2 Timothy 2:15

1
2 Timothy 215

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

2
2 Timothy 215

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

3
Be Diligent

• Study (KJV)
• The idea of study is present, but more of the way
  we studydiligently
• But we, brethren, having been taken away from
  you for a short time in presence, not in heart,
  endeavored more eagerly to see your face with
  great desire (1 Thess. 217, NKJV)

SAME WORD
4
Be Diligent

• Utmost
• Do your utmost to come before winter. . . (2
  Tim. 421, NKJV)

5
Diligence Lost in the World

• World Defines a Christian as
• A good person (church or no church)
• One who attends a church once in a while
• One who goes to church regularly on Sunday
  mornings
• One who goes regularly, sings a few songs,
  contributes some cash, endures a sermon, takes
  Lords supper

6
Diligence

• Luke 1322-30
• strive versus seek (think about, meditate
  upon, inquire)

Gk. agonizomai ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee
Base agone ag-one the Greek Assembly for
Contests
7
Strive VS Seek
Gk. agonizomai ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee

• to enter a contest contend in the gymnastic
  games
• to contend with adversaries, fight
• metaph. to contend, struggle, with difficulties
  and dangers
• to endeavor with strenuous zeal, strive to
  obtain something

8
Strive VS Seek
Gk. agonizomai ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee
Do you see how there were many who were eating in
the presence of Jesus but were still lost?

• TRANSLATED (KJV)
• Three times as fight
• Three times as strive
• One time as labor

1 CORINTHIANS 924-27
9
DOESYOUR CHRISTIANITY

• FIGHT?
• CONTEND?
• STRUGGLE?
• STRIVE?

IS IT PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY? IF IT NO LONGER
STRUGGLES OR STRIVES, IT MAY BE DEAD!
10
WE NEED TO BE A PEOPLE OF
HOLY AMBITION RATHER THAN HALFHEARTED RELIGION!
11
2 Timothy 215

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

12
PRESENT YOURSELF

• WHEN WE INSIST ON BAPTISM FOR SALVATION WE ARE
  OFTEN ACCUSED OF
• VOIDING CHRISTS COMPLETED WORK ON CALVARY WITH
  MANS WORK
• WAS PAUL VOIDING CHRISTS WORK BY INSISTING THAT
  YOU PRESENT YOURSELF APPROVED?

13
PRESENT YOURSELF

• INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
• work out your own salvation with fear and
  trembling (PHIL. 212, NKJV)
• Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.
  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save
  both yourself and those who hear you (1 TIM.
  416, NKJV)

14
PRESENT YOURSELF

• DO SOME THINK
• ITS MOM AND DADS RESPONSIBILITY?
• ITS THE PREACHERS RESPONSIBILITY?
• So then each of us shall give account of HIMSELF
  to God (ROM. 1412, NKJV).
• WHO SHALL GIVE AN ACCOUNT?
• GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF WHOM?
• GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO WHOM?

15
2 PETER 314
. . .approved to God. . . (2 Timothy 215)
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these
things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace,
without spot and blameless
16
2 Timothy 215

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

17
A WORKER

• A WORKMAN (NASB)
• A WORKER IMPLIES A WORK (JAS. 125)
• work out your own salvation with fear and
  trembling (PHIL. 212, NKJV)
• OUR WORKING DOESNT NEGATE THE WORK OF CHRIST,
  BUT FURTHERS IT!
• for it is God who works in you both to will and
  to do for His good pleasure (Phil. 213, NKJV).

18
2 Timothy 215

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

19
2 KINDS OF WORKERS

• ASHAMED
• WORKERS OF INIQUITY WILL BE ASHAMED (LK. 1326,
  27)
• NOT ASHAMED
• NOT ASHAMED WHEN SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN (1 PET.
  416)
• NOT ASHAMED BEFORE GOD IN JUDGMENT (1 JN. 228,
  29)

20
2 Timothy 215

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

21
RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD

• IMPLIES THAT GODS WORD CAN BE WRONGLY DIVIDED
• DEVIL IN TEMPTING CHRIST MATT. 46
• RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD MAKES ONE APPROVED
• WRONGLY DIVIDING THE WORD MAKES ONE CONDEMNED

22
2 PETER 314-18
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these
things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace,
without spot and blameless 15 and consider that
the longsuffering of our Lord is salvationas
also our beloved brother Paul, according to the
wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as
also in all his epistles, speaking in them of
these things, in which are some things hard to
understand, which untaught and unstable people
twist to their own destruction, as they do also
the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore,
beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware
lest you also fall from your own steadfastness,
being led away with the error of the wicked 18
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both
now and forever. Amen.
23
How Do Men Mishandle Gods Word?

• When they do not handle it all or very little
• When they adulterate it/handle it deceitfully (2
  Cor. 41ff)
• When they reduce it to ones interpretation
• When they ignore the context

24
CONTEXT
RING AROUND THE ROSES

• ORIGINAL RHYME 1665 LONDON
• Ring-a-ring oroses, A pocket full of posies,
  A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down.
• ring oroses in reference to small reddish
  spots on skin
• A pocket full of posies belief that evil smells
  were the breath of demons, wore sweet smelling
  flowers to drive them away
• A-tishoo! the sneezing that accompanied the
  plague
• We all fall down death

25
CONTEXT
RING AROUND THE ROSES
Thus, this unfavorable and ominous tune which
was born out of the worst plague to ever hit the
human race, the black death, has become a nursery
rhyme today because of the loss of context.
26
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God,
a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.