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Good handling
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"Do your best to present yourself to
God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who
rightly handles the word of truth." 2 Tim 2 v 15
“Rightly handles the word of truth” What an incredibly challenging directive that is to every one of us who dares to do any kind of teaching and preaching. What does Paul mean? Is he setting out the challenge to merely get our theology right? Perhaps, but the problem with theology is that it is man’s attempt to study God; and because it is based on man’s interpretation of the Bible, it can shift and change over any period of time or can be heavily influenced by who is holding the power at any given moment. Theology and beliefs can be enforced you see. All you need is the wrong people at the head of the crowd and the masses will go wherever they are told.
Although I do think that it’s true that Paul is referring in some way to our theology in this verse, I think that he is also encouraging his young protégée, Timothy, to constantly examine his motives for teaching. You see, when I read the line “Rightly handles the word of truth” I immediately think that there must be a way to mishandle it – and I think that means using it for your own purposes and not God’s. The founder of one of the more high profile, contemporary “religions” was once reported to have said that if you wanted to become rich, then all you had to do was start your own religion – and apparently, promptly went off and did exactly that. When it comes to religion and matters of faith, many people are very fragile and easily led. I speak at events and church services with reasonable regularity, and the one thing that I can’t help noticing is the increasing number of people who don’t bring Bibles with them. Now, it’s not a huge issue, but I can’t help feeling that this just increases the likely hood for people to be misled. Often when I am speaking, I become aware of the people who are just drinking in every word that I say, and I wonder to myself: “will you be taking time, at some stage, to check what I have just said?” Unfortunately most of the time, I don’t think they do.
So the responsibility is firmly on me as it was on young Timothy. It is my task to handle the Bible in a way that works for God’s purposes – and not even what I think are God’s purposes – and certainly never for my own gain, reputation or ego. If I, or anyone else for that matter, ever use the word of God to control other people, or get them to act in a way that I think is best (even if I think it is “for their own good”) then I will certainly be guilty of mishandling the “Word of truth”. Jesus gave some very sound advice when it comes to trying to discern who is out for their own ends or not. He said “By their fruit you will know them” (Mat 7 v 16) – not by their suits, or cars, or homes, or fancy offices, or letter-heads, or business cards, or merchandise, or…
“Rightly handles the word of truth” What an incredibly challenging directive that is to every one of us who dares to do any kind of teaching and preaching. What does Paul mean? Is he setting out the challenge to merely get our theology right? Perhaps, but the problem with theology is that it is man’s attempt to study God; and because it is based on man’s interpretation of the Bible, it can shift and change over any period of time or can be heavily influenced by who is holding the power at any given moment. Theology and beliefs can be enforced you see. All you need is the wrong people at the head of the crowd and the masses will go wherever they are told.
Although I do think that it’s true that Paul is referring in some way to our theology in this verse, I think that he is also encouraging his young protégée, Timothy, to constantly examine his motives for teaching. You see, when I read the line “Rightly handles the word of truth” I immediately think that there must be a way to mishandle it – and I think that means using it for your own purposes and not God’s. The founder of one of the more high profile, contemporary “religions” was once reported to have said that if you wanted to become rich, then all you had to do was start your own religion – and apparently, promptly went off and did exactly that. When it comes to religion and matters of faith, many people are very fragile and easily led. I speak at events and church services with reasonable regularity, and the one thing that I can’t help noticing is the increasing number of people who don’t bring Bibles with them. Now, it’s not a huge issue, but I can’t help feeling that this just increases the likely hood for people to be misled. Often when I am speaking, I become aware of the people who are just drinking in every word that I say, and I wonder to myself: “will you be taking time, at some stage, to check what I have just said?” Unfortunately most of the time, I don’t think they do.
So the responsibility is firmly on me as it was on young Timothy. It is my task to handle the Bible in a way that works for God’s purposes – and not even what I think are God’s purposes – and certainly never for my own gain, reputation or ego. If I, or anyone else for that matter, ever use the word of God to control other people, or get them to act in a way that I think is best (even if I think it is “for their own good”) then I will certainly be guilty of mishandling the “Word of truth”. Jesus gave some very sound advice when it comes to trying to discern who is out for their own ends or not. He said “By their fruit you will know them” (Mat 7 v 16) – not by their suits, or cars, or homes, or fancy offices, or letter-heads, or business cards, or merchandise, or…
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