Understand The Bible, Rightly Divide The Word of Truth

Welcome to Truth Time, where you'll get a shot of the truth with no chaser.
And now, your Truth Time host, Trey Searcy.
Here we go with another Truth Time transmission.
We're coast to coast and around the world, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Over the years, you've attempted to understand the Bible.
You read it, get disgusted, and then put it down for a while, perhaps weeks, months, or even years.
You want to understand it, you really do, but it just seems that something's missing.
And all you've ever heard are these evangelicals who teach the Bible through their traditional,
religious, denominational lenses, as opposed to teaching it in the manner that it should be taught, through the lenses of grace, and rightly dividing the word of truth.
The gospel of the grace of God is found on this side of the cross.
It was completely revealed to and through the apostle Paul, the apostle to the nations.
It's Truth Time because there's no better time for truth than right now.
Time now for our Truth quote, and the author is unknown.
And I quote, "Some people will not tolerate such emotional honesty in conversation.
They would rather defend their dishonesty on the grounds that it might hurt others.
Therefore, having rationalized their phoniness into nobility, they settle for superficial relationships."
You know, so often when the truth is shared, someone gets offended.
So if you've got thin skin, now would be a good time to make your exit.
We're going to bring you a shot of truth with no chaser.
We begin by welcoming a new Truth Time listener.
Romeo writes, "I enjoy reading the messages on your website, especially the compare the
verses section.
I find it very interesting and I'm teaching our Sunday school by using these compare the
verses."
You too may also want to check out these verse comparisons at TruthTimeRadio.com.
They'll help you to see the dichotomy between God's plan and time past during the Isaiah chapter 60, time of Israel's rise, and God's plan for today during the Romans 11, time of Israel's fall.
Israel's rise, Israel's fall.
There's information in your Bible that fall under both of those categories, the time of Israel's rise and the time of Israel's fall.
Getting this is vital to your understanding of the Scriptures.
A time in your Bible where Israel was at its rise over all nations, then a time in your Bible where Israel has fallen and they are equal, not above, any nation.
It's crucial that we make a clear and distinct division between the faith plus works salvation gospel and the faith plus nothing salvation gospel.
Both are truth and found in your Bible, but only one is truth for today.
Hence the instruction in 2 Timothy 2:15 that we are to rightly divide the word of truth.
Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13 declares the word of truth to be the gospel of your salvation.
Today, religion's definition of salvation sounds something like this, do more, try harder, it's up to you, so get 'er done.
Do more, try harder, it's up to you, so get 'er done.
It's as if being saved hinges on your completion of their self-improvement program.
Trying to change your life in order to be saved does not demonstrate your love for God, but rather your love for self.
God's pleasure in you is not based on you.
God's pleasure in you is based on his son in you and what he did on your behalf.
Due to enlarged egos, many have a problem facing this fact and they'll spend a lifetime on a performance treadmill that leads straight to the corner of disappointment and heartache avenue.
You know the place, just up the road from crash and burn drive.
This is where wrongly dividing the word of truth will take you.
It'll take you there, drop you off and drive away.
And there you are, left thinking that Peter's Acts chapter 10 verse 35 instruction that says, "God accepts those who works righteousness," is your mail.
Well it's not, and if you're being taught that this is your doctrine for today, that teacher has simply sent you the wrong mail.
Is it truth?
Absolutely.
The Bible is truth from cover to cover.
Is it your truth for today?
Absolutely not.
That's why the need to rightly divide the word of truth.
Whoever taught you that has simply missed Paul's instruction on the same subject.
The subject of Acts chapter 10 verse 35 is acceptance.
And later on, Paul gives his instruction on being accepted and it stands in stark contrast to what Peter said.
Just listen and you be the judge.
Ephesians chapter 1 verse 6, "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted."
Did you catch that?
Peter said that he who works righteousness is accepted by God.
While Paul later says, God through Jesus made, M-A-D-E, made us accepted.
Things that are different just can't be the same, and that's different.
You can't have it both ways.
You got to rightly divide the word of truth.
It's just that simple.
You see, some will turn from sin as if turning from sin will justify them.
Some will confess and ask God to forgive their sins, as if confessing and asking will justify them.
Some will walk the aisle as if walking the aisle will justify them.
Some will make an appointment to be water baptized as if being water baptized justifies them.
Some will attempt to turn over a new leaf, keep the golden rule.
Some will say they've committed their life to Christ as if committing their life will justify them.
How is it that Satan in his subtlety is able to distract so many from becoming saved?
He tells them to do things.
He whispers, hey, if you want to be saved, you must please God and here's how you do it.
You must walk the aisle.
You must get baptized.
You must stop sinning.
Yeah, if you just stop sinning, you'll be saved.
You know, the general theme to Satan's salvation plan is you must, you must, you must.
He tells you to just focus on yourself every day and you'll be accepted by God.
What he's ultimately done is he's taken your focus off the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mission accomplished.
You see, generally speaking, people have a submission problem.
Take the Bible, for example, the most amazing book ever written.
Now many own this book, but few actually believe this book.
Many say they like this book, but few actually cherish and love this book.
Many teach from this book, but few actually understand this book.
Many read this book, but few study this book, a blatant refusal to submit to the study method of rightly dividing the word of truth.
Upon opening this book, you come to a place that very clearly instructs you on how to study, how to finally understand this book, and what do you do?
You ignore it.
And these government-controlled churches never reward their members for questioning the validity
of the information they're being told.
No, those who question things are often ridiculed, but those who will just blindly accept what they're told are patted on the back and told what fine members of the church they are.
You know, you can go into a pitch-black room full of darkness and light a candle and instantly, that darkness will flee, but you can't do the opposite.
You can't take darkness into a well-lit room full of truth and light and have any effect whatsoever.
You see, love is the key, and love operates at its highest potential when it manifests itself through truth.
When you begin to live your life from the platform of truth, you'll start to vibrate on a different frequency, and this will allow yourself to live from a higher consciousness level.
Your discernment will start to peak.
You see, many today have gone through a dumbing-down process and are buying into the New World
Order's one-world religion.
That's where we're headed.
It's a blurring-the-lines, mind-conditioning program, and it's very deceptive.
Satan is at the head of this program, and man is assisting him through their distribution of disinformation.
Okay, it's time for a break, and we'll be right back with more Truth Time, because there's no better time for truth than right now.
Okay, we're back.
You know, sometimes folks are uncomfortable growing up.
It's called growing pains, and, well, we all have them.
As you come to the knowledge of the truth, you'll start to grow, and it can be rather uncomfortable sometimes.
I'm well aware that many love that secure feeling they get from their comfort zone, but Truth Time, well, we're here to challenge your thinking, and that'll demand that you step outside of your comfort zone.
Okay?
I'm going to continue to bring you the gospel of the grace of God in its purest form, plain and simple, placing the cookies on the bottom shelf where they're accessible to everyone.
You've been preached at, you've been stuffed full with preaching by sanctimonious, hypocritical,
pietistic, smug, religious, holier-than-thou legalistics, but it's time that you learn how to discover the truth for yourself.
God intended for His truth to be accessible to everyone.
All you need is to develop an understanding of one key method that's found in 2 Timothy 2:15.
What is this study method that will open this book up to you?
Rightly dividing the word of truth.
It's a practical study application that will absolutely rock your world.
Allow me to illustrate the beauty of growing up and beginning to rightly divide the word of truth on your own.
Get Acts chapter 10 and Ephesians chapter 1.
Acts chapter 10 and Ephesians chapter 1.
Now, listen closely, don't miss it, this is tantamount to your understanding, so pay close attention.
Acts chapter 10 verse 35 is where Peter says this, "He that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."
Think about it, Peter says, "He that feareth him, and..."
What?
"...worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."
This is plain and simple instructions here folks, not hard, just plain talk.
Peter's good news for those in Acts chapter 10 was this, to be accepted by God, you must work for it.
Now, you that claim that today's church began back there in Acts chapter 2, hey, we're all the way up to Acts chapter 10 and Peter is still preaching a works gospel.
So for those of you who still think that Peter and Paul preach the same gospel, as Ricky said to Lucy, "You got some 'splaining to do."
Just listen to what Paul says about how we are accepted with God.
And it's not the same, it's actually in opposition to what Peter said about it.
It stands in stark contrast.
Is this a problem that we've found in the Bible?
No.
Remember, Paul has just gotten saved one chapter prior to this, and has yet to even preach his first message.
So, we see that Peter is preaching according to prophecy, not according to Paul's revelation of the mystery.
Now, look with me in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 6.
Listen to Paul and you be the judge.
Is this the same gospel as Peter preached or is it different?
Listen closely.
"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted."
The word accepted is an adjective that means approved, or right.
So, Peter says that being approved or being right in the eyes of God depends on your works.
Hence the reason he said that he who worketh righteousness is accepted with God.
However, in stark contrast, Paul said that God, through Jesus, made, M-A-D-E, made us accepted.
And we know from Titus chapter 3 verse 5 that it's not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy that we're accepted.
Put those two verses side by side and compare them.
Are you ready for truth?
Stop comparing preacher to preacher, and start comparing scripture with scripture.
Don't take my word, test me.
Dust off that Bible and compare these verses for yourself.
From the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the early Acts period, the gospel being preached for salvation throughout Jerusalem was repent, Matthew chapter 3 verse 2 and Acts chapter 3 verse 19.
Be water baptized, Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, and Acts chapter 2 verse 38.
Forsake everything and everyone, Matthew 19:27 to 29, and Luke 14:33.
Sell everything, not some, not most, but everything, all your possessions.
Matthew chapter 19 verse 21, Acts chapter 2 verse 45, Acts chapter 3 verse 6, Acts chapter 4 verses 35 to 37, and Acts chapter 5 verses 1 to 10.
Keep the law, Matthew chapter 23 verses 1 to 3, Luke 2:22 to 27, and Acts chapter 7 verse 53.
Endure till the end, Matthew 10:22, and chapter 24 verse 13.
And there you are, you've been taught that this is your doctrine to follow.
First of all, it's not.
It's not your doctrine.
And secondly, aren't you glad?
Because if this is indeed your doctrine, you're doing a horrible job following it.
Attempting to be saved by following these instructions will only leave you religious and lost, a lost believer.
Oh, you're a believer, but you're believing the wrong information.
And the problem with lost believers is, they've gotten emotionally attached to their religion.
Now, getting them to elevate truth above their religion is quite the task.
Think about this, the focus of Romans chapter 6 is that, you're dead.
The focus of Romans chapter 7 is that, you're free from the law.
The focus of Romans chapter 8 is that, nothing can separate you from the love of God.
But yet you're fine with being told that salvation comes by faith plus works, and you're fine with being told that you can lose your salvation, and that you're under Israel's Old Testament instruction to tithe.
News flash, Malachi is a book written almost 400 years prior to the cross, and you're taught that it contains your doctrine for today?
Unbelievable.
There are three key verses in Malachi chapter 3 that set the record straight on the tithing issue.
Verse 4, 10, and 12.
Verse 10 says that God would open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on someone.
Verse 12 says that all nations shall call this someone blessed.
And verse 4 answers the mystery of who at that time this someone was, and guess what?
It wasn't you.
It was Israel, all by themselves.
Not the Israel of today, but biblical Israel.
You see, the problem with this false tithe doctrine that your church taught you is that it's nothing more than identity theft.
You've been taught to open your Bible and steal Israel's promises.
Oh, it's not intentional.
It's just that you've been taught by someone who did not obey 2 Timothy 2:15.
They're ignoring the fact that we must rightly divide the word of truth.
You see, you're not Israel.
For that matter, the nation Israel as we know them today are not this Israel being spoken of in scripture.
We know this because we can read.
And in Romans chapter 11, verse 11, we learn that their current condition before God is a fallen nation.
And through their fall, salvation has come unto the Gentiles, all people under heaven.
During this dispensation of grace, no one can come to God claiming to have any special national status.
No, in this dispensation, God is saving individuals, not a nation.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 11, our apostle Paul tells us this, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I become a man, I put away childish things."
You see, most of today's sophomoric preachers are unable to help anyone grow to spiritual
maturity.
Their failure to rightly divide the word of truth has left them with many unanswered questions.
Therefore, they're unable to convey a clear gospel presentation to anyone.
Many are religious and lost, lost believers.
You see, religion says, if you obey, you're accepted.
The gospel of grace says, you're accepted, so you should obey.
Religion says, if you're good, God will love you.
The gospel says, you're bad, and Jesus loves bad people.
Religion divides people by good or bad.
The gospel divides people by saved or lost.
Religion focuses on what you do or don't do.
The gospel focuses on what Jesus has already done.
Religion motivates by fear.
The gospel of grace motivates by love.
Would you like to finally understand the Bible?
In 2 Timothy 2:15, we're told not only to study, but how to study.
You're instructed to rightly divide the word of truth.
A student of God's word will find it very conducive upon discovering this study method.
The Bible says different things to different people in different settings.
And until you learn to rightly divide the word of truth, you'll wrongly divide it.
There are so many today that just really need to wake up.
They've been in a self-induced coma of misapplied scriptures for so long that when they hear me teach this basic, easy-to-understand truth, it sounds like the craziest thing they've ever heard.
Well, I dare you to keep listening.
I dare you to test me.
Test what I say with the Bible.
Sooner or later, you'll experience a transformation.
It'll occur once you open your mind to the truth and allow the hypnotic spell that you've been under to be broken.
An assiduous Bible student knows that salvation depends on Christ and His righteousness, not your righteousness.
And aren't you grateful because you'll never be righteous enough?
You see, Christ was sent to fulfill all righteousness, Matthew 3:15.
He kept the entire law and kept it perfectly, Matthew 5:17, and 18.
His death forgave, but His life gave.
His death forgave my sin, and His life gave me righteousness.
This redemptive work that He performed on our behalf was not restricted to what He did on the cross.
No, it goes beyond that.
You see, He not only died for our sins, He lived to give us his righteousness.
By him dying for our sins, he paid our debt and brought our account up to zero.
But it was his sinless, perfect, law-abiding life that filled our account with his righteousness.
Praise God!
I've been made righteous in the sight of God.
You've heard me say we should be awake, aware, alive, and active.
Well, we would not even be alive and able to be awake, aware, and active if he had not first been active on our behalf.
And now, by nothing we can do but by faith alone, no performing, but by our faith alone, God sees us as righteous, sanctified, and justified.
We've been sealed, and for how long?
Until the day of redemption.
And that's good news.
I'm Trey Searcy, and now you know the truth.