In this day of everything made easy, very little mention is made of the effort which is to be applied in living the Christian life. One group will emphasize grace to the exclusion of effort; another group will emphasize works righteousness to the exclusion of grace; yet another group states that men are saved by grace and sanctified by the law. In contrast, God affirms that we are saved by grace and kept by grace. However, we also have the responsibility to obey God's Word by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. In 2 Timothy 2.15, the Apostle Paul commands Timothy to 'study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth'. In the word 'study' there is an important lesson for the Christian life.

In the Greek of this verse, 'study' is a command to individual Christians. This command is not an option, but rather an obligation. The word has two aspects to its meaning. The first is 'zeal'. We are to hasten, be zealous, be eager and hurry to present ourselves unto God. The second meaning is 'diligence'. We are to labour, be diligent, endeavour, exert effort and do our best. In other words, we are zealously to make every effort to present or place ourselves at the bidding of God as those who have been approved after testing.

This verb is used eleven times in the New Testament. It is translated in the Authorised Version as 'endeavouring' (Ephesians 4.3); 'forward' (Galatians 2.10); 'endeavoured' (1 Thessalonians 2.17); 'study'(2 Timothy 2.15); 'Do thy diligence' (2 Timothy 4.9, 21); 'be diligent' (Titus 3.12; 2 Peter 3.14); 'Let us labour' (Hebrews 4.11); 'give diligence' (2 Peter 1.10); 'I will endeavour' (2 Peter 1.15). Thus this word has the meaning of focusing one's effort and energy upon the accomplishment of a task or the fulfilment of an aspiration. God requires effort on the part of believers in living the Christian life.

An example of this commitment of time and effort can be seen by the use of this word by students who were taking a course in New Testament Greek at an American seminary. It was well known that New Testament Greek was among the most difficult of studies; the attrition rate among students was much higher tha in other courses as were the requirements in time and energy to master the rudiments of the language. The Greek professors exhorted their students to continue, no matter how muddled they became, and encouraged the students to help and urge one another. On campus, the by-word among Greek students became spoudazete: be diligent, endeavour, labour. The students would greet one another with this word in order to encourage each other to do their best and make every effort to learn this language. They knew that learning Greek would require great effort, but also knew of the help it would be in handling and ministering God's Word. Thus they studied diligently and endeavoured to learn.

God's grace is what saves sinners. His grace also sanctifies believers by means of His Word and the Holy Spirit. God has given to each Christian the privilege and responsibility of making every effort to put himself at God's disposal, as a believer who has been approved by Him and is unashamed. This goal requires of the Christian a constant, persistent zeal which, by God's enabling grace, will assist him to display the faithfulness of God in the ministry of 'rightly dividing' or handling accurately 'the word of truth'. The Christian in this position will be enabled to 'shun profane and vain babblings' which 'will increase unto more ungodliness' (2 Timothy 2.16). Thus, each one of us has this task before him. May we find ourselves as vessels 'sanctified, and meet [useful, of service] for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work' (2 Timothy 2.21).