Synergism: Opening The Door to God’s Indwelling Power

Chapter Three

The Essential of Knowing God’s Word to the Potential of God’s Power

“⁸ Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: ⁹ Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. ¹¹ It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: ¹² If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: ¹³ If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. ¹⁴ Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. ¹⁵ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ¹⁶ But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. ¹⁷ And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; ¹⁸ Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. ²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. ²¹ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. ²² Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. ²⁴ And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, ²⁵ In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; ²⁶ And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (II Timothy 2:8-26).

We live in the day of Biblical ignorance. Sadly, the ignorance of God’s word is not limited to the lost of the world. Today, most evangelicals have very little interest in the meat of doctrine in the study of Scriptures. Many are just not willing to invest the time and effort in knowing the details of God’s instruction book for living to His glory.

Sometimes, the word if is one of the largest words in the Bible. The word if is usually a word of both condition and potential or possibility. The word if proposes a hypothetical situation and details the conditions necessary to the realization of a hypothetical possibility. The word if is used six (6) different times in II Timothy 2:8-16 detailing six different hypothetical possibilities based upon a different condition for each of those possibilities.

1. “For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him” (II Timothy 2:11; refers to the surety of glorification to the regenerated).

2. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (II Timothy 2:12; refers to rewards in the Kingdom Age).

3. “[I]f we deny him, he also will deny us” (II Timothy 2:12; refers to the loss of rewards in the Kingdom Age).

4. “If we believe not {are not faithful}, yet he abideth faithful {to His promises}: he cannot deny himself” (II Timothy 2:13).

5. “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (II Timothy 2:21; conditions for, and promises of, Christ’s present blessings upon our ministries and lives).

6. “²⁵ In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; ²⁶ And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (II Timothy 2:25-26; refers to the potential of God’s supernatural workings through the lives of Spirit filled believers).

Within the context of these six hypothetical possibilities, we find a command to Timothy regarding his responsibility to all believers within the sound of his voice or within the realm of his influence. This command lies equally at the feet of every believer’s responsibilities regarding his stewardship of God’s indwelling grace; “¹⁴ Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. ¹⁵ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:14-15).

The enablement of the Holy Spirit that provides us with the understanding of God’s Word is called illumination. Illumination means enlightenment (see Ephesians 1:18). The idea of illumination describes the ministry of the Holy Spirit as He aides the believer in understanding what the Bible is saying.

“¹⁵ Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith {the practice or living of what is believed} in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, ¹⁶ Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge {epignosis} of him: ¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened {photizo;to shine light onto something to accurately reveals its details to those living in spiritual darkness, i.e., ignorance of God} that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power . . .” (Ephesians 1:15-18).

The word “study” in II Timothy 2:15 is translated from the Greek word spoudazo (spoo-dad'-zo). It actually means to give diligence or make the necessary effort. The reason spoudazo is translated “study” is its use in the context of the statement “rightly dividing the word of truth.” Therefore, the diligence is directed to the intimate knowledge and detailed application of the Word of God in the everyday practices of a person’s life (not in his head). The implication is that a person cannot make the hundreds and thousands of right decisions that are part of each day’s spiritual struggle if that person does not have an intricate knowledge of God’s Word and the will of God revealed by God’s Word.

The word “study” in II Timothy 2:15 takes the human responsibility far beyond the mere reading of the Word of God. The believer is responsible to study and know the intimate details of the Word of God so that his life can be lived shamelessly before God. This intimate knowledge of the Word of God is very much connected to the possibility of power with God. We can never live in the light of God’s revealed will if we do not know the details of the Word of God. Unless we live in the light of God’s revealed will, we can never live our lives in the power of God’s indwelling Spirit. This is a huge if. Living in the center of God’s will is the central condition for “fellowship” with God and for the enabling power of God in our lives.

Look at what God’s Word says regarding this in I John 1:5-10 and noticed the ifs in this text.

“⁵ This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (I John 1:5-10).

The word “fellowship” in I John 1:7 is from the Greek word koinonia (koy-nohn-ee'-ah), better translated partnership. The idea is in the communion of shared assets with each partner in the communion contributing something. This does not mean that each partner necessarily contributes equally to the partnership. Obviously, the Lord is the major and primary contributor in this relational partnership in the “work of the ministry.” In fact, about all the believer has that he can contribute to this partnership is a yielded body and a yielded will (spirit). The key word to this partnership is yield.

“¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin {your fallen sin nature}, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin {your fallen sin nature} therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin {your fallen sin nature}: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin {your fallen sin nature} shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under {the responsibilities of the stewardship of} grace” (Romans 6:11-14).

There are three reasons given in II Timothy 2:15 for why we should be extremely motivated to study the Word of God.

1. To show that our new lives “in Christ” are “approved” (dokimos; tested/tried and proved genuine) by God trying of our faith

2. So we can do the work of the ministry (“workmen”) and not end up being “ashamed” of what we have done before God presently and at the Judgment Seat of Christ (“ashamed” means not accusable by the “accuser of the brethren,” Rev. 12:10) because there is nothing to accuse us of)

3. So we can correctly apply (“rightly dividing” or dissect into the multitude of necessary applications) the truth of God’s Word to daily situations of life

We must never forget that the faithfulness is always measured by obedience to what God’s Word reveals. Simply because we do not know what God’s Word reveals does not in any way minimize our responsibility for obedience or our culpability for disobedience. In other words, we are going to be held accountable for both knowing and living every “jot and tittle” of the Word of God. This certainly defines the intricacy of the knowledge of the Word of God that God expects from everyone of His children. There is no excuse for ignorance of God’s Word and continuing throughout your lifetime as a “babe.”

“¹⁰ {Jesus} Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. ¹¹ Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered {difficult to explain and hard to understand}, seeing ye are dull {sluggish, slothful, or lazy} of hearing. ¹² For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles {elementary or rudimentary} of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat {solid foods}. ¹³ For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:10-14).

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