As he approaches the end, the apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to “Study
to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2: 15 AV).
These words are intensely
individual, as indeed
is the whole of this second epistle. In the first Epistle the Church
is seen in its
rule, but in the
second, in its
ruin. In the first,
Timothy is instructed as to how he is to conduct himself in that
scene of corporate order and discipline; in the second, corporate
testimony is gone, and Timothy is warned and exhorted how he is to
act in this altered condition of things. It is now all “thee”,
“thou”, and “thyself”.
Now the “study” which is here spoken of is no mere study of books.
It means, not to read, but to
exert oneself from love, and
includes every form of effort which may secure the desired end. And
what is the end sought by all this exertion? That God’s workman may
have God’s approval.
The first requisite for this is
personal knowledge.
No study of books or any instruction from wise teachers can give
this. The “word of truth” alone is the great fountain from where
this knowledge must be drawn. The Word of God is not a buttress to
prop up our own ideas and views, but a fountain out of which God’s
thoughts and counsels are to be drawn. It is not a book to take
texts from, but something to live upon, to feed on, and to grow
thereby.
The things of God are learnt only in the school of God, and the only
scholars in that school are the subjects of saving grace. “The grace
of God which carries with it salvation for
all men (i.e. without
distinction) has appeared, teaching us …” (Titus 2: 11, 12, my
emphasis). Grace teaches only the saved. It does not teach the
guilty, it justifies them. It does not teach polluted sinners, it
cleanses them, and then, as justified, and cleansed, it teaches us.
We learn pardon at the cross where we lose the burden of our sins.
Saved ourselves we can seek the things connected with the salvation
of others. Taught of God we can teach others. Plucked as brands from
the burning, we may witness of Christ that others may be also
plucked.
The use of armour can be learnt only in conflict. Proficiency in
sword–fighting is not learnt from studying it in a book,
but only in the actual use and exercise of the sword. So it
is with the Word of God—the sword of the Spirit. We learn to wield
this sword, not by reading theology in the study, but by actual
conflict with the enemy.
The second requisite for the Divine approval is to remember that it
is the
“workman” (my
emphasis) who is thus exhorted. The painful fact is that by nature
we all want to be masters. We want to rule instead of to serve, and
we want to tell God what we will do, instead of learning what works
He has “prepared” that we should walk in, for only such are “good
works” (Eph. 2: 10).
We have a beautiful example of a true servant in Acts 8. In verse 5
we see Philip preaching Christ in Samaria and filling the whole city
with joy (see v8). Then in verse 26 we see the same servant, sent
off to Gaza, “the same is desert”, to serve one single soul. The
great Shepherd heard the bleating of that one lost sheep out in the
desert, and sent His servant to seek it. It does not matter to a
true servant whether it is ministry to multitudes in a city, or
ministry to one in a desert—it is all the same if it is done for the
sole approval
of the Master, and
for the glory of God, and not merely in view of good will towards
man.
Worldly men may choose their work and their sphere, but God’s
workman cannot: he is chosen and may not choose. And why is he
chosen? In Mark 3: 14 we learn that Christ “appointed twelve
that they might be with Him”
(my emphasis). This is the one great requisite today. Oh to abide
“with Him”! Then—and not till then—could it be written, “and that He
might send them to preach”. We cannot be sent from a place till we
are first within it. We cannot be sent forth from Christ, till we
have been first with Christ.
The third requisite is that
our one end, aim and object
should be
God’s approval. Our
service may not be always approved by man, but that is not the
essential thing. It will matter little by and by whether we had
man’s approval or not, though, sad to say, it seems to make a great
difference while we are here. Oh, what works we engage in for the
sake of having the
praise of man (see
Rom. 2: 29), and what duties we neglect through the “fear
of man” (Prov. 29: 25)! These are the two great snares of
God’s workman, and he is constantly in danger of falling into one of
them. Oh, to seek, ever and only,
God’s approval!
The fourth requisite is to remember that
we are not left to provide
our own work, or the materials with which to do it. God’s
Word is the all sufficient instrument to accomplish all the divine
purposes in this world—we have no need for any other agency. It is
“God’s power to salvation” (Rom. 1: 16), and “able to make thee wise
unto salvation” (2 Tim. 3: 15). It cannot fail to accomplish all the
divine purposes and counsels. Oh let us beware that, as God’s
workmen, we never adopt any means or take up any new methods which
tend in the slightest degree to imply that the Word of God has lost
any of its power, or needs any handmaids or helpmeets to help it!
God’s Word is given to God’s workman as the one and only implement
to accomplish God’s work. This Word he is solemnly charged to
preach, and though men “turn away their ear” the exhortation remains
the same: “proclaim the word” (2 Tim. 4: 2, 4). If we have His
message we must deliver it, and if we do not have it, we had better
hold our peace. Apart from the Word, the workman is only a “voice”
(John 1: 23), and nothing more.
The fifth great requisite is
never to separate the written
Word from the living Word. The Scriptures testify of Christ.
Christ is the subject of the Scriptures. The same characters,
powers, and attributes are applied to each. “Ye shall be
my witnesses” (Acts
1: 8, my emphasis) were the last parting words of Christ on earth.
Witnesses to what? Not to doctrines, however important, not to
theology, not to the Church, but to Christ. To a living Person—a
crucified, risen, and coming Christ. There is no salvation apart
from the Saviour. There is no redemption apart from the Redeemer, no
promises apart from the One who promises, no blessing apart from the
One who blesses.
Oh to witness for Christ! Nothing can take His place. No learning,
no attainments can be a substitute for Him. A man may know Greek,
but may know nothing of grace. He may know Hebrew, and not know the
power of the Holy Spirit. He may be a good scholar, but no use as a
guide. When travelling in an unknown country we do not seek out a
clever talker or an accomplished student but we look for one
who knows the way and
who knows it from experience! So it is with God’s workmen, and only
such have God’s approval.
Solemn are the workman’s responsibilities, but great indeed his
blessing, now and in eternity. “I
will render to thee on my coming back” (Luke 10: 35)—these are the
Master’s words of promise. All testimony is only “until he come” (1
Cor. 11: 26). All suffering is only for the “little while” (John 16:
16). To us it “has been given”—yes,
given, “not only the
believing on him, but the suffering for him also” (Phil. 1: 29)! Let
us “count it all joy”, therefore, if we “fall into various
temptations” (James 1: 2). Let us rejoice that we are “counted
worthy to be dishonoured for the name” (Acts 5: 41), and in view of
the coming day of His glory and His smile,
to study to show ourselves approved unto God (see 2 Tim. 2:
15).
