Bible: What's it for?

Introduction

God chose to reveal himself to us and preserve his revelation in the Bible for us.

General and Special revelation.

He has written and preserved his revelation through Holy Spirit inspired Men and collected in the Bible

What is the Bible for?

To learn and study the revelation of God.

That we may know Him and His Will.

John 17:1–3 (ESV)

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Know - to learn to know a person through direct personal experience, implying a continuity of relationship—‘to know, to become acquainted with, to be familiar with.’ (Louw, Nida)

The scriptures are for understanding and knowledge of God.

To understand universal truths He wants us to know. (Creation, Humanity, Sin, etc)

Paul writing to Timothy writes about the importance of the Scriptures.

Paul is writing to Timothy to instruct him how to help the struggling church in Ephesus.

One of the main emphasis of Paul is to teach correct doctrine/teaching from the scriptures.

2 Timothy 3:10–13 (ESV)

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Paul reminds Timothy of their experience in Ministry. (10-11)

You have Followed (10-11)

Paul called Timothy his “Beloved Child” (vs.2) It is understood that Timothy was lead to Christ by Paul in His first Missionary Journey.

Paul was discipling Timothy along the way of ministering. “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra.” (10-11)

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

Timothy joined Paul on his 2nd missionary journey. (Acts 16:1-5)

Timothy was sent to Thessalonica to see how the church was doing under persecution. (1 Thes 3:1-5)

Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19)

Great Gospel impact.

Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis

Timothy was sent back to Ephesus to deal with false teachers and issues in the church.

Persecution in Ministry (12)

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Persecution is a real potential to a follower of Christ.

John 15:18–20 (ESV)

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Depending on where you live persecution is possible. We are blessed with religious freedoms in America, but we have brothers and sisters that do not have these freedoms.

Persecution was a part of Paul’s ministry. (Jews and Gentiles) Paul experienced persecution in Ephesus and so will Timothy.

Reality of what Timothy, and the Church, is dealing with. (13)

2 Timothy 3:13 (ESV)

13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Evil Person - pertaining to being morally corrupt and evil—‘immoral, evil, wicked.’ (Louw, Nida) Those against Christ and the Church.

Impostors - one who habitually fools or deceives people through pretense—‘impostor, hypocrite.’ (Louw, Nida) Those in the church but not a part of Christ. (Wolves in Sheep's clothing)

Deceive - (figurative extensions of meaning of πλανάω ‘to cause to wander off the path,’ not occurring in the NT) to cause someone to hold a wrong view and thus be mistaken—‘to mislead, to deceive, deception, to cause to be mistaken.’ (Louw, Nida)

This is the reality Timothy is facing and Paul points Timothy to the truth about God’s word and what it accomplishes.

Salvation (2 Tim 3:14-15)

2 Timothy 3:14–15 (ESV)

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 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.

Continue in … (14)

What you have learned and believed and whom you learned it. (Paul - 10-11)

From Childhood (15a)

Sacred Writings

Sacred - consecrated adjs. — devoted to service to the God of Israel or some religious ceremony or use. (Sense)

Scriptures (vs. 16)

“Able to make you wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Able - (derivatives of δύναμιςa ‘ability,’ 74.1) to be able to do or to experience something—‘can, to be able to.’ (Louw, Nida)

Make Wise - to cause a person to have wisdom and understanding—‘to cause to understand, to cause to be wise, to make wise.’ (Louw, Nida)

Ability to understand and know the right course of action.

Salvation - salvation n. — the state of being delivered or preserved from harm (of judgment); especially as what that state entails, a safe haven in heaven. (Sense)

Who God is. (Holy, Righteous, Just, Loving, Merciful, Gracious)

Who we are. (created in the image of God, Separated from God because of Sin, Destined to Judgment in our Sin, In need of a Savior)

God Provides a Savior - (Jesus Christ His Son, Perfect obedience of His Father, Died as a substitute for Sinful man, Raised from the dead, Seated in highest authority at the right hand of God.)

How are we saved. - Faith, Trust, reliance of Jesus Christ God’s provided Savior. Jesus Saves us, not our merit.

Word of God is Powerful.

John 20:30–31 (ESV)

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Romans 10:17 (ESV)

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

The Bible important in Evangelism.

Encourage them to read the Bible for themselves.

Read John, not Judges or Lamentations.

Sanctification (2 Tim 3:16-17)

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Sanctification

Not only does the Word inform us about salvation, but also how to live in right relationship with God.

“sanctification—The process in salvation by which God conforms the believer’s life and character to the life and character of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. (Pratt, Richard L., Jr. I & II Corinthians. Vol. 7. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000. Print. Holman New Testament Commentary.)

The Word is Profitable

Profitable - beneficial adjs. — promoting or enhancing well-being. (Sense)

Teaching - teaching (activity) n. — the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill. (Sense)

Reproof - to state that someone has done wrong, with the implication that there is adequate proof of such wrongdoing—‘to rebuke, to reproach, rebuke, reproach.’ (Louw, Nida)

Correction - correction n. — the act of offering an improvement (according to a standard) to replace a mistake. (Sense)

Training in Righteousness - instruction upbringing n. — the whole education and instruction of a disciple (both the cultivation of mind and morals); understood as the rearing and education of children. (Sense)

Paul tells Timothy that this is what the Word is profitable to do. Then instructs Timothy to do these things.

2 Timothy 4:1–2 (ESV)

1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

This would imply that Timothy would us the Word to do these things.

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

Complete/Equipped - to make someone completely adequate or sufficient for something—‘to make adequate, to furnish completely, to cause to be fully qualified, adequacy.’ (Louw, Nida)

Milk of the Word (Elementary Teaching)

Hebrews 6:1–3 (ESV)

1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.

We learn the introductory and basic teachings of the Faith.

Meat of the word

Hebrews 5:11–14 (ESV)

11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Discernment - to have the capacity to perceive clearly and hence to understand the real nature of something—‘to be able to perceive, to have the capacity to understand, understanding.’ (Louw, Nida) to distringuish good and Evil.

Constant Practice/Obedience - a repeated activity—‘practice, doing again and again, doing repeatedly.’ (Louw, Nida)

Wise and Foolish Builders (Luke 6:46-49)

Luke 6:46–47 (ESV)

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:

Takeaway

The Bible is a written record of God’s actions and message for our understanding or know of Him and His Will.

Purpose of Scripture

The need and way of Salvation.

The need and way of Sanctification.