Pillar 4: Bible-Based

Introduction

We have been in a series on the six DNA of Pillar Network Churches. Today, I will be addressing DNA or “Pillar” number 4: “Bible-Based”, which means:

“We submit to the Bible as our final authority in matters of life, faith, and doctrine.” - Pillar Network

For our purposes today, we will state it another way:

The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible is our final authority for life, faith and doctrine.

We get this directly from 2 Timothy 3:15-17. We see the nature, necessity (The Bible) proper use (Whole Bible), and sufficiency of Scripture (Nothing but the Bible) contained in these few verses.

As a side note, throughout this sermon I will be using the 2nd London Baptist Confession of 1689 to help us get a firm grasp of what the Scriptures teach on the matters we will be addressing. This is in anticipation of the sermon I will preach next week on being “Confessionally Baptistic”.

Context

The context helps us understand the weight and intention behind Paul’s charge to Timothy. As was just read to us a few moments ago, Timothy was being warned that in the last days, there will be many who claim some association with Christ, but are hypocrites and full of evil and deceit. Worse still, some of those men will become teachers and try to manipulate women who are weak in the faith to join them in their evil. In contrast to this wickedness, Paul charges Timothy to “continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. [The Scriptures]”.

This is what is at stake if we don’t hold fast to the written Word of God. Either we will be led astray by our own thoughts and passions, or our people — especially our wives and children — will be vulnerable to wicked and perverse people who manipulate them for their own evil purposes. We must fight them off with the truth and stand firm in courage, not cowering back. This command to hold fast to the Word goes for all men, women and children, but especially to men who are given the charge of protection, not just in our own families, but to protect those in the household of faith as well.

Seeing as the stakes are high, let’s continue on in our text to make sure we have a solid understanding of what this written Word is that we are holding fast to.

1. THE BIBLE: The Nature & Necessity of Scripture - v.16a

2 Timothy 3:16 (CSB)

All Scripture is inspired by God

The Nature of Scripture: God-Breathed

The Greek word translated “inspired” is theopneustos which means “breathed out by God”. Some of your translations may even read just like that. This is another way of saying that the Scriptures originate from God. They are utterly unique to any other writing.

The Bible, however, did not just come to us from heaven, leather-bound, and in a John MacArthur study Bible edition. Rather, it was given to us in both a natural and supernatural way. Listen to how the Apostle Peter puts it:

2 Peter 1:20–21 (CSB)

Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

So then, the Scriptures have both human and divine origin. The words are truly mans words. They maintain the human authors’ style and personality. They were written to real people in a real time and place. Yet, at the same time and to the same degree, the Holy Spirit carried these men along as they were writing. This doesn’t mean they were in a trance of some sort, but rather that in The Holy Spirit’s incredible providence, they wrote exactly what He wanted them to write. Thus, the Sacred Writings are truly God’s Words to us.

Because they originate from God — and God is not a liar — they are totally true and trustworthy. This is why we are turn to them — and them alone — as our final authority for doctrine and practice. The Scriptures are God’s revelation.

The Necessity of Scripture: The Preserve and Propagate the Truth

Now, no doubt, most of us have wondered why God no longer reveals himself directly to individuals like he did before any scriptures were written, such as with Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Well, listen to what the 2nd London Baptist Confession has to say about the reason God put his revelation in writing:

2LBCF 1689 (ME) (I. The Holy Scriptures)

1:1 The Holy Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain, and infallible standard of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. The light of nature and the works of creation and providence so clearly demonstrate the goodness, wisdom, and power of God that people are left without excuse; however, these demonstrations are not sufficient to give the knowledge of God and His will that is necessary for salvation. Therefore, the Lord was pleased at different times and in various ways to reveal Himself and to declare His will to His church. To preserve and propagate the truth better and to establish and comfort the church with greater certainty against the corruption of the flesh and the malice of Satan and the world, the Lord put this revelation completely in writing. Therefore, the Holy Scriptures are absolutely necessary, because God’s former ways of revealing His will to His people have now ceased.

In other words, it is actually better that we have the full story, law, and promises in writing instead of just partial, individual, private revelation from time to time as our ancient fathers had before the Scriptures were written. Because Christ has come in the flesh and fully revealed the Father’s will and plan, and entrusted this message to His apostles who He promised the Holy Spirit would lead into all truth, God’s former ways of revealing Himself have now ceased. That is not to say he doesn’t still give people promptings, visions or dreams for various reasons, but it does mean there is no new God-breathed revelation outside of the Bible that we have in our hands and that if we want to know what God’s will is for us, we must turn to the Scriptures and them alone.

2. THE WHOLE BIBLE: The Proper Interpretation of Scripture - v.15

2 Timothy 3:15 CSB

and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

The Principle of Proper Interpretation

The most essential thing to get right about interpreting Scripture properly is using clear passages to interpret unclear passages. This principle is build squarely on the belief that God is the true author of the Sacred Writings and does not contradict Himself.

2LBCF 1689 (ME) (I. The Holy Scriptures)

1:9 The infallible rule for interpreting Scripture is the Scripture itself. Therefore, when there is a question about the true and full meaning of any part of Scripture (and each passage has only one meaning, not many), it must be understood in light of other passages that speak more clearly.

The Proper Use of the Old Testament

This part of the New Testament is very well-known for its teaching on the nature of the Bible. What is often missed however, is that the New Testament writings were still being written at this time which means the Scared Scriptures Paul is referring to are the Old Testament writings — Genesis through Malachi. He says they are able to give you saving wisdom through faith in Christ. This teaches us a vitally important principle for interpreting the Old Testament writings: we interpret them in light of Christ and His apostle’s teachings. In other words, the NT is the lens from which we are to read the OT.

We do this not because the OT is less-than-inspired compared to the NT. Rather, the OT contains promises, shadows, and themes that are brought to fulfillment, given substance, and brought to a conclusion in Christ and his apostles. The OT writings are a shadow and the New Covenant is the substance. This principle is what the NT writers are operating with as they read the OT writings. Where did they learn this principle? From The Lord Jesus himself. Consider Christ’s words to his disciples on the road to Emmaus:

Luke 24:25–27 CSB

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures.

Also consider what Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews during his earthly ministry:

John 5:46 CSB

For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.

The NT is the Interpretive Lens for the OT because Christ, His Kingdom, and His Covenant are the full and final revelation of The Triune God’s plan of redemption. The OT is a shadow and the NT is the substance.

Explain the difference between natural (moral) and positive (covenantal) law.

The primary focus of the Scriptures is the story of God’s glory through saving a people for himself.

3. NOTHING BUT THE BIBLE: The Sufficiency of Scripture - vv.16b-17

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (CSB)

…and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

At the same time, there are many questions and issues we come across that are not explicitly or implicitly addressed in the Scriptures. In such cases, we are to use the principles of Scripture to make wise decisions that are consistent with what is clearly taught.

This is what the 2LBCF says regarding the sufficiency of Scripture.

2LBCF 1689 (ME) (I. The Holy Scriptures)

1:6 The whole counsel of God concerning everything essential for His own glory and man’s salvation, faith, and life is either explicitly stated or by necessary inference contained in the Holy Scriptures. Nothing is ever to be added to the Scriptures, either by new revelation of the Spirit or by human traditions.

Nevertheless, we acknowledge that the inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary for a saving understanding of what is revealed in the Word. We recognize that some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church are common to human actions and organizations and are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian wisdom, following the general rules of the Word, which must always be observed.

1:7 Some things in Scripture are clearer than others, and some people understand the teachings more clearly than others. However, the things that must be known, believed, and obeyed for salvation are so clearly set forth and explained in one part of Scripture or another that both the educated and uneducated may achieve a sufficient understanding of them by properly using ordinary measures.

If we are to be a healthy church that pleases God, His written Word must have the final say in all matters. We must not apologize for the hard things God says. We must not compromise the truth for the sake of acceptability or comfort.