We should never seek to diminish or marginalize the importance of the Scripture in our lives. It is through the Word of God that we discover the truth concerning Christ. There is a reason the Holy Spirit moved on men to write it for us. There is a reason God has so well preserved it throughout the ages for us. It needs to once again become cherished in the church. Here we find that the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul to Timothy is going to promote the use of it in the life of a disciple of Jesus for some very specific reasons. It is true there are those who use it maliciously to abuse others or to try and control others with it but we should not allow the misuse of it by others to make us disinclined to being good students who use it properly.
2Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
There are Three important things we should note here regarding the Scriptures in this post we will cover the first two:
1) How much of it is God inspired. (Here the Holy Spirit makes it clear that all of it is God breathed. There are not portions that are more inspired than others, all of it is useful to us when properly used and understood.)
2) What things it is profitable for in the life of a disciple of Christ.
a. Teaching. (It is clear that it is intended that Scripture be taught. It is meant to instruct us in matters of relating to God through Christ, in matters pertaining to understanding life in this world being lived as disciples in Christ, and in matters pertaining to how to rightly relate to one another through love and the responsibilities that brings upon us. Our Father has not left us without a means of insight into His character and His direction for our lives.)
b. Reproof. (This word has more to do with getting something right than it does the typical notion associated with it. Most see this word and think of being set straight by someone. The idea here is a positive right discovery of the truth rather than a negative shaking of the finger in ones face and being told one is wrong. It speaks to the idea of our discernment growing and being fine tuned by the instruction of Scripture.)
c. Correction. (This word is just as it appears. The way we discover we have missed the mark in some area is through an understanding of Scripture. But this is not about becoming astute in the Law. It is about becoming astute in matters pertaining to the truth. We need adjustment in matters pertaining to the differences between the old and the new covenant for instance. It is through having the Scripture opened to us by the revelation of the Spirit now that we are in Christ that we discover the benefits of New Covenant grace.)
d. Training in Righteousness. (This language implies that it is already a done deal but now it is time to understand what the done deal is and how it is meant to work in our lives. This is training meant to make us righteous, we already are made righteous through faith in Christ alone. This is more to do with bringing us to the place of revelation understanding regarding what this imputed righteousness we have been given produces in us as we yield to the work of the Spirit and the life of Christ in us.)
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
