DID PAUL WRONGLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH? By Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama) May 29, 2010 Did Paul Wrongly Divide The Word of Truth? According to the tenets of dispensationalism Paul was guilty of wrongly dividing the word of truth. Let me explain; Two major tenets of dispensationalism are: (1) Doctrine for the church is not found in the Old Testament. Dispensationalists say doctrine for the Church is not found in the Old Testament and if you base Church doctrine on the Old Testament you are wrongly dividing the word of truth. (2) The church has no claim to the promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament. Mr. Stam says; "While as the Word of God, prophecy is fully important as any other part of the Scripture, it deals directly with Israel and the nations, not with the body of Christ". Mr. Sadler says; "The doctrines of Grace taught by Paul are untraceable in the Prophetic Scriptures (Genesis - Acts 9 and James - Revelation). Mr. Scoffed says: That in Paul’s writings alone is found the doctrine, position, walk and destiny of the church. The statements of these men are the general consensus of most dispensationalists. If this is true, Paul was guilty of wrongly dividing the word of truth for he violated both premises. He based many Church doctrines on the Old Testament scriptures and he claimed many promises that were originally made to Israel in the Old Testament. Church Doctrines Based Upon the Old Testament Scriptures (1) Gentile Salvation in This Age Gal. 3:8 with Gen. 22:17-18 Rom. 9:24-26 with Hosea 2:23 (2) Paul's Gospel 1 Cor. 15:1-4 with Isa. 53 (3) The Coming of Christ and the Resurrection of the Church 1 Cor. 15:54-55 with Hosea 13:14, Isa. 25:8 (4) Justification by Faith Rom. 1:17 with Hab. 2:4, Isa. 53:11 (5) Jews Provoked To Jealousy by the Salvation of the Gentiles Rom. 11:11 with Duet. 32:15-21 Rom. 10:19-20 with Isa. 65:1 (6) Paul's Gentile Ministry Acts 13:47 with Isa. 49:5-6 Rom. 15:21 with Isa. 52:15 (7) The Inheritance of the Church Eph. 5:5 with Acts 28:23 (The Kingdom of God) (8) Righteousness by Faith Romans 3:21-22 (Two witnesses from the Law and the Prophets are found in Romans 4. David and Abraham.) (9) Abolition of the Law Heb. 8:8-9 (The New abolished the Old) (10) The Blindness of Israel in This Age Rom. 11:7-10 with Isa. 29:10, Isa. 6:9, Psa. 69:22 (11) Freedom from Condemnation Rom. 8:1 with John 3:14-15, 5:24 (12) The Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11:23-26 with Matt. 26:26-27 (13) Baptism Into Christ's Death Rom. 6:3-4 with Matt. 20:23 (14) The Oneness of the Believer in Christ and Christ in the Believer Gal. 4:6, 5:6 with John 17:17-23 (15) Spiritual Circumcision Col. 2:11 with Duet. 30:6 (16) The Promise of the Indwelling Spirit Eph. 1:13, Gal. 3:14 with Joel 2 (17) The Guilt of Man Rom. 3:10-18 with Psa. 14:1-3, 5:9, 140:3, 10:7, Isa. 59:7-8 (18) Imputed Righteousness Rom. 4:6-8 with Psa. 32:2 (19) Election Rom. 9:20-21 with Jer. 18:1-10 (20) The Gospel of Peace Rom. 10:15 with Isa. 52:7 (21) Salvation of a Remnant of Jews in This Age Rom. 11:7-8 with Isa. 10:22 (22) Treatment of Our Enemies Rom. 12:19-20 with Pro. 25:21-22, Duet. 32:35 (23) Old Testament Commandments to Keep In This Age Rom. 13:9-10 (24) The Judgment Seat of Christ Rom. 14:10-12 with Isa. 45:23 (25) Our Command to Give Glory to God 1 Cor. 1:31 with Jer. 9:24 (26) Blessings God Has Prepared For the Church 1 Cor. 2:9 with Isa. 64:4 (27) Our View of the World's Wisdom 1 Cor. 3:19-20 with Job 5:13, Psa. 94:11 (28) Laws of Marriage and Remarriage 1 Cor. 7:10-11, 39 with Matt. 19:6 (29) Financial Support of Pastors and Ministers 1 Cor. 9:8-9 with Duet. 25:4 1 Cor. 9:13 with Lev. 6:16, 26, 7:6, 31, 32 (30) Christ the Rock of the Church 1 Cor. 10:4 with Exd. 17:6 (31) Warning against Idolatry 1 Cor. 10:7 with Exd. 32:6 (32) Warning Against Fornication 1 Cor. 10:8 with Num. 25:1,9 (33) Warning Against Tempting Christ 1 Cor. 10:9 with Num. 21:6 (34) Warning Against Murmuring 1 Cor. 10:10 with Num. 14:2, 29, Num. 26:63-65 (35) The Sign Gifts 1 Cor. 12,13,14 with Joel 2 (36) Purpose of Tongues in the Church 1 Cor. 14:21 with Isa. 28:11-12 (37) Women's Obedience to Men 1 Cor. 14:34 with Gen. 3:16 (38) Purpose of Christ's Millennium Reign 1 Cor. 15:25 with Psa. 110:1 (39) The Mystery of the Rapture 1 Cor. 15:54 with Hosea 13:14, Isa. 25:8 (40) Paul’s New Covenant Ministry 2 Cor. 3:6 with Jer. 31:31 (41) The Urgency of Salvation 2 Cor. 6:2 with Isa. 49:8 (42) Our Bodies the Temple Of God 2 Cor. 6:16 with Lev. 26:11-12 (43) The Call to Separation 2 Cor. 6:17 with Isa. 52:11 (44) The Principal of Equal Giving 2 Cor. 8:14-15 with Exd. 16:18 (45) The Reward of Giving 2 Cor. 9:8-10 with Psa. 112:9 (46) Our Relationship to Abraham Rom. 4:11, Gal. 3:29 (47) Christ Cursed For Us Gal. 3:13 with Duet. 21:23 (48) The Blessing of Abraham to The Gentiles Gal. 3:14 with Gen. 22:18 (49) Christ Our Seed Gal. 3:16 with Gen. 22:18 (50) The Allegories of the Old and New Testament Gal. 4:24 with Genesis (51) The Promise and Promises of Abraham - Gal. 3:29, Gal. 3:16 (All promised in the Old Testament scriptures) (52) Christ the Chief Corner Stone of the Church Eph. 2:20 with Isa. 28:16 (53) The Gifts of the Church Eph. 4:8-12 with Psa. 68:18 (54) Our Call to Walk In the Light Eph. 5:13 with Isa. 60:1-2 (55) The Church the Bride and Wife of Christ Eph. 5:31-32 with Gen. 2:24 (56) The Promise to Children Who Obey Their Parents Eph. 6:2 with Exd. 20:12 (57) The Revelation of the Man of Sin 2 Thess. 2:3-5 with Ezk. 28:1-2 (58) The Last Days 2 Tim. 3:1 with Matthew 24, Luke 21 etc. (59) Last Day Examples of Apostates 2 Tim. 3:8 with Exd. 7:11-12 Paul uses the expression as it is written 33 times in his epistles referring to the Old Testament. He quotes the Old Testament nearly 200 times in his epistles. If basing doctrine for the Church on the Old Testament Scriptures is wrongly dividing the word of truth, Paul was guilty in the first degree! Many dispensationalists also say the Church cannot claim the promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament. They call it wrongly dividing the word of truth. But take a look at the following blessings Paul mentions in his epistles. -The Gospel of Christ -Christ living in us and us in him -Hope of resurrection -God our Father -Inheritance in the Kingdom of God -The indwelling Spirit of God -Justification by faith -Righteousness by faith -Citizenship in the heavenly city New Jerusalem -Freedom from the law -A New nature -A New Birth -A divine Great High Priest -All sufficient, once for all sacrifice for sin -A divine heavenly mediator -An eternal heavenly intercessor -A heavenly hope -A heavenly temple -A divine mercy seat and propitiation -A divine spiritual altar -Divine Spiritual understanding -Eternal salvation -Eternal redemption -A heavenly calling -A throne of mercy and grace -Reconciliation for sin -Spiritual blessings -Heavenly citizenship -Peace of God -The grace of God -Adoption as children -Habitation of God -Light and salvation -Spiritual circumcision What two things do all of these blessings have in common? They are all blessings the Church now enjoys. And they were all originally promised to Israel in the Old Testament! If claiming promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament is wrongly dividing the word of truth, Paul was guilty in the first degree again! This shows us that rightly dividing the word of truth does not mean church doctrine cannot be based upon the Old Testament for Paul based church doctrine on the Old Testament scriptures throughout his epistles. It does not mean the church cannot claim promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament for Paul did it constantly. What does it mean? Read the context in which it is found. The context always shows us what the text means. Read what comes before and what comes after 2 Timothy 2:15. In the context in which it is found right division means to divide and separate the word of truth from lies, false doctrine, subversive words, profane and vain babblings, and cankerous words. I will close by repeating something I have said many times. It is one thing to be a dispensationalist it is quite another to be a Bible Believer. The best method of Bible study and interpretation is the one Paul followed. When confronted with a Bible issue he said: WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURES? When the scriptures say one thing and your dispensational theories say another throw the theories in the trash and believe the Book. Keep the faith.