…You Will Try to Live in a Program God Is Not Running
One of the greatest causes of confusion in Christianity today is not a lack of sincerity.
It is a failure to rightly divide the Word of truth.
Millions of believers genuinely love God…
yet constantly struggle with:
• confusion
• contradiction
• fear
• legalism
• spiritual frustration
Why?
Because they are trying to live in a program God is not running today.
That sounds strong —
but the Bible itself teaches dispensational distinctions.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God… rightly dividing the word of truth.”
— 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
Right division is not optional if we want clarity.
It is essential.
▪︎ GOD HAS NOT ALWAYS DEALT WITH MAN THE SAME WAY
Throughout Scripture, God progressively revealed His purpose.
There are distinctions between:
• Israel and the Body of Christ
• Prophecy and Mystery
• Law and Grace
• Earthly kingdom and heavenly calling
When those distinctions are ignored, believers begin mixing instructions from different programs together.
The result?
Confusion.
For example:
• Some try to claim Israel’s kingdom promises.
• Others place believers under Mosaic Law.
• Some seek signs and miracles as proof of spirituality.
• Others fear losing salvation because they mix kingdom endurance passages with Pauline grace doctrine.
All of that comes from failing to recognize what God is doing today.
▪︎ ISRAEL’S PROGRAM WAS REAL
God truly established a prophetic kingdom program with Israel.
Jesus said:
“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
— Matthew 15:24 KJV
And Paul confirms:
“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision…”
— Romans 15:8 KJV
During Christ’s earthly ministry:
• the kingdom was at hand
• signs accompanied the message
• prophecy was being fulfilled
• the Law was still in effect
That was God’s program with Israel.
But Israel rejected her Messiah.
And something previously hidden was revealed.
▪︎ GOD IS NOW OPERATING A DIFFERENT PROGRAM
Through the apostle Paul, the ascended Christ revealed:
• the Dispensation of Grace
• the Mystery
• the Body of Christ
• the heavenly calling of believers
“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles…”
— Romans 11:13 KJV
Paul’s ministry is unique because the risen Christ revealed to him truths:
“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men…”
— Ephesians 3:5 KJV
This present dispensation is not Israel’s kingdom program continuing unchanged.
It is a new administration of grace.
▪︎ THIS IS WHY MANY BELIEVERS LIVE FRUSTRATED
If you try to live under Israel’s program today:
• you will constantly fear failure
• you will struggle under legalism
• you will confuse performance with grace
• you will chase signs instead of sound doctrine
• you will misunderstand your identity in Christ
Why?
Because you are attempting to function in a program God is not administering today.
Imagine trying to use instructions from an old covenant system while ignoring the revelation Christ gave for this present age.
That produces spiritual instability.
Paul warns clearly:
“Ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
— Romans 6:14 KJV
Grace changes everything.
▪︎ THE GOSPEL FOR TODAY IS THE GOSPEL OF GRACE
Today, salvation is not found in:
• covenant faithfulness
• ceremonial obedience
• kingdom performance
• religious rituals
The gospel today is:
“How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day:”
— 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 KJV
Salvation today is:
• by grace
• through faith
• apart from works
• through Christ alone
That is the message committed to Paul for the Body of Christ.
▪︎ YOUR IDENTITY TODAY IS HEAVENLY
One of the greatest losses when believers fail to rightly divide is that they never fully understand who they are “in Christ.”
The Body of Christ is not earthly Israel waiting for a kingdom throne.
We are:
• blessed in heavenly places
• seated spiritually in Christ
• members of His Body
• called to a heavenly purpose
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
— Ephesians 2:6 KJV
That truth was hidden in ages past and revealed through Paul.
▪︎ THIS DOES NOT MEAN OTHER SCRIPTURE ISN’T TRUE
Right division is not rejecting parts of the Bible.
All Scripture is true.
All Scripture is profitable.
But not all Scripture is written directly TO the Body of Christ doctrinally.
Israel’s program teaches us ABOUT God’s dealings.
Paul’s epistles give direct doctrine FOR the Church today.
When that distinction is ignored, believers unintentionally place themselves back under systems God is not presently administering.
▪︎ WHY THIS MATTERS SO DEEPLY
Right division is not merely an intellectual system.
It protects:
• the clarity of the gospel
• the sufficiency of Christ
• the liberty of grace
• the believer’s assurance
• the heavenly calling of the Church
Without it, grace becomes diluted.
And whenever Law and Grace are mixed, confusion follows.
▪︎ CONCLUSION
If you do not rightly divide the Word of truth, you will inevitably try to live in a program God is not running today.
You will mix:
• Israel with the Body of Christ
• prophecy with Mystery
• Law with Grace
• earthly kingdom doctrine with heavenly truth
But when you recognize Paul’s unique apostleship and the present Dispensation of Grace:
• the Bible harmonizes
• the gospel becomes clear
• your identity becomes secure
• Christ’s finished work becomes sufficient
God is not administering Israel’s kingdom program today.
Today, He is forming the Body of Christ through the gospel of grace revealed to Paul.
Stand fast in that grace.
And rejoice that you are complete in Christ under a program built not on Law —
but on the riches of God’s grace.
