Bible Study God's Way

The Key To Understanding Your Bible

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me (1 Corinthians 9:17).

© 2007 McCowen Mills Publishers LLC

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15).

The most basic Bible study tool is to divide the books of the Bible into groupings based upon the group of people to whom God is primarily speaking. Consider this: does every passage of scripture equally apply to each of the following:

• The Jews under the Law?
• The Christians living today?
• The Tribulation saint?
• The person living in the Millennium?

NO! Therefore, as you read a passage, ask yourself this question: “to whom does this book directly address?” For example, the Bible deals differently with the Old Testament saint living under the Law, the Spirit-filled Christian's attempt to live the will of God in the Church Age, and the Tribulation saint's avoiding the Mark of the Beast. There is no disputing the fact that the Bible contains scriptures which fundamentally apply to groups of people in other time periods, but which do not directly apply to the child of God today.

To “rightly divide” your Bible is simply to divide it into sections based upon the primary group of people God addresses in each section. You must remember that the entire Bible is for you, but not all of it is written to you.

The careful Bible student observes that God gives His message to a spokesman (Hebrew 1:1). The spokesman, in turn, gives God's message to the world. God requires the world to listen to the spokesman He has chosen for each time period. A spokesman during one period does not necessarily carry God's message for any other time period. Thus, following the wrong spokesman is as dangerous as ignoring the right one.

But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the circumcision (Jews) was unto Peter (Galatians 2:7).

Peter and Paul did not initially preach the same message or minister to the same group of people. Peter's ministry phased out of focus once Paul came on the scene. Peter initially preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to the nation of Israel, but they were cut off. Israel will not come back into prominence until the return of the Lord that takes place after the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Lk. 21:24)). Although the Bible does refer to more than one gospel, the following point cannot be minimized. No one, from Adam throughout the Millennium, gets to heaven apart from the shed blood of Christ. Even those that died prior to the cross awaited the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 16:26, 23:43). Although it is incorrect to teach that they “all looked forward to the cross,” they still did not go to heaven without the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ being shed for them either.

How did Paul learn about the gospel if no one taught him? God revealed the gospel directly to him.

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:11-12).

Paul could not receive something from man that God had hidden from all men (Luke 18:34). Neither Peter nor the other apostles completely understood the death, burial, and resurrection (that is, the gospel) until after they had been following Christ for over three years. Nor did they readily accept God's changing plans concerning the Gentiles. Peter even rebuked the Lord when the death, burial, and resurrection was mentioned (Mark 8:31-32). After the resurrection, Peter ran to the sepulcher to see what had taken place (Luke 24:12). These events occur toward the end of his recorded ministry (in Acts chapter 10). Peter learned that God was beginning to minister directly to the Gentiles. Initially, he defiantly refused to obey the Lord on three different occasions when the sheet with the “unclean” animals was let down (Acts 10:8-10). God used the sign to signify to Peter His change of direction concerning the Gentiles.

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) (Ephesians 3:1-4).

Our apostle, the Apostle Paul, tells us to read so that we may understand his knowledge in the mystery of Christ. This complete revelation of the mystery was not given to anyone else prior to Paul's writings. All truth must be revealed to someone initially. God chose Paul to be the recipient of this revelation. Paul, in turn, recorded the revelation so that we might gain the understanding of it when the Holy Spirit uses the scriptures to reveal this truth to us. The Bible says that God appointed Paul to be the apostle of the Gentiles. In addition to being appointed, the scriptures state that the Apostle Paul was ordained to his position.

Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity (I Tim. 2:7).

Prior to Paul's conversion (Acts chapter 9), the complete mystery was not revealed to anyone. Paul says it is now revealed. Here is the mystery:

That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel; Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:6-9).

Paul's calling involved making all men see the mystery that was hidden in God from the beginning of the world. A person cannot search the Old Testament scriptures and understand this truth without the knowledge of the revelation of the New Testament.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory (1 Corinthians 2:7).

Had Satan understood the cross prior to its fulfillment, he would not have entered into Judas Iscariot and instigated the betrayal of Christ. Satan as the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), did not understand the mystery prior to the cross.

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8).

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:16).

Paul's writings Minister Jesus Christ to us (the Church). He reveals the truth, thus enabling the Gentiles to be an acceptable offering to God when presented to Him. Furthermore, as the apostle to the Gentiles, he is the God-called vessel to lay the foundation (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), which is that:

• Christ died for our sins
• He was buried
• He arose again

To claim any other foundation means rejection of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. God accepts no other foundation! Paul establishes this foundation, expounding upon it beginning in Romans and continuing through each of his 13 Church Age epistles.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. (1 Corinthians 3:10).

Our responsibility is to take heed how we build upon the foundation already settled and established in Paul's epistles. Everything we learn, believe, and teach must be based upon these revealed truths.

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you (1 Corinthians 11:1,2).

God instructs us to remember Paul in every area of our lives (all things). Paul only mentions two ordinances:

• Baptism (1 Corinthians 1:14-17)
• Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-34).

We are to follow Paul, as his epistles explain how to follow Christ. We are not to follow Moses or the ordinances that he gave concerning things God previously required (Col. 2:14-16). We are not to follow the baptismal format given by John the Baptist (Acts 19:3-5) or the Apostle Peter (Acts 2:38). Paul even re-baptized John's converts who had been baptized with the “baptism of repentance.” One should consider why Paul would re-baptize John's converts if nothing changed (Acts 19:1-7).

Consider what I say; and the Lord will give thee understanding in all things (II Timothy 2:7).

We are told to consider what Paul says. The Lord promises to give us understanding in all things. You cannot consider what Paul has said unless you study his thirteen Church Age epistles. Once we understand what Paul says to us during this Church Age, the other portions of the Bible will be easier to understand too.

Is it really that important to recognize that Paul's name is the first word in Romans through Philemon? Surely those before the flood thought that Noah took a lot upon himself too. The Bible tells us about Korah and two hundred fifty “princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown” who gathered themselves against Moses and Aaron. They said, “Ye take too much upon you...wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?” The 250 were the religious leaders of the day — sons of Levi (Numbers 16:1-3). They were wrong to doubt God's spokesman and God proved it to them (Numbers 16:35). The scriptures also reveal Paul's willingness to be used by God to fulfill His word.

Whereof I am made a minister; according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God (Colossians 1:25).

Since Paul laid the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:10), he is the spiritual father of us all. As a proud father he will be given the opportunity to present us (the church) as a bride to Christ. It is important to listen to and learn (Philippians 4:9) from our earthly father, our heavenly Father, and also our “spiritual father.”

A special thanks to Candace Jones and Michelle Goree for their help in publishing this tract.

Tract # OBRD 07-1003