Remember Love

Remember Love

When one first learns about dispensational views and rightly dividing, it quickly becomes deeply rooted in one’s heart and it changes everything about one’s views and interpretation of scripture. I am personally convicted in my heart that rightly dividing the Word between Israel and the Body of Christ, between law and grace, and between prophecy and mystery, is the ONLY way to effectively understand and interpret scripture. It has exponentially changed my understanding of God’s Word and my relationship with Him, and I’ll never turn back to my old understanding of merging or blending all the Bible into a single doctrine that is all about me, or for my needs and cares and wants.

Having said all this, I do want to mention something that is of crucial importance. I’m not sure about you, but this is something that I have experienced and want to bring to your attention.

To be passionate about dispensational truth and rightly dividing is vital in this world where sound biblical knowledge is so scarce. However, for us, who view scripture rightly divided, we should be careful not to get too passionate about the theology and the words, that we forget about love and the human connection. 

What do I mean here? 

Well, I’m active on social media platforms where we discuss God’s Word. On these platforms there is a myriad of different views, opinions, philosophy, and ignorance. When one deals with religion and issues of faith, people either become defensive, or can quickly attack one when their faith and views are challenged. It is in these times that we should not allow our passion for the rightly divided Word of truth to overshadow God’s love. As Paul says,

1Co 13:1-2  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  (2)  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

We might have deeper knowledge of God’s Word and we might understand the mysteries of His redemption plan, but if we cannot communicate them through the channel of love, through genuine respect, and in patience, then we are simply a noisy cymbal, and our sound doctrine can become a stumbling block for those who are already so deceived. Our motive in proclaiming the rightly divided truth, is not to prove our doctrine right, neither is it to defend the truth. Our motive is to simply sow the seeds of truth. We have nothing to prove to ourselves. We already know our doctrine is sound. So, we should trust it, and sow it, and allow the truth of God’s Word to do what it is designed to do; to cut and divide soul from spirit and be the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. We cannot change the views and faith of people. We cannot change their hearts and motives, but the truth can, and God’s Word is designed to work on the hearts of men. Sow it, and let it be, so it can do its work. Trust the word you sow and pray that it will be watered and grow.  

As we grow in dispensational truth, we should continually be aware of the balance between our passion for that truth and the frailty of the human heart. When it comes to teaching and edification, our passion for the truth must never exceed the love that we should have for that person. Consider this: Why are you sharing the Word with that person? Is it for any other reason than love? It had better be for love’s sake, else your motive is for your gain, for your pride, or for your glory. There is no life and worth in that!

Let me end with this truth spoken by our apostle and the patten in our grace life,

Rom 14:10-12  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  (11)  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.  (12)  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (13)  Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way  ...  (15)  But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat [actions/conduct], now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat [actions/conduct], for whom Christ died.

Let's find and maintain the balance between teaching the truth of God’s Word and love for the heart of man. Let our teaching and motives be driven by love. It is then that the Word of God will not return void.

Grace and peace.