2 Timothy 3:16-17 - The God-Breathed Word
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction:
The Bible is the most unique document in the history of the world. It was written by over 40 authors spanning almost two millennia. It is the most printed and read book in world history. It has been translated into over 1,200 languages and has sold more than 5 billion copies.
Although the Bible is incredibly complex - being made up of 66 books and 1,189 chapters - it is accessible and can be understood by the average reader.
Amazingly, despite the amount of authors and complexity, the overarching theme of the Bible remains consistent. God is sovereignly and actively working to bring about salvation to a lost world. And this theme of redemption is ultimately found in the Person of Jesus Christ. From Genesis 3:15 - right after the fall of mankind - to the end of Revelation - we see the scarlet cord of Christ traversing the pages of the Bible. Salvation through Christ is foreshadowed and prophesied throughout the Old Testament - speaking of the coming Messiah Who would redeem mankind from sin. All of the Old Testament sacrifices pointed to the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).
But how could these 40+ authors over a period of almost two millennia maintain such a consistent theme?
It is because the Word of God is God-breathed.
We will get into what this means more clearly in a few moments. But let’s go ahead and read our two powerful verses today.
Read Full Scripture:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Prayer
Today we are going to have two overarching points. The first is… because the Word of God is breathed out by God… it is…
I. The Word of God is Profitable (16)
I. The Word of God is Profitable (16)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
First we see a reference to all Scripture. There are a few important questions that come up as we consider these first couple of phrases in verse 16.
The first question that we need to address is what does Paul mean by all Scripture?
We understand that the Scriptures include the 66 books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The end of the canon is clearly demarcated by the book of Revelation which warns that no one should add or take away from it.
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Some may argue that this applies only to the book of Revelation. Although that is the initial application, God specifically put this book at the end of the canon to warn against such apostacy.
And this idea of not adding or taking away from His Word is clearly taught in a couple of other places as well. Deuteronomy 4:1-2 and Proverbs 30:5-6 warn of adding or taking away from the Word of God.
These verses are important to combat those who claim that new prophesy is still being added. After the closure of the canon, the Word of God was completed. It has been fully revealed. We currently have all Scripture in our Bibles.
The second question that comes up in this search for what makes up all Scripture is how did we get our Bible as we know it?
The New Testament canon as we know it today was fully written in the first century with Revelation being the last of the books which was written by the Apostle John. The early church used three primary criteria to determine the New Testament canon.
1 - Apostolicity (Was the book written by an Apostle or by someone closely associated with an Apostle?)
Books such as Matthew and John are easy because they were obviously Apostles. But the same intense scrutiny was used for Luke who wrote Luke and Acts and worked side-by-side with Paul as well as the Gospel writer, Mark, who wrote alongside the Apostle Peter.
2 - Orthodoxy (Did the content of the book align with the established doctrines of the early church? )
Those documents that did not were cast out. Outliers such as the Gnostic false gospels were easy to spot as they had heretical doctrines that became popular later.
3. Antiquity (Was this book written early in the church’s history which helped connect it to the Apostolic era?)
The last living Apostle was John who died around AD 99 or so. Thus any books written after the first century were considered errant and thrown out.
The 27 books of the New Testament had circulated amongst the churches throughout the first and second centuries. However, by the late second century - by the time of Irenaeus - the canon as we know it was complete. We also should note that the Old Testament canon was closed around 425 BC with the last prophecy written by the prophet Malachi.
I gave all of that information for you to understand the amazing nature of the Bible - such a magnificent book has been thoroughly vetted throughout the ages. The Bible has been the most attacked book as well. And despite all of these attacks, it has stood the test of time. Brilliant critical theologians have attempted to undermine the authority and infallibility of the Scriptures only to fail time and time again.
Why is the Bible so amazingly accurate and infallible? We see that in the next phrase of verse 16…
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
This brings us to our third question as we consider the importance of the Bible. We have seen that that the Bible is complete now made up of 66 books. And we have seen that the Bible has been canonized by the early church by rigorous means. But the answer to our final question in these opening phrases is the most important.
Our third question is how do we know that the Bible is truly the Word of God and not the word of man?
The Bible answers this question by its self-authentication. We have seen in 2 Timothy 3:16 that the Scripture is breathed out by God. This means that the entire counsel of Scripture comes not from man but from God Himself. What Paul means is that the Bible came about not by the will of man but by the will of God. Listen to Peter teach these same concept:
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.
Peter and Paul let us know that the entire Bible was inspired and breathed out by God.
But is the New Testament to be considered Scripture?
The Apostle Peter certainly answers this question with a resounding yes in 2 Peter 3:15-16:
And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
Here we see Peter speak of Paul’s letters as the Scripture. Peter even uses the Greek word graphē (graph-aye) which is the same word he uses for the Scriptures elsewhere.
Paul had also spoken of Luke’s Gospel as the Scripture in 1 Timothy 5:18:
For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
Here Paul quotes Deuteronomy 25:4 - you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain; and he quotes Luke 10:7 where it says that the laborer deserves his wages. Both of these are called the Scriptures.
The Bible clearly confirms itself as Scripture from cover to cover.
Some may argue with the self-authentication of the Bible as if it were circular reasoning. Yet, the Bible self-authenticates by it’s historical accuracy, proven prophecy, and consistency over the centuries of its writing. It does not just say that it is the Word of God - it proves it time and time again.
Now that we have come to understand the supernatural nature and truth of the Scriptures, we come to the practical application of such a wonderful book.
Let’s get to the final part of verse 16...
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
The Word of God is Profitable.
To be profitable means that it is valuable. The Psalmist declares the value of God’s Word clearly in Psalm 19:10:
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
The Psalmist sees the words of God and commands of God as more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey.
Paul tells us four ways that the Word of God can profit us. The first is, the Word of God is profitable…
1 - For Teaching
Instruction, or teaching, is necessary for one to grow in his or her faith. We never outgrow the need for solid Biblical teaching. Certainly Deuteronomy 6:7 reminds us to teach the ways of God to our children. The Proverbs admonish us to train up our children in the Lord (Proverbs 22:6).
However, we must all be constantly studying the Word of God. Unfortunately, the Bible is the best-selling book of all time but also is the most neglected book of all time. So many leave the Bible out as a decoration but never actually read it.
Many people, especially new believers, often ask me about books they can read to grow in the faith. There are certainly many good Christian books out there. But only one is living and active. Only one is breathed out by God. Only one is inerrant. And that is the Bible. Once you read the Bible through once - then do it again - then again - then again. I have read the Bible through many times and still have so much to learn and glean. There is no book like it. No book that has the power to change one’s heart and motives.
The author of Hebrews reminds us that the Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). Other books lack the ability to actively change lives. Note that I didn’t say that other books didn’t have the capacity to change lives. The Holy Spirit can use other means of grace to convict and change hearts. However, only the Word of God is able to actively change lives. As the Holy Spirit illuminates the pages of the Bible, hearts are changed.
This is why we seek to preach the Bible at CrossPointe. It is not my word or the words of our culture that have the power to change lives. It is only the Word of God that has the power through its teaching to change hearts.
Not only is the Bible useful in the positive sense here - in teaching - but it is also profitable…
2 - For Reproof
We absolutely need to be taught the truth of the Scriptures. But what about those areas of our lives where we are out of line? This Greek word, elegmos (eh-leg-mose), refers to being convicted of error. This error may be in the form of false teaching or it may be in sinful behavior.
After asserting that the Word of God is living and active in Hebrews 4:12, the author goes on to describe the ability of the Word to cut. It is sharper than a two-edged sword and can discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Because of this amazing aspect of the Scriptures, the Word of God not only has the power to build one up in righteousness, but it also has the power to tear down the falsehood and pride of unrighteousness.
We all have areas in our lives that we need to grow and be taught. But we also all have areas in our lives that need torn down and destroyed.
Friends, as you study the Word of God, be sure to not only gain knowledge, but ask God to convict you of areas of sin in your life.
One of the ways we can become self-righteous and look like the Pharisees of Jesus’s day is to spend a lot of time growing in knowledge and spend little to no time on being sanctified by that knowledge.
I was watching a movie with my wife the other day that illustrated this concept well. During the movie a widowed mother was trying to teach her son how to throw a baseball. She was reading each step in a baseball instruction book. The boy was really struggling to throw the ball despite all of her instruction. All of the information that she gave was right and good - but he wasn’t getting reproof. He wasn’t getting corrected regarding the things that he was doing wrong.
Our lives can be this way. We can keep learning good things - truths about the Scriptures - but if we are not being reproved and convicted about the things we are doing wrong, we won’t see the growth that we need to see to become more like Christ.
As David said in Psalm 139:23, ask God to search you and know your heart. Ask Him to reprove you and discipline you where you need it. These are not popular prayers in today’s world. Prayers like this require great humility. Most people don’t want to be told that they are wrong.
But if we want to grow in our faith, we must be willing to be reproved by the Word of God as we read it and as others teach it to us.
Next we see that the Word of God is profitable…
3 - For Correction
This word means to set right. It is a term that refers to restoration.
It reminds me of how people like to restore old cars. One of my neighbors likes to work on old cars and restore them. He has a passion for seeing old things made new.
Here are two cars that are the same model. Yet one is restored and the other is not. One is useful and runs smoothly and the other doesn’t run at all.
The Word of God helps restore our lives. Initially, we are made new when we come to a saving knowledge of Christ through the Gospel being shared with us, repentance and faith. We go from death to life.
But God continues to correct and restore us as we continue along our Christian walk.
We need to be continually set on the right path. We have a tendency to stray. Yet the Word continues to convict and correct and keep us moving in the right direction.
Allow the Word to restore your life. Allow it to restore your thought life. Ask God to remove your sinful tendencies and to restore your mind and renew your mind as only He can. Listen to Paul teach this beautifully in Romans 12:2:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
You can be conformed to the ways of this world or to the will of God. Only God’s Word and the Holy Spirit can do such work in your life.
Finally, we see that the Word of God is profitable…
4 - For Training in Righteousness
In order to grow as a believer, one must be taught, reproved, corrected, and now we are introduced to the final teaching - one must be trained in righteousness.
This last concept taught in this list by Paul is the practical step that brings the others together. This is practicing what has been preached. The righteous training of the Word should produce righteous living.
This concept of being trained in righteousness is clearly seen in Ephesians 6:4 when describing children:
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
The same word used for discipline here in Ephesians 6:4 is the word used for training in 2 Timothy 3:16.
As believers, we are to grow as children grow. We are started on spiritual milk are are to gradually grow into the deeper doctrines of the faith. We are to start with small steps of righteous living and to grow in our righteousness as Christ continues working in and through us to conform us into His image. And He doesn’t complete His work in and through us until we complete this journey on earth and die.
I love how Warren Wiersbe summarizes Paul’s teachings in this verse:
“They are profitable for doctrine (what is right), for reproof (what is not right), for correction (how to get right), and for instruction in righteousness (how to stay right).”
Warren Wiersbe
Next we see that…
Scripture References: Genesis 3:15, John 1:29, Revelation 22:18-19, Deuteronomy 4:1-2, Proverbs 30:5-6, 2 Peter 1:21, 2 Peter3:15-16, 1 Timothy 5:18, Deuteronomy 25:4, Luke 10:7, Psalm 19:10, Deuteronomy 6:7, Proverbs 22:6, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 139:23, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 6:4
II. The Word of God is Powerful (17)
II. The Word of God is Powerful (17)
that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
If you recall when we started going through this letter, it has been written to Timothy. The letter is actually called one of the Pastoral Epistles because these three letters (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) describe the church and church leaders.
This phrase man of God is not out of place for such a letter.
This phrase is very common in the Old Testament which spoke of messengers of God. Today, we do not have prophets like the Old Testament. We, instead, have pastors who preach the Word of God - not a novel or new Word - but the Word as revealed in the Bible.
Paul is saying that the man of God is a man of the Word.
Although the given context is written toward pastors and church leaders, the truths of these verses are applicable to all of us.
The profit that we saw in verse 16 is seen in the lives of every believer. And every believer will see this profit in their own lives.
And with understanding this, we come to an incredibly applicable statement in regards to how we live our lives.
If we wish to be the people of God, we must be people of the Word and not people of the world.
Followers of Jesus Christ do not compromise on the truth of the Scriptures. As we have already seen, believers are to be taught by the Word, reproved by the Word, corrected by the Word, and trained by the Word.
For those who submit to the Word of God as the ultimate source of truth, there are two things that will mark their lives.
The profitability of the Scriptures leads to two important things:
1 - The Word of God Makes You Complete
The Greek word for complete here is artios (are-tee-ose) which also means qualified, sufficient, and sound.
If you want to stand upon a sure foundation, you must be sure that you are standing on the truth of God’s Word.
There is nothing else that is needed to live a life completely for Christ. This speaks of the sufficiency of the Scriptures.
The theme of verses 16-17 has been the sufficiency of the Scriptures. The Bible provides all that the believer must know in order to be saved and live a life pleasing to our Heavenly Father.
There is no other special or hidden truth that we need to seek after. God has given us all that we need. We have the complete revelation of God in His Word so that we can live a life completely for Him.
This is in direct contrast to most other religions - and frankly in direct contrast even to the Catholic church. They hold tradition, dogma, and church history with equal weight of the Word of God.
Yet, the Bible states that one can be made complete and fully equipped by the Scriptures alone. Nothing else is needed and frankly, nothing else is even allowed to be added as we saw at the beginning of today’s message.
With all of this said, do you believe that the Scriptures are sufficient?
Many people might be willing to say that they believe it, but do you live like you believe it? Is the Bible your go-to book for child-rearing, holy living, heart change, worldview, ethics, morals, marriage, work, and life in general?
Unfortunately, some might say they believe that the Scriptures are sufficient, but they still seek worldly wisdom above the Word of God. Many people would rather read a short book on how to be a better them than to actually become a better them by studying and obeying the Word of God.
This doesn’t mean that other books are inherently bad - other books can certainly be helpful. But where do we turn first? Is it the Word of God - or the word of man.
And next we see that…
2 - The Word of God Equips You for Every Good Work
The Christian life is a balanced life. Unfortunately we have ditches that we seem prone to fall into. Some may preach works time and time again and may fail to understand the wonderful grace and mercy of Jesus. Some may preach grace and forget to encourage others to good works. Some may preach that we are to be doers of the Word while others preach that we need to collapse into the arms of Christ and spend time just being with Him.
The interesting thing is that all of these are true - but not to the dismissal of the others. We should understand that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet, we should understand that we are to do good works through the power of Christ in us. We should understand that we are to be doers of the Word as James clearly encourages us to be (James 1:22-25) - yet we must also know that if we are not spending time with Christ, our works will fall flat as we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5)!
As Paul moves forward in his teaching on the Word of God, he reminds Timothy and therefore us as well that we are to be a working people.
As we study the Word of God, it should bring about a practical change in our minds first, our hearts second, and then move outwardly through actions as we live our lives. We must be changed from the inside out.
Yet, it is only those who have been saved by grace and then equipped by the Word that can do true Gospel work.
Many today do nice things for others. There are many civic groups that seek to do kind things for those less fortunate. These are no doubt shadows of good. The conscience that man has been given by God does certainly restrain evil.
But as believers, we should be filled with the Word and filled with the Holy Spirit as we do the works of Christ. The only way that we know the will of God and are able to do the works of God is by His Word. Jesus, when speaking to His disciples stated the following:
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
We, likewise, have been told what our Master is up to. We have been given His Word. We have been charged with preaching His Gospel to a lost world. We have been charged to walk in the light and walk in the truth.
My friends, there is only one way for us to know the will of God. It is to know His Word.
Do you know the will of God? Do you know His plan?
If not, spend time in His Word and prayer. The Holy Spirit will illuminate His Word and guide and direct you in the way you should go.
The will of God is not some esoteric thing to find. It is clearly revealed by His Holy Spirit as you study His Word and pray. A couple of years back we went through 1 Thessalonians. During our study we read these three verses which describe God’s will for your life…
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Find joy in God alone. This communion of prayer and thanksgiving comes as you read His Word and pray. As you see just how wonderful He is through the pages of the Scriptures, you will overflow with thankfulness for your salvation and joy that you are His beloved. God’s will for you is to be in a relationship - in communion - with Him.
And through this, He will equip you to do the work He has called you to do.
Scripture References: Ephesians 2:8-9, James 1:22-25, John 15:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Conclusion:
As we come to a close, I pray that today’s message has made you fall more deeply in love with God’s Word. It is not just a book. It is living and active and breathed out by God Himself. The Apostle John started off his Gospel by calling Jesus the Word that became flesh. Our love for God’s Word is a good barometer for our love for Christ.
Do you want to love God more? Love His Word more.
His Word is profitable, and His Word is powerful.
