RIGHTLY DIVIDING OR WRONGLY CLAIMING

2 Timothy 2:15

Pastor Rick Jackson

There is a familiar poem that is not quite true. It goes like this:

Every promise in the Book is mine!

Every chapter, every verse, every line.

I am standing on His Word divine,

Every promise in the Book is mine!

Of course, in one very wide sense this is true. I can learn from every word in the Bible. I can own a Bible. But is every promise God gave someone in the Bible a promise I can claim as valid to me personally? The answer is "no". There are promises given to certain individuals, for them at that time, that do not apply to me. The land of Israel was promised to Abraham and his descendants. Can I, as a Gentile, claim God has given me the land of Israel? No, of course not. Can I be blessed by noting that God keeps His promises? Of course! David was promised his seed would sit on Israel's throne forever, can I expect the same? Paul was promised no-one would die in a shipwreck with him. Does that mean nobody will die in a shipwreck if a Christian is on board? It's silly to think so is it not? It's like the man who opened his Bible with the expectation God would tell him what to do. He opened his Bible and read, “Judas went out and hanged himself”. Nervously he tried again and read, “Go thou and do likewise”. Trying one more time he read, "That thou doest, do quickly.”

With that in mind I want to draw your attention to three oft claimed verses that actually have a very limited scope and should not be claimed by everyone!

I. ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS NOT NECESSARILY PRESENT WITH THE LORD! [2 Cor. 5:6-8]

"Oh well, at least he's better off." That's as stupid as saying "He's probably up there right now chasing the girls" to a grieving widow! (A comment I actually heard given by a Bible ignorant person)

1. It was written to the Saints [1:1]

2. The saints are those who are in Christ [1:18-22]

3. Those "in Christ" have believed the Gospel [4:1-7]

It is to them this promise is given, is applicable and can be claimed!

II. ALL THINGS DO NOT NECESSARILY WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD [Rm. 8:28]

1. This is to them that know God [Rm. 5:1, 8:1]

2. This is “to them that love God" [Jn. 14:15, 15:10]

3. This is "to them who are called according to His purpose"

or rather, to be doing what God wants you to do when God wants you to do it where God wants you to do it!

For instance, suppose I had stayed in Tennessee when God led me to come to Bradford Baptist. Would I still be called? Yes, but not according to His purpose! Joseph, Daniel, and John the Baptist suffered in the will of God, in God's purpose.

David loved God and was called but did his sin with Bathsheba work out for good? No, the chastening did but the sin did not!

III. GOD MAY NOT SUPPLY ALL YOU THINK YOU NEED [Phil.4:19]

1. This is for those who have learned the secret of contentment [4:11-12]

2. This is for those who are dependent upon Christ [4:13]

3. This is for those that give to God [4:10, 14-20, Mt. 6:33]

1 Kings 17:8-16 is the Old Testament example of this New Testament truth.