We have started our new Post Be Transformed Fellowship Group! On Thursday evenings, anyone who has finished Be Transformed with us is invited to meet and talk through scripture and how the entire Bible speaks to the Truth of Christ's work on the cross and what that means for us here and now.
So far the group has been small, but very rich! We have met twice and I have felt the encouragement of our discussion in the following days/weeks!
On our first Thursday we discussed 2 Timothy 2. Our question about this passage came in verse 15. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."
Question: Does this means that our approval from God is dependent on our behavior? It can certainly sound that way!
As The Holy Spirit was leading our discussion, it started with a look back to 2 Timothy 1 and Ephesians. Timothy is Paul's spiritual son who is pastoring the church in Ephesus. In the book of Ephesians and in 2 Timothy 1, Paul made very clear who we are in Christ as believers and laid the ground work in identity for his later teachings on behavior. He taught that we are new creations, holy and blameless before God. We have been made one with Christ and His nature is our new nature. The power of sin and flesh has been completely defeated and broken and we are now free to walk a victorious life in Christ as He lives His great life through us in this world.
The teaching in 2 Timothy 2 is a practical walking out of those truths. All of us as believers at one time or another have felt the incredible frustration that Paul describes in Romans 7:15 "For that which I am doing, I do not understand for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate." We desire the life of godliness that the Bible teaches, yet our actions show the very opposite. We know more than anyone that we cannot be holy and blameless before God. Our thoughts our sinful, our actions selfish, our entire lives at times feel enslaved to the flesh! I have in the past said, "There must be more to the Christian life than trying and failing, trying and failing, trying and failing." At times it felt like an endless cycle that was destroying me emotionally! The great news is this. There is so much more! Jesus sent the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit to live in us and give us this abundant life beyond our capability!
Ephesians and 2 Timothy have offered great encouragement regarding this issue. 2 Timothy 2:15 again says, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth." In light of Paul's prior teachings, this verse is an encouragement to us to live the life we were created for. To look into the word for the truth of who He is, who we are, and adjust our lives accordingly. That is handling it accurately! We look into the word, read we are saints and united with Christ. A minute later we will turn away, speak a lie to ourselves: "I am a failure. I should be ashamed of myself for these choices I have made. I am so far from Christ and I will never figure this life out." Or maybe it sounds more like, "I will do better next time, so God will bless me and be pleased with me." We have just set our lives according to a lie, instead of to the truth of scripture. However, we have the option to turn around and say, "My behavior is not lining up with the truth of who I am in Christ. The truth is that I have no reason to be ashamed. My sin has been removed from me and I am a new creation. I have every spiritual blessing given to me for a life of godliness. Jesus, I trust you to live your life through me."
As we speak the truth of our identity, 2 Timothy brings to light the life of the Spirit that will be revealed as we walk by faith. We will avoid worldly and empty chatter that leads to further ungodliness. We will refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, we will be kind to all, able to teach. We will be patient when wronged. With gentleness, we will correct those who are in opposition. We will flee from lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace with others who call on the name of the Lord with a pure heart. This literally means that we will turn our backs to our flesh, turn toward the Spirit and take a step in faith. Pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace is choosing the Holy Spirit and the life that He lives in us and through us. 2 Timothy describes a life that is completely impossible in our strength. We cannot read this and determine in our wills to exhibit these behaviors. It is like tying on fruit to an apple tree! This is THE life that the Holy Spirit will live through a surrendered believer!
His part is the life described above. Our part is faith in His sufficiency as we surrender our flesh, our will, our dreams, our rights, our opinions...no sweat. Ha! :) He will accomplish this work in us and lead us to His abundant life that we cannot achieve. There is no amount of performance that can earn that life. It is a gift given from Him and lived through us BY HIM!
Thank you to our Thursday night group for such an incredible discussion. I think I will read this passage regularly now! It is a beautiful reminder of the Spirit-led life that He has given to us.
