A Workman

(A Bible Teacher’s Do’s and Don’ts)

2 Timothy 2:14-26

Key Verse 2:15

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

One of this year’s prayer topics is to reach 700 weekly Bible studies. It is also our prayer topic that the Lord would raise this nation as a Bible believing, Bible practicing and Bible teaching nation. The Apostle Paul, who lived about two thousand years ago, had a prayer topic to establish the Roman Empire as a Bible believing, Bible practicing and Bible teaching nation. As a practical step towards this direction he found one person Timothy as a reliable man. He entrusted the knowledge of salvation to Timothy so that he would be qualified to teach others as well. As the time for the Apostle Paul’s departure from this life drew near he wrote Timothy two epistles, which we know now as First and Second Timothy. In his epistles he prayed that Timothy would grow up and work as an effective Bible teacher and bear good fruit for the Lord. In this hope and prayer, Paul teaches Timothy several do’s and don’ts as a Bible teacher. 

First, keep reminding them of these things.

The Apostle Paul was a Jew. Timothy was half-Jew and half-Gentile, for his mother was a Jewess, whereas his father was a Greek. The Apostle Paul met Timothy during his second mission journey in Lystra, a city located in the southern part of present day Turkey. In Paul’s day, people in the Gentile world did not know the gospel of Jesus. So finding a man of faith in the Gentile world was like a man looking for a gold nugget in the sand on the Long Beach seashore. But thank God. When Paul met Timothy he knew that he had found a gold-nugget: Timothy’s grandmother was a Christian, his mother was a Christian, and Timothy was also a Christian. Believing that Timothy was a god-send, as much as the opportunities presented themselves throughout his mission journeys, Paul took Timothy along with him, and passed onto Timothy the knowledge of salvation, particularly, the gospel of Jesus. 

Now that Timothy received this spiritual treasure what should he do? Look at verse 14a. “Keep reminding them of these things.” Here the word “keep” connotes the element of continuity and repetition. The word “remind” alludes to the fact that everyone is in need of someone reminding him or her of these things, especially the gospel of Jesus.  In today’s society there are many ways for us to meet the need we have, that is, the need to be reminded of the Word of God. Here are some suggestions we need to make to our Bible students: 

Keep doing daily bread

Keep writing a Bible testimony at least once a week

Keep attending meetings which offer the opportunity to think about God’s word, meetings such as the Sunday worship service, Bible conferences, etc.

Keep memorizing important Bible verses.

Keep the habit of reading good spiritual books.

Keep a company of good spiritual friends who believe in Jesus.

Keep your Bibles everywhere – one at your bed side, one in your chest pocket, one in your car, one at your desk top, one next to your couch in your living room, one in your bathroom, one in your backpack, one in an audio file on your MP3 player, one in your Blackberry, one in your laptop. 

Keep daily journals using a notebook with Bible verses on each page.

Keep teaching the Bible to at least three students at least once a week, if not once a day. 

“Keep reminding them of these things.”  If we keep doing this how will people be benefited? We find an answer to this question in many different Bible verses. One of my favorites is 2 Timothy 3:16-17. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Let me share with you a story which I affectionately call “Victoria’s Secret.” There was an African prince who came to England and was presented to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. The prince asked a very significant question: “What is the secret of England’s greatness?” The Queen got a beautifully bound copy of the Bible and presented it to the prince with this statement: “This is the secret of England’s greatness.” But what the Bible can do for man goes way beyond economic or political successes. It inspires man to garner victories after victories, first for our life in this present world, then for the life in the world to come. Speaking of the same truth, the Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:10, “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect that they too may obtain salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”  

Second, warn them before God against quarreling about words

One important truth we have to live by is that we cannot, and should not, expect to go for two opposing values at the same time. For example, you cannot, and should not, expect to be both good and bad at the same time. The same is true with the Bible. One should either obey the Bible or disobey the Bible. It is categorically impossible for you to obey and disobey all at the same time. 

This axiom gives rise to the next point for every Bible teacher to do. Look at verse 14b. “Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.” According to Miriam Webster’s Dictionary, to “quarrel” means, “to find fault, to content or dispute actively.” The Bible maintains its own value system. For example, Moses’ Ten Commandments says:

You shall have no other gods but me. 

You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it. 

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. 

You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy. 

Respect your father and mother. 

You must not kill. 

You must not commit adultery. 

You must not steal. 

You must not give false testimony against your neighbor. 

10. You must not be envious of your neighbor’s goods. You shall not be envious of his house nor his wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.

What if you do not like any of them, so you want to live against them, and yet still you want to justify yourself? An easy way to do this is to find fault with the Bible by saying, “Oh, it is not God’s word; it is just man’s word.” Or, “I don’t believe in the Bible.” In verse 14, the Apostle Paul calls this kind of practice “quarreling” about words.

Paul says that a Bible teacher must warn people against quarreling. The word “warn” has the meaning of “alert” or “informing in advance” of the consequences that will eventually arrive at the door of those who quarrel about words. What are the consequences? Quarreling will only ruins those who listen. 

Here is an interesting quote which speaks of the same truth: “The Bible has sixty-six books, and God has spoken to us through them. This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy. Its precepts are binding. Its histories are true. Its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains lights to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object. Our good is its design, and the glory of God is its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life and will be opened in the judgment and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents” (Author unknown).

Third, do your best to present yourself to God as one approved.

Look at verse 15. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” This passage indicates that it is God who qualifies one to be a Bible teacher. This implies that a personal relationship with God the Father is more important than any thing else. Abraham, in Genesis, is a good example. He did not go through any licensing or credential programs to qualify himself as a Bible teacher. Yet, since he was in a relationship with God the Father, the Lord God himself called him a prophet. 

The question however is this: “God is invisible. Yet, how can you come to God and be a man approved by him?” We already know the answer: We can come to the Father by bringing ourselves to the living word of God, the Bible. In John 17, Jesus said that he came to reveal God to us. Concerning the Bible, Jesus said that the point of the Bible is Jesus himself. Speaking of the same truth, Bishop Pollock said, “The Bible is a corridor between two eternities, down which walks the Christ of God; His invisible steps echo through the Old Testament, but we meet Him face to face in the throne room of the New; and it is through that Christ alone, crucified for me, that I have found forgiveness for sins and life eternal. The Old Testament is summed up in the word Christ; the New Testament is summed up in the word Jesus; and the summary of the whole Bible is that Jesus is the Christ.”  So the question for you is: Have you met Jesus in person as the Lord and Savior?  (Read also verses 19-20) 

Fourth, avoid godless chatter.

Look at verses 16-18. “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.” Here “godless chatter” refers to all teachings that are inconsistent with the Bible. Teaching heathen philosophies and ideologies is one example and teaching that the resurrection has already taken place is another. 

One may ask, “How do you know that any teaching is godly or ungodly? How can you tell whether or not any teaching belongs to the category of ‘godless chatter?’” In verses 16-21, the Apostle Paul indicates that we can tell the difference by looking at the fruit of such teachings, that is, those who indulge themselves in godless chatter cause people to become increasingly ungodly, ignoble, wicked, worldly, and worthless. On the other hand, when one avoids godless chatter and keeps devoting himself to studying the Bible and obeying its teachings, he will grow to be a godly man, becoming righteous,  noble, and holy, rising from a lowly level of flesh to the level of God's glory, and thereby becoming worthy of being used by God for noble purposes. 

Fifth, flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace.

Look at verse 22. “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 

In a book entitled The Believer’s School of Prayer, Andrew Murray says, “It is only in the full presence of God that disobedience and unbelief become impossible.” He also says in the same book, “If I do what God says, God will do what I say.” These statements indicate that God hates evil. So anyone who indulges in evil desires is like a man declaring war against God, for through his indulgence in evil desires he is playing an enemy of God. Figuratively speaking, a man who indulges in sinful desires is like a man trying to drive a car in a reverse while still expecting to move forward. For this reason the Apostle Paul admonishes young Timothy to flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace. 

The Apostle Paul knew that fleeing evil desires and pursuing what is good is more easily said than done, and this is particularly so with a man as young as Timothy. But God never asks his children to do what is impossible. One way to successfully flee the evil desires of youth and seek what is good is to find believing friends, and pursue what is righteous together with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.   

Sixth, don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments.

In verses 23-26, the Apostle Paul admonishes Timothy saying, “Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments.” This passage indicates that Timothy would run into people who are so stubborn that it would be very easy for him to argue with them through which no positive results would come out. 

When your Bible students become rebellious what should you do? Wring his neck on the very spot? No. Look at verses 25-26. “Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” This passage teaches us that a Bible teacher should not try to win the argument on the very spot. Rather he must do all he can do, and then leave the result in the hands of God. In this way a shepherd can continue to maintain a good relationship with a stubborn sheep. As he prays the Lord will work on that person and at an appropriate time the Lord will help that person to come to their senses and repent. Then later a stubborn sheep will come back saying, “Oh, I am sorry. At that time I was really stupid. I now repent. Thank you for being patient with me.” 

One word: a workman 

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