Encouragement

Study Reveals God’s Love for Us

by Cecil Maner
03/22/26
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Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Engaging in diligent Bible study, as exhorted in 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”—enables believers to receive divine revelation of God’s unchanging approval and acceptance. Through the Scriptures, one discovers that God has already declared approval through the finished work of Christ Jesus, who provides the exclusive path to salvation. This truth liberates the believer from the need to earn divine favor, affirming that righteousness is imputed by faith, not personal merit. Such revelation counters feelings of inadequacy, fostering confidence in God’s grace rather than self-effort.

In contrast, the accuser—identified as Satan in passages such as Revelation 12:10—persistently highlights sin and shame to undermine this assurance, seeking to burden believers with condemnation and guilt. This dynamic is illustrated in John 10:10, where Jesus declares, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” The thief’s mission involves robbing joy and peace through accusations that amplify shame, while Christ offers abundant life marked by freedom, restoration, and unhindered fellowship with God. Paul’s experience with his “thorn in the flesh,” described as a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him (2 Corinthians 12:7), relates closely to this issue. I suggest this persistent affliction involved tormenting reminders of past sins or experiences of shame. Remember Saul was responsible for the death and imprisonment of Christians before his conversion. Yet, God’s grace proved sufficient, transforming potential defeat into an opportunity to rely wholly on divine strength, thereby shaming the accuser and affirming the believer’s secure standing in Christ.