Approved unto God

Crown of Life

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Approved, prove, experiment, proof - To make a judgement of approval based on the results of an experiment or test.

 II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We are to study [expend a diligent effort remembering the brevity of time] God's Word and rightly divide it to stand approved before God.  The experiment or test is to read, study, work the Word of God to rightly divide it.  The result of the test is approval from God.  We study & rightly divide His Word and God gives us the grade: "A".

First uses of approve [In Greek: dokimazo, dokime, dokimion, dokimos]:

Luke 12:56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
Luke 14:19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

A judgement is made based on an observation,  test,  or experiment.  You try out the oxen.  You look at the sky.  You decide if it is going to rain based on your examination.  We stand approved before God as we work His Word and try it out.  If we have righly divided it when we try it out it will work and God will give us His stamp of approval.

Prove God's Word by Study & Practice:

Romans 2:18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

The Jews here were standing approved by studying the law of the old testament.  While the law is God's Word, it is not rightly dividing the Word as it stands for the age of grace in which we live.

I Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Ephesians 5:8,10 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: . . .Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Philippians 1:9-10 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

II Corinthians 10:18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

We study and walk God's rightly divided Word and He approves us.  Some specific ways we walk approved before God are as follows:

Renew your mind to God's rightly divided Word:
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Speak the righly divided Word:
I Thessalonians 2:4 But as we were allowed [proved] of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth [approves] our hearts.

Focus on the accompishments of Christ:
I Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine [approve] himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

Abundantly share:
II Corinthians 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

When we study God's Word and rightly divide it and practice it (do the experiment) we then become approved.

Approved:
Romans 16:10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

I Cortinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

I Corinthians 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try [approve] every man's work of what sort it is.

I Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith [believing], being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried [approved], he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 

Our ultimate seal of approval is the crown of life received at the bema for righly dividing God's Word in study and practice.

FIVE CROWNS