"Common Sense" Rules For  
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
                                                                                                 By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                                 September 25, 2018
     "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth."
                                                                                                2 Timothy 2:15.  
     "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come."
                                                                                               John 16:13
Introduction
   By "common sense," I mean the degree of intelligence required to read  any book that has ever been written.  It is pathetic to me, that this degree of intelligence is applied to every book, magazine, or newspaper people read today, but when it comes to reading God's Word, the "common sense" of many people totally vanishes.  Why?  Could this be due to prejudice against the Lord God and His Word?   Well...??
     What follows are some "common sense" rules for "rightly dividing the Word of truth," which I have personally learned over the many years I have been in the Lord's ministry.  I pass them on to our readers for whatever value the reader may place upon them.  My prayer is that this study will be enlightening and a blessing to our readers as they seek to study and "rightly divide the Word of truth."    
 Serious Bible Study
     The Basics.......
     Right discernment and division of the Word of God begins with what I have  chosen to call the five "W's."  These are, Who, Whom, What, When, Where.  
     [1]     Who is speaking?
                a.   The speaker must always be identified!  I remind our readers that some statements recorded in God's Word were made by evil men, by the anti-christ, and even by Satan.   So identify the speaker!     
     [2]     Whom is being addressed or spoken to?
                a.  Who is being spoken to?  Is it an individual, or a group such as Israel, or some other nation or people, or is it the Lord's church?  Is the one being spoken to a believer, or an unbeliever?  Is the one being addressed a Jew or a Gentile?  Yes, these things do make a difference if one truly wants to "rightly divide" and correctly understand the Word!    
     [3]  What is being spoken about; the subject as determined by both  the statement being made and the context in which it is made.  
     [4]  When is the time period under consideration in the Scripture or context? Does the statement refer to the past, the present, or the future? The  time, age, or dispensation,  in the statement or the context must be determined.  
     [5]   Where does the statement or context apply?  The physical location, such as Jerusalem, the holy land, or some other land or country?          
     These five points can never be neglected, changed, or ignored, if one really wants to "rightly divide the Word of truth."  
     Advancing in Scriptural Knowledge and Understanding.......
     [6]  The Word of God must always be taken at face value for what it actually and literally says, rather then what some would like to make it say, unless there is a  sound Scriptural reason for doing  otherwise, Romans 3:4.
      [7] "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," 1 Thessalonians 5:21.  Avoid the theories and opinions of men, as one would avoid a  plague or disease, regardless of how popular the theories and opinions may be,  or who it is that is expounding them.  If a teaching  cannot be conclusively proven by the "rightly divided" Word of God, then don't be teaching it as Bible truth!  
     [8]   Never become "dogmatic" on any teaching, unless you can back up your claim with book, chapter, and verse in God's "rightly divided" Word.  Then and only then should a true believer be "...stedfast, unmoveable..." on what they are teaching as the truth of God's Word, 1 Corinthians 15:58.  
     [9]    Never forget that it is the Holy Spirit that imparts and guides a true believer into Scriptural truth, John 16:13.  No Christ rejecting unbeliever need ever expect to understand the Word of God, 1 Corinthians 2:9; 2:14. Before even attempting any serious study of the Word of God, read 2 Peter 1:10-11 and make sure your relationship with the Lord has been settled for time and eternity.
 
     [10]   As you study God's Word, pray for the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and for the revelation of the Word, which only the Holy Spirit can give, and is willing to give to any true believer really wanting to learn.    
        Notes onThese Rules
     Language....One of the most important things for the serious Bible student to remember is that God's Word was inspired in the Hebrew [or Aramiac] language in the Old Testament, and in the Greek language in the New Testament.  Every Bible in the English language, regardless of the version, is a translation from these original languages, or at least is supposed to be.  
      I hasten to add that not all English versions of the Bible are reliable translations.  In fact, some are deliberate mis-translations, prepared by wicked religionists to deliberately deceive.   Yes, there are such deceivers in the world today.  Check you Bible version carefully.
      I personally have stayed with the King James Version Bible throughout my years in the Lord''s ministry.  I am well aware that the KJV translators were fallible men, just like all the rest of mankind, and they could have better translated a few places in the KJV, but they sincerely attempted to turn out a faithful translation of God's Word.  They must have succeeded, for millions of people since 1611 have received Christ as their Savior, reading the KJV, or hearing the KJV Bible preached.  Glory to God!   
    However, do not ever base a dogmatic conclusion strictly upon the words in your English Bible.  If the serious Bible reader really wants to know the truth of a statement in God's Word, then look up the actual meaning of the Hebrew or Greek word, from which the English word was translated.  
     No!  One does not have to study and learn Hebrew and Greek in order to find the true meanings of a translated word.  Rather, one can use a Bible Concordance or Lexicon to look up the original word from which the English words are translated.  I personally use, and recommend, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance for every word in  the entire Bible, but also Thayer's Greek Lexicon for just the words in the New Testament.  
     Illustration.....Some English words occur so frequently in the Bible, that some folks just assume that every time a particular English word occurs, it always means the same thing, or refers to the same thing, in every place it occurs.  This is simply not true!  
     For instance, the English word "tribulation,"  occurs 45 times in the Bible.  Some have assumed that each time the word occurs, it is speaking of the future Tribulation period.  This assumption is just not Bible truth!  The Greek word translated as "tribulation," is the word, "thlipsis."  The basic meaning of this word in the Greek text is "trouble; distress; oppression; afflication; anguish; burden; persecution; trial; tribulation." The word is translated into the English language using all of these different English words.  It then certainly is not referring to the prophesied future Tribulation period every place it occurs in God's Word.  So one should be very careful about assuming some English translation to mean or refer to a certain thing without looking up the original meaning, and the way the word is used throughout the Old or New Testaments.  
     Grammar.......How a word is used in a sentence; the tense in which it is used.  Past, present, or future?  This is very important if one truly wants to "rightly divide" God's precious Word.  
     Then how does one determine the correct meaning of a word when simply reading the Bible?  Pay careful attention to the statement being made in the Scripture, and the context in which it is made.  If that is not sufficient, then take the time to go to a Concordance or Lexicon and look up the word.  
      If this seems like a lot of work to some readers,  then please define the word, "STUDY" for me.  Either a true believer is serious about "studying" God's Word, or they are just reading it because they have nothing better to do at the moment.  Which is it?
     Assumptions and the Flesh.......Never, absolutely never, read into a Scripture or passage, what you assume is being said, or what you would like for a Scripture or passage to say.  Such shoddy "interpretation" of the Scriptures, is the way many false teachings have come to be accepted as truth by the unbelieving, lost, world, and even by some immature believers.  Again, apply 1 Thessalonians 5:21.  If a Scripture or a passage of Scriptures doesn't say and prove what you want to believe, then carefully examine your beliefs by the "rightly divided"  Word of God, and allow truth to prevail, Romans 3:4.  
     Changing or Altering God's Word.......Never change the wording or meaning of any Scripture by adding to or deleting from it,  to make it say what you want it to say.  For instance.......  
     Like the fellow who reads 2 Timothy 3:16 as, "All Scripture which is given by inspiration of God is....."  The adding of that one word changes the entire meaning of the passage, and makes allowance for the man to "pick and choose" what parts of the Bible he wants to believe, and what parts he chooses to throw out or ignore.  Folks, Revelation 22:18-19 is still in the Bible.  Don't be tampering with God's Word!
     Emphasis.......The second rule, "Whom is being spoken to?" is vitally important to any correct division of God's Word.  In the Old Testament, much of the inspired Word is specifically addressed to and for the nation and people of Israel.  Then never lift such Scriptures out of context and attempt to apply them to the Lord's church and people in this present New Testament dispensation.  Or vice versa.....
      What the Scriptures say to and for the Lord's Church and New Testament believers, obviously does not apply to presently unbelieving Israel and the Jewish people.
     Certainly, if an Israelite Jew receives Christ as their own  personal Savior, then they come under those instructions and promises given to New Testament believers.  But if not, then the promises and instructions given for each seperate people apply only to those people.  Understood?  
     Another Emphasis.......The time period under consideration as set forth in Rule 4, is also of vital importance in "rightly dividing" God's Word.  
     God's Word divides the history of mankind into times, ages, and dispensations, Acts 17:26.  Different events occur in each of the different periods of time.  Therefore it is vitally important, especially in studying Bible prophecy, to determine the correct period of time in which each event occurs, or is to be fulfilled.  
     The careful Bible student will observe that there are seven dispensations of time set forth in the Word of God.  In each dispensation, the Lord God deals with mankind on the earth in a distinct manner or way.   For instance.....
     The Mosiac Law setting forth the Ten Commandments was given to Israel and the Jewish people as part of an "everlasting covenant," Genesis 17:1-8; Exodus 20.  It is glaringly obvious that the Covenant of Law was given to Israel, and to no other nation or people upon the earth, and Israel and the Jewish people were obligated to observe and keep that Law in order to obtain the righteousness and blessing of God.
      But with the first coming and sacrifice of Christ, the dispensation changed, and so did God's dealings with mankind.  The Lord God deals with New Covenant believers by His grace [unmerited favor].  We are not obligated to keep the Law given to Israel to obtain salvation, or  favor, mercy, and righteousness, with God.  What the Lord God demands of us today is "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," Acts 20:21.  
     So placing the events recorded in God's Word in their proper time of fulfillment is very important if one truly desires to "rightly divide" the Word of God.     
      Many NT believers have missed the truth, that the Israelites were not promised everlasting life in Heaven when they died. Where in the Old Testament Scriptures does one find such a promise?   Rather, when righteous Israelite believers died,  their souls went to Sheol, awaiting the resurrection of Christ.  When Christ arose, He opened Sheol and took the souls of Old Testament believers to Heaven temporarily, Ephesians 4:8-9. At the time appointed the Old Testament Jewish believers shall be resurrected [Daniel 12:1-2] and restored to physical life [without a "sin nature...Joel 3:20-21] in order to inherit and live upon the land of Canaan [the holy land] as their "everlasting possession."  
     It is New Testament [Covenant] believers whose soul goes directly to Heaven when we die [2 Corinthians 5:1-8], and who  have been promised "New Jerusalem" in Heaven above as our everlasting home and inheritance.   Glory to God!  
Conclusion
     Dear readers, there is much more that could be said about "rightly dividing" God's Word.  The subject is practically inexhaustible.  But I feel that I have wrote enough to stir the interest of any reader who is serious about studying the Word, and desires to correctly understand it, and be able to "rightly divide" it.   May our gracious Lord God add His blessings to this study is my prayer.  
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     Please feel free to reproduce this brief study and share it with others as the Lord leads.  
     A Personal Prayer Request.......Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, my 84 year old eyes are growing very dim, and it seems like it is worse every day.  I fear that soon, I will have to stop writing out the great truths of God's Word, simply because I will not be able to see what I am writing.  Therefore I am asking every reader to please pray that, if it be the Lord's will, my eyes will be healed, and my eyesight will be restored to me.  Folks, I am already physically unable to do much more than just get around with the use of my cane.  I literally live to study God's Word, and write out the great truths of it for His people, and for lost seeking souls.  Will you dear folks please remember me in prayer when you go to our Father's throne of Grace?   I will appreciate it so much.  
     My personal contact information.......
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL..........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE........573-202-6493
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