Presenting Ourselves Approved To God

-October 29, 2021-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

(2 Timothy 2:15).

Paul’s second epistle to Timothy is more personal than his first epistle, and Paul encourages him just prior to his own death at the hands of the Roman leaders. Paul uses himself as example in chapter four, and encourages him to fight the good fight, to preach the word, and carry on the work of the Lord after he goes home to be with the Lord.

In today’s verse, Paul the aged, challenges Timothy, the younger, to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God.” What is important is to be approved to God, not man.” So many today are “man pleasers not God pleasers.” There are many preachers that avoid the uncomfortable subjects like sin, repentance, separation from the world, one’s thought life, and other challenging topics that are so needed today. Many want to be politically correct, but in so doing fail to be spiritually correct.

Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2-5, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For a time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn themselves away from the truth, and turn to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” This is good advice for us today.

Paul wanted the work of the Lord to go forward, and that he would be “a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” We all want to finish strong as Paul and Timothy did. Paul uses himself as an example when he wrote, “I have fought the good fight of faith, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Paul was not ashamed, he had given his last ounce of strength and devotion in the service of Christ.

The phrase, “rightly dividing the word of truth,” means to know the word, practice it, and teach it accurately, doctrinally, and practically. It involves us knowing what it says, what it means, and what it means to us. We need to know the Scriptures and where to find things. Are you a worker who presents himself approved to God and is not ashamed? There is so much to learn, and the more we learn, the more we realize how just how little we really know.

Have a blessed day learning, growing, serving, and being approved to God. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean