2 Timothy 3:16, 17 says,...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, which read, 

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Yesterday Paul introduced this subject of the importance of Scripture to Timothy.  What he has been taught from childhood and seen in others to convince him has been there for the purpose of pointing to salvation through and in Christ Jesus.  Now Paul goes even further to speak of the importance of these "sacred writings," the Bible, just called plainly "Scripture" here will a capital "S."  Let's look at it word by word.

• All - not some but all
• Scripture - the Old Testament and the New Testament
• is inspired by God - literally "breathed out by God" or "God breathed"
• and profitable - this is very valuable information for action
• for teaching - divine instruction because it is breathed out by God
• for reproof - rebuke of wrong behavior, it exposes sin
• for correction - wrong behavior, sin, needs to be pointed out and then right behavior needs to taught and given
• for training in righteousness - wrong behavior, sin, is pointed out and right behavior is taught and given and then it is displayed in a discipleship type of model to pattern after those righteous who are alongside of you
• so that the man of God - a reference to Timothy and others like him who are leading the church
• may be adequate - the leader has the essential materials, the Scripture to know and to follow
• equipped for every good work - may have the essential materials needed to accomplish what God has put before them

Let's try to put it all together.  Paul is telling Timothy as a man of God to take a hold of all of Scripture, the very words of God, and use the divine instruction to point out sin and then point out righteous living and then disciple, come alongside of others, to see it put into action.  As a man of God, this is your manual that not only guides you but also gives step by step instructions of what to do so that good works can be accomplished in the charge that has been given to you by God.  The Bible, the Scriptures, the sacred writings are so essential to the man of God and also the life of the church for us to see spiritual growth that leads to greater glory of God Himself.

The Bible is what is being attacked by our world today and actually it has been attacked all through the centuries.  The councils of old came together to address the attacks upon Scripture and gave us creeds to not only say but to affirm the doctrines found in Scripture.  The Scripture was what affirmed those doctrines.  The Scriptures were used to establish and validate why we believe what we believe.  I pray for another council that is gathered to affirm what is given to us out of God's very mouth and not one that tries to stick words in His mouth.

What has crept into the churches is because we have lowered our need for His Word.  We have lessened its essential place in the divine instruction, divine finger pointing of sin, divine example of righteousness, and the divine method of growth through the discipling, that is, the training of each other.  The men of God have been searching and using other books to answer questions that leave them inadequate and ill equipped for God's work because they are not immersed in His words.  Pray for our churches to be the gathering of saints around the very words of God.  Let's pray. 

"Lord, how Paul raises up to its rightful place, Your words before Timothy.  How we have lowered Your words not only in the world but also in the church, please forgive us.  May we not fall for the excuses of Satan that the Bible is old fashioned or out of date or not today friendly.  Help us to remember that Your words will never pass away.  Amen."

Pastor Adam