Study to Show Yourself Approved Unto God
II Timothy 2:15 – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Every person must study for themselves.
It is good to study doctrine. It is good to know doctrine, because doctrine is the teachings of God. Therefore when we learn doctrine, we learn the teaching, or the instructions of God. When we learn doctrines, we understand how God thinks, and what he expects of us. If we do not learn doctrine, we can never learn how God thinks, or what he expects of us. It is possible to learn all kinds of doctrine, but still not know how God thinks. It is good to learn about God and mediate on who he is.
I was saved at 12 years old and raised in a Baptist home, and went to a Baptist Church, but I did not know what the Bible taught. I was too embarrassed to ask, or to find out for myself. The Bible is a big book, and there is much confusing information in it.
I discovered for myself that God would answer my prayers about understanding the scripture. God wants all his children to understand what he is saying to them.
Tell about the time Brother Asberry and myself got caught in a nest of Church of Christ people. I did not understand salvation, security of the believer, or anything else, but I knew they were wrong. They did not believe in the Holy Spirit, salvation by grace, or scriptural baptism, the local church, or eternal security of the believer. I got to studying for myself these doctrines. It was a hard time, but a very profitable time to be in a nest of unbelievers.
Visiting a man who was a church of Christ, but did not believe in voting people into the church membership, or in voting on anything, because he said it wasn’t in the Bible. He said if we could prove to him voting was is in the Bible, he would quit the Church of Christ, and become a Baptist, because he would know then that Baptist were right. I had no idea where to turn, but I prayed as Brother Asberry continued to talk to the man. I asked God to give me something in the Bible about this question, but I did not know where to turn. Suddenly, I remembered the Bible said that whatever we bound on this earth would be bound in heaven, but I did not remember the scripture. I mentioned this thought, and Brother Asberry knew the scripture. We read that scripture to the man, but he did not become a Baptist. He was just using a crutch, but I understood that God would speak to me about my question, giving me Biblical answers, if I would only ask him, and not be afraid.
Studying in my study, I often do not understand the scripture. All I have to do is ask, and God has never failed to give me Biblical answers. Answers that do not contradict other Bible doctrines.
Galatians 1:18 – Paul spent three years in the wilderness being taught by Christ himself.
Acts 18:24-28 – Apollos had to be instructed in the Word of God.
Hebrews 5:11-14 – Paul declares the believers in Hebrews should be teachers when they were still taking the milk of the Word of God.
Psalms 46:10 states, Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Many things get in the way of Christian service.
Work. Some get so caught up in working, they have no time for God, or studying the scripture.
Play. Some get so tired of working, so they believe they ought to play at their hobbies when they get off work, therefore they do not have time to study.
Sports. I believe most sports are nothing but Satanic diversions to while away the little time we have on planet earth.
Things. Many of us get so caught up in getting things, having things, and enjoying things, that we take no time to really read or study the Bible. Thus we do not enjoy the things we have.
Daniel 12:4 declares, But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
2 Chronicles 16:9 reveals what God is doing - For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
Isaiah 55:6 urges all to Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: