Rightly Dividing the Word of Godmedia.tncchurch.com/sermons-2013/120226RightlyDividingtheWord.pdfRightly dividing Heb 9:15-17 15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant,

Rightly Dividing the Word of God

Rightly dividing

2 Tim 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

orthotomeo = orthos (straight) + temno (to cut).

"cutting straight” the word of truth

How do we rightly divide the word of truth? Dividing between the Old and New Covenants.

What was the Old Covenant? The Law (Heb 9:1-10) With whom was the Old Covenant made? With Israel (Exod. 19:1-8; Ps 147:19,20) Who was the mediator? Moses

Christ is the Mediator of the New Covenant (Matt. 26:28, Mk 14:23,24; Lk 22:20) by His shed blood

Rightly dividing

Rightly dividing

Heb 9:15-17 15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, … 16In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.

The New Covenant was inaugurated and went into force when Jesus died.

Jesus : both the testator and executor died for the will to take effect and rose again so that He can execute the will for us.

Old Testament New Testament

Genesis Exodus

Gospels Acts Epistles Revelation

It is finished

Old Covenant: Law of sin and death

New Covenant: Law of the Spirit of life


Genesis Exodus


It is finished




Genesis Exodus

Under the Law Condemns the very best of Man

Gospels Epistles Revelation

Under Grace: Law Free Reconciles the very worst of Man

Christ, the end of the Law (Rom10:4)

It is finished

Jesus: Fulfilled the Law (Matt 5:17) Abolished the Law (Eph 2:14-15)

No Law

Acts




Genesis Exodus

Under the Law (Ex 24:8) Condemns the very best of Man



Christ the end of the Law (Rom10:4)

It is finished

Jesus: Fulfilled the Law (Matt 5:17) Abolished the Law (Eph 2:14-15)

Yahweh: God for us Emman-uel, God with us

Immanence: Christ in us

No Law

Paul reveals the mystery of Christ – salvation for all through the New Covenant (Eph3:6, Col 1:26-27)

Mystery of God – inclusion of Gentiles

God’s secret purpose revealed through Paul: The mystery, was hid in God, kept secret, not revealed to the sons of men, but now made known (Eph 1:9,3:1-11; Col 1:24-27; 1 Cor 2:7,8; Rom 16:25-26)

a) salvation for ALL, no distinction (Rom 10:12,13; Gal 3:26-28)

b) NOT because of Israel, BUT in spite of Israel (Rom 11:7-11)

c) NOT by our works of righteousness, BUT solely by Christ’s. (Rom 3:24-26; Eph 2:8,9)

d) His relationship to us is NOT as Messiah or King (of Israel), BUT as Head of the Body, the Church..." (Col 1:18) and as our elder brother.

The Cross: the dividing line

The Cross: the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus divides history and how God relates with us.

Before the cross the old law covenant was in force. But after the cross a new covenant based on grace made the old covenant obsolete.

13 By calling this covenant “new,” He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. (Heb 8:13)


Therefore we read the Bible through the filter of the cross: a) Is this scripture describing the old covenant

of law that condemns sinners? or b) Is it describing the new covenant of grace

that makes sinners righteous

How does the cross change the way I understand this passage?: Not what should I do or not do, but what Jesus had already done.


Jesus was ever pointing towards the cross as making all the difference.

John 14:19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

1. Jesus taught that all of the OT were shadows of Him.

Luke 23:25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

44He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."

26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.

The Old Testament

Psalm 51:11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

2. Understand biblical truths through New Covenant lens.

The Old Testament

Matt 28:20b And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

John 14:16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.

The Old Testament

Old Covenant Prayer Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. (1Chron 4: 10)

New Covenant Praise Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Eph 1:3)

Bereans: … examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11)

3. The OT has its purposes for us in the New Covenant

The Old Testament

Acts 18:28 … for (Paul) vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ …

Rom 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

The Gospels: 3 questions

To understand what Jesus meant in the Gospels, we need to simply ask:

Who is speaking?

To whom are they speaking?

What are they speaking about?

The Gospels are a revelation of the life of Jesus – while on earth, a transition, when He came to a) Fulfill the Old Covenant b) Reveal the New Covenant

Many people to were quoted in the Bible, including the fool, the devil, the steward etc.

Not all quotations are the truth.

a) Who is speaking?

'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.


Jesus spoke to different groups of people (disciples, Pharisees, crowds) for different purposes.

When He answered questions from Pharisees, His answers would relate to Jews under the Law and not to Christian Gentiles.

He clearly stated, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt 15:24)

b) To whom are they speaking?


Luke 18:18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.

e.g. Eternal life

20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.‘ “

21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

e.g. Eternal life

He was living under the Old Covenant and Jesus spoke to him as one under the Old Covenant.

Is Jesus saying the way to eternal life is by obeying the 10 commandments? Or by selling everything you have and giving to the poor? Obviously not!

Today under the New Covenant, His answer would be: “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31).

e.g. Forgiveness

Matt 6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Matt 6:14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

The sermon on the Mount was to bring the Jews to the realization that they cannot fulfill the Law and they need a Saviour.

e.g. Forgiveness

Eph 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Col 3:13 Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Who is the first party to forgive? It is Christ who already has forgiven us. This is why we can and should forgive. The cross makes the difference; now we can build on what He already has done.

When Jesus was speaking about the Law to the Jews under the Law, application to a born-again Gentile cannot be the same.

Jesus summed up the Old Covenant law as: Love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and love others as ourselves. (Matt 22:37-40)

e.g. Commandments

c) What are they speaking about?

The Gospels 3 questions

Under the New Covenant:

1 John 3:23 And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.

John 13:34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

The Gospels 3 questions

c) What are they speaking about?

e.g. Commandments

Gospels records the physical happenings as to the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Pauline Epistles

Paul wrote about the spiritual consequences of what happened — that we died with Christ, rose with Him, and are seated with Him in Heaven.

The mystery : “that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 3:6)

Paul’s epistles are New Covenant:

2. The epistles were written when the Holy Spirit had already come. The Holy Spirit leads us to all truth about Jesus and His finished work. (John 16:13,14)

1. The Gospel he preached he received by revelation directly from the resurrected and ascended Jesus (Gal 1:11-12)

3. Paul was called specifically to be an apostle to the gentiles.

Pauline Epistles

Paul did not contradict Jesus but continued where Jesus left off.

Pauline Epistles

e.g. Righteousness

Matt 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matt 5:28 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Pauline Epistles

e.g. Righteousness

Rom 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, …

Rom 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

Pauline Epistles

e.g. Righteousness

Rom 4:5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Rom 5:17b … how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Conclusion 2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in

righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Rightly dividing the Word of Truth: - See Jesus and what He has done in making us the righteousness of God in Him. - Then we will be equipped for every good work.




Genesis Exodus

Under the Law (Ex 24:8) Condemns the very best of Man



Christ the end of the Law (Rom10:4)

It is finished

Jesus: Fulfilled the Law (Matt 5: 17) Abolished the Law (Eph 2:14-15)

Yahweh - God for us Emman-uel -God with us

Immanence - Christ in us

No Law

Paul reveals the mystery of God – salvation for all through the New Covenant (Eph3:6, Col 1:26-27)

Documents

Rightly Dividing the Word of Godmedia.tncchurch.com/sermons-2013/120226RightlyDividingtheWord.pdfRightly dividing Heb 9:15-17 15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant,