"THE SECOND EPISTLE
TO TIMOTHY"
The Scriptures Inspired
Of God (3:14-17)
INTRODUCTION
1. As Paul prepared the
Ephesian elders for the time when he would be
gone...
a. He commended them to
the word of God's grace - cf.
"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous
wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your
own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them. 31Therefore
watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn
every one night and day with tears. 32And now,
brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to
build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are
sanctified."
b. Which was able to
build them up, and give them their inheritance
2. With Timothy, Paul
did the same when writing his last letter...
a. He admonished Timothy
to continue in the things he had learned
"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and
hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;"
b. He first referenced
the Holy Scriptures known since his childhood
"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus."
1) When Timothy was a
child, the only scriptures available was the
Old Testament
2) So Paul clearly had
the Old Testament scriptures in view
c. He then spoke of the
value of "all Scripture" -
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man
of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
I. THE VALUE OF THE
OLD TESTAMENT
A. IT DEVELOPS WISDOM...
1. The OT makes one
"wise for salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus" -
" And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus."
2. How? The OT provides information regarding:
a. The fall of man and
the rise of sin
b. The background and
development of God's scheme of redemption
c. Messianic prophecies
which describe what to expect when He
comes
3. One cannot hope to
fully understand such books of the New
Testament like:
a. Hebrews, without a
knowledge of the Levitical priesthood
b. Revelation, without a
familiarity of OT prophecy and
apocalyptic literature
-- If one desires to be
wise concerning their salvation, study the
Old Testament!
B. IT OFFERS HOPE...
1. Note carefully what
Paul wrote in
"For even Christ pleased not himself;
but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 4For whatsoever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
a. He appealed to a
passage in the OT
b. The things
"written before" (i.e., the OT) were "written for
our learning"
c. The OT was written
and preserved especially for the
Christians' benefit!
d. The OT provides
"patience and comfort", that we "might have
hope"!
2. How? The OT provides a record of God's
faithfulness, how He
kept His promises:
a. To Abraham and the nation
of Israel
b. To judge the wicked
and avenge the righteous
c. To forgive the
penitent, and protect the humble
-- As we read this
history of God's dealings with Israel, it gives us hope that God will keep His
promises to us!
C. IT PROVIDES
ADMONITION...
1. Consider what Paul
wrote in
" Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and
they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
a. He had just reviewed
the fall of Israel in the wilderness
b. The events described
may have happened to Israel
c. "They were
written for our admonition, upon whom the end of
the ages has come"
d. The OT was written
and preserved especially for the benefit
of Christians!
2. Thus the NT writers
often appealed to the OT to admonish
Christians
a. As did Paul, writing
to the Corinthians
b. As did the writer of
Hebrews, exhorting Christians to remain
steadfast -
" Take
heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in
departing from the living God. 13But
exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be
hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we
are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence
stedfast unto the end;15While
it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the
provocation.16For
some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt
by Moses. 17But
with whom was he grieved forty years? was
it not with them that had
sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18And to
whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that
believed not? 19So we
see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."
c. As did James,
encouraging Christians to be patient in their
suffering -
" Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the
Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and
hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8Be ye also
patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9Grudge not
one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth
before the door. 10Take, my
brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example
of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11Behold, we
count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have
seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender
mercy."
d. As did Peter, warning
of false teachers and scoffers -
[Though we do not live
under the Old Covenant, the Old Testament is of great value to the
Christian. Together with all Scripture
from God, it provides every thing we need.
Indeed, Paul reveals...]
II. THE
ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES
A. THEY ARE INSPIRED...
1. All Scripture is
"given by the inspiration of God" (NKJV)
a. Literally, "God
breathed" (theopneustos)
b. Cf. "All
Scripture is breathed out by God" (ESV)
2. "The idea of
'breathing upon, or breathing into the soul,' is
that which the word
naturally conveys." - Barnes
3. The writers of
Scripture were moved along by the Spirit of God
" 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."
4. The Spirit gave them
their very words
" Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's
wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with
spiritual."
-- The Scriptures are
not the words or thoughts of mere men, but
of Spirit-guided men who
spoke and wrote the very Word of God!
" Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will
guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you
things to come."
" If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual,
let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments
of the Lord."
" For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because,
when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in
truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that
believe."
B. THEY ARE
PROFITABLE...
1. For doctrine -
a. Teaching, instruction
- Thayer
b. Regarding all that
God wants us to know regarding Himself
and His will for us
2. For reproof -
a. Proof, conviction - Strong
b. Convicting those in
error of their wrong, showing them the
need to change
3. For correction
-
a. Correction,
improvement of life or character - Thayer
b. "the Scriptures
are a powerful means of reformation, or of
putting men into the
proper condition in regard to morals."
4. For instruction in
righteousness -
a. "Instruction in
regard to the principles of justice, or what
is right." - Barnes
b. "Man needs not
only to be made acquainted with truth, to be
convinced of his error,
and to be reformed; but he needs to
be taught what is right,
or what is required of him, in
order that he may lead a
holy life." - ibid.
-- The Scriptures are
truly "profitable" (helpful, advantageous),
as extolled by David -
cf.
" The
law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.8The
statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the
commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.9The
fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the
judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.10More to
be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.11Moreover
by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
C. THEY MAKE ONE
COMPLETE...
1. Thoroughly equipped
for every good work -
" That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works."
a. That is, completely
furnished to do what is expected of him
b. Note well: equipped for every good work; not some,
but all
that God considers a
good work
2. Regarding life and
godliness - cf.
" According as his divine power hath given unto us all
things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:"
a. We have been given
"all things that pertain to life and
godliness"
b. Not 'some' things,
but 'all' that we need for spiritual life
and godly living
3. Having been given
once for all - cf.
a. The faith has been
delivered "once for all" to the saints
b. There is no need for
'modern day revelations', just as there
is no more need of
sacrifices for sins - cf.
" For then must he often have suffered since the foundation
of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:28So Christ
was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
" For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for
the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit:"
By Dinah Ramos
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