Knowing how The Bible addresses separately to the Jews, the gentiles, the Church, the believers, the Devil and at times specific individuals is one of the ways of Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth.
Everything in the Bible is for our benefit, but not everything written is addressed to us as believers. Knowing who is speaking, and to whom can make a huge impact on our understanding and our faith.
Some of the biggest heretical theologies are created when everything written in the Bible is thought to be for the Church or the believer.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth
~ 2 Timothy 2 15
Rightly dividing the word, and discerning to whom the Bible is addressing tears down many bondages created by bad theologies and the Bible asks us not to be ashamed of it.
One of the largest and most erroneous theologies is about the function of the Holy Spirit Many myths and crazy theologies surround this topic.
One of the most common misconceptions is that the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins. This is a lie and not Biblical.
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth about the Holy Spirit
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin [people of the world, this is not talking about you], and of righteousness [referring to disciples and also you & me], and of judgment [devil and his works]: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
~ John 16:8 11
NOTICE Jesus is addressing three different groups of people in this verse, the world, disciples and the devil.
The Holy Spirit convicts the World of only one sin, the sin of unbelief in Jesus.
Believers, on the other hand, are those who have accepted Christ and His finished works, whom the Holy Spirit convicts of their righteousness in Christ Jesus Judgment is reserved for Satan.
It’s very interesting to note that the Holy Spirit DOES NOT convict the world of Homosexuality, drug abuse, prostitution, drunkenness, listening to music or appreciating fashion.
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of only ONE sin: Unbelief in Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit convicts believers of righteousness even when we sin (Yes we all sin let’s not act all holy and mighty) because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross.
God sees Jesus’ perfect works instead of us because he is our High Priest. And if the high priest is pure and blameless, so are we in this world.
Some may find it heretical to rightly divide and apply the word because tradition and religion have taught them to apply the entire Bible to themselves.
Don’t let your former beliefs and traditions shame you from rightly dividing the Word.
Rightly dividing the word does not stop at identifying to whom the bible is referring to but goes further with discerning Law vs Grace and different Dispensations.
