In this case to be approved by God is to rightly divide the Word of God and not as "Babes in Christ"
to take a verse of scripture and put it in its context and THEN put it in the light of all scripture .
A workman should come to a place where he can or should judge his own work whether it is up to scratch or not and work and act accordingly .
If he did but judge himself he would not be judged .
Thus if a workman judged his own work correctly he would not be judged by another save in agreement .
A man who studies the Word of God as approved by God is where he does not subject the scriptures to his own thinking but his mind is in willing subjection to the Spirit and mind of God .
Where he does not "twist the scriptures" "sell the truth for his own profit" hold the truth in unrighteousness" and does not rightly divide the Word of God.
But rather is LED by HIM who leads us into all truth to understand the scriptures according to the mind of the Lord .
The Bible is Gods university curriculum ;teaching about the past ,present and future. The root of man ,the world the flesh and the devil as well as of creation. Above all it is a perfect revelation of God .
Yet cannot say it all .But is as "a seed which is the Word of God" But enough to hang your hat on as it were and to have faith in God and for it to grow from a small mustard seed to the greatest of all herbs .
To study is to be soaked in its teachings in its precepts and in its perceptions . To "meditate on it day and night " that it does not leave thy lips " and encourages us to not be afraid but be of good courage and to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of HIS might "
To study is not to have the Word of God in the mind only but allow it to sink into the heart and let it do its work. To transform the life by the renewal of the mind in conformity to the mind and the will of God.
Does that mean we have the mind of God and know all things ? No.
It means" let this mind be in you as it was in Christ"
To have the mind of Christ.
To all come " to a unity of the faith" which if faith comes by understanding the Word of God it needs must then that we all come to the same understanding !
Not only then being of the one Spirit , "for they that er joined to the lord are of one Spirit ."
But also to be of the same mind. says Paul.
To study then is like at any university to train the mind and educate the mind in higher learning. And any university worth its salt is not going to brign down the langauage of its chosen subject to the level of a first year student .
But rather will endeavour to bring the student up to par.
Nor will it compromise with the student but demand the student conform to the university and to the subject .
How much the more then ;God?
Men fill the pulpit who are but hirelings .For the money not because they have any love for the sheep .
Others are ordained by men but not of God.
Others are qualified in the sight of men or in their own eyes but are not in the sight and approval of God .
The purpose of every true man of God ordained of God and called of God (not of men) to fulfill the offices as listed in Ephesians .is what also is given in the same verses that follow the list.
If any man is indeed called of God and is not doing so as in the times of Nehamiah .Then the time is now to change and do the will of God .
in Christ
gerald