CHAPTER SIX:

“RESTUDYING THE STUDIED”

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 Thus Peter concludes his eight brief chapters of inspired composition (five in 1 Peter and three in 2 Peter). Though the KJV gives this one verse as a complete sentence, the NASU uses verses 17 and 18 as a complete sentence. Frankly, this latter translation grants the entire thought: “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

Did you notice the need to “restudy the studied”? The complete thought of 2 Peter 3:18 really demands attention to verse seventeen. Actually, one does not gain the full understanding of these last two verses until he reads and studies the entire chapter! A wise instructor coined a rather quaint “rule” of reading. He said, “When you read the word ‘therefore’ in the scriptures, look to see what it is there for!” Many passages of scripture (especially in the KJV) begin with such words as “therefore”, “wherefore”, “nevertheless”, “seeing then”, ”and”, etc. Such words and phrases require a study of the text in much greater detail than merely the single verse.

While 2 Peter 3:18 remains fresh in your mind, contemplate the word “grow”. We understand the word means “increase”. Peter said to “increase” in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The growth of a child seems slow to one observing the child every day. Only when one sees remembrances of that little baby, and then the one-month-old, two months, six months, then year old (etc.) pictures, does one realize how quickly time passed, and consequently, how quickly the child grew. The same principle is true of “growth” in grace and knowledge. Perhaps this is another reason for Peter’s inspired urging of stirring up our minds by way of remembrance. (2 Peter 1:13; 3:1). We need to see our growth and determine if indeed we have increased properly and proportionately in the Lord’s eyes! We should never consider ourselves “all knowing”, but rather, “always learning”, “always growing”.

Proof of the above observation is in the verse of our present study. We usually define GRACE as “unmerited favor of God”. In chapter four, we discussed the fact that, “The Bible is its own best commentary and dictionary.” What verse proves grace is the unmerited favor of God? Does it not take an array of verses, and study and reasoning to prove this as a valid statement? What if we presented grace as an acronym: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense? Would you agree? Does this fact (if you believe it as fact) find proof with just one verse of scripture or does it require several scriptures and much reasoning to reach that conclusion? Now consider this question: HOW DOES ONE GROW IN GRACE? I submit this question as the very evidence that proves we must continue growing! The “average” student cannot easily answer, “How does one grow in grace”. It takes one of full age (Hebrews 5:14).

Second, Peter said to “increase” in KNOWLEDGE. Solomon’s book of Proverbs frequently shows the value of knowledge and the urging to obtain it and WISDOM. The dictionary provides an understanding that wisdom is the wise use of knowledge. However, several verses of Solomon’s proverbs define wisdom differently than Webster. Which meaning do you accept? Does it require a verse or several verses to prove the definition of wisdom? Does this study of the word “wisdom” pertain in any way to fulfillment of growing in KNOWLEDGE? Is not the very exercise of such study the proof of continued growth in knowledge? (Ibid)

Certainly, we see from these two points the necessity of “restudying the studied.” Study is an ongoing endeavor that ends only when our earthly mentality will not permit “reasoning” or life itself ends the ability of “increasing”, i.e. LEARNING! Much to the contrast of the silly women mentioned of Paul (2 Timothy 3:6-7) the student continually grows (increases) in God’s continued favor upon us (i.e. grace). Likewise, he grows in the knowledge of His Word! He strives to prove all things; holding fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). He realizes the reality of Paul’s statement, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33) Compare this inspired statement with 1 Corinthians 2. Since the Bible student agrees the Bible does not contradict itself, how do we harmonize these passages? Add to them Ephesians 3:1-7. Are we now convinced that we must “restudy the studied?”

Though the Greek (according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance) uses different words, the translators used the word REMEMBRANCE in the following passages of scripture:

1 Timothy 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

2 Timothy 1:5-6 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

2 Timothy 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

Jude 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Please note each of these passages deal with “putting the brethren in remembrance” and “stirring” the mind. Let’s look at the word “stir” in 2 Peter 1:13 and 3:1. Strong says, “NT:1326 diegeiro (dee-eg-i'-ro); from NT:1223 and NT:1453; to wake fully; i.e. arouse (literally or figuratively)” We might add Webster’s definition (he was just as “inspired” as Strong) who offers the following: 1. set in motion; move. 2. change the position or situation of. 3. mix by moving around with a spoon, fork, stick, etc. 4. set going; affect strongly; excite. 5. bring into notice or debate. 6. a public disturbance, tumult, or revolt. Now if we reason a bit on the word “stir”, you might think of a washing machine with an “agitator” in the middle of the drum! It “mixes” the clothes, water and detergent in a “stirring” manner and literally “beats” the dirt from the clothes; “awakening the brightness” of the material, “setting in motion” a newness, “changing the position” from dirty to clean … you see the pattern! The point is this: our study of the scriptures must never lie dormant, but must be “provoked unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:23-25).

How often do we “reflect”, “recall” or “remember”? Obviously, Paul remembered several things as he “reflected” on the past (see verses above). He also said, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) We cannot make the scriptures contradict themselves! What Paul says is, “I don’t dwell on the things past, but use the memory of those events to ‘stir’ me to greater diligence of obtaining heaven!” Therefore, the need to “put the brethren in remembrance” is a righteous thing: it creates an aura of “restudying the studied.”

In our Bible study “classes”, good teachers spend time “reviewing” lessons to assure their students learned what they endeavored to teach. This process is critical to the serious Bible student who wishes continued growth in grace and knowledge. Hebrews 6:1-3 does not mean we “forsake” the first principles of the doctrine of Christ: rather, we “go on unto perfection”. However, if we neglect the very foundation upon which we built the structure of our faith (see 1 Corinthians 3:10 –23) how are we to grow in grace or knowledge? Is it not the case that we must care for the foundation as well as the house built upon that foundation? Let me remind you of Ecclesiastes 10:18: “By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.” Now, examine 1 Corinthians 3:10 - 15 carefully:

I. THE FOUNDATION IS CHRIST

A. 1 Corinthians 3:11

B. Hebrews 11:1; 6

C. Acts 4:11 – 12

II. EVERY MAN MUST BUILD UPON THIS FOUNDATION

A. Jude 20 – 25

B. 2 Peter 3:18

C. Each piece is valued from the builder

1. Gold

2. Silver

3. Precious stones Make these the best you have to offer! Anything

4. Wood less than our best is insufficient for God!

5. Hay

6. Stubble

D. Every man’s work will be tried (tested; examined)

1. 1 Peter 1:3 – 9

2. James 1:12 – 16

E. Even those who loose their work have a soul worth saving

1. 1 Corinthians 3:13 – 14

2. Jude 23

Nehemiah 8:1-8 is an interesting passage. Remember that Israel was in bondage, Jerusalem had been destroyed and Nehemiah’s desire was to rebuild the walls of the Holy City, Jerusalem. Ezra, the priest at this time, worked closely with Nehemiah as they instructed the people and persuaded them to have a single, united mind about the work (Nehemiah 4:6). Obviously, had Israel retained the Law of Moses with dignity, honor and respect from the beginning, they would have escaped their captivity. However, the people now realize the righteousness of Ezra and Nehemiah and remain attentive to their leadership. Notice the renewed reverence given to the reading of the law: “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” (Nehemiah 8:5 – 8)

Remember Micah 6:8: ”He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Do we not notice the example of “restudying the studied” from this passage? Once more, God’s people had forgotten! Hosea 4:6 is another such passage reminding us that God’s people forgot enough that they had only minimal knowledge: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Now when we contemplate Romans 15:4, we see the value, yea, the necessity of “stirring up our pure minds by way of remembrance.”

A gospel preacher named Johnny Ramsey once said, “There are nine points to learning your Bible. They are: study, study, study, study, study, study, study, study and study!” Why not make a tenth point: STUDY! Within these series of lessons, our intention was not to set forth new and innovative methods of study. Instead, our desire remains to encourage the study that works! Determined by your desire of God’s approval (2 Timothy 2:15) your study increases daily in both time allotted to the task and diligence given while serving the task. You should know more now than when you first began your study. In fact, you should learn something new every day. Now understand, there is nothing “new” within the scriptures for no man may add nor deplete from their content (Rev. 22:18-19). What we mean is that you as a student will find something a little deeper, a little more profoundly stated and meaningful to you in your daily study. Our souls continue to grow and mature and must never be willingly ignorant of God’s Word.

Finally, remember there are two ways to pronounce the word IGNORANT: 1) ig’ norant and 2) ig nor’ ant. The former is the popular way of pronouncing the word and we understand it to mean, “lacking in knowledge”. The latter has a different meaning. It means, “to ignore, stand aloof of, willingly dismiss as unimportant”. Unfortunately, this latter is most often the case among those who claim to know God and Christ. 1 John 2:3 says, “Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Among the commandments is STUDY. To ignore it is sin (James 4:17). To sin in this fashion is to cast aside one’s hope of heaven (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26 – 27). To those who are “ig’ noant”, they can learn and remove the lack of knowledge by filling their minds with proven righteousness from God’s Word. To the “ig nor’ ant”, their only hope is to repent and LEARN!

To all of us, KEEP STUDYING … it is the most rewarding effort any soul will even perform!