Our Guide for Life

Introduction

Joke

You may have heard the story of the man who wanted guidance about a major decision. He was unsure of where to look, so he closed his eyes, opened his Bible put his finger down to get guidance from whatever verse his finger landed on. His first try brought him to Matthew 27:5 “And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.”

Thinking this verse was not much help, he tried again, this time his finger landed on Luke 10:37 “And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.””

The man was not ready to give up, so he tried one more time. This time his finger landed on John 13:27 “After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.””

This is probably not the way to get guidance from Scripture.

I love the Bible

When I was in fourth grade I had a teacher who read to us from the Children’s Bible. I loved the stories she read. The ones of Israelites escaping pharoah through the Red Sea. How about David and Goliath? Daniel and the Lion’s den.

As I got older and actually gave my life to Christ. I began to read the Bible in earnest. I was in the Navy when I was saved and Scripture and a man by the name of John Erickson were instrumental in my salvation. I bought this little pocket edition of the entire Bible (the print was really tiny) and whenever I had a a free moment I would read it. I would read it in the chow line while I was waiting my turn to get food. You could say I was feeding myself with spiritual nourishment while waiting for physical nourishment. I still have one of those pocket Bibles now, but my tired old eyes won’t let me read it now.

But my love for the Bible really grew as I began to really study it. I bought a Ryrie Study Bible, a Matthew Henry commentary, and a Wycliffe commentary. These allowed me to really dig deep and allow the Holy Spirit to work through me. I learned how to use Greek dictionaries. I still can’t read Greek though. I began to teach the Bible in the Sunday School at my church.At first I was a fill in. Now I am the teacher of the a class of some really great people. I have been doing this for about eight years and the more I dig into it the more excited about the Scripture I get.

And it has changed me. I often tell people that the man I was 10 years ago I don’t like and I suspect that ten years from now I won’t like the man I am now. But in the mean time I keep studying and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in me and through me.

Turn with me in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NASB95)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

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

Inspired by God

All Scripture

Now there are those who will say that they believe in one part of the Bible but not others. I used to work for man who believed the gospels were the only part of the Bible that was reliable. We would have very long conversations about it. There are those who have told me their God wouldn’t condemn anyone to hell. They say they cannot believe that a loving God would do that. And yes we have a loving, merciful God, but we also have a God of justice and of wrath. Scripture is very clear on that. So when Paul says “All Scripture,” he means every single word in the Bible.

You are very thin ice when you say only portions of the Bible are reliable. How do you choose which ones? Do you say that only the narratives, the biographies, are valid and that the commandments are not? I echo the sentiments of John W. Alexander who said, “Our attitude toward the Scripture is desperately important. But I refuse to set myself up as judge of Scripture and commence deciding which problems are biblical error.”

God Breathed

What is it that makes the Bible reliable? Paul answers the question by telling us that it is “inspired by God.” Did that mean that God dictated every single word of the Bible? No, that’s not what it means at all.

Literally the “inspired” means “God breathed” or “breathed out by God.” From within the Bible it is clearly shown in Scripture that God’s divine truth flowed through the minds, souls, hearts, and emotions of those He chose to relay His revelation to us. By whatever means necessary God supervised the accurate recording of His divine truth by His chosen men.

In the first five books of the Old Testament there are at least 680 claims to divine inspiration. There are 418 in the historical books, 195 in the poetic books and 1307 in prophetic books.

There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament fulfilled in Jesus.

The men who wrote the Bible were from all walks of life. Moses and Paul were educated men. David was a poet. Peter was a fisherman. And Matthew was a tax collector. Yet, God used these men and others to record His self-revelation to the world. These me recorded the Bible, but the source is God.

Peter wrote:

2 Peter 1:20-21 “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

It should be noted that the Holy Spirit, gave scriptures to men and it is the Holy Spirit that interprets if for men.

Profitable

It should seem clear to us that if God inspired Scripture then it would be profitable. When I hear the word profitable, I think of a profit. It has value. The Word of God has unparalleled value. There is benefit in the Bible in many ways.

David lists six in:

Psalm 19.7-9 “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.”

Did you catch them? Well, in case you didn’t let me list them for you.

It restores the soul

Makes wise the simple (Which is great for me)

rejoices the heart

enlightens the eyes

endures forever

produces complete righteousness.

In the final portion of verse 16, Paul ‘s list is hardly exhaustive. But he shows how Scripture is profitable for believer in another four important ways.

Teaching

The first one is teaching or at least that is what my version says. Some versions say doctrine. Merriam Webster dictionary defines doctrine as something that is taught.

In other words we are not talking about the process or method of teaching. Rather we are referring to its content. In this case it refers specifically and exclusively to divine instruction given to believers through God’s Word, this would include the entire Bible.

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 NASB95

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Unbelievers are not intellectually inferior, but they are blinded to the truths of scripture. They cannot be taught unless the Holy Spirit convicts them of their sinful condition.

But for believers, the God-breathed Scripture provides for us the comprehensive and complete body of divine truth. That truth is necessary for us live as God wants us to.

Even Christians who have not been taught can be led astray by false teachers.

Hosea 4:6 (NASB95)

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also will reject you from being My priest.

Since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

Swindoll writes that “teaching” is crucial element in growth toward maturity. If someone is never taught to read, how can they be expected to reach their full potential. So if people are not taught from the Scriptures how can they be expected to learn about salvation, how to be saved or about the Christian life.

Reproof

The second benefit is reproof or rebuking. Most of us will react negatively to this one. We are more likely to get defensive. But rebuking, hopefully, will lead us to behave differently. It is intended to reveal to us the truth of sin or foolishness within. Hopefully, it will convict of misbehavior or false doctrine.

Did you ever think something was true but later found out it was not? It happens to me more often than I’d like to admit. There are times when my wife, Janet, tells me something, and I will say that she did not. It is not until she recounts the entire conversation that I will have to admit that she did. It’s not because I’m stubborn or anything.

There is a story about a New England teacher who quizzed a group of college-bound high-school juniors and seniors on the Bible. The quiz preceded a “Bible as Literature” class he planned to teach at Newton High School in Massachusetts, generally considered one of the better public schools in the nation. Among the most unusual answers from his students were: “Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers” and “Jezebel was Ahab’s donkey.”

Other students thought that the four horsemen appeared “on the Acropolis,” that the New Testament Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, “Luther,” and John, that Eve was created “from an apple,” and that Jesus was “baptized by Moses.” The answer that took the misinformation prize was given by a fellow who was academically in the top 5 percent of the graduating class. The question: “What was Golgotha.” The answer: “Golgotha was the name of the giant who slew the apostle David.”

This is the one sort of error that overcome. We want our understanding of Scripture to be correct. I remember when I was in the Navy shortly after I accepted Christ. We were having a Bible study in the book of Psalms. One man interpreted the Psalm as having something to do with speaking in tongues. Well, the leader of the study pointed out that there was nothing in the text to indicate speaking in tongues and that we should just focus on the text in front of us. That was a rebuke, it wasn’t done harshly, but it was a gentle reminder not to read anything into Scripture that is not there.

Correction

Following reproof comes correction. While this sounds like it may have similar meaning in the English to reproof, it is quite different in the Greek. Reproof reveals our sinfulness, correction shows us how to straighten out what we are doing wrong. In Greek literature is was used of setting upright an object that had fallen down and of helping a person back on his feet after falling. Once a believer has been shown their error and condemning false belief they need to be set right . Scripture then builds them up.

It is through the Word of God that we can learn our error and and it is through the Word of God that we become and stay pure.

Psalm 119:9–11 NASB95

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

Training in Righteousness

Finally, Paul says Scripture is profitable for training in righteousness. This is the idea of guiding a child to adulthood. We cannot just teach our children by correction alone. That is we cannot just point out where our child has gone wrong. Swindoll says, “That’s like trying to drive by looking in the rear view mirror. This sort of training show the correct way to behave before mistakes are made. Believers, in particular teachers and preachers, are how the Scripture is made clear. It is how training is done.

Let me make a note here, this let’s no one off the hook. If you are not reading or studying the Bible. How then do you know that I or anyone else is telling you the truth. Personally, I want you to check what I say against what is there in Scripture.

It is the Word of God that instructs us to be a man of God. It is the dream and goal of every good pastor that the church He leads not only reads and studies the word of God, but that they also live it.

The man or woman of God

I believe the phrase man of God encapsulates all who call themselves Christian, man or woman.

Paul writes in:

Galatians 3:28 (NASB95)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The follower of Christ, male or female, no matter your race, studies the Word of God to be adequate and equipped for every good work

Adequate

Now the word adequate no longer carries the meaning it once did. It used to mean “equal to the task.” Now it sounds mediocre. No one would write on their resume that they were adequate. If they did they would be unlikely to be hired. The employer is looking for someone who is proficient or qualified. They want some one who has the right training and expertise to accomplish the work they would be hired for. The idea here is that you will be made complete in Christ. The one who carefully studies and believes and obeys the truth of Scripture will stand strong in living and defending the faith.

Equipped

The way Paul use equipped, indicates that the equipping is don by some divine activity. We, and this does include me, are to be supernaturally equipped to accomplish every kind good work. We, the believers, are enabled to meet all demands of righteousness.” His life and His words will affirm the power of the Word to lead others to Christ and his salvation. And then to equip them for righteous living and faithful service to Jesus.

When we are equipped by the Word of God, we can then equip those under our care, whether it be a church, a classroom, the family, or a friend who is new in the Lord. We are doing His work.

For every good work.

Sometimes, I think that we as Christians get way to comfortable in our churches. We sit back and let others do the work. We may say like Moses did,

Exodus 4:10 (NASB95)

Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

Conclusion

I don’t know about you but when I stand before Jesus, I want Him to say to me “Well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your Master.” How important is it for us to run well. What priority is given to be “equipped for every good work.” In order any of us to run well and to finish well, we cannot have a casual relationship with Scripture. Listening to good expository preaching is a good start. Set aside time each day to read the scriptures. Get a study Bible. Get a commentary. There are some really good ones out there. You may even want to enroll in some certificate programs through an online seminary.

A growing church is not one who merely claims to believe scriptural truth. It is a body of believers who live it. If the Word of God is taken seriously then it will change you.

Joshua 1:7–8 NASB95

“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

I hope we can make this a prayer for each of our lives.

As much as I want to hear Jesus say to me, “well done, good and faithful servant,” what I do not want to hear is “away from me I never knew you.”

The Bible can be of great value to an unbeliever. It will lead to salvation. For it tells of Jesus who is God in the flesh who came to the earth. He suffered and died and rose again to reconcile us to God the father. We need to turn from our sins and accept Him as our Lord and Savior. If you have not ever done this, I invite you to do so now.