Right Division of The Word 1
By Pastor Raphael Adegoke
“15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2Timothy 2:15)
Blessed be the name of our Lord who is worthy to be praised and adored. May His name be praised forever! Amen. It is was great discussing “Understanding Church Leadership”. May God help us to appropriate the lessons learnt from it. Amen! Today, we shall begin to examine Right Division of the Word. It is scripturally indisputable that the Word is God and that all things were made by the same (John 1:1-3).
The Word has got certain distinctive attributes, two of which include honour and performance. The Word is God’s most honoured treasure. He honours His Word above His name (Psalm 138:2). Also, the Word has got the ability to perform whatever it is sent to do (Isaiah 55:11). Also, it has equally got the ability to heal and deliver from all destructions (Psalm 107:20).
If it is a known truth that the Word is God and God is the Word, then the Word is sacred. If the Word is sacred, then it should not be handled as we like. Nonetheless, it is unfortunate today that many ministers of the Word care less about the way the Word is handled. This, they desecrate.
One of the greatest privileges we have ever received and can ever receive is access to the Word and being custodians of the same. Meanwhile, from my personal experience, one of the things I have found out that human beings grossly abuse is privilege. This is often so because it requires little or no efforts on our part, even when we fail to understand that it costs the giver of the privilege a lot. The cost on the part of the giver sometimes include discomfort, humility, self denial, loss, compromise, pains, hardship, efforts, money, time, e.t.c.
Every privilege, though seems to be free to the recipient, yet has got prerequisite(s) and condition(s) to be fully enjoyed. Infact, the ultimate blessing of God in the scripture has got the same. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16). Even though eternal life is free, yet accessing it requires believing. Also, though grace is free, yet it takes sinlessness to keep enjoying it. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (Romans 6:1)
As we journey through this series, the first thing to be considered as a prerequisite to enjoying the privileged access to the Word is salvation. Though this may sound demeaning since the write-up addresses Ministers, but that shouldnt in the actual sense, because from my years of interaction with Ministers, working with Ministers and training Ministers, I have seen that many ministers are yet to be saved, while many still remain as babes. The latter, though seem non-inimical, yet so dangerous as the former. Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! (Eccl. 10:16).
Salvation for a Minister that will divide the Word of God is non-negotiable because of the spirituality of the Word. The Word is understood by revelation, not by information, and it takes a man of the Spirit to gain access to such revelation. “17 Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:17). Meanwhile, to become spiritual, one has to be born of the Spirit. Jesus answered, Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5)
Pastor Raphael Adegoke is a Pastor in Christ Apostolic Church (Nigeria & Overseas) and a Lecturer in Christ Apostolic Church Theological Seminary.
