APPROVED BY THE MASTER?

APPROVED BY THE MASTER

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

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

  Several of you responded to the question of: Just how much study of His Word is required for His approval? As promised, here are the insightful commentaries received thus far.

“Do we need to know everything?  My answer to this is based on my recent work experience - buying and running a bicycle shop.  What did I know about bicycles?  I knew they had two wheels and that people can ride them.  That was the extent of my knowledge.  Now, after two years, I know a front derailleur from a rear one, I know three pivot points on a full suspension mountain bike and I can fit you for a good pair of bike shoes.  I have learned these things by studying and learning from others.  I will continue to study, but will never know everything.  My goal is to be able to teach others about bicycles, but right now I don't know enough.  If I tried to teach someone, I could give them bad information that could actually be dangerous.  Am I approved?  I know my employees appreciate that I'm trying to learn and that I don't overstep my knowledge and pretend to know things that I don't.  I believe God appreciates that we are trying to learn and that we understand we will never know it all.  Cheri” (NV)

“The supreme purpose of knowing the scriptures is to know Christ. We’ve all known people who know the letter of the word but who don’t know Christ or who live very unlike Him. By feeding and meditating on the word, we are better able to digest it and know Him more fully. We teach not only by our words, but by the example we set. Ed, we appreciate your example that puts power behind what you teach. “Knowing everything” is not possible this side of heaven, but by God’s grace, we can know Him. What a privilege!  Mary” (NE)

“If we had to know everything in order to gain our Lord's approval, none of us would be approved.  No one knows "everything" except the Lord.  How much qualifies us as approved is subjective, I think.  It's like knowing about computers.  If I know three things about a computer that the guy next to me doesn't know; to him, I appear a genius.  As far as being approved by the Lord, only the blood of Christ approves us, not what we know.
I miss Mom [Darlene] too.  She would have given a much better, entailed answer.  Penny” (NE)

  Tomorrow, Thursday, I will publish my thoughts on the question.  EBB4