Right division is a scriptural requirement

Understanding the work of the ministry in this age begins with understanding the right division of scripture.

Scripture contains an instruction that it be rightly divided:

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

What it means to “rightly divide”

“Rightly dividing the word of truth” means understanding that while all scripture is for us…

2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

…it is not all written to us.

This is one example of scripture not written to us:

Genesis 6:13-14 (KJV) And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

And this is another:

John 8:31 (KJV) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Nobody reading this webpage is in the group of intended recipients of either of these messages, so they are not written to us.

To rightly divide means to apply discernment in the reading of scripture and the teaching it provides, and in particular to take the doctrine of our faith only from scripture written to us (ie the Body of Christ).

Note that as we see from 2 Timothy 2:15 it is only study which rightly divides scripture which is approved of God, and is study of which we need not be ashamed.

The profit of scripture not written to us

Scripture not written to us is not to be ignored - far from it. We see above that it is profitable to us. For example:

• We learn historical truths eg about creation, the flood, the exile of Israel to Babylon or the life of Christ etc

• We learn truths about God eg his holiness, his faithfulness, his control over history etc

• We increase our understanding of the dispensation of grace by being able to compare and contrast it with how God has worked and will work in other dispensations

Why this matters for the work of the ministry

Failing to rightly divide the word of truth leads to identifying the wrong ministry as being the one through which God is working today. For example:

Acts 1:17 (KJV) For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

The ministry referred to here is that of Peter’s group under the prophecy programme. This ministry ended during the book of Acts, as the dispensation of grace began and God started to build the body of Christ. No work in this ministry is required today.

Any old division of scripture will not do

The most popular division of scripture is that made that between the Old the New Testaments. Bible publishers have contributed to this in the layout of the books we buy from them.

This, however, is not the ‘right’ division of 1 Timothy 2:15, and if this is the only one made then illumination for the Bible student will not follow.

Scripture describes many ministries; right division allows us to identify the one applicable today

There are many ministries referenced in scripture, for example:

• Aaron and his sons ministered in the priest's office (Numbers 30:30)

• Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli (1 Samuel 3:1)

• The princes of Israel ministered to king David (1 Chronicles 28:1)

• Angels ministered to Christ (Matthew 4:1)

• Peter’s mother in law ministered to Christ and the disciples (Matthew 8:15)

The ministry applicable today is the one given by Jesus to Paul:

Acts 20:24 (KJV) But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

It is an error to confuse or conflate this ministry with the one previously given to Peter’s group…

Acts 1:25 (KJV) That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

…where “this ministry” is the kingdom ministry.

The two-fold ministry

It is the responsibility of the Body of Christ to align its will to God’s, and its ministry work should be the result of that alignment.

The will of God is to be found in scripture:

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

This gives the church its two-fold purpose and ministry i.e.,

1. To get men saved, and

2. To bring them to the knowledge of the truth.

We see this two-fold ministry in Paul’s work:

Getting men saved:-

Acts 14:1 (KJV) And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

Bringing men to a knowledge of the truth:-

Colossians 1:28 (KJV) Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: