1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

It’s all about the audience - are we in it?

Genesis 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John 1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

The most common division of scripture

Audience is usually determined by dividing scripture into the Old and New Testaments, but this is inadequate...

1.       Because the Old Testament is not in scripture until Exodus:

Hebrews 8:8-9 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

2.       Because the majority of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are under the Old Testament:

Hebrews 9:15-17 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

3.       Because this leaves contradictions:

a.       Is justification with or without works?

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Romans 3:28 (KJV) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Both of these are ‘new testament’ verses.

b.       Does God value burnt offerings?

Exodus 29:25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Isaiah 1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Both of these are ‘old testament’ verses.

c.       Which animals can be eaten?

Genesis 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Deuteronomy 14:3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.

Both of these are ‘old testament’ verses.

d.       Peace on earth or not?

Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

Both of these verses are from the same ‘new testament’ book

Better divisions

1.       Law/Grace

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

2.       Israel/Church (body of Christ)

Deuteronomy 7:6 (KJV) For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Romans 11:25-26 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Ephesians 1:22-23 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

3.       Earth/Heaven

Genesis 13:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

4.       Prophecy/Mystery (summary of 1-3)

• Prophecy

Acts 3:21 (KJV) Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

• Mystery

Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Dispensations

DISPENSATION, n. L. 1. Distribution; the act of dealing out to different persons or places; 2. The dealing of God to his creatures; Merriam Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

• One day, the mystery programme will end and the prophecy programme will resume:

Romans 11:25-26 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

• One day the two programmes will be unified in another dispensation:

Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Jesus’ earthly ministry (the red letters)

Matthew 10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

The apostle for this dispensation

Acts 26:15-17 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Galatians 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.