Any one who has made a careful, earnest, intelligent study
of the Word of God, applying the rule laid down in 2 Tim. 2:16, can hardly fail
to notice how frequently God's order is reversed. Attempts are made to bring to
agreement things that are opposite and to unite things that God has purposed to
keep separate. Things that are harmonious are made to disagree; things that are
the same are set over against one another.
As an illustration, we call your attention to the
following:
1. THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS ARE
CONSIDERED AS BEING SUPERIOR; AND, THEREFORE, MORE BINDING UPON US THAN THE
TEACHINGS OF PAUL.
Such expressions as: "In the School with Jesus." "The
Example of Jesus." "The Words of Jesus" (in Red). "Back to Jesus," are to claim
our attention at an almost complete exclusion of the Pauline Epistles.
Over against any such argument we offer such Scripture
Texts as follows:
"Now 1 say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the
circumcision for the troth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the
fathers."
Note: Eph. 3:3
"How that by revelation Hs made known unto me the mystery:
As I wrote afore in few word"
To make distinctions wham then am none, or to ignore
distinctions that are, is nothing short of a violation of 2 Tim. 2:15.
2. THE CLAIM IS MADE: THAT IN THE
MINISTRY OF RIGHTLY DIVIDED TRUTH MANY PRECIOUS PORTIONS AND PROMISES ARE TAKEN
FROM BELIEVERS.
It is again necessary to refer the reader to 2 Tim. 3:18,
17. We are not in the robbing business. Them could be no greater crime than to
rob people of any portion of the Word of God.
Rightly dividing is not ruthlessly robbing. The rule of 2
Tim. 2:15 only takes from us by interpretation that which by interpretation does
not concern us.
If there is the necessity of "Rightly Dividing;" then there
is the possibility of wrong division. Wrong division brings about distortion,
while "Rightly Dividing" will but properly apportion. There are many
distinctions in Scripture. Is it a crime to respect these? God has distinguished
between Jew, Gentile, and Church of God. Cp. 1 Cor. 10:32.
It is profitable for us to know just what Scripture
concerns Israel. Cp. Isa. 1:1.
It is profitable for us to know just what Scripture
concerns the Gentiles. Cp. Rom. 11:13.
It is certainly profitable for us to know just what
portion of the Word of God concerns The Church which is His Body. Cp. Eph. 1:22,
23.
There are promises in the Word of God that concern Israel
as a Nation. Any believer in the Lord Jesus Christ today is surely in the
robbing business who seeks to appropriate unto himself those promises. Not only
that; he is robbing himself of greater portions. No one who lays claim to the
promises of Israel has ever come to see the truth of his exceedingness in
Christ
It is for each of us to know what concerns Israel as a
Nation; it is not for us to claim it as truth for the Body of Christ.
Modernism on the one hand is making a strong bid for the
intellect; Pentecostalism on the other hand is making a strong bid for the
emotions.
People
today are going out in great numbers either to Modernism or to Pentecostalism.
The conclusion seems to be that if a man is not a Modernist, he is an ignoramus;
if he is not a Pentecostalite, he is void of all Christian life. What is the one
and only answer to both of these appeals? "Rightly Dividing the Ward of Truth."
