Approved Workmen - 2 Timothy 2:15

"15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

While we were in Lemon (Lim - ohn') doing the first two-day conference on Hermeneutics (a five dollar word that means "how to study the Bible" - that's a Mr. Paul-ism so far as I know, although he may have gotten it from Neal Creecy) we had a pastor address us on a passage in 1 Peter 3 (and it's funny: Mr. Paul and I both thought that the scripture they were in reference to was about the doctrine of election, which usually causes a great deal of controversy, and would consume more time than we had to address the issue). The passage referred to women and had a mention about the way they dressed. The pastor said, convicted by what we had taught about looking at the Bible in context, that he had been teaching this scripture wrongly, and that he had not considered the verses before and after - focusing on the outward apparel of women instead of the inward holiness, which is what the thrust of that section of the Word is really about. The man confessed openly before a group of about 20 of his peers that he had done wrong - this man showed his heart's desire to be an approved workman. I'll explain what I mean.

In 2 Timothy 2, Paul tells Timothy in verse 15 to strive to be approved in God's sight as a workman. In the verses before and after, Paul is explaining and giving examples of what an approved workman seeks and looks like - he seeks holiness, righteousness, love, and peace, and looks like a good soldier serving his enlister, an athelete striving for the goal according to the rules of the race, and a hard-working farmer who will receive his due choice of first-crops - and also what the approved worker avoids - foolish arguments that cause controversies, quarrels about words that lead hearers astray, youthful passions, and anything dishonorable. The man who openly confessed that his teaching was wrong revealed a heart more concerned with handling the Word of God properly to the honor of his Lord and Master (and we can only serve one - and it will either be the Lord Jesus or something/someone else) than protecting his own honor - he wanted to do the will of His Master. Perhaps he taught in ignorance before, but he now held himself openly accountable before God and those peers - and it's my hope and hunch that the confession he gave will be followed through with repentance, as he listened intently to Frank Monteroso explain the context of that passage.

The Lord was working there in Honduras long before we showed up, pricking the hearts of His people and getting them ready to receive good training on how to handle His Word, and I'm so thankful that He let me see that and be apart of it. He didn't need us, but He decided to use us.

So now that I'm back home, it's my desire to be an approved workman who rightly handles the Word. I don't want to be teaching in ignorance when God has provided the means and the will for me to study His word (which would honestly amount to negligence - the difference is the act of will) - I've learned a valuable skill, and now I'm accountable for it, just like that pastor realized he was. I also want to encourage you who are Lifegroup leaders/leaders-in-training (like me) to read 2 Timothy 2 and see the implications is has on us who have a heart to teach the Word of the Lord - and let us do it in love for our Lord, our brothers/sisters, and the lost (our Christian family and our Adamic family).