2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
Knowing that God breathed the Scripture we read and study is amazing. That can be more specific to the Old Testament because the New Testament is more historical documents of eyewitness reports of what they saw and heard. The Scripture (Old Testament) was not an act of men's will, but the Holy Spirit moved on men, and they spoke by God's inspiration (2 Peter 1:21). The New Testament is represented by the words of Jesus, the Apostles and those who had Apostolic authority. Its pages are filled with history and epistles (letters of teaching from the Apostles). Their words are true and affirmed by the history they tell and the person of Christ that history outlines. We can trust all the Scriptures, from the Old to the New Testament. They have been meticulously preserved. These are great reasons to study it and meditate on the words that fill its pages. John says in affirming the accuracy of his writings, “… These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” John 20:31. God’s Spirit uses them to guide us through this adventure called life.
Returning to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, this passage of Scripture gives us three more reasons why we should make the Bible part of our daily life. Knowing it and then living it by choosing to submit to God’s Spirit and allow Him to make us into the image of God’s dear Son, Jesus is not only what God commands of us, but what allows us to experience the peace and joy of God and gives us wisdom and discernment to get through life, with godliness.
1. The Bible teaches us what is true. The Bible teaches us what is true and how to walk with God. Other religions and all cults teach that we need something in addition to the Bible. The Bible is not enough or is not necessary; it has been a message from most cults, but it has become a growing message in the "Christian church." We simply need to believe in an event, the Resurrection of Jesus, and that we have life through that Resurrection is sufficient. Instead of pushing toward the Truth of God’s Word, so many are pushing away from it. Instead of the work of “studying to show oneself approved, handling the Word of Truth rightly,” we are told the evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection by those who he showed himself after he rose is all we need to know to have a relationship with Jesus. God’s word is profitable for teaching truth; we’d be remiss not to become familiar with all of its teachings. Though there are a few difficult teachings in the Bible, it needs no outside interpretation. In fact, The New Testament is an amazing commentary for the Old Testament. It helps us know what we are expected to uphold today, as interpreted by Jesus, the Apostles, and those who they authorized to write on their behalf. There are enough straightforward truths to keep us busy for a lifetime. The Bible speaks for itself. The best commentary for the Bible is - The Bible. It has more available manuscripts than any other work of antiquity. There are no originals, but the manuscript evidence is broad. The archeological evidence continually proves the Scripture as true. Science is on the side of Scripture; we can push confidently toward the Bible rather than becoming ashamed to believe its Truth claims. These are not things you are required to study and know. The Bible's truth claims are proven right in its own pages. The Sixty-six books collected in the one book we call the Bible are where our time should be spent in order to learn and grow and know what is true.
2. The Bible shows us what is wrong in our lives. This is the most difficult part for many people, even Christians. The Bible exposes the depths of our hearts and minds (Hebrews 4:12). This is uncomfortable for so many people, and thus, the myriads of lies against such an amazing book. We come to Jesus because we recognize something is not right. The Spirit of God draws us, and we begin to see our life wheels spinning.
Many repeat the mantra, “Jesus loves everybody!” While that is true, John 3:16 identifies that love. There is an expectation in that love that we believe and surrender our lives to him. Jesus warns, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins,” John 8:24. If we go further in John to 3:19 you will read that Jesus called out those who he loved, but they did not love him, as those, “Men (who) loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” Again, the first thing God’s Word shows us about what is wrong in our lives is rejecting him for darkness. The man or woman of God, who is called Christian because they surrendered their lives to Christ for holiness, to bear his or her cross (Luke 9:23-24), should welcome the exposure. Romans 8 goes back and forth through the challenges of walking in the flesh, which leads to death, or walking in The Spirit, which is life and peace. Let God’s Word expose the sin or fleshly areas of our lives because we are told, “Those who walk according to the flesh CANNOT please God.” It is not easy or comfortable, but it is necessary for those of us who love the Lord. That exchange allows us to walk out who we’ve become in Christ. As things contrary to Scripture are exposed, we walk more in line with God’s Truth through repentance. This offers us more and more freedom to walk in the Spirit. While we all know we will never be perfect on this side of heaven, we strive to be everything God wants for His children. We want to hate those things about ourselves that His Word identifies as wrong in our lives.
3. The Bible helps us do what is right. If we read, study, memorize, and meditate on God's Word, we will be molded into the man or woman God wants us to be. God teaches us the right way to make changes in our lives with a system called to “put on” and to “put off” (Ephesians 4:22-24). This process is to identify sin in our lives and look to God's Word to "put on" behavior conducive to righteousness. God's Word reveals both wrongs, as we talked about in #2, but God never leaves us there; He also shows what is right in His Kingdom. This is not a self-righteous promotion because this step is wrought with humility. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” This process of sanctification is done with those humbly submitted to Him.
When we allow God's Word to do the supernatural work it promises to do in us, we are "Trained for Righteousness." We find that the Word of God is a competent tool for the Holy Spirit to cause us to do what God intends His children to do. The Bible equates obedience to love, John 14:21: “He who has my commands and keeps them, it is he that loves me.” That is the goal of pursuing God through His Son in The Word. Doing what is right is not a behavioral modification but a soul change. It is not earning our salvation but working from it. It is the evidence of true life-changing faith.
Many people are afraid to come to Christ for fear they will not be able to live the Christian life. The Christian life is lived out by what the Holy Spirit does in us through our growing in the knowledge of the Word. This is knowledge that builds a relationship of obedient love, not knowledge that puffs up and makes us hypocritical. Once in Christ, we can lay down our inhibitions and let God's Word give us a solid foundation, pure motives, and refined character. These are amazing reasons to make the Word your "daily bread."
Passages for meditation: Psalm 119; Psalm 19:7-14; Psalm 1; Romans 8; Romans 12; Colossians 3.
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