Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
The concept behind rightly dividing the Word of God is not solely for the purpose of storing up knowledge or that we may become smarter sinners (heaven forbid), but that sinners might know and accept the truth that is found in Christ Jesus and be saved. The fact of the matter is that God employs this type of division to multiply the church.
How It’s Done
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
The Greek word for divide (orthotomeo) means to ‘cut a straight line through.’ The occasion of the verse is to point out the importance of separating the subjective thought of the soul from the reality that is God’s truth. While the mind (soul) is needed, it’s our tendency to be ensnared by its emotional biases. In that condition we run the risk of becoming ‘hearers only’ and not ‘doers of’ God’s word. James 1:22 reminds us that the result of that state is self-deception. The rightly divided word serves to cut to the heart, thus convicting the soul, and stimulating righteous activity within the willing saint.
Getting it Right
How do we know if we are rightly dividing the word or if the word has been rightly divided for us? The passage from Revelation (below) gives us one clue, while also expressing the difference between soul perception and spirit reaction.
So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. Revelation 10:9-10
It should look similar to this: you partake of the Word and it tastes good. The doctrines, the truths, the mandates, and the Solution — it all makes wonderful sense and it is sweetness in your mouth. However digestion is a different story. You’ve taken it all in, but it’s not sitting to well. Suddenly you’re feeling a little queasy. The bitterness referred to in the verse is not so much disillusionment or cynicism, but the recognition of being spiritually grieved to the point of having to react or respond. It’s that overwhelming sense of, “Now that I know, what will I do.”
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted (2 Corinthians 7:10)
At this point we’re given a choice. To do the right thing is to submit to God’s will. To do the wrong thing is to get an ulcer, for if you ignore Holy Spirit conviction it will turn into cancerous guilt. At any rate, to be here is to know that the word was rightly divided. In order for change to take place, this is the path the sinner must adhere to. The Holy Spirit will work in the believer to translate the Bible according to His purpose and perfect timing, but we must be submitted to the process.
A Taste Test
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35
- How do those verses taste in your mouth?
- How do they feel in your stomach?
- How will you respond?
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These articles may or may not relate to this post (I have not read them all):
- Stay Away From Stupid (jamespoitras.com)
- Subdue the Earth (compassiondave.wordpress.com)
- “Truth” (simpleme2.wordpress.com)
- “What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats?” (brakeman1.com)
- Revelation Opened Up! (keyword-power.com)
- Wrongly Dividing the Word (stocktonbiblechapel.wordpress.com)
- Frequency of Pure Thought vs. Entanglement (christiansciencepractitionerbiz.wordpress.com)
- Holy Hip Hop Culture (Intro) by ReAsOn DiSciPLe (davidicalhiphop.wordpress.com)
- Why Read the Bible? – Day 12 of 32 – Sweet as Honey (christlikeministriesnwa.wordpress.com)
- What is Theology? Its Divisions with Short Descriptions (marbaniang.wordpress.com)
bit of a stretch on the mulitplying side of things, but I believe it is a natural result of God moving in our lives to, in our leaders lives, to see more followers following – thanks for the encouragement – it matters
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Thanks for the read — may He be praised!
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