Rightly Dividing Truth
by PJ Salas
"Study to show yourself approved of God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth." 2Timothy2:15.
Puzzling
Many things in God's Word challenge us. If we do not study to understand the entire Bible, our tendency is to draw our own conclusions, and develop our own philosophies. Alternatively, we are prone to adopt, and adapt to, the suppositions and espoused explications of others.
The apostle Peter said that Paul's writings are hard to understand, and that the unlearned twist them. (2Peter3:15,16). The many false teachings within Christendom evidence this.
Paul was an astute scholar who was long-winded and wordy. This can make it difficult to ascertain his teachings. Determination, through the Spirit of God, to know and discern truth, in the context of the whole Bible is needful.
Although the Bible can be puzzling, this does not mean we cannot understand it. Knowing the whole Word of God is key for correct understanding and interpretation. Employed herein are some commonly revered misinterpretations.
Days, Meat, and Vegetables
Romans chapter fourteen concerning days, meat, and vegetables is often misused to say that what we eat, and what day we worship God does not matter. This reasoning is supposition.
Paul does not refer to the Sabbath in this chapter, nor is he saying eating vegetables is bad. God marked out His Sabbath as holy and sacred, and told us to remember it. (Exodus20:8-11). Thus regarding the Sabbath and what day we keep, does matter.
As for vegetables, in the beginning God gave human beings and animals a plant-based diet (Genesis1:29,30), which is the best diet we can eat. The Creator permitted meat in the diet after the flood, which destroyed all vegetation.
Judgmentalness
Romans chapter fourteen is about judgmentalness. Nowhere in this chapter does it reference the Sabbath. Further, those who use this chapter to excuse keeping the wrong day for the Sabbath are in violation of Romans fourteen. Ardently they keep a false day, disputing and judging those who keep the true Sabbath.
How ironic, those who argue for the keeping of a false Sabbath are the very ones who use Romans chapter fourteen as a license to do wrong. The truth is, God said remember the seventh day Sabbath, to keep it holy. He did not say pick a day, and keep that day holy.
Kill and Eat
In Acts chapter ten, Peter receives a vision from God, wherein the Lord says, kill and eat unclean animals. God is not telling Peter he can now eat unclean flesh food such as pork and other scavenger meats that breed disease.
What God was revealing is that He is bringing the unclean Gentiles into His church, and that Peter should accept and baptize them. The Lord is using an analogy between unclean animals and Gentiles, who were considered unclean people, and who are now coming into the truth, and becoming clean through God's Word. (John15:3,17:17).
People are not to eat scavengers because God loves us, not because it is an unnecessary, burdensome restriction. Scavenger animals can pass disease to humans who consume them. God is not restricting us from good; rather telling us what isn't good for us.
Dying Once
The book of Hebrews, chapter nine, talks about dying once, and then the judgment. (Hebrews9:7). This is not saying people only die once, for not all die once, as evidenced by the books of Revelation and Jude, which speak of the second death (Jude1:12;Revelation2:11;20:6,14;21:8).
Paul is talking about animal sacrifices, which represented the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who died once for all, that all who chose should receive salvation.
The statement that people die once and then the judgment is precise, for the second death follows the judgment. (Revelation20:11-15). The unbelieving will die the second death; but believers die only once. It is within this understanding, that Paul addresses believers, who by faith in Jesus die once.
Food, Drink, and Ceremonial Sabbaths
In Colossians chapter two, it speaks of blotted out ordinances contained in commandments nailed to the cross. It talks about not being judged in food or drink, nor with respect to feasts and sabbaths. These were a shadow of things to come, i.e. the coming sacrifice of Jesus.
The books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers instruct regarding feasts days, food and drink offerings, and festival sabbaths (Numbers28:1-29:40), which were different from the weekly seventh-day Sabbath.
The feasts, their food and drink offerings, and their sabbaths, were of the Ceremonial law, pointing to Jesus' coming sacrifice. They were a shadow of things to come. When Jesus sacrificed Himself, He fulfilled the sacrificial services and their feasts. These feasts, their offerings and sabbaths are now done away with, blotted out, nailed to the cross, fulfilled in Christ.
Colossians chapter two is used to say that keeping the weekly seventh day Sabbath is no longer necessary. This is untrue, for the seventh day Sabbath, along with all the Decalogue, i.e. Ten Commandments, stands forever. (Psalms111:7,8).
Genealogies
In Titus chapter three, and first Timothy chapter one, the issue of disputing genealogies is discussed. People use these verses to excuse examining and understanding genealogies. These chapters are not discounting the import of knowing and studying lineages, for by them we have testimony, particularly concerning the Savior.
What is being taught in Titus chapter three, and first Timothy chapter one, is that people are not to use ancestries to incite argument and cause people to doubt, for this does not build faith.
Spiritual Defilement
Mark chapter seven talks about what defiles a person. In this passage, Jesus speaks of spiritual defilement, not health. This is plain in the original language, and within the context of all the Scripture.
Not only does God's Word teach that it matters what goes into the body, health wise (Genesis1:29,30;Leviticus11:1-47;1Corinthians10:31), but science also informs us that what goes into the body matters.
Our Necessity
The passages cited herein are instances of how we use wrong thinking, and other people's adherences to form fallacious interpretations. There are numerous misconceived Scriptures, such as what happens at death, the tribulation, and the anti-Christ, just to name a few.
Reading and re-reading all of God's Word is our need; diligently studying the Scriptures to know and understand the truth. It is requisite for rightly determining unadulterated Bible teachings. Full comprehension of the Holy Writ demands absolute engagement; it necessitates our full attention.
Read Repeatedly
It is bewildering that the Bible is the only book in which people ask how to read it. The answer is, of course, the same way you read any other book.
Starting with the first chapter, and reading to the end of the last chapter, is the way to read Scripture. And concerning the Lord's Word, because of its tremendous import, reading carefully and repeatedly is critical and judicious.
God's admonishes us to know and understand His Word (Col4:6;2Tim2:15;3:16). The Almighty does not tell us to do something that we cannot. He enables us to do as He commands (Philippians4:13).
Let God
May you desire Jesus and His Word; may the Scriptures be your priority, to know and understand all God's truth. Faithfully spend time with Jesus in His Bible, allowing Him to write the truth on your heart, and in your mind.
May you be approved of God by rightly dividing the Word of truth, discerning all His Word, fully apprehending all its veracity. Jesus will help you, He promises to do so. (Ephesians3:20). Let Him.
God will give you wisdom and understanding according to the full extent and intent of His Word, which is able to save your life. (James1:5,21). Be patient, and dig in. Understanding is not instantaneous; it comes as we spend more and more time.
"Study to show yourself approved of God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth." 2Timothy2:15.
