HELEN SANDERS
10-9-2026
DID YOU PASS THE TEST?

In II Timothy 2:15 it says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” This was written to Timothy, a young minister who also was an evangelist. He was raised by a God-fearing mother and grandmother (Ch. 1:5 – Lois and Eunice). Apparently, he was dealing with those that were saying that he was too young, but Paul wrote to encourage him and not to let those that came against him deter him in his call.

To study meant to take the scriptures of the day, which were the Old Testament, and spend time learning what they said. You see, there was no New Testament in writing other than the letters penned by various writers. They had to study to rightly divide, or to separate truth from lies.

In this church age there are very few homes that do not have access to at least one Bible with both the Old and New Testaments. The Gideons have given Bibles out at schools for years, and they have placed them in motels with the hope that people would read them. In essence, we are without excuse. The studying of God’s word will help us when the “tests of life” come. We will learn how to pray, to love, to walk and to grow as Christians through studying. Many fail this test daily. Why? They have not studied.

Even in secular schools, tests are given. A good teacher gives a test for the primary purpose of seeing if the student has “learned” what was taught. It is not punishment to take a test. It is necessary if we are to obtain and keep knowledge.

Tests will come in many ways in life. We are told in James 1:2 to “…count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations (trials, tests), knowing this that the trying (testing) of your faith worketh patience.” Tests help us to grow. The beauty of these tests is that we get to take them with an “open book – the Bible.” If we fail, we get to take them again until we get it right.

We should take time to study God’s word with passion so we can be overcomers and get a good grade on the “life” test that each of us takes!