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July 2022 Printable 176 KB .pdf

MOR-Bible, which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, peace to you and grace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, to you be glory, honor, and praise for you have delivered your children from the hand of the enemy. For as your Word mightily grows in each of us each day and we take believing actions on your Word, it shall prevail and prove superior in this day and time. For your Word is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow. Father, your Word is a discerner, critic of the thoughts, and intents of our hearts.

Father, I am so grateful and thankful that by your divine power you have given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of you, Father, that has called us to glory and virtue. You have given us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

In the June 2022 teaching, we reviewed usages of the Greek word aleethia used for our English word truth. We looked at 1 Timothy 2:4 as documented in the Church Epistles which are addressed to this current Grace Administration (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians). In these, Paul taught and spoke the truth of God's Word. 1 Timothy 2:4 tells us:

God who will have all people to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

The knowledge of the truth begins after you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. In this manner, you shall be saved. For with the heart, man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation (Romans 10: 9 and 10). The coming to the knowledge of the truth of God's Word will continue until you take your last breath on this earth!

John 17:17 says:

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

God's Word is the truth! You cannot know God's truth without knowing His Word! Therefore, we must study God's Word for His truth! God is our Father, and His Word is His Will and the truth we live by. The only way to know the truth of God's Word is to study His Word!

In this month's teaching we will start our review of 2 Timothy 2:15.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth [the Greek word aleethia].

We will start with the word "study." The word "study" is the Greek word spoudason which is the form of the Greek word spoudazo and means to speed, make haste, (as manifested in diligence, earnestness, zeal, etc.). The Greek word speudo is the root word which is its simplest form. It is the foundation; it is the simple part of a word with no suffix or prefix. The sources for all Greek-English words are The Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament Bullinger (1975) and Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible (1982).

Let us read some usages of the Greek word speudo to see the starting point as related to the Greek word spoudazo. The English word for speudo will be bolded for identification in the verses.

Luke 2:11 and 16:

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And they [the shepherds] came with haste [speudo], and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

After the shepherds heard what the angels said, they went with haste to see what had occurred, which the Lord made known to them. The shepherds went right away and quickly with haste. The word speudo, as an action, has time as the key factor.

Luke 19:5 and 6:

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste [speudo], and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.

And he [Zacchaeus] made haste [speudo] and came down and received him [Jesus] joyfully.

Jesus said to Zacchaeus to come quickly! So, Zacchaeus did just that - he made haste and received Jesus joyfully.

Acts 20:16:

For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted [speudo], if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

Paul hasted quickly and with speed to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Once again, time was crucial.

Acts 22:18:

And saw him saying unto me, make haste [speudo], and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

Paul received a vision from the Lord (Acts 22:18), to make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem. So, Paul acted on that vision and got out of Jerusalem quickly.

2 Peter 3:12:

Looking for and hasting [speudo] unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

The last usage of the root word speudo deals with the time of the coming of the day of God where the action is related the anticipation of this time.

Let us review some of the usages of spoudazo, formed from the root word speudo. Spoudazo means to take action as manifested in diligence, earnestness, zeal, etc. Once again, the English word for spoudazo will be bolded for identification in the verses.

Galatians 2:10:

Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward [the Greek word spoudazo] to do.

It takes effort to remember the poor living on the alms of other! The Greek word spoudazo is used to highlight the diligence, earnestness, and zeal of the action of remembering the poor.

Ephesians 4:3:

Endeavoring [spoudazo] to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

As a member of the body of Christ, we must make haste through diligence and earnestness to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." See August 2020 teaching.

1Thessalonians 2:17:

But we [Paul, and Silas, and Timothy], brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored [spoudazo] the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

Paul, and Silas, and Timothy endeavored or made haste to diligently see the faces of the brethren at the church of Thessalonians. Here the action signifies a great desire which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ! See October 2019 teaching.

2 Timothy 2:15:

Study [spoudazo] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We all know it take effort and labor to study God's Word to show ourselves approved to God. We are told to make haste and be diligent as a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth! Colossians 3:16 tells us:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

2 Timothy 4:9 and 21:

Do thy diligence [spoudazo] to come shortly unto me.

Do thy diligence [spoudazo] to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

Titus 3:12:

When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent [spoudazo] to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.

These verses exemplified the action of making haste diligently or with careful and persistent work or effort. To act diligently, takes planning, preparation, and implementation.

Hebrews 4:11:

Let us labor [spoudazo] therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

All forms of labor take physical effort! The key here is the labor is performed with diligence, earnestness, and zeal.

Let us look at 2 Peter 1:15. We start with 2 Peter 1: 5-10 for context.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith [believing] virtue, and to virtue knowledge.

And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness.

And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity [the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation].

For if these things be in you [the born-again believer], and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh these things [documented in 2 Peter 1:5-8] is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence [spoudazo] to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.

Here we learn that as the believers in the body of Christ, we are to exert every effort to make sure our calling and election is sure. We are to be diligent, earnest, and exhibit zeal or passion.

2 Peter 1:15:

Moreover, I will endeavor [spoudazo] that ye may be able after my decease to have these things [as cited in 2 Peter 1: 5-8] always in remembrance.

2 Peter 3:13-14:

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for [new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness] such things, be diligent [spoudazo] that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

In this month's teaching we started our review of 2 Timothy 2:15.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth [Greek word aleethia].

We learned the Greek word spoudazo is translated in the Bible to be:

• Diligent (5 times)
• Endeavor (3 times)
• Forward (1 time)
• Labor (1 time)
• Study (1 time)
  

The Greek word spoudazo shows physical exertion of effort and labor is required to achieve a goal! But it is just not effort or labor. It is labor and effort that is earnest and has zeal. Unlike the root word speudo, spoudazo is not associated with time or haste.

We have traced the word spoudazo and tracked it as a form of speudo. As God's children, we are to endeavor to expend a diligent, earnest, and passionate effort remembering to use our time prudently when studying God's Word! Why do we do this? So that we can redeem our time because the days are evil (see Ephesians 5:16). We study God's Word with haste, due diligence, earnestness, and zeal to show ourselves approved to God!

Father, thank you for giving us an understanding of your Word as we endeavor to expend a diligent effort remembering to use our time wisely when studying to know your Will for your children. Father, as we give all diligence, and adding to our believing virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and the love of You Father in the renewed mind in manifestation, we shall abound and be fruitful in the knowledge of you and your son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen

Next month's teaching: We will review the word "approved" in 2 Timothy 2:15.

Bless your hearts, you are the best and we love you.

In the Lord,

Ministry of Reconciliation
Son of God through Jesus Christ
Ambassador for Christ

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