Rightly Dividing
Introduction
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, tells us that we are to study to shew ourselves approved unto God.
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
From this verse we learn that if we don’t study the word of truth, the way God tells us to, then we cannot expect to be approved unto God, but instead we will be ashamed. How then can we be approved unto God when we study?
To rightly divide the word of truth is to divide it in its natural divisions. There are three natural divisions in the Bible given to us by God, not some denomination, and they are found in the writings of our Apostle (the Apostle of the Gentiles) in Ephesians chapter 2:
I. In Time Past II. But Now III. The Ages to Come
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
These three divisions deal with two different groups:
I. The Children of Israel II. The Body of Christ
I. The Children of Israel:
Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
II. The Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
The Old Covenant and the New Covenant
Most people see the Bible divided into two major divisions, the Old Covenant (In Times Past), and the New Covenant (The Ages to Come), but the Old Covenant was made with the children of Israel, not the body of Christ, and it didn’t begin in Genesis 1:1. It actually began 2,500 hundred years later at Mt. Sinai:
The Old Covenant (In Times Past)
Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Exodus 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
The Old Covenant was made with the children of Israel in times past, and it consisted of all thing which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the word began. For example concerning the time of Christ’s return:
Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Anything that spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets (Jews) which was not fulfilled at Christ’s first appearing will be fulfilled in the times of the restitution of all things in the Ages to Come, in Israel’s future Kingdom.
The Nation of Israel was told to repent for the kingdom of heaven was at hand, when the gospel of the Kingdom was being preached to them by Jesus and the 12 Apostles and only a remnant of them believed (they are called the little flock in Luke 12:32).
God then interrupted Israel’s prophecy program that was under the Law (the Covenant) and instituted the dispensation of Grace after Israel was given another chance to repent at the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom, but they did not repent nationally.
Israel's Fall and their diminishing began at the stoning of Stephen in Acts seven, and in Acts chapter eight God began the dispersing of Israel out into the Gentile lands where they would be strangers just as God promised that he would do.
Ezekiel 12:15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.
Then God saved the chief of sinners (Saul of Tarsus) on the road to Damascus in Acts chapter nine, who would later be known as Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles.
It was God that then revealed the Mystery Program to Paul, that had been kept secret since the world began, and is now being made manifest, but only after the Cross had taken place.
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The Interruption in Israel’s Program
The Mystery Program – The Body of Christ
The Mystery Program is for the body of Christ today (The But Now Time Period), and it concerns those things which have been kept secret since the world began, but now are made manifest through the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery:
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest..,
The New Covenant (The Ages to Come)
The New Covenant is also made (in the future) with the same people as the Old Covenant was made, the children of Israel.
The Children of Israel later became the kingdom of Israel beginning with Saul, David and Solomon, it was eventually divided into two houses because of their sin in Rehoboam's day (Solomon's son).
There was the Northern Kingdom which was called the house of Israel, with the 10 Northern Tribes ruled by Jeroboam, and Southern Kingdom, which was called the house of Judah with the two Southern Tribes of Benjamin and Judah ruled by Rehoboam.
The New Covenant was made with Israel, it was not made with the body of Christ, we are not New Covenant Christians today, notice who the scriptures say the New Covenant is made with:
Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
The New Covenant that is made with the children of Israel (The Jews) is still yet to be fulfilled. It will be in force when the LORD forgives Israel’s iniquity, and when he remembers their sins no more, that will be in their kingdom when they are finally the kingdom of priest God promised them way back in Exodus 19:5-6.
Division I: In Time Past
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
The course of this world is directed by the prince of the power of the air. Satan is the prince of the power of the air.
Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Abraham, and the Circumcision (Israel)
Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
The Covenant of Circumcision
Genesis 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
With the institution of the covenant of Circumcision, God established with Abraham and his seed after him (the children of Israel) a middle wall of partition between them and all the other nations (the Gentiles). If a Gentile was to be saved he would have to become a proselyte to Judaism, for salvation was of the Jews.
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
But Now
Ephesians 2:13 But now, in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
In times past we as Gentiles were far off because there was a middle wall of partition up between us and God's chosen people, the nation of Israel. That middle wall of partition was broken down by Christ because he shed his blood for us on the cross.
