2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Our Verse of the Day is one we have studied it before, but perhaps we need a reminder of how important the Holy Scriptures are to our daily walk with God. Let’s put the verse into context. Paul has just warned Timothy how there will be terrible times in the last days, and he describes how people without the indwelling Holy Spirit will behave toward God and other people. So, Paul encourages Timothy to consecrate himself through knowledge of the truth in order to withstand the “perilous times and persecution” that will surely come. Paul writes:
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
There are a few points that Paul makes here that I would like us to note:
1. From infancy (from childhood), Timothy has known the Scriptures. So, one question would be – how did this happen? How would a little child be exposed to the Word of God? We might find the answer in 2 Timothy 1:5 where Paul shares, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” The implication is that the Scriptures were read and taught to Timothy as a child by his mother and grandmother – which resulted in his coming to faith in Jesus Christ. If there is no other takeaway – I hope you can see the importance of teaching your children the Bible and its influence upon their lives….
2. All Scripture is God-breathed. What does this mean – God breathed? We might find the answer in 2 Peter 1:21 where he declares: “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets (holy men of God), though human, spoke from God as they were carried along (moved) by the Holy Spirit. And the writer of the Book of Hebrews asserts the following: “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son….” (Cf. Hebrews 1:1-2) Jesus knew and quoted Scripture – saying “It is written ….” If there is no other takeaway – I hope you can see the reliability of the Bible to be your guide into the heart and mind of God….
3. Paul shares the purpose of Scripture – why it was given by God and why it has been recorded for us: “It is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Scripture has a great purpose in guiding us to faith in Jesus Christ and teaching us what is right … what God expects of His people. It sets us apart to serve God in the manner that He reveals in His Word. As Paul explained, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) If there is no other takeaway, I hope that you can see the benefit of reading the Bible to understand what God desires from our lives.
I’m not sure what else I could add to our verse for today; but I think that I could characterize it as the Readers’ Digest Abridged Version of Psalm 119. Although it is quite long, Psalm 119 contains meditations on the excellence of the Word of God that I believe will stir your heart and reinforce what Paul shared with Timothy regarding the Scriptures. Likewise, we could even reduce this admonition to a single verse of Scripture quoted by the Lord Jesus: “It is written: “Man shall not live on bread (food) alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Cf. Matthew 4:4) Here Jesus is actually quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. The implication is that the Word of God (spiritual food) is just as life-sustaining to our spirits as natural food is for our physical bodies. Yes, both are essential to a full and healthy life as God our Creator has purposed for His treasured possession. (Cf. Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2, 26:18, 33:19; Psalm 135:4)
These are the reasons that I try to share Scripture with you each day. This is why we stay focused on the Word of Life. The Word of God is able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. This is why we study to grow and be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all wisdom and understanding as the Spirit gives. (Cf. Colossians 1:9) “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it discerns the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Cf. Hebrews 4:12)
And so, I hope our Verse of the Day will encourage you and I to keep at it … to persevere in our pursuit of truth so that might be transformed by the renewing of our minds and conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. Yes, I pray we will all continue to diligently seek God through His Word so that these we might live worthy of the Lord Jesus and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work. (Cf. Colossians 1:10) God wants us to know what He expects and to discern His will for our relationships with Him and with one another. So, let us to be diligent and devoted in our study time … in our training time … and in our spiritual correction time. Indeed, let us delight ourselves in the Lord through His presence found in His Word….
So Now You Know 