"It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:11-15

A trustworthy statement is absolutely reliable; something you can "take to the bank," so to speak. Death to self for the sake of Christ is true life. Perseverance is kingdom victory. To deny is to be denied. Failure is not final because Christ is faithful. As Paul reminded Timothy, always remind followers of Christ of these things, just as we are doing here. Remember these things, and avoid "word wrangling."

"Word wrangling" is both worthless as well as destructive, but what exactly is it? It's disputing truth through clever wording and persuasive argument. It is literally a verbal attack on truth in an effort to elevate our status and position in the eyes of others.

The remedy for "word wrangling" is proper word handling. Rightly divide it; let scripture fall into its God-intended sections. Don't force your opinion and perspective, but honestly, openly, and humbly let it speak to you. In other words, don't search for reinforcement to prove your biblical assumptions, but let truth speak for itself, no matter how radical that might be to what you assume to be true.

I have the greatest admiration and respect for those who want to know and practice truth, regardless of the tradition of their beliefs. Many of these have paid a high price - loss of ministries, friends, and family members. But their love for truth matters more, and these indeed are "approved to God."

The aspiration of a follower of Christ is to be a "person of the Book;" a committed student of the Bible, reading, studying, and applying it on a regular basis. The challenge for each of it is to do so with a truly open mind, prepared to reject any error we may have learned. It's risky but worthwhile.

Our marching orders today and every day is to get into the word, and let the word get into us. May today be an exciting journey as we do so.

Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/ & https://kingdomdreamer.blogspot.com/

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