One Approved

One Approved
Words of Faith 7-19-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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2 Timothy 2
[15] Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

The primary way to avoid quarreling over words is to focus on the Word. How does the Christian leader, teacher, or pastor approach the Word of God? The instruction here is powerful.
First, do your best. For a Christian leader, it is essential to ask ourselves at the end of the day: Did I do my best? The question is not: Did I get it all done? That will never happen. The question is not: Did I make everyone happy? That will not occur, either. The question is, Did I do my best? That is all that I can do. That is all that you can do.
"Do your best and let God do the rest" is an oft-quoted phrase, but it is true, especially regarding preparation to bring the Word before God's people. I once knew a popular pastor who bragged that he didn't begin sermon preparation before 9pm Saturday night. He actually had a great insight into the Word and life. Still, I feared he left himself open to the last-minute intrusions of news stories and popular culture.
In my experience, a message in God's Word is never really "done." I study for hours, let things simmer, and then double-check my interpretation and the original language at the last minute. All bathed in prayer.
Present yourself to God as one approved. We don't know for sure what approval Paul was talking about. Most likely, it was the approval of God as set forth through his authority as an Apostle and overseer. Timothy did not simply appoint himself to be the pastor-teacher of the church at Ephesus. So what approval is needed for Christian leadership? We could debate at length the various ecclesiastical possibilities. Still, the clear sense here was that Timothy was accountable and approved through some process of commitment and even ordination (2 Tim. 1:6). Correct approval is correct and commended. We don't go off on our own.
Do not be ashamed. Paul had already talked about the possible shame brought by his incarceration. Here, he clarifies that the Gospel and message of the cross should be proclaimed zealously and without shame.
Correctly handle the word of truth. This is so very important. The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, but it must be handled correctly lest we slash away in ways that are dangerous. Scripture is abused in many ways.
What is the "correct handling"? Volumes are written, but here are some basics. This is not the stuff for preachers alone. We all need to correctly handle the Word.
Allow the Word to speak more than us speak about the Word. Listen to the text. Keep to the context of scripture so that we do not twist a verse to mean something it never said. Submit yourself the Word rather than making it submit to you. Do not neglect the public reading of scripture (1 Tim. 4:13). Pay attention to original languages but don't get lost in them. Learn the historical and cultural background of the Word.
Make the cross of Jesus your beginning point looking first through the lens of Jesus and then the lens of Paul and other leaders upon every text back into the Hebrew Scriptures. Finally, check with wise commentators... last. This is a final stop, not the first. It is unlikely that scripture will say something "new" and "novel" that has never been observed by anyone across the ages.

Father God, I surrender to You and to Your Word. May I always do my best. May I continually declare the Truth without shame. May I never twist Your Word to make it say something that I want to say. Teach me how to correctly handle and divide Your Word. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.