2 Timothy 3:15-17 - How To Use The Sword.
2 Timothy 3:15-17: How To Use The Sword.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NIV) 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 man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NLT) You have been taught the holy Scriptures
from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the
salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is
inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us
realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and
teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his
people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 (AMP) And how from your childhood you have had
a knowledge of and been acquainted with the sacred Writings, which
are able to instruct you and give you the understanding for
salvation which comes through faith in Christ Jesus [through the leaning
of the entire human personality on God in Christ Jesus in absolute
trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. 16 Every
Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for
instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and
discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy
living, in conformity to Gods will in thought, purpose, and action),
17 So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well
fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 (MSG) Stick with what you learned and
believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers - why, you took in the
sacred Scriptures with your mothers milk! Theres nothing like the
written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith
in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful
one way or another - showing us truth, exposing our rebellion,
correcting our mistakes, training us to live Gods way. Through the Word
we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
WORD STUDY
God Breathed / Inspiration
A description of inspiration is found in 2 Peter 1:21 For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
What is the meaning of the phrase All Scripture is
God-breathed"?
This is a more literal translation of the Greek words that
are often rendered "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God"
(NKJV). The Bible is not a collection of stories, fables, myths, or
merely human ideas about God. It is not a human book. Through the Holy
Spirit, God revealed his person and plan to certain believers, who wrote
down his message for his people (2 Peter 1:20-21). This process is
known as inspiration. The writers wrote from their own personal,
historical, and cultural contexts. Although they used their own minds,
talents, language, and style, they wrote what God wanted them to write.
Scripture is completely trustworthy because God was in control of its
writing. The Bible is "God-breathed." Its words are entirely
authoritative for our faith and lives. [The One Year Bible Companion re
2Ti.3:16]
If God Himself had done the writing, the written Word would be
no more accurate and authoritative than it is. [Scofield SB]
All Scripture
All Scripture: The primary reference is to the OT, since some of
the NT books had not even been written at this time. See 1Ti 5:18;
2Pe 3:15-16 for indications that some NT books--or material
ultimately included in the NT--were already considered equal in authority
to the OT Scriptures. [NIV SB]
Most of the NT books were written when Paul wrote this his last
epistle; so he includes in the clause All Scripture is
God-inspired, not only the OT, in which alone Timothy was taught when a child
(3:15), but the NT books according as they were recognized in the
churches. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary]
Peter declares all Paul's Epistles to be Scripture (2 Pet 3:16).
[Scofield SB]
INTRODUCTION
2 Timothy 3:16 is a very important verse for the doctrine of
Scripture. Paul declared that all (not some) of Scripture is
God-breathed. This term refers to the source of Scripture. It came from God
(as if it were his breath) to the men who wrote it (cf. 2 Pet.
1:21). This means that God so directed the human authors of Scripture
that, using their individual interests and literary styles, his
complete thought for man was recorded without error. As a result, the
Bible is inerrant (an accurate record) and infallible (a reliable
guide). [New Bible Companion]
Scripture is useful for:
Finding Salvation,
Learning and Teaching Truth,
Pointing out error,
Correcting error,
Learning right living,
Doing good works. [Ryrie SB mod]
COMMENTARY
There are many so-called sacred writings in the world, but
only the Bible safely points the way to mans redemption. The great
world religions, such Mohammedanism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, have
holy scriptures, but these cannot make anyone wise unto
salvation. Only the Bible reveals how men may break the bonds of sinful
habits and find pardon from God. Consequently mans first duty should
be to understand the Bible for himself. [SDA Bible Commentary]
In His word, God has committed to men the knowledge necessary
for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an
authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of
character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience. {GC
vii.1} [Remnant SB]
What is the purpose of the Bible? Of course, salvation is the
first purpose (v. 15), but Christian living is also included. The Word
is profitable for teaching (doctrine), conviction (reproof),
setting right (correction), and discipline (instruction). It enables the
child of God to become a man or woman of God, matured in the things of
the Lord. Perfect (v. 17) does not mean sinless; it means
mature. And thoroughly furnished means fully equipped (vv.
16-17). So, the Bible transforms the child of v. 15 into a mature person
in Christ; it equips the saints to be servants. [Wiersbe Expository
Outlines]
The Bible applies to all men and women in every culture, in
every age, in every walk of life. It is God's supernatural manual that
alone reveals the mind and ways of God so that humankind may know and
experience His blessings.
The Bible is God's written record of His works through the
ages. It provides substantial evidence of His nature, plan, and
purposes so that we can confidently place our faith in Him. Because of
the Bible, we are not left to archaeological, historical, or
theological guesswork. We can know, for "it is written."
Because the Bible is inspired (God-breathed) it is life's
final and ultimate authority. The Bible is the "last word" on issues
pertaining to God and His ways. No individual, institution, or organization
can supersede the authority of Scripture.
That is exactly why we are admonished not to add to or take
away from the Scriptures (Rev. 22:18, 19). They perfectly express the
decrees and judgments of almighty God. The Bible is authoritative
because it is the truth: The entirety of Your word is truth" [Life
Principles SB by Charles Stanley]
All Scripture is profitable! Knowing this, we cheat ourselves
when we do not access every book, every truth, every verse, and every
page of our Bibles for the promises and commands God has for us.
Because every verse of Scripture is inspired by God and gainful to us,
we should not pick and choose which verses we will read and study.
We should not claim verses we like and ignore those that convict
us! If we are to become mature disciples of Jesus, we must allow
every Scripture to speak to us and teach us what God desires us to
learn. Scripture enables us to evaluate the soundness of doctrines that
are being taught. Scripture ought to be the basis for any reproof or
correction we bring to another.
If you are not firmly grounded in Gods Word, you will be
bombarded with an assortment of doctrines, lifestyles, and behaviors, and
you will have no means to evaluate whether or not they are of God.
You cannot develop a righteous life apart from Gods Word.
Righteousness must be cultivated. As you fill your mind with the words of God,
and as you obey His instructions, He will guide you in the ways of
righteousness. Scripture will equip you for any good work God calls you to do.
If you feel inadequate for a task God has given you, search the
Scriptures, for within them you will find the wisdom you need to carry out
His assignment. Allow the Word of God to permeate, guide, and enrich
your life. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and Richard
Blackaby]
Painters can be inspired by the sunset. Poets can be inspired
by the person they love. Young people can be inspired by great
athletes. But the inspiration God provided the writers of Scripture is
quite different.
The Greek behind inspiration means "God-breathed." God didn't
merely spark a good idea, fill a heart to overflowing, or fuel a
writer's effort. Instead, God - through His Holy Spirit - influenced
men's minds in a way that made them His agents for the infallible
communication of God's revelation.
The Scriptures, although penned by the hands of men, are the
very Word of God. To fully and accurately understand Scripture's
truths, then, we must receive illumination or enlightenment by the Holy
Spirit, the divine quickening of the human mind. Only the Holy Spirit
can enable us to understand the truth that has been revealed and
communicated by the power of God. Before you open the Bible, ask the Spirit
to open your mind and heart to recognize and understand God's
wisdom.
Also, always open your Bible with trembling for you are about
to encounter God's holy, life-changing, inspired Word. [Being Still
With God Every Day by Henry Blackaby]
Why are the Scriptures described as a sword provided by the
Holy Spirit? Quite simply, it is the Holy Spirit who has given us the
Scriptures. They come altogether from Him.
It was the Holy Spirit who inspired men to write them: "Moved
by the Holy Spirit, men spoke from God" (2Pt 1:21). Again in 2
Timothy 3:16 we read: "All Scripture is inspired by God""a statement
which assures us that the Scriptures come from the Holy Spirit.
The Bible is not a mere human document. The Holy Spirit
breathed into men and inspired them to write the way they did. This does
not mean that the people who wrote the Scriptures did so
mechanically, in the way that a dictating machine would record someone's
dictation. The Holy Spirit used their natural way of expression but gave
them an additional ability to write without error.
It is vital, if you are to win the battle against Satan, that
you not only see this truth but believe it. When you consider how
powerful Satan is, you need something that is even more powerful. The
Bible, the inspired Word of God, is your strength.
One step further"only the Holy Spirit can enable us truly
to understand God's Word: "We have not received the spirit of the
world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been
freely given to us by God" (1Co 2:12). Without the Holy Spirit, we
would be no more able to understand the Scriptures than a blind man
could judge a beauty contest.
Gracious Holy Spirit, just as You breathed into the Bible to
give it its life and power, breathe also into my heart today so that
I might know and understand its truth. I ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen. [Every Day With Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotional re
Deuteronomy 11:18]
He [God] said the Bible was divinely inspired, not merely
while it was written, God breathing through the writers, but also
while it is being read, God breathing through the Scripture, and the
Scripture breathing Him. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
What's the smallest part of a word? Answer: a letter. What's
the smallest part of the Bible? Answer: a letter. Okay, that last
question was a little tricky. The first thing that popped into your head
was probably: a verse. But when the Bible was being written, it was
done in books and letters - not chapters and verses.
About 800 years ago, chapters were added to the Bible. Three
hundred years later, in 1551, the chapters were divided into verses. The
divisions were created so it'd be easier to find specific parts of
Scripture. Can you imagine saying, "My favorite sentence in the Bible is
the one in Matthew that comes after the part where Jesus curses a
fig tree"? It's much easier to say, "One of my favorite verses is
Matthew 21:22."
Before the invention of the printing press around 1440, there
weren't a lot of Bibles (let alone books). For the most part, only
churches could afford to own a Bible. The people relied on priests to
tell them what was in God's Word. Most Bibles were written in Latin,
a language that only the well-educated could read and speak. John
Wycliffe translated the Bible into English for the first time in 1382.
Today, nine of ten families in the United States own a Bible. Bibles
are also some of the most popular apps and get downloaded on
hundreds of thousands of smartphones.
The Bible was never meant to be locked away and only listened
to once a week at church. We should read and learn more from God's
Word every day. The writers of the Bible knew its power. In 2 Timothy
3:16-17 you'll find these words: "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"
How often do you read the Bible for yourself? The question
isn't meant to make you feel guilty. But when you have a book that
contains God's inspired words for teaching, training, and equipping for
good works, it's something that deserves your time. This week try to
read the Bible for at least five minutes every day. You'll be amazed
at what you learn. [Case For Christ For Kids by Les Strobel]
Beginning our quiet time with God without our Bibles open is
like trying to read in the dark "we'll have only limited, dim
understanding instead of the bright illumination of God's Word. Without the
knowledge of Scripture we are not only at a loss about how to pray in
agreement with the Holy Spirit, but we are also impaired in our ability to
receive God's response to us.
Someone once said, "When I pray, I speak to God; when I read
the Bible, God speaks to me." We could add, "When I pray Scripture,
I pray the words of God! When God's Word guides our prayers,
they become a lively interchange of speaking and listening.
Do you desire God's wisdom for decisions? Do you need power
to live and walk by the Spirit? Would you like to see God's
intervention in the lives of others? Take your Bible with you into your
prayer closet. Through it the Spirit will guide you in how to pray, and
he will prepare and equip you for every good thing God wants you to
do.
Thank You, Lord, for not leaving us to walk in darkness and
for giving us the light of your Word to guide us. Help me to cherish
the wonderful gift I have in your Holy Scriptures and to receive its
teaching and instruction for my life. Guide my prayers through the
inspiration of your Word. [Praying Through the Bible by Fuller re vv. 16,
17]
Prayer and The Word are inseparably linked together: power in
the use of either depends upon the presence of the other. Andrew
Murray (1828-1917)
What are the benefits of Scripture meditation? They are
beyond telling. Here, however, are just some of the benefits the Bible
offers to those of us who will take the time to meditate: (1) success -
Joshua 1:8, (2) understanding - Psalm 119:99, (3) the ability to wisely
discern between right and wrong - Psalm 119:11.
But the one that is most pivotal occurs in Psalm l -
spiritual freshness. This psalm makes it clear that one of the secrets of
staying spiritually fresh is to send one's roots down into the Word of
God by meditation.
In my teens I knew a man, a miner by trade, whose spiritual
freshness and radiance were responsible for turning many people to Jesus
Christ. Just before he died, and in the company of several other
Christians, I asked him: "What is the secret of your spiritual freshness?
You always seem to be on top of things, always radiant. Tell me how
you maintain this inner poise and power. He replied in one word -
meditation.
I pressed him for some further thoughts on the subject. This
is not a verbatim quotation, but as far as I can remember, this is
what he said: "Meditation is letting your heart become the workshop
of the unseen Sculptor who chisels in its secret chambers the
living forms that contribute to character development and an increasing
likeness to Jesus Christ. That old man, now in heaven, was one of the
greatest illustrations I have ever known of the spiritual freshness and
fruitfulness that comes from meditating on God's Word. His experience can be
ours - if we meditate.
O Father, help me to master the art of Scripture meditation,
so that through the written Word and by the meditated Word, those
around me may see the Living Word. Amen [Every Day With Jesus Bible
with Selwyn Hughes devotional re Psalm 39:3]
Timothy was besieged by false teachers and the inevitable
pressures of a growing ministry. He could easily have abandoned his faith
or adjusted his doctrine. Once again Paul counseled Timothy to
remember his past and to hold to the teachings of Scripture.
The whole Bible is God's inspired word. Through the Holy
Spirit, God revealed his person and plan to certain believers, who wrote
down his message for his people (2 Peter 1:20-21). Because the Bible
is inspired and trustworthy, we should read it and apply it to our
lives. The Bible is our standard for examining everything else that
claims to be true. It is our way to identify false teaching and our
source of guidance for how we should live. It is our only source of
knowledge about how we can be saved.
Like Timothy, we are surrounded by false ideas and images
claiming to represent the truth. But we must not allow our society to
distort or crowd out God's eternal truth. God wants to show you what is
true and to equip you to live for him. Read God's word regularly to
flood your heart with God's truth and to find direction in your life
with God. [One Year NLT SB]
Little League coaches know that very young ballplayers have
to use a tee to learn how to bat before they can swing and hit
pitches. Surgeons have their interns watch procedures before they let
them pick up a scalpel. Parents of budding violinists endure hours of
squeaks before enjoying the beautiful notes of a school orchestra.
Practice makes perfect - or at least makes things better.
The same principle applies to spiritual growth. Believers
cannot get better (become more like Christ) without regularly studying
God's Word and applying it to their lives. That is why Paul tells
Timothy about the Bible's usefulness in teaching what is true and right.
God gave the Bible so that people could learn to love and
serve him (2 Timothy 3:16-17). A lot of the study and learning we do
in life aims to make us smarter or more knowledgeable. That will
happen when we study the Bible, but it's not the main reason that God
gave us his Word. God wants us to change our thoughts, behavior, and
character.
Some people use their knowledge of the Bible only to win
arguments or to make themselves look clever. Besides missing the aim of
having such knowledge, they become worse people, not better, by falling
into pride (see 1 Corinthians 8:1-3).
Never flaunt your knowledge of God's Word. Study the Bible to
learn how to live, not to win an argument or to show somebody up. Seek
to know Christ and learn to do good. [The One Year Through the
Bible Devotional by Dave Veerman re vv. 3:14-17; 4:2, 5]
We spend one more day considering the proposition that apart
from a relationship with God and an understanding of the Scriptures,
we are unable to see life as a whole. The man or woman who knows
and understands the Bible will be acquainted with the facts he or
she needs to have in order to come to right and sound conclusions.
So immerse yourself in the Scriptures. Understand that human nature
is corrupt and that apart from the grace and power of God, men and
women are unable to live up to their ideals. Realize that the
spiritual is more powerful than the material, and unless the spirit is in
control we will be driven by carnal desires. When people say humanity is
getting better and that sin and evil are just the "growing pains" of the
human race - what are the facts? You get them from the Scriptures and
only from the Scriptures. What does the Bible tell us about evil? It
says it is part of the human condition and can never be rooted out
except through the power and the grace of God. So study the facts of
Scripture. Read them, memorize them, and meditate upon them. When next you
feel dispirited because you cannot make sense of something, ask
yourself: What are the facts? Dig into the Scriptures and draw your
perspective from what the Bible says. The root of many of our emotional
problems lies in a lack of clear thinking - clear thinking based on
Scripture. Think as God thinks about issues and you will feel as God feels
about them. For you are not what you think you are, but what you think
you are.
Father, I see now why so often my thinking about life is
confused - my thinking is not based on the facts. Help me draw my
deductions not from what I see in the world, but from what I see in the
Word. In Jesus' Name. Amen. [Every Day Light devotional with Selwyn
Hughes re Mat. 22:29]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The Bible is the revelation of God to our world The jewels
buried in it are inexhaustible; for it is the wisdom of an infinite
mind. FE444
The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in
the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every
command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it
brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature
and re-creates the soul in the image of God. ED126
Each doctrine, teaching or truth in the Bible is a window to
some aspect of Gods character. Pastor Mark Finley
I RESOLVE LIKE TIMOTHY: to be thoroughly acquainted with the
Holy Scriptures.
If we are going to have that relationship with Jesus that
brings victory today and heaven tomorrow; then this is an essential!
How else can we behold Him and become more like Him.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in
a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. [source
unknown]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060524-0949.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Music Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS:
Revelation Today by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
