Monday, May 05, 2008

Study

I haven’t done a blog entry for awhile my friends. Praise God! I am being led by Christ Jesus to lead two bible studies, which are taking a good chunk of my time preparing for. So, if I online, I am online late at night preparing for the studies. My hat goes off to the true biblical pastors who prepare, study, and do expository preaching. Praise God for the pastors that give you correct exegesis, and profound transliterations of the text. I am seeing that it takes a lot of hard work to really teach God’s people. For this is what a true pastor does under the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Now when you read this scripture, I am sure you reformed brethren, other Christians, and even professing Christians quoting this text of scripture. Well what is it really all about? Should we as Christians grab hold of our bibles, get good conservative bible commentary (John MacArthur recommended), a Hebrew/Greek Lexicon translator, and go to work? Why so much to know the Word of God? We are in a world that professes to know God but in their deeds they do not show it, let us be the ones that so learn Christ.



What is this really all about?

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (2 Timothy 2:14-16)

Looking back to understand the context, Paul is exhorting his son in the faith, Timothy, to endurance and orthodoxy. In doing this, the believer will be able to grasp the principals of endurance and protect themselves from the destruction of false teaching and practices (Galatians 5:9) So studying to shew yourself approved keeps us from being destroyed. Yes, each and every Christian should study the scriptures as hard as they can to gain as much knowledge about Christ Jesus and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). You don’t want to be deceived, study hard and let the faith within you show the works of Jesus in you. Don’t be lazy, get up and study the Word of God, like a good soldier in Christ.

I used to be amazed at the pimping pastors and how they would dupe the people. Reading the scriptures, I realized the people are allowing themselves to be duped? Do you want the same to happen. Then study to show yourself approved unto God!



Should we as Christians grab hold of our bibles, get good conservative bible commentary a Hebrew/Greek Lexicon translator, and go to work?

Yes, we should. We cannot afford to sit back and just expect the pastor to teach us everything! We get lazy many times because we feel John Piper is teaching the truth, so why I got to get all deep into biblical study. Let’s look at the word study in verse 15 of 2 Timothy 2:Study (spoudazō) which is used in bible to mean:- to hasten, make haste
- to exert one's self, endeavour, give diligence

The translation of this word also means endeavour , do diligence , be diligent , give diligence , be forward , labour , and study. So with all of this we can see the importance of studying, almost like a student studying for a exam in Chemistry! A great example of this is found in Acts 17:11, where the Bereans searched the scriptures daily to see if what Paul and Silas were saying was true. Do you think they just skimmed over the only scripture they had; the Old Testament? No way, for they studied and searched to find out if what was being said about the Lord Jesus Christ was true. Now, where do you see the name of the Lord Jesus Christ being used in the Old Testament that they could know what was said was true? Exactly, they searched the scriptures, doing dilengent study and found what they were saying was the truth. O what a great thing it would be if we did this today with our pastors/teachers of the Word of God. Certain churches would be out of business! So now do you see the need to get the study tools necessary for understanding and living out the scriptures?



Why so much to know the Word of God?

The question really should be “why not”? My goodness, look at the beauty of knowing God’s Word:

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalms 40:7-8)

NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalms 119:105)

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: (Proverbs 6:23)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16)

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:14-17)

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:19-21)

There is plenty more, and with all of the Word, why would you not want to study it. Is it we have become lazy? Of course, we are also fulfilling the scriptures because we have itching ears to hear what we want to hear. Our hearts should be connected to studying the Word of God. Oh, when the scriptures are opened up to you, your heart should burn within inside of you. Look, if you want to not be deceived, if you want a better knowledge of the truth, then study the Word of God. Be like 2 Timothy 2:15 and God will approve of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I leave you with this:

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:25-32)

2 comments:

  1. I had the privilege of teaching every day during my last 2-week break from school through the book of Jude. At first, I was thinking of covering two books in that time, but getting in deep into the book, the flow of his thought, the linguistics and the historical context, it took me 11 2-hour studies to even get a basic handle of the book.

    Then again, all that study helped strengthen my own spiritual life - particularly a book as relevant as Jude. May God continue to strengthen you as you study

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Douglas
    I pray for His strength to get through teaching. I am going to have to do a little study on Jude later on. I am finishing up Philippians 4 which I've doing for a while. May His grace be with you;

    Karsten Miller

    ReplyDelete

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