| The Christian Life | August 1941 |
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.”—II Timothy 2:15
ONE manner in which Christians should endeavor to rightly divide the Word of truth is in connection with the time element of the divine plan. The importance of this lies in the fact that what is true of one age, is not necessarily true of another. The failure to rightly divide the Word of truth might mean the entertaining of unjustifiable hopes and engaging in unauthorized service for the Lord. Paul’s advice to Timothy contained in our text, was evidently designed to protect him from falling a victim to the erroneous doctrines held by some in the early church. In verse 18 of the same chapter we read, for example, of some who had become confused to the extent of believing that the resurrection of the dead had already taken place. These, apparently, had also convinced others of this erroneous view.
The apostle knew that those who rightly divided the Word of truth would know that, while the resurrection of the dead is the hope of the church, it had not taken place at that time. This would, in turn, have a direct bearing upon the work which God was then accomplishing.
The doctrines of the Bible are intended as a guide to Christian conduct. These doctrines are related to the times and seasons of the divine plan. Hence, not only does a knowledge of these times and seasons serve as a protection from false doctrines, but also indicates God’s will concerning our activity—that is, what particular work the Heavenly Father is pleased to have us do. The high standards of righteousness set forth in God’s Word are always the same. Dispensational truth does not change these. Christian conduct and character should, therefore, be governed at all times by God’s standards of holiness.
Personal holiness, however, is not all there is to doing God’s will, especially as it is enjoined upon the followers of the Master. Christian character is the background and basis for Christian service. It is that which qualifies us through Christ to enter upon a Christian career. It is in respect to the Christian’s career that an understanding of dispensational truths of the Bible are so fundamentally important. The activities of the church, although always harmonious, have varied from time to time, and those who have been alert in their efforts to rightly divide the Word of truth have been aware of the changes. Thus these have walked in the light, and their service has been acceptable to the Lord.
The ministry of Jesus is a splendid example of how rightly dividing the Word of truth enables one to know the Father’s will relative to activity in service. In Matthew 4:12,17, we read, “Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” From this language it is obvious that John’s imprisonment confirmed the Master in the conclusion that the time had come for Him to preach this particular message that the Kingdom of heaven was at hand.
One might well ask, why did not Jesus preach the Kingdom message before this time. He had been anointed to preach at the time of His baptism, so why should He delay this particular phase of the message until He had heard that John had been cast into prison? Obviously, the only answer is, that Jesus, by rightly dividing the Word of truth, knew the Father’s will, which disclosed that His public ministry pertaining to the eminence of the Kingdom of heaven, was not to begin until John was imprisoned. A number of Old Testament prophecies foretold that the ministry of John the Baptist was designed as a preparatory work to precede the ministry of the Master. (Mal. 3:1; Isa. 40:3) Hence, until John’s activities were measurably complete, our Lord knew it was not the Father’s will for His public ministry to begin.
Another, and even more outstanding example of how Jesus rightly divided the Word of truth, and thereby was guided in the doing of the Father’s will, is brought to our attention in Matt. 10:5-7. This passage records the incident when Jesus sent the disciples out into the service. It reads, “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Not only was this a commission of service, but it also limited that service. These ambassadors of Jesus were to go only to the Jewish people. Why? Three and a half years later, this same Gospel did go to the Gentiles. In fact, subsequent years saw the Gospel preached and preserved in the main by the Gentiles to whom Jesus refused it during the time of His earthly ministry.
The apparent inharmony of this changing situation as to the status of the Gentiles with relationship to the Gospel, is understandable only as we rightly divide the Word of truth. This is what the Master had done. Jesus, no doubt, was acquainted with the prophecy of Daniel relating to a period of special favor determined upon the nation of Israel. Briefly stated, this period is designated as one of seventy symbolic weeks, which was actually 490 literal years. (See Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, Study 3.) Jesus’ ministry began just seven years before the full end of this special favor to Israel, and because He was fully acquainted with this dispensational truth, He knew it would not be pleasing to His Heavenly Father to have the message go out promiscuously to the non-Jewish races of His day. For this reason His instructions to His disciples were very specific.
It is evident from this that had Jesus taken the attitude that dispensational truth was not important, His instructions to His disciples would have been in error, and He, as well as those misguided by Him, would have engaged in a service not in harmony with the Heavenly Father’s wishes. This period of special favor to Israel ended approximately three and one-half years after the Master’s death. Then, in the divine providence, the apostles were informed through Peter of the dispensational change, and, as a consequence, the gospel was extended to the Gentiles. Eventually the proclamation of the message was carried on almost exclusively among the Gentiles.
DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH SHOULD GUIDE US
Just as it was important for Jesus to be acquainted with the times and the seasons of the Father’s plan that He might be able to do His will acceptably, so it is also important now to rightly divide the Word of truth, that thereby we may be familiar with what God would have accomplished in the earth today. Thus it is that in our service for God we are able to cooperate intelligently and in a way that is pleasing to Him. Consecration to do the Father’s will therefore, implies a diligent study of God’s will on the part of the consecrated in order to be assured of exactly what the Divine will may be. It is not enough that the Christian lay down his life in service. If that service is to be acceptable to God, it must be in harmony with God’s will as He reveals it through His Word, and as it applies to the times in which we are living.
The meticulous care manifested by Jesus in seeing to it that the disciples did not work contrary to the Father’s will, suggests the precision with which God desires all of His people to observe the times and seasons of His plan, and to thus have their consecrated lives governed thereby. From the standpoint of human reasoning, one might very well ask what possible harm could come as a result of telling the glorious message of the Kingdom to the Gentiles, irrespective of whether or not the seventy weeks of special favor to the Jews had ended. But, human reasoning is futile in face of clear Scriptural instructions. St. Paul advises that we should use the sword of the Spirit to strike down these human reasonings which exalt themselves above the knowledge of Christ.—II Cor. 10:4,5
It is well to note that when the proper time did come for the Gospel to go to the Gentiles, the Apostle Peter was informed of it by a vision. When this definite information reached the apostle, it would have been just as displeasing to God had he gone contrary thereto, as it would have been had he insisted upon preaching to the Gentiles at the time when Jesus said that they were to be ignored. Just as in the material realm there is a proper time for sowing and another time for reaping, so in the outworking of the divine plan, it is being carried forward in an orderly way to completion, and. those of us who are consecrated to do the Lord’s will, and thus are cooperating with Him in what He is doing, should give all diligence to rightly divide the Word of truth in order that we may be workmen that need not be ashamed.
In observing the example set before us in the life of Jesus, we can see that the Heavenly Father does have well-defined times and seasons, and that He desires His servants to be acquainted with and to work in harmony with them. We also see that God does not leave us in darkness as to His work, because to do so would render it impossible to perform His will acceptably. When we realize the importance of dispensational truth as it relates to Christian activity, it is not difficult to understand why some of the precious truths belonging to this end of the age have been so viciously attacked by the adversary.
Satan’s efforts to stumble Jesus were along the line of suggesting to Him a way of doing things which, although seeming to arrive at the same end, were in reality contrary to the course that God had outlined for Him. The dispensational truths belonging to Jesus’ time were designed to chart a course for Him, and the same is true of the dispensational truths which belong to our time. Knowing that Satan’s efforts all during the age have been to becloud the Christian’s mind relative to the divine will for him, it is not surprising that the confusion of today manifested in the minds of some suggests that the same wily foe who succeeded in convincing some at the beginning of the Gospel dispensation that the resurrection had taken place and the Lord’s reign had already begun, is continuing now to becloud the issues of the truth, for the purpose of turning aside those who are desirous of pleasing God.
THE HARVEST WORK
Without question, the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matt. 13:24-30,36-43) indicates that there would be a season at the end of the age when the nature of God’s work would change; and there would be a reaping, or gathering of the true wheat class, the church. The wheat and tares parable shows beyond question that there would be a work affecting the Lord’s people here on earth at the end of the age called a harvest work.
Some, thinking that this parable is intended to point out the reward of the wheat class as each one completes his earthly course, and that this has been going on throughout the entire age, fail to be guided by the dispensational truth which the parable really teaches. The Apostle Paul did not expect to be rewarded at death. In writing to Timothy, he says, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day.” (II Tim. 4:8) The parable definitely shows that the two classes represented by the tares and the wheat were to grow together without being disturbed until the harvest. Jesus’ explanation of the parable states definitely that the harvest to which He refers is not the end of each Christian’s earthly experience, but the end of the age.
Tares are an imitation of wheat, hence the evident lesson of the parable is that God’s true people, represented by the wheat, would intermingle with many who, while outwardly appearing as wheat, are, in reality, tares, or counterfeit wheat.
Another important lesson of the parable is conveyed in Jesus’ definition of who are represented by the wheat. He speaks of these as the “children of the kingdom.” This means that the wheat class are those who are begotten and inspired by the glorious kingdom, hope. It suggests that throughout the entire age there have been a few here and there who have, in a measure, been able, amid all the confusion with which they were surrounded, to hold on to the truths of the kingdom which were originally taught by Jesus and the apostles.
The tares, on the other hand, are said by Jesus to represent the children of the wicked one. This does not mean that the tares have necessarily been evil, immoral people. It simply means that they have been a class who have been misled and influenced in their religious activity and outlook by doctrines of the adversary. Among these doctrines have been the eternal torture theory, and other heathen concepts of Christianity. These tares have been imbued with a false idea of the kingdom, in that throughout much of the age they have held the view that the Kingdom of Christ was operating through the church-state system which they, contrary to divine instructions, had instituted.
The parable shows not only that the wheat, the true children of the kingdom, would be separated from the tares at the end of the age, but it shows also that the tare element would be bound in bundles and burned. The fact that today we see the counterfeit kingdom systems of the earth being destroyed in the fire of the great time of trouble, is good reason why we should be especially on the alert to note what the Lord has been doing, or rather, having His people do, in connection with the separating of the wheat from the tares. This again should be with the view of determining as definitely as possible just what the Lord’s will is for us. If we are imbued with the hopes of the kingdom, and for this reason are properly looked upon by the Lord as the children of the kingdom, then the lesson of the parable of the wheat and the tares is a very important one to investigate at the present time in order that its dispensational lessons may be clearly understood.
SEPARATION ELSEWHERE SHOWN
In Revelation 18 we are furnished with another symbolic description of conditions in the church at the end of the age. The entire nominal church, or nominal christendom, is here referred to symbolically as Babylon. The Lord’s people, as individuals, are invited to separate themselves from this Babylonian system, with the explanation given that Babylon has become “the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” While different symbolisms are used in this prophetic description of the nominal church at the end of the age, than that of the wheat and tares parable, yet, the lesson is very similar in that it shows that there was to be a separation of the true from the false.
In the wheat and tare parable the tares are shown to be bound in bundles and destroyed, while in the picture of Revelation 18, those who do not leave Babylon are said to partake of her sins and to receive of her plagues. As we read through the chapter we see that the plagues which come upon Babylon result in her complete overthrow and destruction. This is another remarkable correspondency between the two pictures as to the separating work and the ultimate destruction of the counterfeit or false systems of religion.
In the prophecy of Revelation 18, in which the Lord’s true people are invited to separate themselves from Babylon, we are told that a voice is heard extending the invitation to “come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Obviously this voice is not one which is audible from the sky. It is unquestionably a message which reaches Babylon by means of messengers of the Lord’s appointment. In other words, there seems little doubt but what this call to come out of Babylon at the end of the age is extended through a message of truth pertaining to the real condition of Babylon and the importance of the Lord’s people separating themselves from her.
In the prophecy of Matthew 24 pertaining to the end of the age, one of the things therein mentioned is that at that time the Lord would send forth His angels to gather His people from the four corners of the earth. Here again we have a picture of a harvest work being carried on. Manifestly all three of these prophecies—the wheat and tares parable, the Lord’s prophecy of Matthew 24, and the prophecy of Revelation 18—apply to the same time and to the same work. They all point forward to the fact of a separation that was to take place at the end of the age, and also, that this separation was to be accomplished by means of messengers who would proclaim truth which would, at that time, be “meat in due season.”
WE ARE NOW IN THE END OF THE AGE
There are probably few students of the Bible today but who agree that we are living in the end of the age. Agreeing to this, it is then necessary to look over the field to see if, in this general period of the end of the age, a message has gone forth inviting the Lord’s true people to separate themselves from the God-dishonoring systems which have masqueraded in, the name of Christ, and which have claimed to be Christ’s Kingdom. We find that just such a message has been given and that the separating work has been accomplished.
The present truth movement which began in the early seventies of the last century started out with the circulation of 1,400,000 copies of the booklet, “Food for Thinking Christians.” This message of truth was distributed to ministers and church workers throughout the entire country. But it was not received gladly at the time, either by ministers or by church people generally. Instead, Christendom refused the glorious message of truth and began to resist it. In the years that followed, however, individuals received the message and, as a result, found it necessary to sever their connections with these hard and fast sectarian groups, or bundles of tares. In other words, it is a self-evident fact beyond all dispute that such a work of separation has taken place as divinely forecast and intended. The message of present truth as it has been proclaimed since the early seventies and on down to the present time, has always had associated with it, directly or indirectly, information concerning the condition of nominal Christendom, and why the true followers of the Master should separate themselves there from.
That this work of harvest is one that was intended to be accomplished largely by proclamation of the truth in the hands of the Lord’s people is clearly illustrated by the typical harvest which took place at the end of the Jewish age. The Jewish Age harvest, to be sure, was not a separation of wheat and tares, but a separation of the wheat from the chaff. The claims of the Jewish people to be the Kingdom of God was not a false claim. Therefore the wheat and tares illustration would not fit. The particular point, however, to be noted in this connection is that the separation of the Lord’s true people from the great mass of the Jewish nation at that time, was accomplished by the proclamation of a message of truth.
Jesus said to His disciples that they were to look upon the fields which were already ripe unto the harvest, and that they were to pray that the Lord would send forth more reapers into this field. Perhaps the question may arise as to whether it is logical to think of wheat as harvesting wheat. However, the Lord’s use of language indicates that this is proper. The disciples were among the true wheat class at the end of the Jewish age, and they were sent forth, in turn, to reap, in the harvest work of that time, the additional wheat.
Similarly a great harvest work has proceeded at the end of this age. There has been an outstanding proclamation of Kingdom truth during the last half century and more. In the Lord’s providence, that message has been proclaimed all over Christendom, and even in heathendom, so widespread has been its influence. It was so pronounced and so well recognized by the leaders of religious thought the world over, that the mere mention of “Millennial Dawn” was enough to call forth heated expressions of bitterness in many of the churches of Christendom. By this proclamation of the truth, the wheat class were reached and refreshed. And as each one heard and responded in heart and mind he added his voice to the glad refrain.
There have been individual believers in the hope of the Millennial Kingdom throughout the entire Gospel age, but not since the apostles fell asleep in death, until the beginning of the harvest in the early seventies, did God permit the Kingdom message to go out in such volume and effectiveness as it has during this period. The effect has been to cause the children of the Kingdom to stand out as a separate group from the great mass of those who believe that the church-state systems of the world constitute the true Kingdom of Christ.
HARVEST STILL PROGRESSING
Since the death of the one whom the Lord used so largely in connection with the proclamation of the harvest truth, there has been a temporary partial scattering of the Kingdom class in so far as a cooperative ministry of the truth is concerned. But this in no way nullifies the reality of the harvest work which has been accomplished. It is merely a further testing and refining of the Lord’s people preparatory to their shining forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Some have said that what we claim to have been the harvest work was not really so, else it would have endured. It has endured! While it is not now being conducted on so widespread a scale it is, nevertheless, proceeding by God’s help, to a complete consummation. In fact, from the divine standpoint, that is just what we should expect—the decreasing of the true wheat this side the veil, and the increasing of those beyond, and consequently, the nearer and closer the realization of our hopes in the early establishment of His Kingdom upon earth. We venture to say that not one in a thousand who accepted the harvest message has ever reaccepted the theory that churchianity represents Christ’s Kingdom on earth. As well may we say that the harvest of the Jewish age, which was carried on by Jesus and the apostles, was a failure, or futile, simply because when the apostles died, the outward church arrangements founded by them disintegrated.
The point we should never lose sight of is that it was not God’s purpose to organize His people into a world-wide and unshakable unit this side of the veil. The harvest work was not intended to accomplish this for them.
The Kingdom truths promulgated by Jesus and the apostles have lived in the hearts of a few individuals during the entire age. These truths were revived and broadcast to all the world during the Gospel age harvest, with the additional information that the King is again present. As the truth there planted in the hearts of God’s people laid the foundation of the Gospel age work, so the truth of this harvest lays the foundation for the Millennial age work. Jesus explains that the culmination of the wheat harvest, described as the barn condition, will be realized when the church shines forth like the sun in the Kingdom of the Father.
To further clinch the conclusion that we are in the end of the age, and therefore have witnessed the harvest work in progress, is the fact that we now see the beginning of the burning of the tares. The great fire which was to destroy false churchianity, and therefore false Christendom, is already burning. Millions of tares have already lost their identity as tares, and now appear as mere worldlings which they really were, with no profession of Christianity of any kind. Facts as they are now discernible in this connection furnish positive evidence that we have reached the end of the age and are therefore witnessing this phase of the harvest work.
CHIEF REAPER PRESENT
In connection with each of the prophecies pertaining to the harvest work at the end of the age, there is brought to our attention the fact that then the Chief Reaper of the harvest would be present. The wheat and tares parable shows Jesus as the Chief Reaper instructing the reapers concerning the work of harvest. In the prophecy of Revelation 18, the presence of Christ is indicated in the statement that an Angel is seen coming down from heaven. The prophecy of Matthew 24, not only portrays the conditions at the end of the age, but also clearly reveals that these same signs are also indications of the presence of Christ. In Revelation 14, verses 13 to 15, we are told that the Chief Reaper is present, who is “One like unto the Son of Man,” and that he has a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand, and that the time has come to reap.
Thus we see that all of these prophecies pertaining to the harvest and to the presence of the Chief Reaper during the harvest, are harmonious and present to us the same general truth. Inasmuch as the evidence with which we are now surrounded is so positive that the end of the age has indeed been reached, that the message has gone forth, and that now the tares are being destroyed preparatory to the wheat class shining forth as the sun in the Kingdom of the Father, how can there be any doubt at the present time as to the position of the Lord’s true people with regard to His will and work.
The practical application of this harvest truth to our endeavors to rightly divide God’s Word in order that we may cooperate intelligently with Him, is important. It means that we will recognize the responsibility we now have to present, not only the devotional truths pertaining to our loyalty of heart and mind to God, but, also, that our message will contain those elements of Kingdom truths and prophecies which will make it especially applicable now. The Lord wants us to join in the work of the reapers. This means that He wants us to proclaim that message of truth which will do a separating work between the tares and the wheat. Failure clearly to recognize this dispensational truth, means a failure to appreciate fully the Lord’s will concerning us in these days of preparation, and such failure surely cannot merit His approval.
When we recognize the importance of the harvest message of truth which includes the fact of the presence of the Chief Reaper, Christ, it is not difficult to see why the doctrine of Christ’s presence has been attacked so widely. Now that the prophecies pertaining to the end of the age are being so clearly and wonderfully fulfilled to all whose eyes and ears of faith have been opened, let us lay fresh hold upon the reality of these dispensational truths and fully appreciate the fact that through them God has given us specific instructions pertaining to our activity, and that by adherence to these instructions we can show ourselves approved unto Him.
Failing to recognize the presence of the Lord and the work of the harvest that has been progressing to its consummation, the tendency may be to fellowship more or less with that which the Lord has definitely identified as unclean. We may be tempted to discount the evil effect of the blasphemous doctrines of Babylon, such as the eternal torture theory and others, and say to ourselves that as long as those who hold those doctrines are able to sing hymns with us and talk about Jesus—although they do not understand the philosophy of the ransom—we will continue to encourage their friendship and fellowship. After having seen the blasphemies of Babylon, such a course would, undoubtedly, be displeasing to the Lord, because of a failure to rightly divide the Word of Truth.
Even though we may be firmly established in the dispensational truths now due, and by which the Lord is guiding us in our service of Him, there is still the necessity of watchfulness lest the adversary lead us astray along other lines. He may, for example, get us to believe that while we are indeed living in the end of the age, in the time of the harvest, yet that the harvest closed many years ago and that now there is nothing to be done except to “stand and wait.” On the other hand, Satan may succeed in getting us to believe that the harvest, being over, the Lord wishes us now to be active merely in proclaiming a message of truth to the world. Let us be on guard along these seductive and subtle lines.
The Lord makes it clear in His Word that he desires us to proclaim the whole Kingdom truth until the nighttime of trouble settles down upon the world, when activity along this line will no longer be possible. In our endeavors to rightly divide the Word of Truth, it becomes evident that following the glorification of the church, and also following a brief period of darkness in which no message of truth of any kind will be permitted, there will come an opportunity for a wide circulation of the truth as indicated in the message of Revelation 19: “Let us be glad and rejoice, … for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.”
This is a message that will have incorporated in it, not only restitution hopes for the world, but the definite information that the church of the Gospel age has been completed and united with the Lamb in glory. This message, therefore, will be one which will be proclaimed either by the great company class, or by those who will be of the restitution class—possibly by both. However, only future developments can make this clear.
Meanwhile, we have not yet reached the dark night of trouble which closes the church’s privileges of proclaiming the truth; therefore, there is no evidence that the Lord wishes us to make any change in the message. It is still His will that we make known the entire plan of the ages, including the hope of the high calling of the church. Let us be faithful, therefore, in making use of all the opportunities that are still ours. Let us endeavor to faithfully continue our study of the Word that we may be blessed of the Lord in rightly dividing it and thereby knowing His will for us. And, when definitely learning the divine will, let us realize a full sense of the responsibility which it imposes upon us to lay down our lives in service and sacrifice as did our Captain and Redeemer, Christ Jesus, making known the glad tidings of His coming glorious Kingdom to be established in all the earth. Hallelujah for such a message as this!