Apologetics for the Masses #473 - The Right Division of Scripture

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Topic

A challenge - from a believer in the Right Division of Scripture theology - to the 8 questions I asked of a Baptist Minister in the last newsletter: Eight Questions For a Baptist Minister.

General Comments

Hey folks,

Just a reminder to check out the "Articles of Interest" towards the bottom of the newsletter.  I've been getting pretty good feedback about that feature so far.  The lead article this week is from Steve Ray - Questions for Bible Christians.  If you like my last book, which has 30 "Questions Protestants Can't Answer," you'll very much enjoy these questions from Steve.  They're in the same vein - using logic and common sense, along with the Bible, to point out to Protestants how their theology has no foundation in logic or common sense...or the Bible.  His questions obviously cover many of the same topics as the questions I ask in the book, or have asked in these newsletters over the years, but his cover other topics as well, and he asks them in a different style.  So, again, I think you'll enjoy them and you'll be able to use them in your conversations with Protestants to, hopefully, get them to think about what it is they believe, and why they believe it...and bring them closer to the fullness of truth.

Plus, there's an article by Dr. Naomi Wolf I want to highlight.  It's kinda long, but there is some stuff in there that is really scary about how governments - not just ours - are using technology, and the power of the state -  to control and coerce their citizenry.  And there are a few other articles as well.

Introduction

In the last newsletter - Eight Questions From a Protestant Minister - I finished my responses by asking eight questions of my own of the Protestant (Baptist) minister.  Well, I had a non-Catholic subscriber, a gentleman by the name of Tim Duma, shoot me an email telling me that answering those questions is, essentially, a piece of cake for any "saved knowledgeable person" such as he.  Furthermore, he told me that my understanding of the Bible was seriously flawed.  It turns out that Tim is a devotee' of a particular type of theology called "Right Division of Scripture".  I know some of you have dealt with this before, but I'm guessing many of you may not have.  I know I've mentioned it before, but I don't think I've ever done a deep dive on this theology in these newsletters before, so I'm going to use my email exhange with Tim to do just that.  Assuming he stays on for the ride. 

I'll explain in more detail what Right Division of Scripture theology is as we go along (as I anticipate this exchange will play out over the next few newsletters).  But, in essence, it's based on a rather interesting interpretation of 2 Timothy 2:15.  And, not just any bible's translation of 2 Timothy 2:15, but only the King James Bible's - the "perfect" Bible - translation of 2 Tim 2:15, which talks about "rightly dividing" the word of truth (i.e., the Bible).  That phrase, "rightly dividing" is interpreted by folks who adhere to this theology as meaning one should literally divide the Bible up into the parts meant for the Jews and the parts meant for the Gentiles.  Most of the Bible, you see, is apparently meant only for the Jews, and that would not just be the Old Testament.  That also includes the Gospels, the Acts, the letters of Peter, James, and John, as well as Jude and Revelation.  And, of course, the Letter to the Hebrews is only meant for the Jews.  The part of the Bible that is meant for the Gentiles is comprised of the letters written by Paul.  So, unless you are Jewish, the only part of the Bible that applies to you are Paul's letters.  First time I ever came across this theology, I asked the guy I was talking to this question: "So, you don't think the Gospels apply to you?"  He responded with, "The Bible says that Jesus came for the Jews and that Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, so I go by what Paul says and not by what Jesus says."  Could not believe what I was hearing. 

Anyway, after I received Tim's initial email, we exchanged a few emails and I anticipate we will be exchanging a few more in the coming days and weeks.  So, below I start off with my "Eight Questions for a Baptist Minister" that I ended my last newsletter with, then Tim's email in response to that, and then away we go.  This first newsletter, though, is going to be relatively short, as I'm not going to respond to his main salvo...yet.  I'm going to leave his last response hanging out there for a week and let you guys think about how you would respond to it.  Then next week I'll come back with my response.

Challenge/Response/Strategy

John Martignoni
My eight questions to a Baptist Minister:

1) In Matthew 19:16, Jesus was asked, "What good deed must I do, to have eternal life?"  Jesus responded, in verse 17, "If you would enter life, keep the Commandments."  Do you agree with Jesus' answer?

2) If, "Yes," then do you believe works (keeping the Commandments) contribute to one receiving salvation?  If, "No," then do you believe Jesus was wrong?

3) In Eph 2:10, it says that God has prepared good works for us that we "should" walk in them.  If we don't walk in them, can we be saved?

4) If, "Yes," how do you reconcile your answer with Matt 7:21 that says if we do not DO the will of God (walk in the works He has prepared for us), we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven?  If, “No,” then doesn’t that mean works are necessary for salvation?

5) In John 6:51, Jesus says that the bread He wants to give us to eat, is the flesh that He will give for the life of the world.  He gave His flesh for the life of the world on the Cross, right?  Was Jesus' flesh on the Cross real, or merely symbolic?

6) If you answer "real," to #5, then if Jesus was talking about giving us His real flesh on the Cross as the bread which we are to eat in verse 51, do you then claim He was speaking of His symbolic flesh when He said we must eat His flesh and drink His blood and that His flesh and blood are real food and real drink in verses 53-58?

7) In John 15:1-6, Jesus talks about being the vine, are the branches Christians or non-Christians?

8) If the branches are indeed Christians, then how is it the branches that don't produce fruit can be cast forth and thrown into the fire to be burned, which is an obvious reference to Hell?  If the branches are not Christians, how could a non-Christian be a branch of the vine that is Christ?

Tim Duma
John Martignoni,

I must say your answers prove that you do not understand basic truths about the scriptures!

John Martignoni
Well, Tim, you don't know a whole lot about me, then, do you?  I have never been afraid to post what I receive from Protestants, as  it only goes to strengthen the arguments of the Catholic Church; however, I have never been accorded the same courtesy by the Protestants on their websites.  I wonder why that is?

So, go ahead and send me your "rightly divided" answers.  I've dealt with you 2:Tim 2:15 folks, and your misinterpretations of Scripture, many times before.  Let's see if you can be the first one to actually defend your position with logically and scripturally consistent answers.

My Comments
As soon as he said "from a Bible believing rightly dividing perspective," I was pretty sure what I was dealing with - 2 Tim 2:15 of the King James Bible.  So, I replied to let him know that I have never been afraid to post anything from Protestants, as the weakness and illogic of their arguments only serves as a witness to the truth of Catholic teaching.  Error fears truth, truth does not fear error. Which is why the folks I've dealt with in the past - such as Mike Gendron and his ilk - never post anything of my responses to their garbage on their websites or in their newsletters.  I also wanted to let him know that he was not going to be surprising me with anything that I haven't heard before.

Tim Duma
I listened to your testimony of how you have seen the many “variations” and “brands” of Christianity (and this is 100% true) not only with the cults i.e.: Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, 7-day Adventists, Church of Christ, Catholicism etc. But also, in so-called “evangelical “brands of “Christianity” Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist (over 100 brands of these) bible churches(many brands of these), Charismatic churches (many brands of these) Calvinists Churches, Armenian, and so on, and so on!  The question you had in your testimony is WHY are there so many isms and schisms and different beliefs, HOW can this be???    

John, you asked a very good question, unfortunately, you landed with the wrong answer and came to the Roman Catholic Church as your “final authority”!   John IF you want to be shown how this can be easily answered, ONLY the Holy Spirit can give you a true guide to this answer, I can only show you from scripture, history, and truth, IF you are an “honest” person you will come to the same conclusion that millions in time past have concluded, and due to the Leocadia age we are living NOW, very few come to this conclusion today (that WHY we have this current mess)!   

So let me begin with a very simple question for you, SO we have a solid foundation!!    This question is the REASON, for the problem above AND your search for absolute truth!   This question is “Sound Doctrine” 2Tim4:3, Titus 1:9,!  Can you define What SOUND DOCTRINE is, and what scripture do you have to defend your answer?   If we can agree on this, THEN all the above “bad teachings” can be explained, IF we can not agree on this, all we will ever get is the back and forth, and will never STAND firm on a solid foundation!   

I read many of your emails and I have never (I may be wrong) seen anyone build upon a sound foundation as to this answer!

John Martignoni
Huh...I thought you were going to answer my questions.  After all, they're so easy to answer.

But, I'll go ahead and answer your test question, although your question isn't worded very well for the answer you're wanting to get.

The definition of "sound doctrine" is simply this: Any and all doctrine that is true is sound doctrine.  Know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:32).  For example, the Jews believe there is one God.  That is a true doctrine...which makes it a sound doctrine.

Now, if you would like a definition of "sound Christian doctrine", it is this: The revealed teachings of Jesus Christ that He commanded His disciples to teach to all nations (Matt 28:19-20).  And, if you do not believe those teachings then you know nothing (1 Tim 6:3).

Now, are you going to answer my questions that you said were so easy, or not?  And, one other question to add to the original ones: By what authority do you dare to tell me I'm right or wrong on anything to do with the Christian religion?

My Comments
He said my questions were "quite easy" to answer; yet, he didn't answer my questions.  Instead, he asked a question.  However, since it was a question aimed at reaching a common foundation upon which to build, instead of just trying to avoid actually answering my questions, I went ahead and gave him an answer, instead of simply repeating my questions and asking him to answer them as he said he would. 

And, since I answered his question, I set the stage for me to ask a foundational question or two regarding "rightly dividing".  Questions which I will expect him to answer, as I did his, before we move forward.  I wasn't really sure what answer to his "test" question he was going for, so I just gave him an answer that was backed up by the Bible.  Backed up by one part of the Bible that is for Jews, according to right division theology - Matthew's Gospel - and another part of the Bible that is for Gentiles - 1 Timothy.  So, even if it wasn't the exact answer he was looking for - and it turns out it wasn't - it was still a legitimate answer that he would have had a whole lot of trouble arguing with.

Now we start to get into the nitty gritty...

Tim Duma
OK, the reason I asked you this question is that I am trying to lay a solid, sound foundation, and IF you have a solid foundation, you will never get into false or heretical doctrine!  I noted many times in your answers to many questions you broke this sound doctrine foundation, and when I answer your questions, you will see you have the typical poor foundation which will lead to a doctoral error that WILL affect your eternal soul!    If you do pay attention, you will learn some things, and don’t be afraid of the truth (John 17:17), especially if it is what you were taught or believed by a man or a religion!

The BIBLE definition of SOUND DOCTRINE is quite simple! It is the way God intended us to Study the word (2 Tim 2:15) divided into the PERFECT PRESERVED word (Matt 24:35, Psalm 12:6-7) The King James Bible = Equals SOUND DOCTRINE!   John, there is one PURE word of God the AV1611, and over 250 counterfeits (This is basic foundational teaching) Paul laid out 2 Timothy 2:15 perfectly we are to STUDY it, be APPROVED unto God, Don’t be ashamed, AND Rightly divide it!    Almost ALL of the cults, isms, and heresy out today either use a satanic counterfeit bible and/or do NOT rightly divide it, and by doing this you can get the scripture to say almost anything you want it to say!  I will show this TRUTH in the answers you provided to the questions in your newsletter!

John, didn’t your “god” give you a perfect book?  Mine Did? Didn’t your god tell you how to study it? Mine Did?   There are many different gospels, spirits, and Jesus’s, your soul better be 100% sure you got the correct ones!  2 Corinthians 11:4 (KJV) For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. Galatians 1:7 (KJV) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  And IF you have an online apologetics, you better know what you are talking about! 

John, do you KNOW the only two places in Scripture where the DEVIL shows up and gives a play-by-play verse of what he wants to attack? #1) Genesis 3:1 (KJV) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  John the first thing the devil wants YOU to do is to question God's word!!! Eve’s subtracted from the text she removed the word “freely” and then added “touch”!   The devil questioned the word, gave a ½ truth and Eve subtracted and added to the word, (an innocent woman programed by God easily tricked)! This is what the Devil has been trying to do ever since, (and with great success) and that is why we have 250+ different versions, that come from the satanic line of the Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus where your Roman Catholic bible comes from! You don’t even have a real bible, how pathetic is that!!! No wonder why Catholics have to go to a man who is a sinner, and wears a Dagon fish hat to interpret what the word says!  In my 40 years of being saved, I still am amazed at such ignorance!  (I hope the Holy Spirit is showing you some things here).

The #2 spot is In Luke 4:1-13, for lack of a long letter, just read the devil tempting The Lord Jesus Christ in these verses! The Devil was trying to get Him to change the way the scriptures are laid out and wanted The Lord to come before His time (not rightly dividing the word of God). This is going on BIG time today and that’s WHY we have all the cults and heresies! Look what happens after the temptation in Luke 4:14-21 so you can NOT miss it!!!!!     Luke 4:14-21 (KJV) And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.  The lord went to the Book of Isaiah and quoted ONLY up to the middle of verse 61:12 and STOPPED!!! Why because there is the BREAK between the first coming (Jesus was in their midst), and the second half of verse 61:12, which is the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, 2000 years later!  The Lord Jesus Christ rightly divided the word!  How can YOU miss this!!!!!   This is how we should STUDY the word!!!!  

John, I gave you the only two places in scripture where the Lord shows you a clear path where the Devil messes with two very important truths, The word of God, AND rightly dividing the scriptures, this is NO small matter and this is why you are all messed up in your theology, you unfortunately do not have either correct!! 

There is a boatload of information on the Bible issue AND right division, so I will just put a few links below, so I do not have to spend hours redoing what others have done. I will spend time on the application of these truths to show you how you get bad doctrine to your answers!  

There are hundreds of books on this issue, and the ONLY zeal is for the King James Bible, the ONLY one without a copyright (you can't copyright Gods word) 

My Comments
Awesome!  I'm converted!  Yeah, right.  Okay, I'm stopping here for now.  At the end of his response, he added a couple of links to videos that "explain" the "right division" of Scripture, but I'm not including them here because, first of all, they are both rather long (one is an hour and forty-five minutes and the other is two hours and forty minutes) and, secondly, that's not how I do dialogues.  Go read this article.  Go watch that video.  No, sorry, not going to do that.  I want the other guy to explain to me, in their own words, what it is they believe and why they believe it. 

So, no, I'm not going to waste my time watching those videos and neither should you, which is why I'm not publishing the links to them.  If you want to learn more about "right division," you can just do an internet search.  He then went on to give an answer to the first of the Eight Questions For a Protestant Minister.  However, were I to publish it here, it would make this newsletter incredibly long.  Besides, there are some questions that I need answers to - so we can "lay a solid, sound foundation" for our conversation - before I start getting into it with him regarding his specific answers to those eight questions.  So, I will hold off on publishing his answer to Question #1 for now, but will publish it in the near future.

So, here is your Homework Assignment: I want you guys to take the next few days and think about how you would respond to what he just said.  There are a number of individual points that could be attacked, which I will do in my response, but what is it, first and foremost, that needs to be addressed here and how would you address it?  Hint: What do I always say is THE underlying issue in all disputes between Catholic and Protestant theology? 

Closing Comments

I hope all of you had a happy and holy Holy Week and Easter Sunday, and that this Easter Season will prove to be spiritually profitable for you and your loved ones!

And I hope all of you had a wonderful National Atheists' Day on April 1st!  One of my favorite holidays!  (Psalms 14:1)

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