We have come to the final part of this study. Let’s see how rightly dividing comes in handy when studying obscure passages like those in Hebrews 6 & 10. Below is a perfect example of knowing WHO is being spoken to.
"Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (I John 3:15)
Ever have some well-meaning Christian come up to you and ask you, "Who is your brother?" As a non-Jewish believer your answer would most likely be, "other Christians," meaning other believers.
If that's what John actually meant here then we're all in trouble!
"Does that mean a believer can lose eternal life?" you ask.
{Sigh/groan} Here we go again. NO, of course not! That would mean the Bible is contradicting itself. It says we HAVE--not trying to get it--we HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. How can it be "ETERNAL" if you can lose it? If that is true THEN IT ISN'T "ETERNAL," and Jesus lied.
AS IF!!!
Remember, we're learning about context so let's understand the proper CONTEXT of this verse.
TO WHOM is John writing?
THE JEWS.
He wrote the verse this way because Jewish Christians, in fact, do call their unbelieving counterparts "brother." John is differentiating between saved JEWS and UNsaved JEWS. He is not addressing non-Jewish believers here. You and I don't call unsaved people "brother."
John is saying that those who are saved, love; those who are unsaved, hate. That's how you distinguish one from another.
James is another book that trips up the non-Jewish Church. Look at the opening verse of his epistle:
"James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, TO THE TWELVE TRIBES SCATTERED ABROAD: Greetings. (James 1:1)
Who is he writing TO?
The Jewish dispersion; the 12 tribes of the diaspora, not the non-Jewish church.
Also, if you read carefully, you'll see He is discussing being justified before MAN not God.
How are we justified before God? By works or by faith?
By FAITH.
So James cannot be referring to being justified by works in order to be made righteous or to be acceptable to God.
(For more on this topic follow this link:
We find the same declaration in 1 Peter which also applies to his 2nd epistle:
"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, TO THE PILGRIMS OF THE DISPERSION in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied."(I Peter 1:1-2 )
Peter was also adressing the JEWISH DISPERSION.
Another confusing passage that might trip you up is this one:
"For the time has come for JUDGMENT TO BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (I Peter 4:17)
Someone could possibly read this and be afraid to ever go to church again, thinking that judgment is going to fall. No, Church: FEAR NOT! Peter wrote this 10 or so years before Herod's temple, which they called THE HOUSE OF GOD, was burned to the ground. Peter knew it was going to happen so he wrote this to warn that, if they chose to continue rejecting Jesus, judgment was going to fall, beginning with the Jews, in the destruction of that PHYSICAL temple in 70 A.D. He said, "Judgment will begin with us," meaning his fellow Jews.
Back then, the physical temple was referred to, even by Jesus, as the "House of God." If that were really referring to the you and I, Church, it would mean the Bible had was contradicting itself. IT ISN'T.
Paul wrote, "There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION {no judgment} for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS." Jesus has already taken away ALL our judgment. THERE IS NO MORE. EVER.
In Hebrews 10, where it talks about "SINNING WILLFULLY," the writer is addressing Jewish people who knew that Jesus was the Messiah yet persisted in rejecting Him. Since all sin is wilful, Paul had to be be speaking of a particular sin.
Understand this: These Jews who "sinned willfully" were never saved. You see, knowing Who Jesus is but CONTINUALLY rejecting Him IS A WILLFUL SIN.
You see, now that Jesus has shed His perfect blood, the blood of bulls and goats isn't gonna cut it any more. JESUS IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE FOR SINS. THERE IS NO OTHER. So if you were depending on the old system, all you had now was a FEARFUL EXPECTATION OF JUDGMENT; and rightly so, because you were told that God no longer accepts those offerings.
Does all that mean we can't learn from these books or that we shouldn't read them? No; just don't be confused by messages that don't apply to you. It should be of great comfort that you are forever secure, forever righteous, hid with Christ in God! Amen!
Did you ever notice that none of these writers to the Jews ever talk about Jesus seated at the right hand of God or the church as the body of Christ? All of those kinds of teachings came from the Apostle Paul by revelation, directly from The Source: JESUS HIMSELF.
Those who walked with Jesus while He was on earth actually had a very hard time understanding that His coming to earth was more than about restoring the Kingdom to Israel. As we talked about in an earlier part of this study, they were a bit exclusionary in their thinking. They thought the Messiah was only for the Jews. They didn't understand the concept of the Church at all. It took them quite a while to come to grips with the idea.
In order for Jesus to restore the kingdom to Israel at that time, they would have had to accept Him as their Messiah in His first coming. Had they done so, there would be no need for a second coming. But as you know, they rejected Him as a nation and for two thousand years they have suffered as a result; but the Gentiles have benefitted.
So please, don't hesitate to read any part of the Bible. Just remember the principles set forth in this study so that you will understand better what you are reading. Then you won’t misunderstand and misapply what you are reading. Not every part of scripture applies to you or to your Church, if you are a pastor.
Also, when you study the Old Testament, see Jesus hidden there. Show Him to your people as revealed in the different types, offices and stories of the Old Testament. Use Paul's letters to help you unveil His beauty hidden there. The book of Hebrews is particularly useful in understanding typologies.
I say it's high time The Church of God to come into the full stature of maturity in Christ and learn how to RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF GOD. This will help all of us to grow spiritually and flourish "like the palm tree". There is no more important skill any of us--Pastor, Theologian or rank and file--can develop than this:
TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF GOD.
If you missed any part of this series and would like to follow along from the beginning, here's a link to part 1: http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/11/part-1-of-16-introduction-to-rightly.html
Once again thank you for a great series. Who taught you this stuff anyway?
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