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.
My question was define, from the Word, what is rightly dividing the word of truth. It is clearly defined in scripture.
It is essential to know what is being rightly divided. So if one is to study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, what is to be rightly divided...it is not about jews and gentiles...it is not about dividing books in the bible...it is not about many words...it is quite simply defined.
If one is to teach, he must understand this key to the gospel. Please do not be offended I refer to myself as a right divider, and I test those who also claim to know right division. Which is why I was somewhat excited to read the title to your post.
I have found that many believe to rightly divide the word of truth means to rightly divide the Word...but it is the (word of truth)that is to be divided...so what is the word of truth as defined simply, in essentially one verse of scripture. I think any further discussion would be better done in private reply...freepmail...but either way is fine.
We also know that God has revealed Himself to man in a twofold manner: 1) Through Christ, the living Word, and 2) Through the Bible, the written Word.
At its most simple, Ephesian gives us a clue as to how God has divided His word of truth.
"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:" ((Eph. 2:11).
"That at that time (Time Past), ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:" (Eph. 2:11).
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." (Eph. 2:13).
"That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:7).
We know there is a TIME PAST, BUT NOW, and AGES TO COME in God's Word. If we can identify one period, the other two should be easy to find. BUT NOW is the most obvious, since it deals with present time.
Of course rightly dividing deals with much more, but this is a simple place to begin.
Understanding that God’s Word, instead of being divided OT from NT is more rightly divided into prophecy, things prophesied concerning a nation and a kingdom, from mystery, things never prophesied but kept secret since the foundation of the world, until revealed to the Apostle Paul is also key. The former concerns a kingdom of believers, the latter concerns a body of believers.
Actually, I am hoping you will openly contribute so that it doesn’t all come from me.