Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth

King James Version II Tim (Chapter 2)

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The New King James Version II Tim (Chapter 2)

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Generally, all of the word of God is given for our instruction & learning.

II Tim 3:16 -17

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

However God’s Word must be rightly divided. There are divisions, or sections.

For Example:

1. Many Scriptures which were written to the Jews apply just to the Jews. Common sense must be used.

EG. Many of the laws in the OT relate to religious worship by the Israelites. They do not apply to Christians today.

When the Gentiles began to be saved there was a big stir over the need for them to be circumcized. Paul and Barnabus travelled to Jerusalem to sort it out.

Acts 15: 28 gives the conclusion of the matter in a letter taken back to Antioch by Paul and Barnabus.

The New King James Version Chapter 15

28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

They basically said, you don’t need to keep any of the other laws but these few.

Common sense would show that it is a good thing to keep many of these laws.

E.G the Ten commandments. The Lord Jesus repeated all of them except the commandment to keep the sabbath.

The New King James Version Matthew Chapter 19 v 18

Jesus said, “ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

We are not commanded to keep the levitical laws relating to all the offerings, or laws relating to food spelled out in Lev 11. . E.G.

King James Version Lev Chapter 11:2

These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. 3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. 8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. 9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. 12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Jews can eat cow, sheep, rabbit, fish with fins & scales

Jews can’t eat hare, pig, camel, shell fish, shark, lobster, crab, crayfish etc.

Many of these laws had a health benefit.

Modern health science indicates that eating these may not be healthy. So my view is , I am not commanded not to eat them, but it is unwise to eat them. Therefore I eat them occasionally, but not regulary.

2. Also we must take the context into consideration.