If there are dispensational distinctions observable in the Word of God it seems reasonable to suppose that the

`good news' preached to one class or company, may differ in some essentials from the `good news' preached to

another. If there has taken place a complete change in the administration of God's dealings with man subsequent to

that period covered by the Gospels and the Acts; if a different piece of God's `good news' has been sent by an

especially chosen apostle; if higher hopes and richer grace have been revealed; if we are definitely told that to the

apostle Paul has been committed this present dispensation; if he had the apostleship to the Gentiles, and the

proclamation of the mystery which had been hidden from before the foundation of the world committed to him, then

it is perfectly clear that to put into practice the commands, to entertain the hopes, or proclaim the `good news' to-day

pertaining to another dispensation, we shall be as guilty of denying the Lord, and of being ashamed of His

testimony, as the Judaisers were who sought to enforce the Mosaic law upon Gentile believers, as recorded in

chapter fifteen of Acts.

The above comments must suffice to introduce the subject of Right Division to our reader as our present object is

not so much to explain the principle but to apply it to one very important section of all Christian service, the

preaching of the gospel. We are sometimes met by the rejoinder to our advocacy of right division by the remark

`We are not concerned with dividing the Scriptures, but with preaching the gospel', to which we reply `Which

Gospel'? This often leads to a heated protestation that there is but `one gospel', the defender even going so far as to

speak of it as `the everlasting gospel'. Now in all this there is not the slightest slur cast upon the zeal or the

earnestness of those who thus object, we only feel that in many instances it proves to be a zeal without knowledge,

and if such zeal leads to preaching a gospel that belongs neither to kingdom nor to church, neither having the

sanction of the apostle of the Circumcision nor that of the apostle of the Uncircumcision, then surely the seriousness

of the subject will more than justify the prayerful perusal of the pages that follow.

Let us take as our opening consideration the oft repeated statement, `There is but one gospel'. Here is a list of

references to different gospels found in the New Testament.

The Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 24:14).

The Gospel of the Uncircumcision and of the Circumcision (Gal. 2:7).

The Gospel of God (Rom. 1:1; 1 Thess. 2:2).

The Gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16).

The Gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24).

The Gospel of the Glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4).

The Gospel of the Glory of the blessed God (1 Tim. 1:11).

The Gospel of your Salvation (Eph. 1:13).

The Everlasting Gospel (Rev. 14:6).

Now it is not our teaching that these nine items represent nine separate gospels, that would be both untrue and

absurd. The gospel of God, to be a gospel of salvation, must also be the gospel of Christ. It must also at the same

time be a gospel of grace. Upon examination we shall find that these references fall into well defined groups.

The application of the principle of right division is concerned particularly with the observance of `things that

differ'. Let us therefore turn our attention to each of these gospels in turn and commence with:

`And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and

healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people' (Matt. 4:23; and in similar words,

It is obvious from these two references that miraculous healing of disease was the normal accompaniment of this

gospel, and in the tenth chapter, where the twelve are commissioned to preach this gospel, the selfsame

accompaniment is stressed and given in detail.

`As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,

cast out devils' (Matt. 10:7,8).