Approved unto God.
This can be a strange way to say this according to our modern English speaking mindset but if we get past the uncomfortableness, we can seek to understand what is being said. Incidentally, the Scripture teaches us to "meditate" on the Word day and night (Psalm 1) The word in the Hebrew for "meditate" is the one that gives a picture of a cow chewing it's cud. It is said that cow's have many stomachs and when they bite off a clump of grass, they chew on it for quite a bit of time, then they swallow it and it resides in one of those stomachs... a little bit later, they regurgitate it and again commence to chewing on it. THIS is the word picture in Hebrew that is used in calling us to "meditate." For us to take The Word of God in is to read it carefully, chew on it for a while and really consider all of it's implications and instructions... then simply allow it to sink into ourselves. Then, a little while later, quote it again, read it again, bring it back up and again "chew" on it. That is why taking Scripture "At Face Value" is so intensely important. God is God and if He caused human writers full of His Spirit so to write that the very words from them were His words, you would expect His Word to be sufficient and to be perfect. I am amazed at so many of us in the Body of Christ needing to add intense amounts of commentary to The Word (I even hesitate as I write) when His Word simply needs to be read, understood, and obeyed- into the fullest life. In this same vein, I would find myself HELPING to facilitate meditation on the simply words of The Lord through His men... the one specific word is Approval... or in the sentence: "Approved unto God."
For understanding, the word "Approved" is "dokimos." This word "dokimos" means
1) accepted, particularly of coins and money.
2) accepted, pleasing, acceptable
an interesting insert is this:
"In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft, and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens to stop the practice of whittling down the coins then in circulation. But some money-changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money; they were men of honour who put only genuine, full-weight money into circulation. Such men were called dokimos, and this word is used here for the Christian as he is to be seen by the world." (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans: God's Glory, p. 18.)
For understanding, I would be drawn to the second definition in the Bible dictionary... that of ACCEPTED, PLEASING, or ACCEPTABLE. I do like how this insert brings out the point that only genuine or full weighted money was brought into circulation. In the matter of approval, it would seem best to put forth our recommendation upon men who teach The Word in totality... not just specific parts that they favor or like best, but simply teaching The Word of God simply in it's entirety and carefully- as to not add too much of our own commentary. Allowing His Word to come forth in it's fullness... only genuine and fully weighted.
In a conversation just last night with family and considering what heaven would be like- if it would be boring or not... we considered the verse: "when we see Him, we shall see Him as He really is, for we shall be like Him." Growing in maturity and the sinews of a fuller life is what real intelligent worship is about. Whereas some of us might see heaven as a big singing concert continually before God the Father (and we quietly say in our hearts: "uh, that might get kind of boring")... could it be that really- we will be so fully conformed into the image of Christ that we will be like Him in understanding, in knowledge, in power, in purpose, and we will so fully enjoy being that close to Him and seeing all of everything so clearly (not to mention not having stupid limitations of hunger, pain, sin, and sorrow to hold us back) that we are the most satisfied beings ever... and yet moving on into greater exploits and purposes? Sometimes I wonder how skewed our perspectives get? Oh how we need to come to The Word of God and submit ourselves to learn. We come with so many preconceived ideas of how it should fit into our point of reference- when we are the ones called to submit to His Ways.
Jesus said: "come to Me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28
It's all about surrendering to Him and learning His way of doing things. In doing so, following the manufacturer's manual, we fulfill our original creation design format... and it just fits. Finding ease of movement and fluidity of motion through peace with God because we are doing what we were intended to do. Ceasing to struggle in our own strength and peacefully surrendering to His greater ways... we find rest. He is meek (patient- without anger) and lowly (just humble and accurate) in heart... and if we seek to act and respond as He directs, we find our disposition like His and finding this rest He speaks of....
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