God's Purpose For Studying His Word - Part 2

God’s Purpose For Studying His Word - Part 2

2 Timothy 2:15

“15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Our study is to show ourselves approved unto God.  The born again Christian has one master.  At salvation the repentant sinner is recognizing Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of his or her life.  This does not the same as Lordship salvation.  However, the born again Christian has come under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and part of studying God’s Word is to understand what that means.  The person has come to understand that they do not have the ability to govern their life effectively and they have also come to understand that God knows exactly what is needed for a successful life.  After salvation, as the born again Christian studies God’s Word, he or she will come to see the value of trusting God in all things.  As the Christian seeks God’s approval in their life, they will also be pleasing others.  If the born again Christian has a goal of pleasing people, they will fail to please God.  God must be in charge.  In a world that is at enmity with God, it is important to understand that we cannot have two masters.  Either we will submit to God’s authority, or we will submit to man’s authority and maybe try to make it look as though we are following God’s authority.

In studying God’s Word, it is important to take note of the fact that it is God’s Word that is being studied.  God is the author of the Bible.  He has given us His Word that we might know Him and the blessings He wants to give His children now and in the future.  The good news is that God has not left His children on their own to try to fumble their way through life, experimenting with this or that to see where they can meet God’s approval.  God has given us His sure Word and He has also given us His Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts and to show us our sin, that we can confess that to God and have a right fellowship with God that is conducive to learning from God.

A Workman

No one can even hope to gain eternal life by working for it.

Ephesians 2:8, 9

“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

However, if we are saved, we are saved to produce good works.

Ephesians 2:10

“10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Part of that good works, is the study of God’s Word.  It is going to take work to study God’s Word properly.  In order to be approved unto God there will need to be work done in the study of God’s Word.  Several things are involved in this proper study.

Again, keeping in mind what we have already said, salvation is a prerequisite for studying to be approved unto God.  The Bible should never be studied simply as a text book.  It is the Word of God.