Study to Show Yourself Approved

Study to Show Yourself Approved

Study To Show Yourself Approved , Timothy, an evangelist, received a letter from the apostle Paul that said, “Study to present thyself acceptable unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, correctly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

This verse does a great job of illustrating the necessity to recognize that word meanings can change and that we must constantly be on the lookout for misapplication or twisting of the Bible, even when we are trying to preach the truth. Only the 1611 King James Version contains the translation, “study to present oneself approved unto God.” The word “study” in 1611 denoted effort or being diligent.

Be diligent to show yourself before God as a workman who does not need to be embarrassed, handling the word of truth rightly, is how the Bible reads the verse. Do your best to present yourself to God as someone who is authorized, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, and who appropriately handles the word of truth, according to how the New International Version translates the verse.

Bible study is crucial, but 2 Timothy 2:15 is more than just a directive to do so. There is much more involved in being a trusted worker. Timothy needed to understand that he needed to be attentive in serving God if he wanted to be a workman that God would approve of. God is not the sort of Master who will tolerate subpar work! Timothy would not have to feel humiliated when he stood before God on the day of judgment by diligently dedicating himself in service.

He would need to correctly handle the word of truth—or, as the King James Version translates it, rightly divide the word of truth—in order to be that diligent, approved worker. It is necessary to spend a lot of time studying, thinking about, and praying in order to handle the Bible and the message of truth properly. It will entail approaching the truth of the Bible with an open mind, an open heart, and a loyal life. Understanding the distinctions between the Old and New Covenants and that the New Testament is the source of Christian belief and practice today is implicit in good handling.

All of God’s children ought to strive to become qualified workers. Paul emphasized the significance of living a faithful life before God, even to the point of suffering, in the paragraphs prior to 2 Timothy 2:15. If we endure suffering, we will reign with him; if we reject him, he will reject us as well (2 Timothy 2:12). Then he said to Timothy, “Remember these things, and charge them before the Lord, that they strive not about words unto vanity, but toward the subversion of the hearers” (2 Timothy 2:14).

Timothy, an evangelist, was to remind his listeners of the sacrifice made by Christ, the necessity of serving Him, and the necessity of working hard to be God’s hand-picked workers. We shall be able to stand with Timothy before God guilt-free if we diligently put all of our effort into serving God. Nothing will make it easier for us to satisfy God than to treat God’s written word with attention and accuracy. With the same devotion as the psalmist who declared, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” we should regard the written word of God Psalm 119:105.

Why Should We “Study to Show Ourselves Approved” and How Should We Do It?

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

2 Timothy opens with a statement of thanksgiving in verses 1-2. Then Paul encourages endurance in the gospel in 2 Timothy 1:3-5:13. His thanksgiving leads to strong encouragements to Timothy seen in 2 Timothy 1:6-14, 2 Timothy 2:1-13 with a paragraph that provides positive and negative examples of his encouragement 1:15-18 . In light of Paul’s imminent death, he urges Timothy to continue in faithfulness for the sake of the gospel despite hardship.

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What Takes Place in 2 Timothy Chapter 2?

Paul offers Timothy advice in 2 Timothy 2:14–3:9 on how to handle false instructors. There are two parts to these verses. Paul introduces the false doctrine in 2 Timothy 2:16 and describes how Timothy should respond to it and distinguish himself from the false teachers in verses 14–26. He goes into more detail about the false teachers in 2 Timothy 3:1–9. After urging Timothy to persevere in faith, Paul now turns his attention to the issue of false teachers in a more direct manner.

Paul admonishes Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:22–26 to avoid being led into immoral desire and pointless conflict and offers advice on how to handle his opponents.

In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul’s primary goal is to assist Timothy in becoming an authorized workman, which includes the work of pastors, elders, and every Christian.

An approved workman conducts a ministry that reproduces itself (2 Timothy 2:1–2), endures hardship for the sake of the ministry (2 Timothy 2:1–3), sticks to the word of truth and avoids false teaching (2 Timothy 2:14–19), and pursues holiness while avoiding contention (2 Timothy 2:1–19). These are the main characteristics of an approved workman as they are painted in 2 Timothy 2. (2 Timothy 2:20-26).

What Exactly Does “Study to Show Ourselves Approved” Mean?

Orthotome, which meaning “to cut straight or without deviation,” is translated as “rightly dealing.” Workers in Paul’s culture used plows to plough fields straight and cut stones and paths across the countryside straight. The goal is to treat the gospel authentically in context, nevertheless.

Without altering the message to suit the likes or disapproval of the day, teachers speak plainly when they announce the atonement of Jesus and exhort everyone to turn from their sins and believe in him.

When Paul instructs Timothy to “present yourself to God as one approved,” Timothy speaks for all pastors (2 Tim. 2:15). … The word “approved” is dokimos, which is Greek for “tested and found worthy.” No matter how unpopular their teaching may be, God supports instructors who fervently proclaim fundamental apostolic doctrine. We should be on the lookout for an excessive desire for public acceptance.

Paul means that it requires work to teach the Word when he exhorts Timothy and his successors to be authorized workers. The lucky guy thinks about God’s commandment “day and night” (Ps. 1:2).

Does This Verse Imply That We Must Work Our Way to Heaven?

Paul challenges Timothy in his second letter to persevere in the face of hardship and suffering for the sake of the gospel. The subject of perseverance runs throughout 2 Timothy (2:10, 2:12, 2:24; 3:11; 4:5).

The fundamental structure of 2 Timothy was affected by Paul’s exhortation to persevere. After giving Timothy his warm greetings as his “beloved child” and recalling his happy memories of the young man’s spiritual beginnings (1:1–5), Paul delivers a lengthy exhortation to endurance, according to John Orange in his book (2 Timothy 1:6-2:13:13).

This exhortation opens with a strong call to gospel-centered endurance (1:6–14), followed by two real-life examples of failure to endure and one example of perseverance (1:15-18). Then he continues his call to gospel endurance (2:1–13) with instructions to be strengthened by the grace of Christ Jesus (2:1-2), share in the suffering as a good soldier (2:3–7), remember Jesus Christ as preached in Paul’s gospel (2:8–9), and endure through Christ’s work (2:10–13). (2:10-13).

Paul exhorts Timothy in the passage after (2 Timothy 2:14–3:9) to exercise discernment when dealing with erroneous teachings. According to R. Kent Hughes, Timothy is mandated to carry out the following tasks:

• Using language properly Second Timothy 2:14–19

• Be a devout vessel, prepared for every good deed. Timothy 2 2:10–21

• Avoid silly, uneducated debates that erupt into arguments. 2 Timothy 2:23

• Correct and assist opponents with tact (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Paul urges Timothy to persevere for the sake of the gospel at the letter’s conclusion in chapter 3, noting that he has also faced many hardships. Paul also tells him that the Bible will serve as his personal and professional guide because “all Scripture is God-breathed” (3:16).

Paul’s final will and testament, in many respects, is found in 2 Timothy. As a result, the words—which are all based on the gospel’s beauty—carry more significance.

In the end, even if we work hard and study, this scripture does not teach that we can earn our way to heaven. As Paul learned on the road to Damascus and instructs his students via his letters, we can only enter Heaven through the freely given mercy of God.

Will God Ever Disagree With Christians?

Jesus desires for God’s people to understand what God’s will is. Christians become God’s offspring if they receive Christ through faith (John 1:12). He wants to guide individuals in His direction (Psalm 143:10). Giving gratitude in all circumstances is something that Christians are instructed to do (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Every Christian must carry out good deeds (1 Peter 2:15). “God’s will is for you to be sanctified” (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

The child of God is given crucial knowledge concerning God’s will in Romans 12:2, namely that they are to be regenerated by God’s Word through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Scripture helps to renew our minds so that we can then understand God’s perfect will. The Lord wants His people to know Him and develop their grace.

Although Christians are subject to correction (Hebrews 12:6), He will never disapprove of them in the sense that they cease to be His because they are unified and held indefinitely secure by Him (John 15; Romans 8:31-39).

The more we learn about the Lord, the more it enables God’s people to understand His will (Proverbs 11:15). The Lord will implant godly desires from the Word in our hearts if we are closely following Him in His Word. To increase in grace through the Word, one must seek what God wishes and obey Him (Psalm 37:4).

How Does 2 Timothy 2:15 Apply to Us Today?

Martin Luther, the Reformers, and other theologians did not agree that Christians had the freedom to read Scripture incorrectly for their own personal purposes. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) does not imply that Christians should exclusively focus on their interpretation of the Bible or that we can interpret the Bible to mean whatever we wish. Every Christian can understand the meaning of the Bible by diligently and obediently studying it.

Scripture is the only source of authority for the entire Church that is infallible and free from the possibility of error, yet it is not the only source. Church tradition, including councils and individual theologians, is a lesser authority that aids in the understanding of God’s Word by the people of God. They assist in offering a standard by which we can evaluate our individual readings of the Bible. It is a fair rule to assume that we have misunderstood Scripture if we feel as though we have invented something new.

The Church Fathers and other people were frequently used by the Reformers to buttress their teaching even though they did not claim to be teaching any new truths. The responsibility to rightly interpret and teach Scripture goes hand in hand with the right of private interpretation. Each Christian is required to put forth great effort in “rightly handling the word of truth.”

Finally

Those who are inclined to struggle often struggle about insignificant issues. But verbal conflicts devastate God’s creation. The apostle names some of the wrongdoers. While they did not reject the resurrection as real theology, they did distort it. Nothing, however, is so dumb or incorrect that it won’t shake some professors’ fleeting confidence.

There are two writings about this foundation. One is comforting to us. Anyone God has selected cannot have their faith shaken. The other speaks of our obligation. Those who wish to benefit from this privilege must be aware of the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf in order to purge us of all sin (Titus 2:14).

The church of Christ is like a home; some of the furnishings are valuable while others are less valuable and used for less noble purposes. Some religious lecturers resemble earthenware or wooden containers. The other vessels will be filled with all the fulness of God when the vessels of dishonor are cast out to be destroyed. Being holy vessels is something we must ensure. Everyone in the church who receives God’s blessing will be committed to serving his Master and will therefore be suitable for His use. (From Matthew Henry, an excerpt).