Rightly Dividing The Word
Consider TWO (2) Greek Words… #RAD
Greek
words
Orthotomeo – (ὀρθοτομέω), pronounced or-thot-om-eh'-o, Strong’s 3718
Meaning - to proceed by straight paths, hold a straight course, equivalent to “to do right”, also - to accurately, as a single unified whole and without being turned aside by false teaching or man-made agendas, approach and understand something. IE G-d’s (Christ’s) Holy Word. And to do so by way of individual passages in context, by Book / Theme and by the totality of the writings (the Bible) as a whole in its entirety.
http://bit.ly/1SDJgsz
Orthotomeo – (ὀρθοτομέω), pronounced or-thot-om-eh'-o, Strong’s 3718
Meaning - to proceed by straight paths, hold a straight course, equivalent to “to do right”, also - to accurately, as a single unified whole and without being turned aside by false teaching or man-made agendas, approach and understand something. IE G-d’s (Christ’s) Holy Word. And to do so by way of individual passages in context, by Book / Theme and by the totality of the writings (the Bible) as a whole in its entirety.
http://bit.ly/1SDJgsz
Meaning
- to cut down, or cut up into sections.
As in separate and distinct ideologies, themes even promises for the
so-called Jewish portions and the so-called Church portions of the Word of
G-d. Postulating distinct programs even
for Israel and the Gentile church, which extends on into eternity.
So
then, what does the phrase, “rightly dividing the Word” as found in II Timothy
2:15, verses another phrase such as “beware of the concision” as depicted in Philippians
3:2, both written by Paul mean? Which
Greek word was used by Paul, and where?
Let’s first take a look at II Timothy 2:15, the Greek word, “orthotomeo”, as used by Paul here, means to take as a single unified whole, and without being turned aside by false teaching or man-made agendas, the Biblical texts. The reason for the choice of words used by Paul should be reasonable clear, if not blatantly obvious. For Paul to use this specific word, “orthotomeo”, as opposed to “katatomeo” as found in Philippians 3:2 (which means to “cut up into sections, such as ‘Jewish portions’ and ‘Church portions’ ”) renders II Timothy 2:15 as – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, (taking the Word of G-d as a single unified whole, and without being turned aside by false teaching or man-made agendas) rightly dividing the word of truth.” – but to use the Greek word “katatomeo”, to “cut up into sections” would have rendered II Timothy 2:15 as – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, (taking the Word of G-d and cut It up into sections, such as ‘Jewish portions’ and ‘Church portions’) rightly dividing the word of truth.”
The dispensationalists who espouse such divisions, that is to say those who teach to cut the Word of G-d up into sections such as ‘Jewish portions’ and ‘Church portions’, are really no better and ultimately no different than those who espouse “Replacement Theology”. Their teachings are divisive, and are not in keeping with the broader, whole counsel of the Word. Both replacement theology and this cut into pieces dispensationalism run 100% crosswise to Romans chapters nine through eleven. Also, within the confines of this subject of “rightly dividing the Word”, many are adamant in opposing even the ‘religiosity of the “Sinner’s Prayer”. Claiming, among many things that it too is “doing” something (a.k.a. is works based, and as G-d’s (Christ’s) Holy Word in Ephesians 2:8 - 10 makes it clear, we are not “saved” by works, but rather saved by grace, ‘not of works, lest any man should boast’ KJV), that it is formulizing Salvation, and that it basically places G-d (Christ) into this “box” suggesting that if one does not say this lengthy, eloquent “sinner’s prayer”, that one is… well at the very least implying that one is NOT really saved.
Let’s first take a look at II Timothy 2:15, the Greek word, “orthotomeo”, as used by Paul here, means to take as a single unified whole, and without being turned aside by false teaching or man-made agendas, the Biblical texts. The reason for the choice of words used by Paul should be reasonable clear, if not blatantly obvious. For Paul to use this specific word, “orthotomeo”, as opposed to “katatomeo” as found in Philippians 3:2 (which means to “cut up into sections, such as ‘Jewish portions’ and ‘Church portions’ ”) renders II Timothy 2:15 as – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, (taking the Word of G-d as a single unified whole, and without being turned aside by false teaching or man-made agendas) rightly dividing the word of truth.” – but to use the Greek word “katatomeo”, to “cut up into sections” would have rendered II Timothy 2:15 as – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, (taking the Word of G-d and cut It up into sections, such as ‘Jewish portions’ and ‘Church portions’) rightly dividing the word of truth.”
The dispensationalists who espouse such divisions, that is to say those who teach to cut the Word of G-d up into sections such as ‘Jewish portions’ and ‘Church portions’, are really no better and ultimately no different than those who espouse “Replacement Theology”. Their teachings are divisive, and are not in keeping with the broader, whole counsel of the Word. Both replacement theology and this cut into pieces dispensationalism run 100% crosswise to Romans chapters nine through eleven. Also, within the confines of this subject of “rightly dividing the Word”, many are adamant in opposing even the ‘religiosity of the “Sinner’s Prayer”. Claiming, among many things that it too is “doing” something (a.k.a. is works based, and as G-d’s (Christ’s) Holy Word in Ephesians 2:8 - 10 makes it clear, we are not “saved” by works, but rather saved by grace, ‘not of works, lest any man should boast’ KJV), that it is formulizing Salvation, and that it basically places G-d (Christ) into this “box” suggesting that if one does not say this lengthy, eloquent “sinner’s prayer”, that one is… well at the very least implying that one is NOT really saved.
The
truly sad (more so tragic really) part is that those who oppose these formulae,
advocate their own formula (or sorts), in that they emphasize their own ideals
(a formula of sorts) that salvation comes from “trusting in G-d (Christ)”, and
by trusting in G-d alone. Trusting in
G-d (Christ) surely does not sound unbiblical, so why would I call it “another
formula”? First let me attempt to
explain what I mean by ‘they oppose these formulae’. What I mean is that if they (the
dispensationalist) even hear someone suggest anything that in any way can be
taken as a “sinner’s prayer”, even something as simple as one saying “Yes Lord”
(two simple words!) they will jump all over the perceived “opportunity” to
correct the errant “christian” for adhering to an unbiblical formula. And this will be done because said “christian”,
or “christian’s” testimony of conversion, does not adhere to their formula
(“idea of not using any sort of formulae).
In other words, they preach against salvation by formula, by way of
using their exclusive, elitist formula, as opposed to someone else’s formulae.
By
the way, exclusivity, elitism, and anti-Semitism (Replacement Theologies) are
all signs of cults. And I personally
happen to agree that teaching that a person is “only saved, IF said person says
a lengthy and eloquent structured ‘sinner’s prayer’ ”
is very elitist. It smacks of works based salvation, and it
potentially gives the reciter of the most flamboyant, lengthy and eloquent
“sinner’s prayer” Bragging Rights, as it were, which is in complete violation
of Ephesians 2:9! The problem comes in to play, when one
opposes the very notion of a ‘sinner’s prayer’ with such ardent enthusiasm,
that one creates or “formulates” one’s own, unformulated formula. It remains exclusivity, elitism and likewise
potentially grants one Bragging Rights, for ‘not following an unbiblical
formula’.
So, what am I suggesting then must happen for one to be saved? If “works” has nothing to do with the process, and “works” can broadly be defined as everything from saying a simple (or complex) ‘sinner’s prayer’, to getting baptised, what then does one have to do (or if not “do”, what then must happen in order for one) to ‘get saved’, ‘gain right standing with G-d (Christ)’, to simply ‘become a Christian’? Well G-d’s (Christ’s) Holy Word very simply says:
So, what am I suggesting then must happen for one to be saved? If “works” has nothing to do with the process, and “works” can broadly be defined as everything from saying a simple (or complex) ‘sinner’s prayer’, to getting baptised, what then does one have to do (or if not “do”, what then must happen in order for one) to ‘get saved’, ‘gain right standing with G-d (Christ)’, to simply ‘become a Christian’? Well G-d’s (Christ’s) Holy Word very simply says:
The
just (saved) shall live by faith!
In
very simple terms, a Christian is – One who is known by, and knows, G-d
(Christ). And to become a Christian –
One must become known by, and get to know G-d (Christ). How does one become known by G-d (Christ),
and how does one differentiate between ‘known’ in the context of – “G-d knows
every man’s heart, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14, II
Corinthians 5:10
and Jeremiah 17:10), and ‘known’ in
the context of having been bought with the redemptive power of Christ’s shed
Blood (John 10:27)? It begins with trust. Trusting G-d (Christ), trusting in G-d, and
ultimately it’s a matter of one’s heart.
Whether one’s comes to the place where one ‘knows’, and ‘is known by’
G-d (Christ) by way of a recitation of a
loud, flamboyant, eloquent and lengthy ‘sinner’s prayer’, or whether said place
is arrived at by way of much, much more subdued means, G-d (Christ) and G-d
alone, knowns each man’s (humankind’s) heart.
The just (saved) shall live by faith - Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38
The just (saved) shall live by faith - Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38
and
I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and
the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings - Hosea 6:6;
Matthew 9:13; Micah 6:8
and
Rend your heart and not your garments - Joel 2:13;
Psalm 51:17; Psalm 34:18; Luke 18:13-14
And I know that many of you will disagree with this… that is ok. Just please, do not take my word for this. Look the words up, pray and ask G-d (Christ) for revelation, and study His Word…
And I know that many of you will disagree with this… that is ok. Just please, do not take my word for this. Look the words up, pray and ask G-d (Christ) for revelation, and study His Word…
“No
Jesus, NO peace” and yet, “Know Jesus, KNOW peace”
How
does one get to “know” Jesus? Simple,
invite Him into your heart, as Jesus says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with
him, and he with me.” [Revelation
3:20 NIV] How can we be assured that this Jesus stuff
means anything? Well because the Bible
tells us so, as the Apostle Paul wrote:
“If
you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart
that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess
your faith and are saved.” [Romans
10:9-10 NIV]
And
for those of you who say to me, I can’t be bothered reading the Bible, “it’s
confusing” or “it’s a waste of my time”, may I draw your attention to what the
Bible says about wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and
knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” [Proverbs 9:10 NIV]
If
nothing else, PLEASE read two chapters from the Bible – (don’t own one, sorry
NO excuse, if you’re reading this, you can access this: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:16&version=NIV) John 3 and John
14!
John
3:16 says: “For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.”
And
John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through me.”
Well
that’s it, that’s Da Bauz’s take on, Rightly Dividing The Word, this 9th day of
November, 2015 © 2015, All Rights Reserved. wr (Da Bauz, Christian Zionist
“creationist” too!)
R
epent of rejecting Christ
A
ccept Christ as your Lord
D
evelop your relationship with the Living Almighty God Himself as your personal
Lord and Saviour
John
3:16, Revelation 3:20, Romans 10:9 -10, Revelation 21:27, II Corinthians 5:21
and I John 5:13 / John 20:31!
Shalom!
Cited or consulted
sources and resources
http://bit.ly/1SDJKin - “Strong’s
2699”
By
Dr. Paul M. Elliott
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