TIMOTHY, 2nd, II. 15, C. H. Cayce Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that need- eth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.—2 Tim. ii. 15.
We desire to write just a few lines on this text. It contains more than we can write about in one little article, but we desire to call attention to just a few thoughts contained in the same. Paul was here writing to a young preacher, and giv- ing instruction to him as to how he should live, as well as how he should preach. We are sure that the instruction here given to this preacher would be good for all the Lord’s preachers in this present day, as well as in all time to come.
He first says, here, to “study.” It is necessary for the preacher, as well as others, to study the Bible in order to know what it teaches. He is to “study to shew thyself approved”—not unto men, but “unto God.”
Unless he lives as he should, he is not approved unto God; that is, God does not approve of his conduct. This is sufficient to show the necessity of the preacher living an honorable and upright life. His character should be above reproach. His life should be such that people have confidence in him as a man. He “must be of good report of them that are without.” He must study to show himself approved unto God, “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.” We have known some who should be ashamed, if they are not, for the way they have lived.
The preacher is to be an overseer. An overseer is one who is to show others how to do. Then the preacher should show others of the Lord’s people how to do—not simply tell them, but show them by living right himself. Thus he sets the right example. And the preacher is to be an ensample to the flock. That is, he is to set the right example before them. He should study to do this, and to thus be approved unto God, and not to be ashamed.
Next, the apostle says, “rightly dividing the word of truth.” Notice that he uses the word rightly. This shows that there may be such a thing as wrongly dividing the word of truth. This does not mean to divide truth from error. But to rightly divide the word of truth will expose error. It is a universal fact that this is so. The word divide here means especially to apply —to make the right application. In order to show the necessity of rightly dividing the word of truth, suppose we here call attention to two different passages of Holy Writ. The first we call attention to is 2 Tim. i. 9, which reads, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” The next passage we call attention to is 1 Tim. iv. 16, “Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine: continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”
In the first text the apostle emphatically declares that our being saved is not according to our works. In this all our works, whether good or bad, are excluded from the work of salvation. In the other text the same apostle says that “in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.” Doing is working. To do a thing one must work at it. Here the apostle plainly declares that there is a saving which comes as a result of “doing this”—doing what is here commanded. There is no man on earth who can harmonize these two passages without rightly dividing the word of truth—making the right application of each text. This also plainly shows that there is more than one kind of saving spoken of, or else the two passages cannot be harmonized—or, rather, that harmony cannot be shown any other way. In the first text the apostle is telling how one is saved from his sins, brought into divine relationship with God, brought out of nature’s darkness and translated into the marvelous light and liberty of the children of God, and also how it is not done. It is not according to our works that one is thus saved and called with an holy calling. It is alone God’s doing, and is altogether by His grace.
In the second text he was telling one who was already a child of God and a minister of the gospel how he should live, and how he should do and act. And in doing this he would save himself and those that hear him. He would not save himself from eternal ruin by doing this, for that is not according to our works.
This shows the necessity of “rightly dividing the word of truth.” It shows the necessity of making the right application of the word of truth in every particular. Bear in mind that there is more than one kind of saving spoken of in the Bible. Then when we find the word saved, we should apply it where it belongs. There is more than one kind of justification spoken of in the Bible, and where we find justification spoken of, we should apply it where it belongs. There is more than one kind of faith spoken of in the Bible, and where we find faith spoken of, apply it where it belongs. There is more than one kind of temptation spoken of in the Bible, and where we find temptation spoken of, let us apply it where it belongs. In making the right application of the Scriptures we rightly divide the word of truth. May the Lord help us all to do this. The Primitive Baptist, January 9, 1930.