STUDY: BE DILIGENT

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. [emphasis added]

THE ONE GREAT REQUIREMENT OF EVERY BIBLICAL STUDENT IS TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH. When the Word is wrongly divided, you have error -- you no longer have God's Word. When this happens, you have private interpretation as stated in II Peter and everyone is 'guessing' at what the Word of God means.

II Peter 1: 20 -- Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private [idios -- one’s own] interpretation.

It is your primary responsibility in the Body of Christ to 'RIGHTLY DIVIDE' God's Word. Obviously, to accomplish this, you must STUDY God's Word. You, by your own free will, must exert an earnest and diligent effort and utilize time wisely.

The word 'Study' in Greek is spoudason and is a form of the word spoudazo which is a derivative of speudo which is the root or simplest form of the word. This means that time and the brevity of the time is involved. It can be seen that each usage of the word spoudazo shows the exertion of effort with emphasis on an earnest attempt to achieve or accomplish some goal rather than on speed.

Doing some research on some Greek words can lead to a greater understanding of God's Word as this example illustrates. God expects YOU to exert an honest and diligent effort to study His Word. We can assist you in many ways, but we can't study for you. Too often, many believers can acquire a very deceptive and self-defeating habit called "spiritual hitchhiking". This is where a believer ‘lives off’ the teachings and hard work of others, never really making the Word of God their own. IT'S VERY EASY TO FALL INTO THIS TRAP -- DON'T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU. Exert an effort to study God's Word and He will bless you. God is a respecter of conditions and not persons. You must fulfil the conditions of His Word if you want to get delivered and one of those conditions is that you 'study'. We either obey God or we do not obey God. There is no in-between. The choice is yours.

Romans 8: 6 -- For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

What does it mean to be "spiritually minded"? It means to have God’s thoughts in your mind. Where are God’s thoughts? IN HIS WORD. These are WHOLE THOUGHTS and they will result in you having a sound mind as compared to worldly thoughts which result in an unsound mind.

II Timothy 1: 7 -- For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a SOUND MIND. [emphasis added]

The other alternative is to put on worldly thoughts from the counterfeit god of this world.

II Corinthians 4: 4 -- In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Thoughts that originate from the god of this world are HALF THOUGHTS and result in an 'unsound' mind. It has always mystified me as to how anyone could have a problem making this decision concerning keeping the true God first. It takes integrity and perseverance to stand with God in the midst of the darkness of this present age. Everyone else is locked behind closed doors out of fear. Only God's Word rightly divided, studied, and applied will take the fear out of a person's life.

In II Timothy 2: 15 above, you have the words 'rightly dividing' which are underlined. This verse is the only place in the Bible where both these words are found together. This singular usage shows that the expression is uniquely and dynamically significant.

The English words 'rightly dividing' are the Greek word orthotomounta. Orthos means "perfectly right" or "perfectly straight". Temno means "to cut". Putting these two words together in the word orthotomounta, translated 'rightly dividing' in the King James Version, literally means 'a perfectly right cutting'. There is only one way to rightly cut the Word; all other ways are a wrong cutting. Now do you understand why we have splits, denominations and sects in so-called Christianity? They stem from the wrongly dividing of the Word of God.

By studying God's Word, you are doing [acting on] what the Word says. We will help you to understand what you study, but it is your responsibility to study. God expects us as 'workmen' to know what His Word says. We must 'act' first, then God shows us. We believe/act first, then we see, unlike the world where people see first, then believe. Also, to the surprise of many, the Bible interprets itself. We need to understand this to be able to rightly divide God's Word. Once again, let’s take a look at II Peter 1: 20.

II Peter 1: 20 -- Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private [idios -- one’s own] interpretation.

Understanding the meaning of the Greek word used here for 'private' is essential to understanding and rightly dividing the verse. The word is idios and it means 'one's own'. NO ONE has the right to privately interpret God's Word -- to make the interpretation 'one's own' -- to guess at the meaning of a verse. Why? Because the Bible interprets itself in one of three ways -- in the verse, in the context, or where it was used before. God has 'protected' His perfect Word from guesswork. God, by revelation (Word of Knowledge) gave His Word to "holy men of God" and they, the men, wrote it down (Word of Wisdom).

II Peter 1: 21 -- For the prophecy [the Word of God] came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

If God, the Creator of life, wants to instruct us on how to live this life, we should be more than willing to oblige. Studying God's Word is exciting and is a blessing. You should get in the daily habit of studying -- first thing in the morning. Remember what God exhorts us to do in the gospel of Matthew:

Matthew 6: 33 -- But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

If you don't understand something from the Bible, just keep reading. Do your best and God will do the rest. We are here to make available to you many teachings that contain KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE. You can never go beyond what you are taught. We were taught the Word of God in a most dynamic way -- Biblical Research FIRST, then Teaching. That way there is no room for guesswork -- only the rightly divided perfect Word of God which, when applied, will absolutely result in the more than abundant life. This is what God desires for each and every one of us. Do you want to stand approved before God? Then you must study His Word and renew your mind.

Romans 12: 2 -- And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

You can only renew your mind by studying one thing -- God's Word. When you study the Word, you will begin to see the 'old man' thoughts die. All things will become new.

Hebrews 4: 12 -- For the word of God is quick, and powerful [living and energetic], and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner [a critic] of the thoughts [emotions] and intents [ideas] of the heart.

The Word of God will cut out the old man thoughts. By studying and applying God's principles in your life, God Almighty will then show you what you really want to and should be doing with your life. He will also show you how to get away from many things in your life that are defeating you -- things that you dislike, but up to this point, there seems to be no way out. He will teach you how to walk by the spirit and not by the five senses alone. God only asks that we believe [STUDY] His Word and keep Him first. Your decision will determine the outcome.

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