"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? <Take heed, … strong, 1Co 10:12>. Paul said in VERSE 16-17

But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

And their word will eat as doth a canker…

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).