The Secret of a Well-Equipped Believer

Introduction

Today we begin a new series entitled the “Power of Routine.” While we do not want things to become empty or meaningless routines, it is important that we, as believers in Christ, develop some passionate routines in our lives. Over the next few weeks we are going to look at four of these important routines that we need to establish:

The reading and studying of God’s Word

An intimate prayer life

Fasting

Authentic Community among believers…The Church

Today we want to look at the reading and study of the Word of God and discover the truth that developing a deep relationship with the Word is “The Secret of a Well-Equipped Believer.”

Join me please in

2 Timothy 3:12–17 ESV

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 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. 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.

Before we discuss vv. 12-15, I’d like us to focus upon two things that I gained from studying vv. 16-17. First notice with me the...

The Profitability of the Word (v. 16)

All Scripture is “breathed out by God.” This is the doctrine of “inspiration.” The Word of God is literally the “breath of God.”

Not only is it from God, but it is PROFITABLE! Specifically Paul notes four ways in which it is profitable to us:

Profitable for Teaching

Knute Larson notes:

Teaching involves instruction. Since Timothy was feeling the attacks of false teachers, Paul encouraged the young pastor to continue in teaching, correct doctrine, and correct living.

The Word of God is profitable to show us what is RIGHT!

Second, it is

Profitable for Reproof

Teaching is positive. Teaching shows us what is RIGHT. Reproof is negative. Reproof shows us what is wrong! Scripture is the perfect balance of ENCOURAGEMENT and WARNING!

Teaching shows us what is right, while reproof shows us what is wrong!

Scripture is also...

Profitable for Correction

While teaching shows us what is right, and rebuke shows us what is wrong, correcting shows us how to make what is wrong, right! Correcting shows us how to “get right” when we have gone the wrong direction or have made the wrong decision.

Finally, Scripture is...

Profitable for Training in Righteousness

Someone said Scripture shows us what is right, what is wrong, how to get right and how to “stay right” (training in righteousness).

Once again I quote Knute Larson who said:

The Scriptures give us positive guidance for maturing in faith and acceptable conduct.

The Word of God is the MOST PROFITABLE thing you can read, study, and apply to your life! While there are many good books “about” the Word, nothing can take the place OF the Word! The discipleship program we are implementing in a few weeks is FOCUSED on the Word. The Word of God is going to be our curriculum! The Word of God is going to be our GUIDING STAR!

Not only is the Word of God “profitable,” but the Word is also POWERFUL! Notice again

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

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.

The Power of the Word (vv. 16a, 17)

The thing that makes the Word of God so powerful is that it is just that. It IS THE WORD OF THE CREATOR GOD! It is the very breath of God…One commentator said...

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 3:16–17

Paul reminded Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed (theopneustos, “inspired”), that is, God’s words were given through men superintended by the Holy Spirit so that their writings are without error.

Since it is the Word of God, and since it is PROFITABLE for “teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness” it enables OUR LIVES to be “complete and equipped.”

Notice again

2 Timothy 3:17 ESV

that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Donald Guthrie said that the Word of God enables us to be: “[people] perfectly adapted for [our] task.”

Applications:

We’ve seen the power of the Word and the profitability of the Word but unless we make the Word an intricate part of our every day lives the Word will not benefit us the way God has intended. It’s very important that we...

Do Not Get Distracted (vv. 12-13)

Notice again

2 Timothy 3:12–13 ESV

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

One of the distractions we face when we decide to get serious about being students of the Word and living a godly life for God’s glory is PERSECUTION! Serious believers who love Jesus and are being SALT and LIGHT in the world are GOING TO BE PERSECUTED!

Paul makes it clear in v. 13 that as time passes the PERSECUTION by “evil people” and “imposters” will go from BAD TO WORSE! Folks the persecution we are seeing in our nation and around the world isn’t going to get better!

It’s also important to note that this persecution has demonic roots.

Donald Guthrie notes:

The word translated impostors is literally ‘wizards’. Its use here may probably be suggested by the earlier mention of Egyptian magicians (verse 8).

2 Timothy 3:8 ESV

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.

Another translation of this word is “seducers.” These “imposters, wizards, and seducers” that Paul was talking about may very well be related to those in

Acts 19:19 ESV

And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Certainly there were some involved in “magic arts” that did not get saved and that did not burn their books. We know demonic empowered sorcery will be alive and well in the last days. We see this in

Revelation 13:15 ESV

And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

So Paul paints a bleak picture for believers. We are going to experience PERSECUTION, EVIL people and those who are DEMONICALLY INFLUENCED are going to MULTIPLY and they will be DECEIVED and be used by the enemy to DECEIVE others.

This is ANOTHER reason why it is so VITALLY important to be MEN and WOMEN of the Word! This is why it is so vitally important that YOU and I are in DISCIPLESHIP relationships!

Knute Larson said:

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon B. Paul’s Charge to Timothy (3:10–17)

Those who neglect the truth of God become enmeshed in a confusing web of deception. Their consciences and reasoning capabilities suffer damage through sin, and they become incapable of extricating themselves from Satan’s delusions. Only God’s truth possesses the power to free such persons.

DO NOT GET DISTRACTED by the persecution! DO NOT GET DISTRACTED by the impostors! Do not get distracted by EVIL PEOPLE!

Stay in the Word. Become a student of the Word. Love the Word!

Notice the TRANSITION STATEMENT at the beginning of verse 14 as Paul has just told Timothy the “bad news”, notice what he says

2 Timothy 3:14 ESV

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it

BUT AS FOR YOU!

Yes Timothy, persecution is going to come.

Yes Timothy, evil people are going to multiply and grow.

Yes Timothy, impostors, seducers, demonically influenced people are going to have more and more control in this world...

BUT AS FOR YOU…here’s what you need to do. Don’t get distracted, but...

Continue to Build on the Firm Foundation (vv. 14-15)

Timothy had been given a firm foundation by his mother and grandmother. From childhood he had been acquainted with the “sacred writings.” What on earth are the “sacred writings”? The sacred writings are the “Scriptures” that Paul refers to in v. 16!

Timothy don’t get distracted by persecution, by evil and demonically influenced people, but you go back to what your godly mother and grandmother taught you from the Scriptures and you continue to build on that foundation!

Why is it important to build on this foundation? Why is it important to surrender to Scripture’s teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction?

Knute Larson puts it this way:

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon B. Paul’s Charge to Timothy (3:10–17)

Each of us is susceptible to this dangerous trap of deception unless we obey Scripture vigilantly. Following Christ is more than a one-time decision or an occasional church service or kind act. True Christianity involves continual dependence and obedience to Christ the king. Paul told Timothy to continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of. Our faith is proved by its endurance.

Flagship Family we too must be on guard against being distracted. The news is depressing and discouraging. People’s opinions are flooding social media. The prince of the power of the air is alive and well and is flooding the airwaves with lies and demonically influenced deceptions.

If we don’t become people of the Word…if we don’t get into the Word and let the Word get into us, we too can become distracted and yes, even deceived.

We need to spend more time in the Word than in social media

We need to spend more time in the Word than in conspiracy theories

We need to spend more time in the Word than in blogs and editorials

We need to spend more time in the Word than on podcasts and YouTube

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

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.