In our Bible study it would always help us to apply four key questioning when we interpret any particular Scripture. If we are to rightly divide and apply the Scripture we must closely look at the Scripture to determine the answer to these four questions.

1. To whom it is written? … either, "1Cor 10:32 …The Jew, the Gentile, or the Church of God"

2. Concerning what specifically? … "Acts 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

Note what was spoken by Peter at Pentecost and after, addressing the Jews, three times Acts 2:22; Acts 3:12; Acts 5:35. Peter said Pentecost concerned things that were prophesied by Joel, and were witnessed by the miracles of Jesus as signs of the validity of His message. Thus, these things have nothing to do with the "mystery" of "the dispensation of grace" that was later revealed to Paul.

Paul's message and gospel had been until then "kept secret since the world began." It was  never was prophesied (Eph 1:11, Rom 16:25). The mystery of the grace dispensation that Paul wrote about was never revealed by anyone before Jesus Christ directly revealed it to Paul. (Gal 1:12)

3. At what time is it applicable? …"In the last days I will" as with many prophecies.

4. In what context is it applicable? … "If you… I will." Such contingencies "if" are always typical of the law and not grace which is unconditional.

Let's now consider vertical truth and horizontal truth.

The things that are written specifically to us in this age are what we could call vertical truth - that is it was formerly hidden truth that was ultimately dispensed by the ascended Lord to Paul for us in this age of "the grace of God." The grace truth the ascended Lord Jesus gave Paul for us today was inserted, interrupting the timeline of Biblical prophecy that had been given concerning Israel and the Kingdom to come to earth.

While Paul's message "had been kept secret since the world began" (Rom 16:25), there are in the Bible record of those things written to and concerning Israel, that had been fully revealed, according to Peter, "by all the prophets" (Acts 3:24). These oft spoken so-called Jewish things cover 75% of the Bible span the time of Abraham's call to the end of Revelation, with the exclusion of Paul's 13 epistles (Romans to Philemon) written to and concerning "the body of Christ." In the Old Testament we have Israel's history and the many prophecies, many of which are yet to be fulfilled.

Thus there are vertical and horizontal truths in the Bible.

That which is written to one in a specific dispensation, such as the Church which is His body, is vertical truth (example: grace for this dispensation may not be mixed with law of another dispensation), while that which is written in any dispensation but may be used for our learning in any other dispensation is "horizontal truth" (example: those things such as the nature of God). These horizontal truths continue always, traversing all dispensations.