By Not Known
… the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
throush faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teachins, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work.(2 Tim 3:15-17).
This is a very important passage about the Bible. In recent decades there has
been much discussion about God’s inspiration of Scripture. In what sense is the
Bible inspired? How do the humanity and divinity of the Scripture fit together? Is
the Bible inspired in all it says on every topic? What are the implications of its
inspiration? These are important questions and it is good that able minds
consider them.
However, it is a pity if attention to these questions distract us from the other
teachings of 2 Tim 3:15-17. This passage primarily teaches us about the uses to
which the Scripture is to be put.
Firstly, the Bible teaches us about the salvation that is found in Jesus Christ. If
we read the Bible without turning to Jesus for salvation, we have missed the
first and greatest lesson it has to teach.
Secondly, the Bible teaches sound doctrine and rebukes wrong doctrine. Our
idea about who God is, what he is like and what he has done are to be tested
against the Bible. Theology is not a matter of what we think God should be like,
but of listening to what God tells us in the Scripture.
Thirdly, the Bible trains us in good behaviour and corrects wrong behaviour
Once again, our idea of what the Christian life should be is to be learned from
God and not decided by ourselves.
These three purposes all show the Bible to be a practical book. God did not give
us the Bible to amuse our minds, but to equip Christian men and women for
every good work.
Sometimes we treat the Bible as though it is a library reference book. In reality,
it should be treated as a workshop manual. We are meant to mould our minds
and lives around the teaching of the Bible.
Lord, I thank you for the Bible. Please help me to understand and follow its
teachings, so that I may be equipped for the good works you want me to do.