"STUDY"
2Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The last epistle of Paul, 2nd Timothy, before being beheaded. His parting words. What would ours be? Of course they are important. He reminded Timothy (and us – all believers) of some IMPORTANT things: his faith, the Gospel, hold fast, be strong, and endure; to teach others NOT to give his time/effort to VAIN discussions, which will subvert (cause the downfall, corrupt, destroy or weaken the faith of other believers) hearers (v14).
How many conversations among brethren, in church, in Bible colleges and seminaries are “profitless?” Questions like: How long was Jesus’ hair? If a person living in the jungle never hears the Gospel what becomes of him? What was Paul’s infirmity of the flesh? What sins can a Christian do before God takes him home to heaven? How many hours were the creation days? Does “day” mean a 24 hour day? Is the shroud of Turin real?
Where is the profit in these questions? What do they do to a brother or sister who is weak in the faith?
Once a SEED (or fiery DART) has been planted in our minds, sometimes it grows until it starts to weaken our faith, like a cancer. Paul said they are ANTI-GOD, which causes us to go away from God instead of closer. We think there is some special, secret knowledge that will make us “smarter” than everyone else. I’m smart. . . just like the Garden of Eden (Ge 3:4-5): And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
This is the root cause, PRIDE. As humans, we want to be “special” and be “wise.” But, we spend so much of our time on vain discussions. If you want to be wise, FEAR the Lord (Pr 9:10)!
Look at Hymaneus and Philetus in (v18) Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. They were VICTIMS of conversation (germ seed) that GREW (a canker) into ERROR, and they in turn were talking to / teaching others.
Paul spent a lot of time in his travels refuting ERRORS, BAD DOCTRINE, and FALSE TEACHING. People were listening to the PRIDE of other people, their “secret” knowledge, and becoming victims of error and eventually losing their faith.
The Bible tells us:
Col 2:8 – Beware lest any man spoil you with vain philosophy
*Ep 4:14 – Be not as children being tossed by the winds of doctrine
1Ti 4:1 – Many shall fall away giving heed to false doctrines
Ac 20:29-30 – Deceiving people to follow them
Ph 3:2 – Evil workers who deceive others into a false Gospel
Rev – People adding to or taking away from Scripture (it is commonly reported that seminary professors in the U.S. correct the Bible)
Brethren, what shall we do?! How can we protect ourselves!?
He 6:1 – After saved, move on!
Ep 4:14 – Do not be children …
2Pe 3:18 – Grow!
There is only ONE way that we will be able to MOVE ON, to MATURE, and to GROW . . . STUDY the WORD of GOD.
In 2Timothy 2:15, the Lord tells us to STUDY!
I would like to briefly look closer at this verse this morning. WHY study? It’s written in the verse:
To be approved of God
To NOT be ashamed
To rightly divide the Word of Truth
Let’s look at each:
Study means LABOR. Why labor in the Word?
1. To “show thyself approved unto God.” Notice the word THYSELF. Who is supposed to study? So often believers we go to church and listen to the speaker, without checking if what they say is SCRIPTURAL. How many cult leaders have led people astray because they were not “studying” for themselves? Thus, this command is personal, to every believer.
Furthermore, we are to study so that we may be APPROVED of God. Remember the parable of the talents in Matthew 25? What did the Lord say to the servants who doubled their talents? He said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” This was an approval.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that every believer is saved/born again to do WORKS (or a ministry). God saved you and wants to put you to work. So, each of us has a JOB to do.
Don’t many office jobs have job responsibilities? Don’t workers have a boss who tells them what to do? But, how do you know what the Lord would have you to do if you aren’t studying the Bible? How do you know God’s BASIC WILL for your life you are not “studying” the BIBLE? You can’t. And that’s why we need to study, so that we can be “approved of God.”
VERSES 20-21 tell us about vessels of HONOR and EARTHEN vessels used of God: some are honorable, others are not. When you have visitors, you give them the nice plates and glasses. But when you don’t care much, you use the old stuff. If we want to be used of God in a greater way, we need to PURGE ourselves of our fleshly behaviors and attitudes. How? Psalm 119:9 tells us, by taking heed to the word of God.
Who please God? Jesus Christ (Mt 3:18). So, our first job is to become more like Christ (Ro 8:29). God wants to conform us to the image of His Son, because only Jesus Christ is APPROVED of the Father. The Bible tells us to Let he word of Christ dwell in us richly (Co 3:6); and to Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus (Ph 2:5). But how can that happen if we do not STUDY?
2. To be “a workman that needeth not be ashamed.” Second Corinthians 5:10 tells us that ALL believers shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and our works will be examined by fire. Some will be burnt up as “wood, hay, and stubble” (1Corinthians 3:12-15) but others will be found with “gold, silver, and precious stones.” Those whose works are “burned up” will surely be ASHAMED. But the Lord commands us to STUDY so we don’t have to be ashamed.
Imagine you are a driver for a hardware store. You come to the store in the morning and your boss has left you a FOLDED NOTE. Inside, he has told you to take a load of sand over to Kadiwa. You put it in your pocket, sit down, have some coffee, start to “chika-chika” with your co-workers, then its merienda time, then you start talking about the campaigns/elections, then a famous candidate comes to the Barangay and you want to see him, then its lunch time. After lunch you take a nap. After awaking, merienda again. Then your boss comes back around 4pm and you still haven’t delivered the sand. How would you feel? Ashamed? A lot of excuses? It may be the same in heaven before Christ, when we got distracted by everything, that we didn’t study the Bible to know His will for us.
The Lord commended the BEREANS in Acts chapter 17 for searching the Scriptures, even after Paul preached to them. The Lord commands us to BE NOT IGNORANT and in Hosea it is because of a lack of knowledge that the people of God are DESTROYED. Thus, it is definitely God’s will that EACH of us study.
Do not dare leave that only to your PASTORS or TEACHERS. Study is for ALL believers as we see HERE in 2:15. How else will you know God’s BASIC will for your life? How else will you know if your teachers and preachers are not in ERROR, or LEADING you into error? No, it is our responsibility to study, and it is FOR OUR BENEFIT. If we do not study and fall into error, we will be ashamed before God one day.
3. To “rightly divide the word of truth.” John 17:17 teaches that the Word of God is truth. Therefore, we have the TRUTH in our hands! And if there is a “right” way to divide it, then there must be a “wrong” way too.
The words RIGHTLY DIVIDING here mean a straight cut or to expound accurately what the Lord is saying. So many these days do use the Word of truth, but they will take one or two verses and make a doctrine out of it. Then teach it to others who submit to it because, after all, it is the “Word of God.”
(By the way, do you know how bank tellers in the U.S. are trained to recognize counterfeit money? They are NOT taught the ERRORS, they are constantly shown REAL dollar bills, and then when a FAKE one appears, they can SPOT it immediately.) It ought to be the same for the believers. We should know the Word of God well enough to spot the FAKES!
How do we RIGHTLY DIVIDE the WORD? Compare Scripture with Scripture; reading its clear and plain meaning; take it literally; examine it historically (culturally); grammatically; by subject; by need; teaching others; and in prayer seek right understanding from God. Many these days quote Scripture but out of context. Many teach Scripture but bend it to fit their understanding, their culture, or their bias. We therefore are to study the Bible in order for us to rightly understand it.
So, we see that we are commanded to STUDY. It is an INDIVIDUAL matter for every believer. It is for our OWN GOOD (like our own children): That we may be APPROVED of God; that we may be workman that NEED NOT be ashamed; and that we may learn to RIGHTLY DIVIDE the word of truth.
In closing notice that this command does NOT benefit God in any way. He needs nothing and is complete in Himself. However, we are given this command for our benefit. And not only that, He did not leave us without instructions that we would be “disapproved” of God; “ashamed” before Him; nor unable to know the “truth.”
Warning:
• Do not need to be a theologian or seminary professor (1Pe 1:21)
• Head knowledge puffeth up (1Co 8:1) BUT heart knowledge (understanding) GROWS (2Pe 3:18) . . . examine yourself (Pride or grace?)
• Love (1Co 13:1) and Meekness (2Ti 2:25)
• Nicodemus (Jo 3); Pharisees; “Ever learning…” (2Ti 3:7)
• Bible compared with honey (Ps 19:10) – eat what is sufficient (Pr 25:6)
More study = more food = more mind of Christ = more meet for the Master’s use = more glory to Christ (2Pe3:18).
Study to show thyself approved, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2Ti 2:15). Paul’s final words to Timothy and to us (3Jo 4).
