Workman approved by God 2Ti2_15_Message_AbrahamLee_2026
2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
Happy New Year! As we begin a new year, we often make plans—for ourselves, for our families, and for the things we hope to accomplish. But let me ask you a question: What is God’s calling for you in this new year? Today’s passage reveals God’s heart for us. Paul urges Timothy to become a worker who is approved by God. This is the central theme of Paul’s message. So then, what must we do to become workers approved by God? To achieve this goal, Paul exhorts us in three important ways. First, do your best present yourself to God —to have a heart and attitude fully devoted to God. Second, be a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed before God. Third, be a worker who correctly handles the word of truth. Through today’s passage, I pray that we would deeply understand what these mean, and become workers who are approved by God in the new year.
- Do your best to present yourself to God
When Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, Timothy was the pastor of the church in Ephesus. At that time, the Ephesian church was facing a great crisis from both within and without. Externally, believers were suffering under the brutal persecution of Emperor Nero. Internally, false teachers were spreading a false gospel about the resurrection, deceiving many believers. Some members were challenging young Timothy’s leadership, while others were stirring up quarrels through foolish arguments within the church. As a result, the church became divided and fell into great confusion. In the face of such crises, Timothy was likely weary, discouraged, and shaken. In his letter, Paul urges Timothy to become a workman who is approved by God.
The Greek term translated as “approved” is “dokimos”, which means tested, proven, and found genuine. It was commonly used to describe metal that had been refined by fire, with all impurities burned away, leaving only what is pure and valuable. In this sense, Paul is urging Timothy to become a servant who has been tested, proven, and approved by God—one who has passed God’s examination. All the persecution, difficulties, and hardships Timothy was facing were not meaningless. They were divinely permitted and sovereignly appointed tests, given to refine him and to prove him. By passing these trials, Timothy was to demonstrate himself before God as a true servant of the Lord. How could Timothy endure and overcome these tests?
He was not to lose courage, complain, become angry, or blame people or circumstances. Instead, in every hardship he faced, Timothy was to give his whole heart to God and faithfully carry out his calling. In doing so, he would prove himself before God as His servant. And this is not only Paul’s exhortation to Timothy; it is God’s calling for us as well. Paul uses us, “Do your best to present yourself to God.” Here, the Greek word translated as “present” is παρίστημι (paristēmi), which literally means “to stand beside” or “to place at one’s disposal.” This same word is also used in Romans 12:1, “offer yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” In this sense, Paul is urging us not to be shaken, not to complain, and not to be discouraged by various problems. Instead, he calls us to give our whole heart, our full effort, and our sincere devotion to God, so that our lives may stand the test and be found pleasing in His sight.
Apostle Paul himself set a powerful example. He faced countless obstacles and difficulties in his ministry. In 2 Corinthians 11, he describes the severe hardships he endured while preaching the gospel—beatings, imprisonment, shipwrecks, and many other sufferings. Yet, he never gave up or neglected his mission. Let’s read Acts 20:24, “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Paul did not become discouraged in the face of difficulties. Instead, he faithfully carried out his mission with unwavering devotion, even at the cost of his life.
Our missionaries and coworkers are carrying many crosses. We care for our families, and work as full-time workers. At the same time, we have to preach the gospel on campus, feed the sheep, and co-work together in the ministry of our community. In the midst of various challenges, as we carry out the campus mission, we can become tired, exhausted, and even lose the strength to continue our calling. If this condition continues, we may fall into spiritual burnout. Then, we may give up inwardly and end up wasting the entire year of 2026. And at the end of 2026, we might find ourselves filled with regret, asking, “What did I actually do this year?”Who wants to end the year with that kind of regret? No body, right? If we waste this year meaninglessly, we will inevitably become workers who are ashamed before God.
So then, how can we overcome all difficulties and become workers approved by God? When we face hardships, we must recognize that all these difficulties are given to us under God’s providence. God uses them to refine us, test us, and give us the opportunity to prove that we are His servants. Therefore, when difficulties come, we must not become angry, disappointed, or blame others. Instead, even in the midst of trials, we should give thanks to God, offer Him our whole heart, and faithfully carry out the mission He has entrusted to us. If we allow hardship to make us discouraged, lose our strength, or neglect our calling, we cannot please God. God is watching to see whether, in the face of difficulties, we remain steadfast, surrender our hearts completely to Him, and faithfully fulfill the work He has given us. When we pass this test, God recognizes us as His faithful servants.
We are standing at the beginning of a new year. This year, we will surely face difficult situations as we carry out our mission. At that time, I pray that we will not shrink back or compromise in the face of challenges. Instead, let us present ourselves fully to God and carry out our mission with wholehearted devotion. In doing so, I believe that we will please God and receive His approval.
- Be an Unashamed Worker – A Life of Holiness and Godly Example
Paul exhorts Timothy not to be a worker who is ashamed before God. So, we must ask: What makes us workers who are ashamed before God? We become ashamed before God when we sin against Him. Although we are called to be God’s servants, we still carry a sinful nature. Because of this sinful nature, we can fall into sins that God hates— such as hatred, jealousy, judgmental attitudes, or sexual immorality. But there is something even more shameful before God than committing sin itself: failing to repent. Repentance is not merely admitting our sins with our lips. True repentance means crucifying our sinful nature daily and fighting against sin so that we do not return to it again. Through this genuine repentance, we bear the fruit of repentance, and this is the path to becoming a worker who is approved by God. However, when we refuse to truly repent, we become hypocrites like the Pharisees who claimed to serve God outwardly but denied Him inwardly.
We are saved by Jesus’ death on the cross. Yet salvation is not our final destination; it is only the starting point. We should nail our sinful nature to the cross daily and live a holy life. We have to cleanse ourselves through the blood of Jesus. And day by day, we need to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, learning and imitating His character—His love, compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. This lifelong process is called sanctification. In the new year, carrying out our campus mission is important. But even more important is becoming like Jesus and growing into the fullness of His maturity. When this inner growth takes place, the mission we undertake will hold true meaning and power. When we obey God’s Word and live with holiness, purity, integrity and faithfulness, our lives naturally become a living testimony of Christ. Such lives reflect the light of Christ and inspire people to seek Him.
In this new year, I pray that each of us will live as godly examples wherever we go—at home, in our communities, and in our workplaces—so that we may stand unashamed before God and shine the light of Jesus to the world.
2. Correctly handle the word of truth
Paul instructs Timothy to become a workman who correctly handles the Word of truth. Here, the Greek word translated as “correctly handles” is ὀρθοτομέω (orthotomeō), which literally means “to cut straight” or “to divide accurately.” In this sense, correctly handling the word of truth means interpreting and teaching God’s Word accurately without distorting its meaning. Based on this meaning, Paul is calling Timothy to be an excellent Bible teacher who correctly handles the word of truth. Paul’s exhortation applies to us as well. We are called by God to be Bible teachers for campus students. God does not want us to remain ordinary Bible teachers. Instead, He wants us to become excellent Bible teachers.
In his book, “Between Two Worlds: The Art of Preaching”, John Stott says that handling the word of God is an art—one that demands accuracy and sensitivity, as well as faithfulness and creativity, all at the same time. He encourages readers to move beyond ordinary teaching and to handle the word of God with artistic mastery, Excellent Bible teachers are called to handle the Word of God not in a basic way, but with artistic mastery. Such teachers can be considered heavenly-class. I first heard the phrase “heavenly-class” at the New York Christmas Worship Service. It was impressive. In worldly terms, heavenly-class can be compared to world-class. For example, in soccer, there are many skilled players in the world. But only a few top-class players are called world-class. This includes players like Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Haaland, Lamine Yamal, Son Heung-min and others. Why are they called world‑class? Because they handle the ball with extraordinary skill. Their ball control is like art—truly at the level of mastery. In this sense, heavenly-class Bible teachers handle the Word of God at an artistic level. Through the insight given by the Holy Spirit, they deeply discern the true meaning of Scripture and God’s will within it. They thirst for God’s Word and meditate on it day and night. They continually walk with the Word of God, seeking its hidden treasures with wholehearted devotion. They grow deeper in understanding through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As a result, God’s Word becomes embodied in their lives, and they become like walking Bibles. Their very presence reflects the wisdom, power, and beauty of God’s Word.
Do you want to be an excellent Bible teacher? I believe that all of us have a desire to become excellent Bible teachers. But being an excellent Bible teacher does not mean gaining fame or wealth. Even if we become excellent Bible teachers, we may still find ourselves working at a dry cleaner, a sushi shop, or in a busy warehouse. We may still have to fix a broken toilet by ourselves or cut our own hair to save money. We may even watch our bank account move closer to “zero”. Yet in God’s eyes, an excellent Bible teacher is like a precious jewel. This is because such teachers love God’s Word, study it deeply, and live it out in their daily lives. By doing so, they become godly examples to the sheep and are able to guide them toward the kingdom of God. God is pleased with them and uses them as powerful instruments in His redemptive work. Therefore, we must become excellent Bible teachers.
So then, how can we become excellent Bible teachers? First, Study the Word deeply Fathers of Faith hold a Bible study every Sunday evening. However, I rarely prepared the Bible materials properly for these studies. I usually read the passage just 30 minutes before the study and attended out of habit. This kind of habitual Bible study brought no real transformation to my inner being. How about you? We need to return to the basics. The foundation of a Bible teacher is studying the Bible deeply. At this point, we need to pay attention. The ultimate author of Scripture is the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit’s revelation, no one can truly understand the meaning and accurately interpret the Word. Therefore, we should earnestly pray that the Holy Spirit may open our spiritual eyes and give us divine insight. With this insight, we can grasp the deeper meaning of God’s Word and discover the hidden treasures within it. In the new year, let us stop studying the Bible out of habit. Instead, let us seek God’s will and discover the treasures of His Word through deep and intentional Bible study. Deep Bible study is the first step toward being an excellent Bible teacher.
Second, Teach the Word Faithfully. We have to teach God’s Word correctly and faithfully so that our sheep may embrace the truth of God. This is another meaning contained in the phrase “correctly handling the word of truth.” Teaching the Word is a great work of God. Through it, we can help our sheep discover their identity and God’s purpose for their lives. Also, we can help them overcome sin and temptation and grow in their relationship with God. It is our joy to see our sheep meet Jesus personally, discover their life purpose, and grow into powerful disciples of Jesus in our generation. In the new year, I pray that we may experience this heavenly joy by faithfully teaching our sheep with the Word of truth.
Third, Shepherd Our Sheep on the Right Path. The Greek word ὀρθοτομέω (orthotomeō) also carries the meaning of “making straight paths.” On the way to the kingdom of God, there are many dangers and obstacles. As Bible teachers, our role does not end with merely teaching the Word of God. We must also protect our sheep from dangers and guide them faithfully until they enter the Kingdom of God. Consider carefully: if our sheep fail to enter the kingdom of God, what benefit is our Bible study to them? Such Bible study becomes meaningless and worthless. Regardless of the cost and sacrifice, we must protect our sheep from the patterns of this corrupted world and lead them safely into the kingdom of God. Such a person is truly a heavenly-class Bible teacher and shepherd.
Fourth, Practice the Word. As Bible teachers, studying, teaching, and shepherding are essential to our ministry. Yet, on a personal level, what is even more important is practicing the Word. It is easy to teach others, but it is never easy to live out the very Word we teach. Nevertheless, we must do so without fail. Throughout His ministry, Jesus continually emphasized the importance of living out God’s Word. He taught that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father.” He also said that those who hear His words and put them into practice are like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Jesus showed mercy to all kinds of sinners and welcomed them. But He rebuked the Pharisees and teachers of the law harshly, calling them a “brood of vipers.” Why? Because they knew the Word of God but did not practice. If we only study the Bible without putting God’s Word into practice, we will surely become hypocrites like the Pharisees and face God’s judgment. This is why Paul urges us not only to study and teach the Word, but to live it out sincerely. Remember: Practicing one verse is better than memorizing a thousand verses. What did I say? In the new year, let us make every effort to put God’s Word into practice. This is the way for us to become excellent Bible teachers and also to enter the kingdom of God.
What is God’s calling for you in the new year? Through today’s passage, God is calling us to become workers who are approved by Him. To become such workers, we must present ourselves to God with wholehearted devotion and live lives marked by holiness, integrity, and godly example. Furthermore, we are called to be excellent Bible teachers who correctly handle the word of truth. To achieve this, we must focus on four key areas—S, T, S, P: Study the Word deeply, Teach the Bible faithfully, Shepherd the sheep lovingly, and Practice the Word daily. By faithfully pursuing these disciplines, God will use us as powerful instruments for disciple-making ministry and world mission, and we will bear abundant fruit for His glory. In the new year, I pray that all of us may become workers approved by God—presenting ourselves to Him with wholehearted devotion, living as godly examples, and growing into heavenly-class Bible teachers. Now, let us encourage one another: “Let’s become heavenly-class Bible teachers!”