10/26/22 RIGHTLY DIVIDE (understand)

10/26/22 RIGHTLY DIVIDE (understand)

RIGHTLY DIVIDE (understand)

The exception, rather than the rule is, there are very few Bible words or passages, which are either difficult or impossible to interpret at this time. Those few instances do not change the message of God, the message of the Bible, the message of salvation.

No one is required to understand everything in the Bible. When we encounter one of these words or passage, it is better for us to just acknowledge our limited understanding, than to pretend Divine enlightenment. As I said, the instances are rare and the subjects are not essential to life, faith, or the message of God.

In some of those situations the obscure has become understandable. But even before the obscure was clarified, the message of God was clear and constant.

I am not referring to simply theological interpretation differences. I am referring to the actual original word or the correct translation of a word or passage. Though some might refer to these as discrepancies, they are not contradictions to the clear revelation of God, concerning the Person, Nature, Word and Work of God.

Therefore, unless you claim to know and understand everything there is to know about the Bible, don't feel ashamed that you can't explain everything. In fact, even the things we know and accept as truth cannot always be explained to someone else. Sometimes there are mysteries that cannot be understood until God explains them to the individual and sometimes understanding comes with study and submission and sometimes understanding comes with growth in grace and knowledge.

We are not required to understand everything about everything in the Bible. However, there are truths in the Bible that God expects us to know and understand and He will enable us to know and understand His truth, if we faithfully follow Him and study His word.

There is no excuse for being unenlightened concerning the word of life, the will of God for our lives. He has provided His word, His Spirit, His messengers of truth to help us know the truth and be set free from the chains of darkness.

2 Timothy 2:14-15
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study (deliberately be diligent) to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
(dlg note... the word, "Study," in this passage is an old expression that meant, "be careful," "be watchful." My older family members would say, "Study what you do now," meaning, be careful of your behavior or actions. It is not to be understood in this passage, in reference to academic "studies." In order to rightly divide (understand) the word of God we must study is in this passage, but the use of, "study" has do to with personal management and behavior.

2 Peter 1:2-4
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.