Week 2 - Will You Pass The Test?

How many times have you been asked a question and you didn't know the answer? You knew you should, after all, you are the boss, or the teacher, or the parent. Yet, for some reason you realize that you must have missed class on the day the topic at hand was discussed. So there you stand, embarrassed, hoping you don't appear that way, and groping for the right answer or at least an answer you hope sounds dignified and satisfying to the questioner. Go on admit it...we've all been there.

Now let me ask you this? How many times has the unanswerable question posed to you been about your faith? Ouch...did that hit a nerve. It has in me. Too many times, I have avoided conversation where I was afraid I wasn't going to know the answer to a possible theoretical question that may arise. And, in doing so, I displeased my Lord because I was not ready to be used for His service.

As a Christian, there is one course that we should not neglect to attend...Bible study. It is so vitally important to study the Bible that God inspired Paul to write the following in his second letter to Timothy, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Tim. 2:15) Lets take a closer look at that verse. First, according to this scripture, when we study the Word, we are "approved unto God." The Greek word here for approved is "dokimos" meaning tried. In other words, God can try our scripture knowledge just as a teacher would test students on class or textbook notes.

Secondly, as that same teacher would grade the test, so God grades us on our knowledge of His Word. Now, if we fail in knowledge, we don't lose our salvation or get knocked over the head by His almighty hand, but we suffer something far worse...shame. My husband has often said that it was easier for him to take a spanking as a child than it was to see disappointment or shame on his father's face when he had done something wrong. I'm sure most of us would have to agree. However, the good news is that we don't have to ever suffer that shame. If we've studied for the test, we become "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." Now I don't know about you, but when I think about the fact that I am God's, "...workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which [He] hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10), I don't want to disappoint the teacher (or in this case, the Creator). God is expecting me to be a knowledgeable workman of His Word. Why? So I can "rightly [divide] the word of truth;" or as the Greek term "orthotomeo" defines, I can make a straight cut or dissect or expound God's Word correctly to others.

You might be thinking, "Well ,this all sounds good, but the Bible is hard to comprehend and I am not comfortable speaking about it with others." You're not alone in those thoughts; I mentioned earlier that I have had them (and more). I've not always been a diligent student of the Bible. I certainly would be the first to admit that I don't always understand everything I read...especially not the first time and sometimes not even after 10 times. Yet, that is where the key word of our scripture today kicks in...STUDY. If reading and understanding God's word were simple, I believe He would have just told Paul to use the term "read" when he penned the verse. Instead though, He chose the word "study." That means we have to diligently go over the material, use other resources/commentaries to expound on the material, and give our time and prayers over to the effort.

When we do these things, we honor the Lord and He will bless us for our obedience to Him. Then, when He decides to give us a pop quiz we will "...be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you..." (I Peter 3:15)


Monday: Study and meditate on II Timothy 2:15.


Tuesday: Study and meditate on I Peter 3:15.


Wednesday: How do the above two verses coincide with one another?


Thursday: What grade percentage would you give your current study habits of God's Word? Pray and ask the Lord to help you grow in His Word and to liberally poor out His wisdom upon you.


Friday and Saturday: Commit to memory II Timothy 2:15 and I Peter 3:15


References:
Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon