Rightly dividing the word of God

[Shiloh62]

That word "divided" used in this sense has always baffled me. What is it that is supposed to be divided? The good from the bad? There is no bad part of the word. I never have understood what people are referirng to when they say this. Perhaps they are just repeating it, because theyve always heard it, or they don't know what divided means. I guess its just another one of those mysteries in life.

[Guest man]

I believe those people thought they had a relationship with God. Deep down inside they believed that what they were doing was right in the eyes of God. They truly believed they were destined to spend eternity within the kingdom.

They thought they were saved.

That kind of thought scares me. I wonder all the time if I'm on the right track. I hate to think that even on my best day I still might not be saved.

That thought runs through my head everyday.

Are you sure that's the proper way to look at it?

What other way is there to look at it? They must have believed in their heart that they were doing the right thing. Why else would they question the Lord?

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I think a lot of people are in for a rude awakening.

[Guest shiloh357]

also you said that they had no good works , you said that they didnt have any good works but casting out devils seems to be a good work but in this case it is not good fruit because it was done without relationship.

None of that changes the fact that Jesus is talking about a specific group of people, namely false prophets.

Their works were "good" in their own eyes.

So tell me is someone who preaches scripture instead of relationship (love) a false prophet?

I'm gonna go out on limb, here.

I think the problem here may be terminology. The Bible (scripture) is not anti-thetical to love. The Bible teaches about what love is and what it looks like and commands us to walk in love, AND the Bible also shows us how to have a relationship with God. So there is no way a person can truly teach Scripture and NOT teach about love and our relationship with God.

I think the word you are looking for is "legalism." Legalism is anti-thetical relationship because it is based on keeping manmde religious laws as opposed to focusing on the relationship that God wants to have with man. It makes the entire Christian life nothing but performance-based acceptance.

Even then, a person who is legalistic is not a "false prophet" per se.

A false prophet is a person who knowingly deceives. They know they are sowing falsehoods and deception. Jesus, Matt. 7:21-23 is talking about people who consciously and purposefully deceive.

There are people who teach wrong doctrine, not out of a malicious desire to deceive, but simply because they are themselves, misled.

[Botz]

I'm gonna go out on limb, here.

I think the problem here may be terminology. The Bible (scripture) is not anti-thetical to love. The Bible teaches about what love is and what it looks like and commands us to walk in love, AND the Bible also shows us how to have a relationship with God. So there is no way a person can truly teach Scripture and NOT teach about love and our relationship with God.

I think the word you are looking for is "legalism." Legalism is anti-thetical relationship because it is based on keeping manmde religious laws as opposed to focusing on the relationship that God wants to have with man. It makes the entire Christian life nothing but performance-based acceptance.

Even then, a person who is legalistic is not a "false prophet" per se.

A false prophet is a person who knowingly deceives. They know they are sowing falsehoods and deception. Jesus, Matt. 7:21-23 is talking about people who consciously and purposefully deceive.

There are people who teach wrong doctrine, not out of a malicious desire to deceive, but simply because they are themselves, misled.

Hi Shiloh....I don't really think a false prophet is some individual who 'knowingly deceives'...and I don't think the Scriptures indicate this in so many words, in fact the verses you quoted from Matthew shows that the guys who were dismissed from the L-rds presence, really thought they would be accepted, and tried to justify their status as 'Believers'/part of the ecclesia, by giving examples of what they had done in His name...all of which sounds on the surface...acceptable and righteous. But, and it is a really enormous BUT, the L-rd cuts across everything and tells them two things.

1. 'I never knew you.' There was never a time that they had a relationship with their Saviour and Messiah.

2. 'Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.' In the light of the Law, this is profoundly important...and to me demonstrates that the 'Grace and Mercy of G-d' through the fulfilment of the Law was unknown to them...in fact they were unable to even recognise it because their foolish hearts were darkened.

So my argument for consideration would be that is because they 'didn't KNOW' ...(and all that entails)...that actually proved they were false prophets.

I think the Greek gives the essence that they were not whom they professed to be.

{ to any who are concerned....No Believer should ever be afraid that they have 'missed it' and that somehow they are going to appear before the L-rd and He is going to dismiss them from His presence...because perfect love casts out fear...the Holy Spirit brings the peace of G-d to our hearts, and gives us a hope and expectancy that we are indeed the Children of G-d, and are accepted utterly and completely, because of the love of G-d demonstated to us through the cleansing blood of the Lamb.}

[OneLight]

We see elsewhere in His word scripture that may give us another look as to why these people are not His. Notice that Simon sought to do Gods work without having a real relationship with God. I believe those whom Christ said "I never knew you" were of the same heart. They sought the power without the relationship.

Acts 8:14-23 (New King James Version)

The Sorcerer

[paul1149]

I believe those people thought they had a relationship with God. Deep down inside they believed that what they were doing was right in the eyes of God. They truly believed they were destined to spend eternity within the kingdom.

They thought they were saved.

That kind of thought scares me. I wonder all the time if I'm on the right track. I hate to think that even on my best day I still might not be saved.

Are you sure that's the proper way to look at it?

To some degree it's a good thing to question our position

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you

[Guest man]

I believe those people thought they had a relationship with God. Deep down inside they believed that what they were doing was right in the eyes of God. They truly believed they were destined to spend eternity within the kingdom.

They thought they were saved.

That kind of thought scares me. I wonder all the time if I'm on the right track. I hate to think that even on my best day I still might not be saved.

That thought runs through my head everyday.

Are you sure that's the proper way to look at it?

What other way is there to look at it? They must have believed in their heart that they were doing the right thing. Why else would they question the Lord?

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I think a lot of people are in for a rude awakening.

Can anyone elaborate on this? If I can't know if I'm on the right track, even it seems like I'm on the right track, what in the world am I supposed to do. I could be fooling myself into believing that I'm saved.

Don't take your salvation for granted.

There's a common belief amongst many christians today, and those 3 verses debunk that belief.

The Word of God makes many promises. Not all those promises have a good outcome.

[Guest SSSr012]

I believe those people thought they had a relationship with God. Deep down inside they believed that what they were doing was right in the eyes of God. They truly believed they were destined to spend eternity within the kingdom.

They thought they were saved.

That kind of thought scares me. I wonder all the time if I'm on the right track. I hate to think that even on my best day I still might not be saved.

That thought runs through my head everyday.

Are you sure that's the proper way to look at it?

What other way is there to look at it? They must have believed in their heart that they were doing the right thing. Why else would they question the Lord?

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I think a lot of people are in for a rude awakening.

Can anyone elaborate on this? If I can't know if I'm on the right track, even it seems like I'm on the right track, what in the world am I supposed to do. I could be fooling myself into believing that I'm saved.

Don't take your salvation for granted.

There's a common belief amongst many christians today, and those 3 verses debunk that belief.

The Word of God makes many promises. Not all those promises have a good outcome.

To the one who wrote:

Can anyone elaborate on this? If I can't know if I'm on the right track, even it seems like I'm on the right track, what in the world am I supposed to do. I could be fooling myself into believing that I'm saved.

SSSr012 wrote:

When we get to know God by having a personal relationship with Him and reading The Bible, His word, our salvation can be confirmed by asking God to show us if we are saved. His Spirit will speak to our spirit. I have been wondering about something no one else knows I

[Shiloh62]

I have always thought about that phrase and how it is ment about taking the scripture and diividing it . Recently however i have thought about rightly dividing the world of God.

The word of God comes to us when we hear his voice , this is relationship not just scripture . i know for my own self i may not be as good as others but when i hear him i manytimes have to decern which voice is his and what is my ownself or some other spirit.

This isnt always an easy thing for me to do. I pray that i do rightly divide the word of God

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I never knew you , could it be that this group had head knowledge and no relationship? Could it be that they did the things in the scripture but forgot the relationship part?

Well, no, not based on the passage itself. Jesus is talking about false prophets if you follow the line of thought beginning up in v. 15. He is talking about those who deliberately twist and manipulate Scripture and deceive others to follow their false teachings in the process.

In this passage, Jesus talking about false prophets who had neither the relationship NOR the good works.

I might add that a word from God will always line up with Scripture. The Bible is the "Word of God" for mankind. Any message you receive from Him will simply illuminate what is written in His Word.

That helps explain the answer to the question I had. In other words, we are not to take a phrase here and a verse there, piece it together,and come up with something that was not intended. Corredt?