Sola Scriptura
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Bible Reading
Bible Reading
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
2 Timothy 1:
Introduction
Introduction
Continue our study on the reformation.
Started last week - considered the need for a reformation.
I then stated that in the weeks that come, we would be considering together the 5 solas of the reformation.
When these men of the 16th century were learning and considering God’s truth and revelation for mankind, out of this study they began to realise various extremely basic truths that are foundational to the Christians faith.
These 5 basic tenets or truths were articulated as the 5 solas of the reformation…not necessarily in one sitting…or at a single point of time...
But ultimately, through this time of the reformation in the church there were 5 foundational points that were put forward that are critical to the very church itself.
Sola Scriptura - By Scripture Alone
Sola Gratia - By Grace Alone
Sola Fide - Through Faith Alone
Solus Christus - By Christ Alone
Soli Deo Gloria - To the Glory of God Alone
This morning - consider the first of those 5 solae...
Sola Scriptura!!!
As we come to this subject of Sola Scriptura, important that we recognise is importance.
This principle of Sola Scriptura is referred to as the formal principle of the Reformation in the sense that it forms and gives direction to what is to be believed.
This principle of Sola Scriptura is essential for all other theology...
If there is one principle that is absolutely essential for us as the church, it is that Scripture, and Scripture alone is the basis of our faith, and the source of our knowledge and understanding of God, who He is, and His salvation purposes in this world.
The Context of Sola Scriptura
The Context of Sola Scriptura
At this point, we need to understand something of the context of the day.
As we considered last week, there was something happening within the church of the day, wherein certain concerns were being raised on teachings within the church.
2 examples of the concerns that Martin Luther found were:
Sacrament of Penance - the need to go before a priest and from the priest receive forgiveness.
Sacrament of Penance
Selling of Indulgences -
But the big concern, and that which can be seen as the over-arching concern of that day, was the fact that the church, particularly the leadership within the church, was seen to bear ultimate authority in matters of faith.
Church tradition was placed on par (if not higher) than Scripture itself, and it was said that this power and authority rests in the pope, and in the church.
But as Luther, and a number of other church reformers found, was that the church, and the leadership, certainly didn’t have this power conferred upon them as they claimed.
With Luther specifically, this came to a head / climax at the Diet of Worms...
Diet of Worms…Luther was asked to recant of his teachings…These had been put into various books that had been printed.
Some of those books (containing his teachings) were perfectly consistent with sound doctrine.
Some of those books were writings against the papacy, wherein he attacked false doctrines, irregular lives, and scandalous examples within the papacy.
As can be understood, the papacy, and the church leadership were not pleased with what Luther was saying...
When pressed to recant he said his famous speech...
I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council,
because it is as clear as noonday that they have fallen into error and even into glaring inconsistency with
themselves. If, then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons, if I am not
satisfied by the very text I have cited, and if my judgment is not in this way brought into subjection to
God’s word, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to
speak against his conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me! Amen.
Martin Luther had correctly stated that Popes erred; he found that councils erred…he experienced these things.
In fact Martin Luther argued that popes from one to the next disagreed with each other, and held different views.
With that being the case, how could they be trusted to be the ones with authority over others.
Ultimately, Luther had no way to go…he had to state clearly that it was only to the Scriptures that his conscience could be bound.
Let me bring this somewhat closer to home, or at least to our time.
Even in our current day, there are churches who teach that authority and our rule for faith and life rest not in Scripture alone, but also in the Holy Church Tradition.
Most notably, both the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church teach that church tradition forms part of the authority that Christ has given…this authority given to the church.
The claim is that the traditions handed down are really from God Himself, and are inspired by God.
And so church tradition has to be upheld as authoritative.
The strange thing in that case is that the holy traditions of the Roman Catholics and the holy traditions of the Eastern Orthodox church contradict each other!!
What these churches argue (that hold to tradition) is that the concept of Sola Scriptura is not biblical. It’s not even in the Bible.
I did a Google Search on the topic, and I was amazed at how many websites came up with a refutation of Sola Scriptura.
This is a much disliked doctrine.
With that in mind, let us consider briefly together the importance of the matter of Sola Scriptura
Why is this so important to us?
And is it really in the Bible?
In order to do that, I’m going to be considering the Scriptures under 2 key headings:
The Source of Scripture
The Authority of Scripture
The Infallibility of Scripture
The Sufficiency of Scripture
Each of those points regarding Scripture adds important weight to the fact that Sola Scriptura holds true...
1. The Source Of Scripture
1. The Source Of Scripture
We consider firstly then the Source of Scripture.
In our text this morning, Paul says to young Timothy, who is his protege, the one learning from Paul...
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
1 timo 1:13
What we need to immediately understand was that there is a pattern of sound teaching which needed to be kept.
There is a certain body of doctrine, if you will, that constitutes sound teaching.
It is this body of doctrine, this teaching that Paul is handing down to Timothy so that he can continue to pass that along to others in the same vain.
2 Tim 2:
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,
15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Tim
… Preach the Word;
This is the task that Paul assigns to Timothy...
Take this Gospel message;
Take this body of doctrine;
Take this teaching that I’ve handed down to you
Take this message, and pass it along to others.
But the question then becomes: “What was this message?” or more important, “Whose message was it?”
Where
We must also ask the question: Is this Gospel fluid? Can it develop? Is this a message, or a Gospel that grows in clarit
What is the source of this message?
And that becomes now the focus of our attention.
The place that I want to begin with this is to emphasize that this message that Paul handed down was not one with human wisdom.
This was not some body of teaching that was handed down by Paul the apostle that was based upon His own deductive reasoning, his own intellect, his own experiences etc.
The message that Paul handed down was none other than the true Gospel message of Jesus Christ, that was given to Paul by Jesus Himself, and by the Spirit of God!!
but they weren’t the source.
… 8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering
What was the source of this doctrine that he wanted Timothy to teach to others?
This was the message - Jesus Christ and Him Crucified!!
But notice that it was the message that Paul received by power of the Spirit...
so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
In , Paul says to the Corinthians church...
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
The distinction there is on man’s wisdom, as opposed to the power of God.
The message that was handed down by Paul was one that was given under the power of God.
1 Thes
He says it was with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power....but he also says to the Thessalonian church these words:
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
And so this word that Paul is handing down to young Timothy is really not so much his own word, even if by the power of the Spirit - it is nothing less than the very words of God.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
In 2 Timothy, as Paul wrote to young Timothy, he wrote those words that we know so well.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
So the words of Scripture, Paul was saying, are God-breathed. They are the very words of God, not merely the words of men.
Furthermore, these words are not based on the traditions of men.
Which takes us to another aspect that is important for our consideration...
And that is on the matter of tradition...
You see, those who argue for the importance of the tradition of the church, say that even this they get from Scripture
Don’t the Scriptures themselves teach that tradition is important?
Some examples...
Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.
And so it has been led to believe that church traditions are important, and they are biblically warranted.
But is that really what these verses are teaching.
My answer to that is: Not at ALL!!!
What they are teaching is that the written word, this Gospel message is what is essential!!
The tradition that is spoken of there is not some variable tradition that can develop over time.
No, it is a body of doctrine!!
We can look further at this in terms of this tradition / teaching that was handed down.
We can begin doing that by considering ...
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
The key emphasis here is that God had spoken through prophets in the past, but in the last days, through His Son.
The Son, Jesus Christ, is the epitome of God’s revelation to man.
The Son is God in the flesh.
And so here is the incarnation - God dwelling amongst men.
And this Jesus Christ was the perfect, and fullest revelation of who God is that had ever been given to man.
There was no clearly picture; there was not more perfect source of knowledge and understanding in terms of God’s nature, and God’s desire for man; of God’s instructions to men, than he gave through Jesus Christ, who was in very nature God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
But how did that word get there? How is it that we hold the Scriptures (particularly the NT) to be the word of God?
Well firstly, the Gospels profess Jesus Christ.
Christ is the very word of God...
Not only that, but He is the only One who was every with God eternally, even before the creation of the world.
He alone has known God.
But what about us today? How is it that we receive this knowledge from the very Word of God.
23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Some very important things that Christ says to his disciples (apostles) in those words.
He says firstly that His teaching is from the Father.
The Words that Christ spoke belonged to the Father!
But then He says that when he leaves, the counselor (the Holy Spirit) will teach you all things, and will remind you of everything I have said..
The Holy Spirit will come and bring the reminder to these apostles, so that they can then take that message forward and teach it to others.
But we need to then understand that this was a particular work of the Apostles…to take forward this teaching about Christ, and to teach others with authority.
The Apostles were really the representatives of Christ on earth.
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.
46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:
It really was these apostles who were sent out by Christ to be His representatives, and to teach all that Christ had shown to them.
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
The Apostles were eye-witnesses of the life of Christ () - this is where they chose another apostle to replace Judas.
1 cor 15
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
And Paul became and apostle as one specially chosen
But the fact is, that ALL of the Apostles received their teaching directly from Christ.
Paul, in confirming that he too was an apostle, stated:
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
And it was Paul the apostle who was now teaching young Timothy, telling him to hold to these teachings.
Ultimately, then, it was the teachings of these Apostles that was handed down and recorded for us in the Scriptures!
That is why Paul can say to the church in Ephesus...
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
This message....This body of Doctrine that Paul says to Timothy that he should continue to teach others, had been handed down from the apostles.
These Apostles formed a very important part in the establishment of the church - they were the foundation!!
But the point is that the foundation is now laid, through the apostles, and that foundation no longer needs adding to.
That’s why we no longer need further revelation from God.
And these teachings from the Apostles are now recorded for us in Holy Scripture!!!
Notice again, just the importance of this “Deposit” that needed to be guarded...
14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
And that’s why we can say the Scriptures - the writings of the Old and New Testament - are sufficient for us as the church.
That is the foundation of our faith.
The Scriptures are God’s revelation to the church…they are what the church is built upon!!
And further to that, we need no further revelation from God, because what has been given is enough.
The culmination of that testimony of God was revealed in and through Jesus Christ, and that has been recorded for us in what we have as the 66 books of the bible in the Old and New Testament.
In fact, it’s important to realise that this canon of Scripture is now closed.
God says that nothing is to be added or taken away from His words.
2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
32 See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
When the Scriptures are read, we hear God’s own voice!!
When the Scriptures are read, we hear God’s own voice!!
1.1. The Source Translates to Authority
1.1. The Source Translates to Authority
In light of the Source of Scripture - that it is God’s word to us - let us then consider that it is thus authoritative.
God’s word, the Scriptures, are authoritative.
1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6 he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 “ ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”
31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
32 See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
Consider the Creature / Creator relationship… (Expand)
God created all things!!!
Creature / Creator.
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
Mat
29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
God is the One who goes by the name “I AM”!!
11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
When Moses asked God who he should say sent him, the response was, “I am who I am” - tell Pharaoh that “I AM has sent me to you”.
God is above all things, and He is supreme over all
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Speak about other aspects of Tradition, experience, reason...
When we begin to recognise the intrinsic authority in God Himself,
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
Everything that exists, exists for his glory, and He has power and authority over it.
We live in a day in which we’ve softened God.
There has been an over-emphasis on the attributes of God that we find appealing, and an under-emphasis on attributes that we find confrontational to us.
But Scripture is clear, and this stands to reason - that God is supreme above all.
He is creator, Lord, King.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
Psalm 19:7-
6 and said:
“O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
If God speaks, then the creature is bound.
This is the creator of all things!
If God speaks, then we’re bound by everything He speaks.
The Scriptures, having been breathed out by God, must be taken as this mighty God’s word to us.
The authority that the Scriptures have for our lives, are thus absolute!!!
Notice, concerning this authority of Scripture...
1. It is not a derived authority bestowed by humans; rather it is the original
authority of God.
2. It does not change with the times, the culture, the nation, or the ethnic background; rather
it is the unalterable authority of God.
3. It is not one authority among many possible spiritual authorities; rather it is the
exclusive spiritual authority of God.
4. It is not an authority that can be successfully challenged or rightfully overthrown;
rather, it is the permanent authority of God.
5. It is not a relativistic or subordinate authority; rather it is the ultimate
authority of God.
6. It is not merely a suggestive authority; rather it is the obligatory authority of God.
7. It is not a benign authority in its outcomes; rather it is the consequential
authority of God.
1.2. The Source Translates to Infallibility
1.2. The Source Translates to Infallibility
Notice then further with me, that the Scriptures, because they are teachings directly from God Himself, are infallible.
Our God is unchanging.
Our God is all-knowing!
1 O Lord, you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord.
5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
osa 139 1-6
Thus, when our God speaks, His words are true!
God is truth, and thus when He speaks, the words that He says are trustworthy!
The Psalmist, in says...
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.
David, as he penned the words of , rejoiced in the truthfulness and perfections of God...
The Scriptures are not based upon human wisdom!! (
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure
and altogether righteous.
Dear fiends, if it is true that every word of Scripture is God-breathed, then rejoice, because every one of those words is true and is the very word of our Holy God.
This is where our God speaks to us!
In Scripture alone!!
Scripture thus cannot err.
Scripture cannot bring forth error and wrong teaching and advice.
Certainly, man in his fallen state is more than capable of twisting and contorting the precious word of God...
But that’s why we do not trust in the traditions of man, and the teachings of man, which so very easily err.
That is why Martin Luther was not able to trust in even the church or it’s councils as having God’s word - because they contradicted each other.
God’s word is true, and it is infallible. It cannot fail!!!
Now let me ask: Does that make tradition, or the teachings in the history of the church irrelevant?
Should we ignore the teaching of all of church history, and simply say that that was tradition, which we do not accept, and so we only consider this word, and what I understand from this word.
Of course not!!!
We MUST consider tradition.
We MUST consider the teachings that have gone before us.
We MUST make use even of reasoning
But ALL of that is brought under subjection to the word of God
That is the infallible guide for our lives and practice.
That is the infallible guide in terms of our faith, and where we learn the desires and requirements of our God!!
Why is this so important?
Because in terms of the time of the reformation, the church was seen to be the only body to be able to determine truth.
In other words the church determined the meaning of Scripture…and they were ultimately to be obeyed and listened to, since they claimed the authority to extract the meaning of Scripture
Listen to the words of writer John O’Brien (Catholic writer)
“Far from being hostile to the Bible, the Catholic Church is its true mother. She determined which are the books of religion from the many writings circulated as inspired in the early Christian ages and assembled them all within the covers of a single book... She is not the child of the Bible, as many non-Catholics imagine, but its mother. She derives neither her existence nor her teaching authority from the New Testament.”
White, James R.. Answers to Catholic Claims: A Discussion of Biblical Authority (Kindle Locations 168-171). Crowne Publications (1990). Kindle Edition.
You see, in the history of the church, the church had usurped the authority of the Scriptures that were inherently in the Scriptures, and had claimed that authority for herself.
And what the reformation did was to come back and say No!! Authority is within the Scriptures.
We may use church history and tradition to help us understand the meaning.
We may look back and consider what other godly men say concerning the interpretation and understanding of Scripture.
But never can we say that the church is the mother of Scripture, as if the church gives the authority to Scripture.
That cannot be!!! The Scriptures are God-breathed!!
The Scriptures are authoritative, they are infallible.
I need to add here, that all of us need to subject ourselves to Scripture first and foremost, rather than to any
2. The Sufficiency of Scripture
2. The Sufficiency of Scripture
All of what we’ve considered already this morning, leads us to the very important point of the sufficiency of Scripture.
As Christians, it is essential that we realise that Scripture is our absolutely sufficient guide both for our salvation, and for our life of obedience to God.
We do not need any further revelation to be given to us.
We do not need any further prophetic message.
Everything that God intended to communicate to us for a life pleasing to Him is contained in the Scriptures.
A key verse that points this out...
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
This verse in 2 Timothy is an all-encompassing one which confirms that everything that we need in order to be equipped.
It is the Scriptures that, having been breathed out, are able to thoroughly equip a person for every good work.
We do not need other external sources, or fields of study, in order to equip us to live the life to which we have been called.
We have Scripture for that.
We do not need
3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
There’s a very interesting account in Luke’s Gospel, about the rich man and Lazarus.
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
Luke 16:
And then some very important words that we would do well to consider:
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
Luke 16:
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Abraham says unequivocally, in this account that is being conveyed by Jesus, that if the brothers fail to listen to Moses and the Prophets (which by the way were not living in that day - they were written down - the Scriptures) then they would not listen to someone raised from the dead.
And so it is in our day, that if someone will not listen to the Scriptures, after having been confronted by this Gospel message, as it has been handed down through the Apostles, so they will not believe even if they are confronted in some other way.
In we see why this is the case
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
The Scriptures are none other than the word of God...
The Scriptures are living and active...
Not the words in and of themselves!!!!
In other words, it’s not simply the words as you read them on the page that are living and active.
Many a man has read Scripture as mere literature. And they may even marvel at the literary content and structure of Scripture, and yet remain unchanged in their hearts.
But God’s word is that means through which He speaks to a man’s heart.
And when, as a man reads the word, God’s Spirit moves and awakens his mind, and opens those blind eyes, and causes his ears to be opened…it is then that this word powerfully gets to work and penetrates deep within the person.
And the person so moved and impacted through the word, which is worked by the Spirit, his life will be forever changed.
He feels the piercing.
He recognises that the thoughts and attitudes of his heart are laid bare before a holy God, and he recognises that he will need to give an account one day.
And that cuts him!!!!
Praise God that it cuts him!!
The word of God is sufficient!!
Application
Application
Appreciate what it does and does not mean....
Evangelicalism is moving towards a softer view of Scripture
Essential distinction between special revelation of God, and general revelation.
Creation / Redemption framework.
Christ coming into the world was the pivotal point of this
A. Subtle ways to abandon the authority of Scripture
A. Subtle ways to abandon the authority of Scripture
A.1. Selective Silence
A.1. Selective Silence
Health, wealth and prosperity Gospel
We know that certain topics will divide our churches, so we keep quiet.
We don’t like to talk about certain topics because they are painful, awkward...
When we do that, we hope that the topics will become less faddish, and go away.
Eventually, the church pick up the ways of the culture, because no alternative is offered.
A.2. Heart Embarrassment Before the Text
A.2. Heart Embarrassment Before the Text
Do we preach about hell? And do we
Election……may believe it, but skimp on it, because we know it’s going to split our congregation...
A.3. Subtle Moves to Legitimize Things That the Bible Condemns
A.3. Subtle Moves to Legitimize Things That the Bible Condemns
Intra-evangelical debate concerning homosexual marriage...
How can this be?
We don’t need “Fad’s” or big movements…We need the word of God.
How is this applicable to us today?
We don’t need “Fad’s” or big movements…We need the word of God.
Study Scripture
Study Scripture
Submission to every sentence in Scripture.
Are you walking through the propositions in Scripture?
Are you grounding yourself in this.
Is the Scripture your sole rule for faith and life.
Christianity lite - Do we think we need motivational speaking. Words of affirmation, but those void from basis in Scripture?!
We need communication from almighty God, and His word so powerfully provides that for us.
May we as God’s people delight ourselves in hearing our God speak!!