Read The Label, Better Yet Don't

By Author: Paul Griffitts
Total Articles: 19
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I have been studying and teaching the Bible for over 30 years and every time I hear the words Dispensationalist or Ultra-Dispensationalist or Charismatic or even Cultist those little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Labels are what today's so called Christian leaders use to discredit doctrine that if they themselves were to discover it in the Word of God they would have to not believe it because doing so would ruin their acceptable ministries.

Many years ago I read a book by what is considered one of the best Bible researchers who ever lived, C. H. Welch. The book was titled Dispensational Truth. The book is about the principle of right division, which can best be described as cutting aright the Word of God. When we use right division to understand the purpose of God for mankind, we see two distinct lines of redemptive operation; redemption unto the heavens or the earth. Already, we can see the opposition to traditional thinking.

Mr. Welch explained that to understand the Scriptures correctly we need to use methods of answering these questions: Who is writing? To whom is it written? Why ...
... are they writing? When was it written? What are the circumstances and context?
To simply go ad hoc and assume that everything in the Bible pertains to and is written to you goes against everything that God wrote in 2 Timothy 2:15 to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth." The rightly dividing is the Cutting Aright that Welch refers to in his book.

The first key to the approach of trying to answer these questions when studying a passage of scripture tells us one must honestly face the Word and cut out the preconceived opinions and ideas one might have at the approach. Much like a scientist doing an experiment, the researcher must let the Word speak for itself and not let the influence of past teachers or present preachers cloud the way for the Cutting Aright.

Secondly, as you research the scriptures you must know that the work will never cease. The study of God's Word is always a work in progress that will enrich your life. You will be rewarded beyond your imagination with blessings that God will lay up for you the workman that need not to be ashamed.

Thirdly, the Word is like a diamond that has many facets and you will begin to see more and more of those facets as you come to the Word with your heart open to God and His enlightenment. God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind. The Word will open itself up to you and God will show you things that will make your heart race. You must be faithful and you must be steadfast only then will God bless you with the great truths of His Word.

Lastly, no matter how enlightened you think you are you do not know all the truth. Many times when I teach the Bible in what I have thought was an exhaustive manner I am shocked to be told by a student some great truth that I totally neglected but which God blessed that student with while he or she was listening. This will bless you more than the act of teaching the Bible itself. The student is enlightened by God with the next level of understanding; it makes me shudder to think how wonderful our God is.

So study the Bible and enjoy all that God has in store for you. God bless you richly.



About the Author Paul Griffitts a Bibical Researcher for over 30 years
Currently Paul is the Editor of The Good News Letter for Believer.com
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