Scripture
An Approved Worker
15Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17This kind of talk spreads like cancer,[1] as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. 18They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.
19But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”[2] and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”[3]
20In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
22Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
23Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
Translation notes (3)
- 2:17 Greek gangrene.
- 2:19a Num 16:5.
- 2:19b See Isa 52:11.
The Believers Form a Community
42All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper[1]), and to prayer.
Translation notes (1)
- 2:42 Greek the breaking of bread; also in 2:46.
We use the word devoted often, but I wonder how many times you and I actually stop to think about what the word means. The Oxford Dictionary defines devoted as “very loving or loyal” and “given over to the display, study, or discussion of.” Both of these definitions have challenged me as I think about what it means to be devoted to God and growing in my relationship with Him. These definitions help me understand what it means when I say I want to be devoted to Christ.
Isn’t it interesting that Acts 2:42 tells us that “all the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s supper), and to prayer” (verse 42)? In other words, the believers devoted themselves to Christ, knowing Him, and making Him known. They listened to apostles teach about God; they prayed. They interacted with each other and shared meals together. Their actions proved their devotion to Christ.
Acts 2 is not the only portion of Scripture that speaks of devotion to Christ. Paul wrote about devotion to God and His word in 2 Timothy. He wrote, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive His approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (verse 15). In order to be able to “correctly explain the word of truth,” we must be devoted to studying the Bible and listening to trustworthy pastors and teachers teach the Bible. This is the kind of devotion that followers of Christ are called to.
When you think about your own life, do you find yourself devoted? Do you find other things getting in the way of making time to be with God and study His word? It is time that you and I leave behind excuses and fully devote ourselves to Christ and His word. This makes all the difference.
Moving toward action
Look back at the Oxford Dictionary’s definition for devoted at the beginning of this devotion. Next, define devoted in your own words. Based on your own definition, what does it look like for you to be devoted to Christ? What habits can you adopt to model this kind of devotion to Christ? How will you take a step toward becoming even more devoted to Christ and His word?
Going deeper
Read 2 Timothy 2:15-26 (NLT)
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