The Charge
In 2 Timothy 2:15 Paul exhorts Timothy to be a workman that, instead of being ashamed, handles the Word of God accurately. That is an intriguing exhortation.
What would handling the Word inaccurately look like I wonder?
Is it simply not explaining it well or is it more than that?
What is Accurate?
Have you ever had to make a presentation at work? Have you ever had to explain something to your boss or your co-workers? How did you approach that task? Did you prepare? Did you walk into the meeting not really sure what you were going to say? Did you wing the presentation?
Have you ever had to take a professional exam? A test that would determine your ability to continue in your career? A test that would determine if you would or could be employed? Did you prepare? How?
More than Sharing Verses?
I have been in Christian meetings in which it was obvious the one presenting was not prepared. Was speaking off the cuff. There was no cohesion, identifiable point, or call to action that one paying close attention could identify. The presentation may have been liberally peppered with really good verses. But, there was no obvious connection between the passages shared.
One was left wondering what the point was.
Is that handling the Word accurately? I don’t think so? If we were to do that in a business meeting, we would be interrupted and immediately asked for clarification or what may be the bottom line. Wasting time in a business meeting is costly in monetary terms. That can get one reprimanded or terminated.
Condemnation for Sloppy Teaching?
Wasting time spiritually, not handling God’s Word accurately is costly as well. We don’t keep score in the Body the way we keep score in business. The cost may be confusing or turning people away from the gospel and the Lord. It may mean discipline by the Lord Hebrews 12:8 – 11. At the least our peers and leaders should take us aside like Pricilla and Aquila did with Apollos in Acts 18:24 – 28.
James 3:1 – 2, suggest that if we choose to engage in speaking about the Word of God before His people we should take that responsibility very seriously. The word translated “judgement” in your Bibles is κρίμα, it is variously translated judgement, condemnation, sentence, and lawsuit. Serious stuff. It is evident in Hebrews 5:11 – 14 that we are all to be teachers.
We best not be sloppy about it. It demands accuracy.
In 2 Timothy 2:15 Paul exhorts Timothy to be a workman that, instead of being ashamed, handles the Word of God accurately. That is an intriguing exhortation.
Is it simply not explaining it well or is it more than that?
What is Accurate?
Have you ever had to make a presentation at work? Have you ever had to explain something to your boss or your co-workers? How did you approach that task? Did you prepare? Did you walk into the meeting not really sure what you were going to say? Did you wing the presentation?
Have you ever had to take a professional exam? A test that would determine your ability to continue in your career? A test that would determine if you would or could be employed? Did you prepare? How?
More than Sharing Verses?
I have been in Christian meetings in which it was obvious the one presenting was not prepared. Was speaking off the cuff. There was no cohesion, identifiable point, or call to action that one paying close attention could identify. The presentation may have been liberally peppered with really good verses. But, there was no obvious connection between the passages shared.
One was left wondering what the point was.
Is that handling the Word accurately? I don’t think so? If we were to do that in a business meeting, we would be interrupted and immediately asked for clarification or what may be the bottom line. Wasting time in a business meeting is costly in monetary terms. That can get one reprimanded or terminated.
Condemnation for Sloppy Teaching?
Wasting time spiritually, not handling God’s Word accurately is costly as well. We don’t keep score in the Body the way we keep score in business. The cost may be confusing or turning people away from the gospel and the Lord. It may mean discipline by the Lord Hebrews 12:8 – 11. At the least our peers and leaders should take us aside like Pricilla and Aquila did with Apollos in Acts 18:24 – 28.
James 3:1 – 2, suggest that if we choose to engage in speaking about the Word of God before His people we should take that responsibility very seriously. The word translated “judgement” in your Bibles is κρίμα, it is variously translated judgement, condemnation, sentence, and lawsuit. Serious stuff. It is evident in Hebrews 5:11 – 14 that we are all to be teachers.
We best not be sloppy about it. It demands accuracy.
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