“From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.”
(2 Tim. 3:15)
We are needy
The “sacred writings” Paul is referring to here are the Old Testament. He’s calling Timothy to remember who taught it to him since he was little, and that the purpose of the Old Testament is to point us to the fact that we need Jesus. The reality is that we can’t keep the 613 commandments found in the Old Testament; the story in it is constantly failure, God redeems, failure, God redeems, over and over again. The Old Testament shows us our deep need for a Savior.
We are taught
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness . . .”
(v. 16)
Not only does Scripture point us to Jesus, but Paul also says it is to our advantage as it’s profitable for teaching. Good Bible teaching rebukes and reproves us where our lives don’t align with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The way you know Scripture is being taught accurately by the power of the Holy Spirit is you see how and where your life is out of alignment with the truths of Scripture.
This “correction” is one of realignment. Think of a broken bone being reset or put back in place. Be careful of preaching that is strictly condemning; it’s not helpful and not biblical. Scripture never just leaves us in a place of rebuke, but always brings us back to how we can align our lives with the gospel through the work of Jesus.
We are equipped
“. . . that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
(v. 17)
Lastly, Paul says that Scripture trains us in righteousness so we may be complete and equipped for every good work. The pastoral Epistles are adamant that we use the measurement of when people love each other to show how they are growing. The Bible always puts truth and love together. They go hand-in-hand. Everything we do should say the truth of who Jesus is and “We love you.”
Has God’s Word equipped your life for good works? When you and I let the Scripture do the work that it’s supposed to do in us, the Bible lives in us and we’re equipped to do ministry.
This is Pastor Dave’s eighth post on 2 Timothy. Check out parts one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven.
