Let us take these three divisions of our subject and examine them separately in the

light of all Scripture.

First. Can there be "truth" that is true at one time and not true at another? In one

sense, any word that God has said is eternally, unalterably, true. The law given through

Moses is as true to-day as when it was first instituted. Yet, not one of those who read

these words has ever kept all those laws, which are true, nor has he any intention of doing

so. The law of Moses, as we have already seen, contains commands that were not only

enjoined upon the people, but accompanied by severe penalties for non-observance.

There is a series of commands accompanied by the threat of disobedience, that "He shall

be cut off from his people". Such are the rite of circumcision (Gen. 17: 14), the eating

of leaven during the days of unleavened bread (Exod. 12: 15), the keeping of the sabbath

(Exod. 31: 14), the keeping of the day of atonement (Lev. 23: 29), the observance of

the Passover (Numb. 9: 13), the purification upon touching a dead body (Numb. 19: 13,

20). Now either these passages are the truth of God, or they are not. We believe that

they are truth, the words of Moses being endorsed by the Saviour Himself (Luke 24: 27,

John 5: 46, 47). Here therefore are words of truth, recognized as truth by believers, who

nevertheless agree that they have not obeyed them, and do not intend to obey them, yet

they have not suffered the penalties involved, nor do they expect to. Indeed, as we have

already observed, in the self-same Bible that enjoins, with such solemnity, circumcision

or the keeping of the Sabbath day, we also read "If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit

you nothing . . . . . ye are fallen from grace" (Gal. 5: 2 and 4). And again, to the same

effect, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day,

or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days" (Col. 2: 16).

How are we to reconcile these, apparently, conflicting statements? You must be

circumcised; you must not be circumcised. You must keep the Sabbath day; you should

not keep the Sabbath day.  You will be cut off if you fail to observe these

commandments; you will fall from grace if you do. Unless the whole of the revelation of

God is to be reduced to a mass of contradictions, surely there is a key provided that will

give an honourable and satisfying solution of the difficulty. There is, and that key is

implied in the term Dispensational Truth, the principle "Right Division", in other words

"truth for the times". We therefore arrive at the next inquiry.

Secondly. Such a discrimination between one scripture and another is both proper and

Scriptural. When the Apostle enjoined Timothy "rightly to divide the word of truth", or

when he urged the Philippians to "approve things that are excellent", or, as the margin

indicates, to "try the things that differ", he had this principle of interpretation in view.

When the Apostle distinguishes between Jew and Gentile, between kingdom and church,

between earthly promises and heavenly places, between Bride and Body, between the

citizenship of the New Jerusalem and the seating together of some "in heavenly places",

each portion of Scripture is recognized as "truth", but not every portion referred to is

"truth for the times".