The Holy Scripture
“We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction consisting of the sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation. We believe that it has God as its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. We believe that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.”
Do you believe this, do you hold to this, and is it your model to live by? Listen
2 Timothy 3:13-17
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (not from outside but from inside the church) 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Paul writes this letter to Timothy the young pastor at the church in Ephesus. One of the issues that they are dealing with is false teaching by false teachers within the church. Listen, follow in your own bible and take notes;
2 Timothy 2:18
18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. (A spiritual resurrection and not a future physical resurrection)
2 Timothy 4:4
4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
1 Timothy 1:6
6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,
1 Timothy 1:19
19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
1 Timothy 4:1
4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
1 Timothy 6:10
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1 Timothy 6:21
21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.
Grace be with you. Amen.
These scriptures speak of situations within the church at Ephesus but they are also prophetic in that they speak of the church today. Listen to two sources that I have that talks of today’s situation.
- From the book ‘Back to Basics – rediscovering the richness of the reform faith’ by David Hagopian, page 280 and 281.
- (Read what is highlighted)
- From the Barna Group an independent marketing research company, there are two things I would like to share
- Report dated December 1, 2003
- Report dated January 12, 2004
What does all of this mean? It means that the scriptures have correctly assessed our situation; 2 Timothy 3:13 “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
Scripture not only gives the problems, it also offers solutions, as we see in the very next verse. “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
The commentary for this is found in the first chapter verse 5; and Acts 16:1 listen
2 Timothy 1:5
5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
Acts 16:1
16 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.
Mom is saved and dad is not. This is not the best situation to rear a child especially a man child. But it is not an impossible situation and in this case it took two generations of women to rear Timothy. And it is genuine (unhypocritical) faith.
God, young mothers, can touch and use your child even when it is not the best of situations.
Focus on these words; ‘the Holy Scripture, which are able to make you wise for salvation.’
- The Holy Scripture not only cause us to believe in Him and call on Him to be saved (The ‘I am saved’ portion of my salvation)
- The Holy Scripture cause us to continue to believe in Him and call on Him during my walk of sanctification (The ‘I am being saved’ portion of my salvation)
- The Holy Scripture reminds me that some glad morning this life will be over and I will in that great day of my home going believe in Him and call on Him (The ‘I will be saved’ portion of my salvation)
- And that Him that I called on, that I am calling on this moment and that I will call on is none other than the resurrected Christ Jesus and to Him be the glory!
In closing I present this model from Acts 17:11, where it gives the description of the people of Berea
Acts 17:11, these were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
From abortion or adoption to zoological cloning, the Holy Scripture has an answer. Are you willing to search the Scriptures daily to find out? Will you believe and trust what you find out? And are you prepared to live what you find out? Let us pray.