Rightly Dividing God's Word

[Dustin]

I've been very interested in this aspect of Bible study. I'm also very interested in posts ABOUT Bible study and I figured since MOST of what we fight about on here is CvsA that I could just throw another something to argue about for a while. So when it says rightly divide I assume it means to remember who's it's written to originally and what purpose it was written for. Like how the four Gospels have four different viewpoints, or how Pauls Epistles differ from the other Epistles. But I guess my real question would be, how to correctly do so to be spiritually fed and make a truly different Christian walk? Please, no CvsA.

Thanks,
Dustin

 

[bapmom]

My first advice would be not to read your Bible with the purpose of gaining information, first and foremost. When you are trying to be closer to God, and to have Him speak to you through His Word, read with the intent of understanding and applying it to yourself.

I know this sounds simplistic, and may not have been an answer you were expecting. But especially here on this board, there is so much emphasis on the "acquisition of knowledge" that I think reading the Bible with our SPIRIT (heart-understanding) is sometimes pushed aside in our minds.

You asked about how to read your Bible in order to truly be fed and to grow in Christ. I believe you've accidentally muddled two ideas.....the idea of growth in Christ, and the idea of "rightly dividing" the Word of God. The last I would categorize as figuring out what correct doctrine is....and I believe is absolutely necessary for all of us to do. But the first is different. There are many people who have studied doctrine and have it down very well, but have practically no discernible walk with God.

Do you see what Im saying?

 

[Dustin]

I see exactly.

I do pray for guidance and understanding when I study the Bible, because I know ANYBODY can memorize it but it's something different to spiritually understand. But what I'm getting at is, soem of the Bible is history and biography like the books Moses wrote or the Gospels and Acts, some are wisdom, some are poetic, some are for doctrine, or prophecy...but it all works together. So are there some books in there that are more important to us than others? Like the book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians, I know we can take lessons from it but I wonder if it ALL applies to us as we're Gentiles...that's what I mean.

 

[Frenchy]

Dustin i sent you a pm

 

[bapmom]

I'd say that in some way it all applies to us, yes. Some passages may apply more to you now than to me now, some may apply more to you when you get older, perhaps depending on whether you're married or not...etc. But I think application can be used as both restoring us, and as preventive medicine.

Good questions.

 

[Dustin]

thanks Frenchy!

 

[Calvibaptist]

Originally posted by bapmom:
My first advice would be not to read your Bible with the purpose of gaining information, first and foremost. When you are trying to be closer to God, and to have Him speak to you through His Word, read with the intent of understanding and applying it to yourself.

I really like what you said her bapmom. That might not mean much, but that's my 2-cents worth.

 

[bapmom]

Thanks Calvibaptist.....I appreciate it.

 

[genesis12]

I am never so blessed as when I read the Bible from cover-to-cover. Then I go back to proper exegesis of a given text. Context is everything! At the same time, I believe that my POV of scripture matches that of required spiritual discernment.

p.s. Not ALL scripture applies to gentile Christians. Some does. Some is directed toward Jewish Christians, other to Jews alone. Much warns the unsaved about their condition. Again, context is everything !

 

[Dustin]

Any examples on that genesis?

 

[Marcia]

I think in reading the Bible we should take it all into context and keep in mind that Jesus is the hero of all the books (I think that was said on an RBC radio show I heard once). Who is speaking? To whom are they speaking? What was said before? What is said in the passage following? How does this show the character of God? What do we learn about God/Jesus/Holy Spirit in this passage? How do we see God's righteousness in this passage? What can I learn about my own sin and need to repent from this passage?

The meaning is the same for everyone but the application might be different.

A book I've seen recommended over and over, but which I have not got yet, is a book called How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart.

 

[genesis12]

Dustin, Matthew was written to the Jews, Mark was written to the Romans, Luke was written to the Greeks, and John (bless his heart) wrote to all of us. Beginning in Acts 9 we find the beginning of the wonderful writings of Paul to Gentiles, and to any Jewish person who would accept Christ as Savior. Hebrews was written to Jews and Jewish Christians to demonstrate conclusively the relationship of "The Chosen People" to Jesus, their Messiah. It uses imagry that Jewish folk would understand. Revelation 1 up to 4 concerns the church. Revelation 4 thru 20 concerns the tribulation. After that, the church comes into view again. Without citing chapter and verse, the dispensations are quite evident from Genesis 1:1 thru Revelation 22:21.

 

[Dustin]

WHOA! I understand, it's much easier to when you have that in mind.

 

[rjprince]

Gen12

Amen and Amen!

Dustin,

Would suggest to keep in mind that even though all Scripture is not written TO me, it is all written FOR me...

When Paul told the soldiers that the sailors had to remain in the boat for them all to be "saved", it does not mean to "go down with the ship". It does mean that in that situation, God saved their lives. The context issue relates to this somewhat. There are some passages that have a specific situation or cultural issue in view, but we can still learn from the passage, just may not apply it directly to our lives.

One clear example of the dispensational distinctions would be that Adam was told to eat fruits, veggies, nuts, etc. Noah was told he was to eat the flesh of every living thing. God told the Jews to abstain from some kinds of meat. Gentiles have never been given such "kosher" commands.

Another, in Matt 10, Jesus told His disciples to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, specifically forbidding them to go to Gentiles or Samaritans. After His resurrection, He told His disciples to preach the gospel to every creature...