Imagine with me you're watching a race. One of the runners in the competition has trained for months for the race, running longer distances each day to prepare. Another runner in the competition signed up the day of the race and showed up to run with no preparation. Which runner do you think will fare better in the race? Of course, the person running the race who has prepared will have a better race because they have put in the work. On a much larger scale, loving God with our minds requires that we put in the work of being students of Scripture. As we were reminded in the weekend message, being students of God’s word, studying Scripture in depth, takes dedication and effort on our part. The more time we spend studying God’s word, learning from it, and studying it for ourselves, the more fruitful our Bible study time will be. The question is, will we devote ourselves to becoming students of God’s word, loving Him with our minds?
The apostle Paul exhorts us to devote ourselves to God and His word in the book of 2nd Timothy. This was a book Paul wrote toward the end of His life, in which he gave Timothy, his mentee, instructions for Christian living and for leading the church. He wrote in 2nd Timothy 2, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive His approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (verses 15). This is a call from Paul to make every effort to follow and obey God, to know His word, and to teach it to the people around us. The truth is, studying God’s word in depth does take effort. It requires us to slow down and pay attention to the details contained within the word of God. Even more, to gain a deeper understanding, it might even lead us to explore the study notes in our Study Bibles. Don’t let the time and effort required to engage in deep Bible study deter you, friend. The reward for deep Bible study is well worth all the effort and time required to give ourselves to it.
God’s word is a gift to you, my friend. It is filled with promises, instructions, hope, and so much more. Will you commit to loving God with your mind by putting in the time and effort to study His word to you?
The SOAP method is a very helpful Bible study method we can put into practice to help us dive deeper into the Bible. If you are familiar with this method, choose a set of verses from our Scripture reading in the Going Deeper section below and walk through that set of verses using the SOAP method. If you are not familiar with the SOAP method, watch this video, where you will learn what the SOAP method is and how to use it during your Bible study time. Then, pick one verse (or a set of two or three verses) to practice walking through the SOAP method with.
1Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. 6 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 7 Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.
8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. 9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. 10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.
11 This is a trustworthy saying:
If we die with him,
we will also live with him.
12 If we endure hardship,
we will reign with him.
If we deny him,
he will deny us.
13 If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is.
14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. 18 They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.
19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”
20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever
