Hebrews One has so many beautiful doctrinal truths! It is the perfect beginning of our journey into the Jewish epistles. It was important to begin our class with a simple definition of our Bible study method of rightly dividing the Word of God.
2 Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
There are several key elements to our hermeneutics (method of interpretation) of scripture:
We hold to a literal understanding of the scriptures. The Bible says what it says.
We read the grammar as it is in the text, and do not read anything into the text.
We believe in the historical context of all scriptures. Someone is the author, and there is a historical audience the author was speaking to.
It is amazing to consider that every Old Testament scripture quoted in the New Testament was quoted in its original contextual meaning. No scripture was borrowed and misapplied to prove a point. Too many scriptures today are spiritualized, allegorized, and eisegeted (reading a meaning into a scripture that was not originally intended by the author)! Our intent is to make sure that each of you will know how to study your Bible keeping things that belong to Israel separate from things that belong to the body of Christ.
Reading all of Chapter One in class was a great beginning to this book. Paul begins this letter establishing the Lord Jesus Christ as creator (Hebrews 1:1-2, 10, Genesis 1:1-2:7, Psalms 104:1-9, John 1:1-3). He purged all our sins by himself (Colossians 2:11-15, Titus 3:4-7, 1 John 2:2). He is seated on the right hand of God the Father (Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 8:1, 10:11-13). He is better than the angels! This creation has an expiration date (Hebrews 1:1-12, Isaiah 65:17, 2 Peter 3:7, 10-14, Revelation 21:1).
At the end of class we discussed the issue of God’s chastening in this dispensation of grace. Please remember that God has dispensed His grace all throughout history, but He also dispensed wrath and punishment to those who rebelled or lived in unbelief. Hebrews 12:5-11 discusses the role of chastening in the lives of Jewish believers directly associated with the tribulation. Hebrews is a letter that deals with the circumstances surrounding the nation of Israel and the believing remnant of Jews.
During this dispensation of the grace of God, God is not imputing sin to anyone. He operates in this Mystery time from the position that all sins were forgiven on Calvary. So, He is not in the business of chastening, condemning, or pouring out His wrath at this time. What He does have in place as a “checks and balances” situation is the Law of Sowing and Reaping. This law has been in operation from the beginning when Lucifer fell. Adam was subject to this law in the garden. The world was subject to it as Noah was building the ark, etc..
Galatians 6:7-9: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
We are subject to this law! If we sow to our flesh we will reap corruption. Troubles will come upon the life of any believer who misuses or abuses the liberty they have in Christ.
Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:13: For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
God’s comfort and grace and mercy are always available to all who seek to be in fellowship with Him. It is a constant theme throughout Paul’s writings. We need to mortify the deeds of the flesh, put off the old man, and put on the new man! This is our responsibility, and we will either reap the benefits of a right relationship or suffer the consequences of our choices.
Your Fellow Student,
Ken Wooten
Micah 6:8
828-243-8234
rdtw.org
The three basic applications of Bible study:
Simple Treasure Historic Application (STHA): The events we read in scripture really happened to real people at a particular time in history. Understanding the historical context is vital to proper interpretation and to make the second application meaningful.
Personal Treasure Devotional Application (PTDA): We learn lessons from the real events. situations, and experiences of those real people in the historical application that we can apply devotionally / inspirationally to our own lives as we face similar situations and circumstances.
Deep Treasure Doctrinal Application (DTDA): Also known as the prophetic application, identifies what an event or situation in history foreshadows or pictures prophetic events yet to be fulfilled. It is the real teaching of the passage. Doctrine = teaching! This Application employs strict rules of Bible study to make consistent prophetic applications. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Titus 2:1
Definition of a Dispensation (House Rules)
A dispensation is an economy of time in which a stewardship of God’s grace and plan is dispensed to an individual or group through progressive revelation. God dispensed a new set of “House Laws or Rules” that needed to be followed and was the responsibility of those who lived under them to carry out and obey. (Ex: Presidential Administrations / executive orders) Each dispensation builds upon the previous dispensation revealing more of God’s plan to mankind. Belief / faith and obedience are the key ingredients to a healthy relationship with God in each dispensation. We are under “the dispensation of the grace of God.” This current administration is an administration of grace. The House is managed by grace. We are saved by grace, our walk is a grace walk, etc.. The letters of Paul provide us with our “House Rules” that we are to directly live by in this dispensation of grace.