STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN THAT NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH (II TIMOTHY 2:15).
In the previous post, which was an introduction to this series on studying the Bible, I discussed the importance of realizing that studying the Bible is an important part of our spiritual development. Our key verse for this series, II Timothy 2:15, can grammatically be broken into three distinct parts; an independent clause and two dependent clauses (one of which is considered nonessential relative clauses for those of you who love English grammar) that further define the subject of the independent clause. There is a wealth of information within this simple verse that isn’t easily noticed if you’re just casually reading the Bible.
Study to show thyself approved unto God…
This is the only independent clause of the entire verse. From a grammatical viewpoint, it could stand alone and does not need the remaining part of the verse, the two dependent clauses, to define it any further. Reflecting back on my academic career, when I was preparing for my final set of examinations for my M.A., I read a selection of books from my committee, studied a set of questions that had been provided by my committee chair, and studied for both oral and written exams. Although I would repeat this process in pursuit of my Ph.D., the standards would not be the same. It would be a different committee, different standards, and different questions; all tailored for what my planned course of study would be.
It was during the process of working on the Ph.D. that I began to ask myself that if I were willing to do this for the approval of man, then why would I not be willing to read and study the Bible in the fear [of] him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:14-16). What the apostle Paul was referring to was the teachings of Christ as being the mind of Christ; we now have those teachings of Christ preserved for us in the form of the New Testament!
When it comes to spending time reading the Bible, I treated it as so many Christians do. Paul wrote to the church at Rome that once we have come to the saving knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we should know that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin (Romans 6:6). In fact, Paul further wrote to the church at Ephesus, But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:20-24). It’s not easy at first; spending daily time reading and diligently studying the Bible seems strange and uncomfortable. As a young Christian, it may hold our interest for a while, but as we begin to settle, reading the Bible tends to be as fun and exciting as reading the local classified ads. Instead of putting off the “old man” – the flesh that is at war with our spirit – we fully give in to the demands of the flesh for the additional fifteen minutes of sleep, five more minutes in the shower, or an hour extra at the golf course, hiking trail, or whatever we do for fun.
