructs, the Bible will seem like nonsense and appear to have “contradictions.” There are THOUSANDS of professing Christian groups and denominations who are relying on the Old Testament and Jesus’ earthly ministry for their doctrine. People are not STUDYING the Bible RIGHTLY DIVIDED, which is why there is so much confusion! This is not what God wants; people are upholding practices and doctrines that were given to Jews thousands of years ago—things that have nothing to do with us today! While we do not throw away any part of God-breathed Scripture, the Old Testament was written to Israel, and the Mosaic Law has NOTHING to do with us in the Body of Christ! We are living in the Age of Grace, separate from God’s dealings with Israel in the Four Gospels and the Old Testament. We follow Paul’s writings because Paul is following Christ post-resurrection (1 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17).
Do not just take my word for it: “search the Scriptures, and see if these things be so” (Acts 17:10-11). I know most people have not heard of dispensational Bible study, but the Bible makes so much sense once you use It the way God designed It! Mass confusion in churches would disappear almost instantaneously if people simply used the Bible correctly, instead of trying to force the Mosaic Law into our Church Age! We are NOT UNDER THE LAW; WE ARE UNDER GRACE (Romans 6:1-2, 14-15).
_____________
TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE, look in the first few verses of the particular Bible book for this information:
(1) Who is writing the particular book: Paul or someone else? God chose Paul to be your apostle.
(2) To whom are they writing: Jews or Gentiles? You are not a Jew under the Mosaic Law.
(3) What are they saying: Law or Grace? You are under Grace, NOT Law.