The Word of God

Introduction

Paul is sitting in a prison cell in Rome. This is his final letter that he will ever send to Timothy. Timothy was a young man who was a close companion of Paul and he was an Elder of the Church at Ephesus.

Paul knows he is near the end. He writes this letter to encourage Timothy and also to warn him of certain dangers and exhort him to remain steadfast in the faith.

In the third chapter of this letter he warns TImothy about a future apostasy, a falling away from the faith. V.13 he warns about evil men deceiving and being deceived. Paul’s advice to Timothy in light of this coming apostasy is to continue in the truth that he had learned. Paul says if you like “Timothy continue in the teaching of the Word of God.”

Then in v.16-17 we see why. (read)

In these two verses as Paul tells Timothy why he must stick to the Bible, he touches upon three topics that relate to God’s word.

1)The Bible is unique. It is like no other book.

2) The Bible is the only rule for faith and practice.

3) The Bible is neccesary for the Christian life.

This book is the best selling book in history. Ive also heard it said that its the most shoplifted book too.

Paul, tells Timothy in oder for him to be prepared for the coming apostasy he needed to soak him self in the word of God, he need to know his Bible.

Why is this book so special?

We find out in these verses.

I. The Bible is unique.

Firstly we learn that the Bible is unique. There is no other book like it.

a) All Scripture is unique

Paul begins by telling Timothy that this is true about the entire Bible. All of the Bible is unique.

v.16 begins with two words. “All Scripture...”

What Paul is going to tell us about the Bible is true about the entire Bible.

Every book in the Bible. The 39 in the Old Testament and the 27 in the New Testament, every chapter, every verse, every word.

In Jesus spoke of even the Jots and tittles being important.

He said “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

The jots refer to yod the smallest Hebrew letter that looks like an apostraphy, and the tittles were little hooks on the end of some Hebrew letters so you could tell them apart from different Hebrew letters. Jesus said that even the smallest mark in the Word of God will not pass away and will be fullfilled.

All Scripture is unique.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Even the long geneologies are included.

The whole Bible is in view here.

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This means that we are not free to pick and choose the bits we like and the bits we dont like. The bits we will believe and the bits we wont believe. The bits we will obey and the bits we wont obey.

All Scripture is unique and All Scripture is important.

As we keep reading v.16 Paul tells us why.

b)All Scripture is God breathed.

V.16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”

The phrase in the NKJV “given_by _inspiration_of_God.” is actually on word in the Greek that if translated as literally as possible is “God-breathed.)

All Scripture, the entire Bible, is God breathed.

This means that the entire Bible was given by God. The human authors wrote exactly what God intended them to write.

says “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

As the human authors of the Bible wrote they were moved, carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The Bible is the very word of God.

From Genesis through to revelation.

This is God’s word to mankind. This book is God’s self revelation to the human race.

Because the Bible is God’s word that means a few things.

1. The Bible is inerrant

The Bible is without error. There are no mistakes in it.

tells us that God cannot lie.

Therefore because the Bible is God’s word, every part of it must be totally true.

2. The Bible has been preserved

God has inspired his word and therefore we can be sure that he has preserved it. He has kept it pure.

The words that were originally written are the words that we have today.

This can be proven. We have thousands of old copies called manuscripts and we can see that what we have today is what they had in the early church.

Jesus said that even the jots and tittles shall not pass away.

3. The Bible is authoritive

The Bible is the word of God, it has been given by God and because of this the Bible must be believed and obeyed.

The Bible doesn’t make suggestions, it commands us how we should live, what we should believe.

The Bible calls people to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible says if a person does not repent and believe in Jesus they will die in their sin. We know this is true because God’s word says it.

The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to God. We know this is true because the Bible says it.

This book is unique.

It is God breathed. It is the very word of God. It is inerrant, infallible, it has been preserved and it is authoritive.

Here we find the answers to all of lifes big questions.

Where have I come from? What has gone wrong in our world? How can I know true peace? How can I know God?

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As Christians we should be soaking ourselves in the Bible. We should know our Bibles better than anything else. We should know our Bibles better than we know our professions.

This book should be open more than it is closed.

Through the Bible God speaks to us, and we get know God more.

The psalmist says of God’s word “The judgements of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold; yes, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

Can we say that God’s word is sweeter to us than honey? That God’s word is more precious to us than Gold?

So the Apostle Paul reminds young Timothy that the Bible is unique because it is the very word of almighty God.

Next he goes on to speak about the uses of the Bible. The Bible is the only infallible rule for faith and practice.

II. The Bible is the only infallible rule for faith and practice.

Look with me again at v.16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,”

Here Paul lists for things that the word of God is profitable for, or good for. The first two are to do with what we believe. The second two are to do with how we are to live.

a) Doctrine

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Firstly, Paul says that the Word of God is profitable for doctrine.

The word doctrine means teaching.

What are we to believe?

The Bible teaches us the truth. This is God’s word therefore we must get our doctrine from the Bible.

Everything we believe must be tested against the word of God.

If you believe something that contradicts what the Bible says then you are mislead. You have been lead astray and you must bring your beliefs back in line with the Scriptures.

Thats why as Christians we must study this book. You have people left right and centre trying to tell you what is true and what isn’t true.

How can we be sure whats true and what isn’t? By being sure what this book teaches.

We must be like the Bereans in the book of Acts. When Paul went to them with the Gospel, he proved to them from the Scriptures that Jesus was the promised Saviour. In it says they searched the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

A question we could ask is; well if the Bible is so good for sound doctrine, then why are their so many sects and cults that believe false doctrine?

Roman Catholics, Jehovah’s witness, Mormons.

The answer is because these groups get their teaching from places other than the Bible.

The Romans Catholics have the Bible and Church tradition and if the tradition of the Church contradicts the Bible then its the Bible that is ignored.

The JWs claim to do Bible studies but really they learn all thier doctrine from the watch tower magazines and literature. The Bible just provides proof texts.

The Mormons claim to believe the Bible, they carry a King James Bible with them but really their authority is the book of mormon. When the book of mormon contradicts the word of God it is the Word of God that is ignored.

But Paul tells Timothy the Bible alone if profitable for doctrine.

The Bible is the only infallible rule for faith and practice.

2) Reproof

Next Paul tells Timothy that the Bible is profitable for reproof.

The word that we translate reproof here is translated in as evidence. The word means to convince of the truth.

The Bible is profitable for proving or convincing people about what is true.

The Bible is profitable to prove what we believe.

To show the truth and to point out error.

When a person is in error about what they believe one use of the Bible is to show the person their error and correct their understanding.

App- Of course the only way we can do this is if we know our Bibles.

If a person denied the Trinity, would you know where to God in God’s word to show that God is a Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

If a person denied the existence of hell?

If a person denied that Jesus is God?

The Bible tells us what to believe.

Next it tells us how we should live.

3) Correction

The third thing the Bible is profitable for is correction.

To correct people who are living in unrighteousness. How do we know right from wrong? How do we know what God says is good and what he says is bad?

The Bible is the only infallible rule that we can live by.

4) Instruction in righteousness

Fourthly, the Bible is profitable for instruction in righteousness.

The Bible doesn’t just tell us how not to live but it also tells us how we should live.

How as Christians are we to spend our money?

How are we to treat our husband or wife?

How are we to behave at work?

These are all things that the word of God is profitable for. The Bible is the only infallible rule for faith and practice.

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The challenge again is are we reading the Bible as we should be?

So Paul tells TImothy that the Bible is unique. It is the Word of God. He tells Timothy it is the only infallibe rule for faith and practice. Finally, he tells Timothy that the Bible is neccesary for the Christian life.

III. The Bible is neccesary for the Christian life

In verse 17 Paul reminds Timothy about the benefit off all this for the person who reads and believes the word of God.

Look with me at v.17 “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Here Paul says that the Bible is all of these things so that the Christian may be a mature believer and live a lift pleasing to God.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Paul says “man of God” which is a generic term that refers to all believers. Its refering to any person that the Lord Jesus Christ has saved and cleansed for sin.

There are two outcomes for the person who reads and believes the Bible.

a) Complete

Firstly, the will be complete.

The word complete means mature. A strong, mature Christian.

Have you ever seen a Christian and they seem to be so much closer to God than yourself? The seem to be so much stronger in their faith?

I can gaurantee you that the difference is their Bible reading.

The Bible says “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.”

Illustration of a baby needing milk.

The first outcome of reading and believing the Bible is that the Christian will be complete.

b) Equipped for every good work.

Secondly, they will be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In other words, they will have everything they need in order to live for God in this dark world of sin.

says “where withall shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

When the Lord Jesus was tempted again and again he said it is written.

Again God’s word says “Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Keith Daniel Testimony??? Never neglect this book. This is your life, your only source of survival.

Conclusion

In conclusion then, Pail writting to Timothy reminds him of three things about the word of God. Three important truths about the Bible.

The Bible is unique. It is the Word of God.

The Bible is the only infallible rule of faith and practice

The Bible is neccesary for the Christian life

From these verses we this that this book is like no other book.

It is the very Word of God. Inerrant, infallible, unchanged, athoritative.

It teaches truth, corrects error, guides us how to live our lives. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

It makes us mature, complete Christians and gives us all we need to live for God in this dark world of sin.

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Preacher- closed Bible- worthless open Bible- priceless, this will change your life.

Everthing I have said this evening only has meaning if your Bible is open, if you are reading God’s word daily. A closed Bible will do you no good.

Maybe you have neglected your Bible recently. You dont read it like you used to.

Well that can change this evening.

Let us pray?

Questions

What helpful tools are their to help us with our Bible reading?

What have you found helpful personally?

What do you think would happen to a Christian who never read their Bible?

What words of encouragement would you give to someone who was struggling with their Bible reading?

How can we personally improve our Bible reading?

Can you describe the difference the word of God has made to your life since being a Christain?