As One Approved
2 Tim 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.
Hayley, I was reading PDL this morning when I came across this reference... It was given out of context, so I wasn't immediately aware of the connatations to do with interpretation of scripture, etc.
What did speak to me however, was the first part: as one approved - who does not need to be ashamed and this was before I came to read your blog today ... Yet, although I knew the passage was significant, I still wanted to understand its meaning deeper & draw out some more of what I thought it was also saying, before I passed it onto you... hence the following from www.bible.org (from a lesson given at Dallas Seminary):
Paul goes on with the focus of this diligence: "present yourself approved to God." The adjective "approved" is the Greek word dovkimo". It has the connotation both of being tested and of passing the test. In other words, this process takes time ... It is sometimes used of the refining of gold through fire. The fire burns off the dross so that only the pure gold remains. If we truly present ourselves to God, we can be assured that he will slowly, but surely, burn the dross away. All that remains is the authentic person that God has been fashioning in Christ.
Paul tells us that we are to present ourselves, our whole selves, to God. We must long for his approval and no one else's.
"a workman who has no need to be ashamed"
The apostle continues on with a description of the person approved by God. He is a workman who has no need to be ashamed. He is unashamed because he knows that God approves of his work, regardless of what anyone else thinks of it. The imagery of a workman is not particularly flattering. Paul is not speaking here of a craftsman, an eloquent speaker, or high-paid professional. Indeed, the word "workman"-ejrgavth"-is most often used of an agricultural laborer, a grape-picker. The imagery here is not that of great skill, but of deep integrity. The workman does not need to be ashamed because he's put in an honest day's work. This is what God requires of us: our greatest ability is our availability.
I hope that makes something like sense to you .... Bring on the conversations in person rather than via a computer screen; two weeks & then two months ..... xxx
Hayley, I was reading PDL this morning when I came across this reference... It was given out of context, so I wasn't immediately aware of the connatations to do with interpretation of scripture, etc.
What did speak to me however, was the first part: as one approved - who does not need to be ashamed and this was before I came to read your blog today ... Yet, although I knew the passage was significant, I still wanted to understand its meaning deeper & draw out some more of what I thought it was also saying, before I passed it onto you... hence the following from www.bible.org (from a lesson given at Dallas Seminary):
Paul goes on with the focus of this diligence: "present yourself approved to God." The adjective "approved" is the Greek word dovkimo". It has the connotation both of being tested and of passing the test. In other words, this process takes time ... It is sometimes used of the refining of gold through fire. The fire burns off the dross so that only the pure gold remains. If we truly present ourselves to God, we can be assured that he will slowly, but surely, burn the dross away. All that remains is the authentic person that God has been fashioning in Christ.
Paul tells us that we are to present ourselves, our whole selves, to God. We must long for his approval and no one else's.
"a workman who has no need to be ashamed"
The apostle continues on with a description of the person approved by God. He is a workman who has no need to be ashamed. He is unashamed because he knows that God approves of his work, regardless of what anyone else thinks of it. The imagery of a workman is not particularly flattering. Paul is not speaking here of a craftsman, an eloquent speaker, or high-paid professional. Indeed, the word "workman"-ejrgavth"-is most often used of an agricultural laborer, a grape-picker. The imagery here is not that of great skill, but of deep integrity. The workman does not need to be ashamed because he's put in an honest day's work. This is what God requires of us: our greatest ability is our availability.
I hope that makes something like sense to you .... Bring on the conversations in person rather than via a computer screen; two weeks & then two months ..... xxx