Living on the Cutting Edge

Paul's trade was tent making. So, who lived in tents in the Apostle Paul's day? Most likely, Roman soldiers lived in tent camps. And 1st century travelers might have needed a tent to use where inns were few and far between.

 Paul's trade gives special meaning to the word, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who is … accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15), because the phrase “accurately handling” literally means  “cutting straight.” Paul knew the importance of cutting straight pieces of fabric to avoid making windy tents!
 
Paul’s meaning, then, is that we should study the Bible in its entirety, so we can rightly connect all the parts. Otherwise, our doctrine will be full of holes—like people living in windy tents, “tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching” (Eph. 4:14). Knowing the Word of God, and having sound doctrine, will become increasingly more important “in later times [when] some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1).  I think we are living on the cutting edge.

Straight Shooters

Someone you can count on to tell you the truth is a “straight shooter.” In our politically correct climate, it is getting increasingly harder to find a person who will give it to you straight.

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet used an interesting word to describe God. It is a seldom-used word translated “teacher” that derives from the Hebrew word “archer/shooter” (Is. 30:20).

During a time of national rebellion, as God quietly waited for them to return, the prophet says He withdrew Himself, i.e., not speaking. But Isaiah promised them if they would return, He would be like a teacher [a shooter] who would no longer hold back, but would tell them the truth: “This is the way; walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” In other words, whenever they got off the straight and narrow, He would tell them straight out what they needed to hear.

Does it not seem to you that as our mainline American denominations progressively line up with political correctness, there is going to be a greater need for straight shooters?

Driving Without Blinkers

Do you know what kind of car the first century Christians drove? The Bible says they were all in “one Accord” (Acts 1:14). While that may be an especially corny joke, I will take it one corny step further and say it probably didn’t have any blinkers (turn signals).

There are many Scriptures where God commands “Do not turn to the left or to the right” (Deut. 5:32; 17:20; Josh 1:7; Prov. 4). Jesus' followers are warned to stay on the straight and narrow path (Matt. 7:14).

You don’t have to drive for long with the Lord to know it is not easy going straight in this crooked world (Phil 2:15); there are so many temptations to make a wrong turn.  And our enemy is only too ready to confuse us with false signs that will lead us in the wrong direction.  But not to worry! God promises to ‘drive’ them away just as He ‘drove’ out the enemies of Israel (Joshua 3:10). And I am convinced whatever He is ‘driving’ has no blinkers.  "Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6).

Stop Reading the Bible

An often over-looked commandment of the New Testament is this one: “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

I can think of no parallel commandment to personal ‘reading’ of the Bible—other than in public settings (1 Timothy 4:13). Even then, the word ‘read’ comes from the Greek to “know,” meaning to “know by reading.” It implies active (not passive) learning. In fact, the men in the early church whose duty it was to teach the Scriptures were called ‘public readers.’ John used this active word for 'read' when he said "Blessed are those who read [know]... the prophecy..." (Rev. 1:3).

The Greek word for study has to do with concentrated effort, sometimes translated as the verb ‘to labor.’ And the reason Paul says we should ‘study’ the Word, or ‘labor’ the Word is so we can ‘rightly divide’ it. The literal translation of ‘rightly divide’ is ‘cut straight,’ the only occurrence of this word in the New Testament. The significance should not escape us. Paul was a tent maker and knew the importance of cutting the canvas pieces straight before sewing them together. If the tent is not properly fitted together, the wind will blow through it. And if you are not able to “cut in a straight line the word of truth” (Darby translation), "you will be carried away by every wind of [tricky, crafty, deceitful] doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14).

Stop reading and start studying.