God instructed us to rightly divide the word of truth. But how do we know what is right? With hundreds of denominations and all sorts of diverse beliefs about God, the Bible, morality, and truth how can we know what is right? In fact, how can we know anything at all to be for sure? Mankind has dealt with this issue since they were given a brain to think. Philosophers call it the epistemological question.
Now the short and easy answer is never enough to this very serious question. The short answer is that we know what is right and true by God’s revelation, specifically his written revelation in the Bible.
‘Well, that’s you’re opinion.’
You see? The longer answer is always needed.
You cannot know if something is true unless you know the truth. You cannot know the truth unless there is a truth that you can know. And if there is a truth that can be known by everyone, then it cannot be discovered within us but outside of us in the realm of the supernatural. The only way that we can know for sure is if God tells us. Otherwise, our logic may be wrong, and our experience may be wrong, and our senses are easily deceived.
In God’s written revelation, the Bible, we are given the answers to all of life’s most intimate questions. All that is needed to accept God’s answers to life’s most important and troublesome questions are faith – that is to believe God at his word.
If you knew the answer to a very difficult puzzle that I could not figure out, all that would be needed for me to get to the answer would be to believe your instructions, to follow your advice.
To the legalistic Jews it was a stumbling block to have faith in Christ and his words. They wanted to work out the puzzle for themselves. They could not accept that they were not capable of working out their problems.
To the Greek philosophers faith is foolishness because they must trust something outside themselves. Since a philosopher’s sole authority rests only in his own reason or experience it is impossible for him to accept the revelation of God.
“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; “ – 1 Cor 1:22-23
But by faith, we receive the treasure of the truth of God and the answer to what is right.
“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. “ – 1 Corinthians 1:24
By faith, we read that Moses received instructions and obeyed, that David received instructions and obeyed, and also that Paul was given instructions and obeyed.
“For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. “ – 1 Corinthians 9:17
“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery…” – Ephesians 3:2-3
So then we are given the same commission and instructions by Christ to rightly divide what is right from what is wrong in this dispensation.
“Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” – 2 Timothy 2:7
God’s revelation as the standard of truth is a tremendous asset to our understanding what is right. All that is needed is for us to believe it as it is given to us.
Topical Index Page Published: Monday, May 30th, 2005
Last Modified: March 10, 2011