In 2Tim 2:15, the Apostle Paul enjoins his
spiritual son Timothy, “Study to show
yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
This meant the entire process of applying one’s
self as a minister of the Gospel - the process of distinguishing one’s self as
a skilled and excellent teacher of the word of Truth – is by rightly dividing
it.
Many a church and ministry make boast of
preaching the “undiluted” word. By that they mean that what they teach and
preach comes straight from the Bible and is presented unvarnished and
unadulterated, without fear or favour.
Nevertheless, as Paul’s directive to Timothy
shows, one can preach only the word
of God, and still present it wrongly.
Paul’s expression of “rightly dividing” the
word is found nowhere else in scripture. Literally, he was asking Timothy to “make
a straight cut” of the word of Truth; or to “dissect it correctly.”
That means, while we must endeavour to preach
the undiluted word of Truth, we must
make sure also, that that said word is rightly divided. Some commentators
understand this to mean Timothy was to keep the centre path without veering to
the left or right in extremist doctrine; it means knowing how to apportion the
word appropriately to people based on their spiritual state and spiritual level.
It also means making a proper distinction of the scriptures and applying it
correctly based on the covenantal realities that were in place when they were
written or proclaimed.
Reading and teaching indistinctly and
indiscriminately from the Bible will lead, and has lead, many into aberrant interpretations
and doctrines. If we are to make ourselves approved unto God, if we’re to make
ourselves excellent students of the Word, then we must make sure we study and
preach the undiluted (and rightly-divided) word of God.
“Therefore every scribe who is instructed
concerning the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who
brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.” – Mat 13:52.
AMEN.
More Blessings await
you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN
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