Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to

be ashamed and who correctly handles to word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15
This Sunday morning we begin our Fall Sunday School program. It is always a delight to meet
with Gods people for a time of study and discussion. We will be beginning this year by looking at one of
my favourite verses, 2 Timothy 2:15. Nearly forty years ago I used this verse as my year book quotation
as I was graduating from High School. It was a verse that had captured my attention as I had first begun
to feel that the Lord was calling me into full time Christian service. It is a verse which has stuck with me
all these years. Recently I was delighted to discover that it was a verse that Charles Haddon Spurgeon
used as he introduced a catechism to his congregation. His purpose was to lead the people of God into
the security which comes from being firmly anchored in Biblical doctrine. This will be our purpose this
Fall, to discuss and apply biblical doctrine to our lives so that we will be living securely in this Christian
life.
To look carefully at this verse we find that we can highlight a number of the words that the
Apostle Paul uses here. The first is the word at the beginning of the sentence which means to show full
diligence, fully applying ourselves, or acting with full and speedy commitment. This is what Spurgeon
meant when he wrote in An All Around Ministry (London: banner of Truth Trust, 1972, p. 125).
Brothers, I beseech you, keep to the old gospel, and let your souls be filled with it, and then
may you be set on fire with it! When the wick is saturated, let the flame be applied. Fire from
heaven is still the necessity of the age. They call it go, and there is nothing which goes like it; for
when the fire once starts upon a vast prairie or forest, all that is dry and withered must disappear
before its terrible advance. May God Himself, who is a consuming fire, ever burn in you as in the bush
at Horeb! All other things being equal, that man will do most who has the most of the Divine fire.
That subtle, mysterious element called fire who knoweth what it is? It is a force inconceivably
mighty. Perhaps it is the motive force of all forces, for light and heat from the sun are the soul of
power. Certainly fire, as it is in God, and comes upon His servants, is power omnipotent. The
consecrated flame will, perhaps consume you, burning up the bodily health with too great ardour of
soul, even as a sharp sword wears away the scabbard; but what of that? The zeal of Gods house ate
up our Master, and it is but a small matter that it should consume His servants.
The second word I want to highlight here is the one translated as one approved. This word has
as its meaning to be found genuine because you have passed the test. Here is a word that was
applied to the testing of an object, especially of coins, so that their genuineness can be demonstrated.
What Paul means here is that we will be tested so that the genuine reality of our Christian profession
can be demonstrated.
Thirdly, Paul uses a word that means to present ourselves for service. It means to be standing
close beside the leader, ready for action. We all know about those times when volunteers are needed
and we find some moving to the front of the group so that they will be included. Others are looking
around at the ground or moving to the back of the group. They do not want to be seen as uninterested,
but they also do not want to be picked.
Finally Paul uses a word here which means to cut a straight line. The meaning here is that we
are called to understand, apply, and consistently follow the clear teaching of God Word in every part of
our lives. Real, genuine Christian faith is a powerful thing as it is lived out in our world. We live in times
when such Christian faith is desperately needed. May we be found faithful.