6 - The Bible

Question:

If someone were to ask you what kind of church you attend, what would you say?

How would you describe our church?

What does it mean to be biblical?

In the most basic sense, I think it means that we teach, believe, and obey all that the Bible has to say.

Now, obviously, that raises a lot of qualifying and clarifying questions, but I think that is a helpful place to start.

Introduction:

2 Timothy 3:12–4:2 ESV

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 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 complete, equipped for every good work. 1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

We desire to live Godly lives, amen?

So the question is “Where do we go to learn that godly life?”

It must be where God has spoken.

And that is in the Word of God, the Bible

Verse 15 tells us that the sacred writings - the Scriptures - are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

And then verse 16 tells us that all Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable.

Just as a side note, we need to distinguish between general revelation and special revelation

General revelation -

God has revealed himself in creation,

and through it we know that God exists,

that God is good

that God sustains all things

General revelation is sufficient to let people know that there is a God and that he demands worship

General revelation is not sufficient to tell people the solution to why we don’t worship him

It doesn’t give us the Gospel.

Special Revelation -

God has specially revealed himself through Scripture.

It is direct words from God that reveal more than general revelation

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition (Chapter I. Of the Holy Scripture)

CHAPTER I. Of the Holy Scripture

ALTHOUGH the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation: therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the holy scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.

What does this mean?

General Revelation -

Special Revelation -

So remember 2 Timothy said that all Scripture is profitable… Profitable for what?

Salvation

Where in the Scriptures do we see Salvation taught to us?

(If we’re saying that the light of nature is enough to show us God, but insufficient to show us salvation, where in the Special Revelation - the Bible - do we find salvation?)

Genesis 3:15 “15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””

Exodus 20:1–2 “1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

Covenants made with the Patriarchs

Noah in Genesis 8-9;

Abraham in Genesis 12, 15, 17, 21;

Moses in Exodus 20;

David in 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17;

God redeems through covenants

Leviticus - shows us that a blood sacrifice is required

Isaiah 53;

John 14:6 “6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 3:16 “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 5:8 “8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 10:9–10 “9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Galatians 4:4–5 “4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

And so many more…

The Bible is profitable to reveal salvation to us…

But why is it profitable? - Ferguson addresses this by moving to the next section…

The Mouth of God

2 Timothy 3:16 “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

What does it mean that all scripture is breathed out by God?

What does it not mean?

When a book is written on a specific topic, other men of the same positions will read it, agree with it, and endorse it (after the fact)

God didn’t find some wise teaching by some good men and endorse it.

God spoke and men wrote

2 Peter 1:19–21 “19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

What does this mean?

What does this not mean?

Men didn’t go into a trance and receive a word and then write it down

God used the individuals personalities to write inspired words down. This was a parallel happening. Both God inspiring and man writing were happening at the same time

It’s why you have some of the same passages in different Gospel writers sharing different perspectives and different details that stood out to them.

Mark 14:43–50 “43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled.”

John 18:2–11 “2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put you…”

Or notice the personalized nature of the writers…

Galatians 6:11 “11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.”

The Bible is profitable because it is actually the word of God…

Why else is it profitable?

Because it transforms…

Transformation

This has to do with the effect that the Bible has on us.

Ferguson gives us 4 categories where the Bible transforms our lives - and they’re taken straight from 2 Timothy 3;

But before we get into those areas, the underlying assumptions that we have about Scripture have to be addressed.

Isaiah 55:10–11 “10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

What does this teach us about God’s Word?

God’s word will accomplish his purposes

Romans 1:16–18 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”

What does this teach us about God’s Word?

The gospel, as found in Scripture, is the power of God for salvation…

Not our intellect, not our degrees, not our pedigrees, not our craftiness…

The Gospel is sufficient

Hebrews 4:12 “12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Scripture is Profitable for Teaching

What do the Scriptures teach?

What man is to believe concerning God and what duties God requires of man.

The Scriptures teach us everything God would have us to know about him and his work

They also teach us everything that he would have us know about what God requires us to do.

Psalm 119:18 “18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

Scripture is profitable for teaching - and that teaching transforms us.

Scripture is Profitable for Reproof

Reproof has to do with discipline

It’s painful and unpleasant

How many of you have stories of spankings you received as kids that shaped who you are today?

Hebrews 12:2–11 ESV

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

The reproof of the Lord transforms us into the image of Christ - and he does this through his Word.

Scripture is profitable for Correction

Romans 8:29 “29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

We are being conformed, molded into the image of Christ Jesus.

We are being made to look more and more like him.

Correction carries a positive connotation with it.

We might conflate these terms (reproof, correction) but think about it this way…

If you were playing pin the tail on the donkey, you were blindfolded, you’ve been spun around several times and you’ve lost all semblance of direction -

If another person gently grabs your shoulders and aligns you with the donkey, is that reproof and discipline, or is that correction?

That’s what the Word of God does for us.

It corrects our wrong directions and points us in the right direction.

The Scriptures are profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction… but also for…

Scripture is profitable for Training in Righteousness

Think of this as your spiritual gymnasium

This is where you train and hone your skills so that you put them into practice everywhere else in life.

Colossians 3:16 “16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

We want the Word of Christ to dwell in us and do something… what is that something?

Colossians 3:17 “17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

The Word of God trains us that whatever we do, we do in his name, for his glory, in faith, with a thankful heart.

Galatians 5:22–23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Conclusion

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “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 complete, equipped for every good work.”

The Scriptures make us complete.

Bible Studies - allow ministry leaders to discuss what they are teaching

Men’s and Women’s groups