WHAT SHOULD WE TEACH THE LOST? (2)

2 Timothy 2:15 "Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth."

I.INTRODUCTION-- Our text shows that the command to "rightly divide," or "handle aright" the Word of God implies that the Word can be handled wrongly!
A. Many examples of disasters stemming from the "mishandling" of the Word are illustrated in the Bible.
B. We must impress upon the lost that one who makes similar mistakes may continue to be lost, while trusting false teaching as if it were true.

II. LESSON--

A. First, I acquaint the prospect with the fact that there is a major division in the Bible (OT and NT), and ask him if he knows why this division exists.
1. Explain to the prospect that the OT was given to the Jews, only. Deutero nomy 5:1-3 "And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them. 2 Jehovah our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 Jehovah made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day."
a. I show that the "10 Commandments" are included in this old cove-nant, so are not give to all nations.
b. The Old Testament separated the Jews from all other nations. Deuteronomy 7:1-6
2. The Old Testament was destined to be replaced by the New.
a. A thousand years after Moses, and 500 years before Christ, Jeremiah announced the change. Jeremiah 31:31-34
(1) Show that this passage says that the New Covenant was to be to Israel and Judah, also.
(2) The NT was not, however, restricted to the Jews, but applied to all men. Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-16, Luke 24:46-47
b. The writer of Hebrews reveals that this announcement was the "death" of the 1st Covenant. Hebrews 8:7-13
(1) The New Covenant would have no "untaught" persons, such as infants. John 6:44-45
(2) The fault of the Law (vs. 7) was in the matter of forgiveness. Hebrews 10:1-4
c. The time and manner of the change is important.
(1) The time would be at the death of Christ.
(a) The OT nailed to the cross. Col. 2:14
(b) The NT in force after death. Heb. 9:15-17
(2) The manner would be the abolition of the OT, and replacement by the NT.
(a) The first taken away, in order to establish the second. Hebrews 10:9-10
(b) The "veil" of the OT needs to be taken away. 2 Corinthians 3:7-16

B. Next, show the consequences of this change for those under the NT.
1. We are "discharged" from the Law by its death. Romans 7:4-6
2. If we receive some command from the OT...
a. We are under a "curse," if we do not keep it all. Galatians 3:10-14 (See Deuteronomy 27:26.)
b. And, we must keep all of it, if we do one part. Galatians 5:2-4 (The same action severs us from Christ!)

(NOTE: the OT is useful for "learning" [Romans 15:4], and for "warning" [1 Corinthians 10:6,11], and for the "knowledge of sin" [Romans 3:20].)
3. In application of Galatians 5, show that if we accept such practices as the use of instruments of music in the worship, the distinction of clergy from laity, the burning of incense, priestly dress, daily sacrifice of the mass, or any other practice based on the teaching or authority of the OT, the same lethal consequences occur for us that applied to the Galatians.
4.Therefore, we must not mix the obsolete authority of the OT with the current authority of the NT. We are to be strictly NT Christians! (We can Support this with the lesson learned by the disciples in Matthew 17:1-5.)

III. APPLICATION--
A. This principle is important to the convert in the complete and practical understanding of the Bible (In several guidebooks for personal evangelism among our brethren, this lesson is given only slight importance).
B. This principle undergirds the distinctive practices of the New Testament church.
C. This principle touches on the old question that is often raised about the salvation of the "thief on the cross" without baptism. (Show that the conditions set by Christ through the preaching of the Apostles after the cross are the ones that are important for salvation, not the random conditions Jesus applied to those who lived in that period before he died on the cross.)