“Study to Shew Thyself Approved unto God”

(2Timothy 2:15)

The increased circulation of The Old Paths Magazine is a great encouragement. We trust that the teaching of the Scriptures is to the glory of God and the spiritual upbuilding of His dear people. Much thanks is due to the publisher, printer, writers and all who seek to carry on this work. Special thanks is due to those who have volunteered to translate the writings into other languages. How do we profit spiritually from the Scriptures and progress in the service of God? Paul writes to Timothy; “Study (give diligence, strive diligently) to shew (present) thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed” (2Tim. 2:15). Timothy is to be an approved workman, not just a student. To study diligently means work, labour with toil and exertion in the Word. An intellectual knowledge of the Bible is good. An academic knowledge of the original languages is helpful but this workman is not a graduate from some school of man. There is much more involved than an academic qualification. The key to the scriptures is Christ. How essential it is to study in the school of Christ likeness. Paul himself was the zealous product of earthly learning yet he said; “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8). To be a diligent student of the Word and servant in the Work, involves enduring hardness, disentanglement from the affairs of this

life, earnest striving to control selfish desires and denial of fleshly sloth and laziness (2Tim. 2:1-14).

The workman in the Word will sacrifice time. It will be costly to spend thought and time meditating on the Scriptures, comparing Scripture with Scripture, taking teaching to himself and applying it to his own life. The workman will be Divinely tested, approved and proved trustworthy. By toil, exertion and labouring in the Word he will mature into; “A workman that needeth not to be ashamed”. There will be no reason for feeling shame as he is presented as a workman before God and God’s people. “Rightly dividing (cutting a straight line, directing the correct path, handling) the Word of truth”. He will be able to distinguish things that differ. He will know with scriptural conviction, what he believes and be able from the Bible to show why he believes it.

As the circulation of this Magazine is doubled by demand, our desire is that those who receive it will prayerfully and carefully, read and compare the teaching with the Word of Truth. They can thus teach and commit the same; “To faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2Tim. 2:2).

J.A. Davidson