"Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth"

 2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

What it means to "Study" and to "rightly dividing the word of truth," means that "you cannot build sound doctrine upon one scripture standing alone! The entirety of Scripture has to agree with the teaching in order to be true Bible doctrine! 85 Scriptures out of 100 backing your theology does not qualify as sound Bible doctrine! Not even 99 out of 100! If there is ONE Scripture that does not agree with what you are trying to establish as what Jesus and the Apostles taught, then it all falls apart, it's ruined, it's not what they taught, it's not SOUND Bible doctrine!"

As with any truth in Bible doctrine, we need to look at the COMPLETE PICTURE of the puzzle, and not just one or two pieces of the puzzle and jumping to the conclusion that this is the complete portrait or sum of "grace" (Eph. 2:7-8) or of "Heaven, Hell, the Rapture, prosperity, etc"; when that is not what the entire picture conveys!

We could take, for example, the subject of "Heaven," and start building a doctrine preaching and teaching that, "Bless God, we're going to be in Heaven with Jesus for eternity!" Is that sound doctrine to teach that we will live in Heaven for eternity? NO, that's only part truth, it's not the WHOLE truth! But IF you left it resting upon ONE scripture, and didn't search the entirety of Scriptures, you might end up believing that is the truth. And IF someone came around telling you otherwise, because there are other Scriptures (not opinions, or denominational dogmas) IN the Bible declaring that the Heavenly city is coming to Earth after the Millennial reign of Jesus! You might think they're a heretic.

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. -Matt 22:29

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