Recently, a friend and me were talking about issues regarding divorce and abortion. I was telling him that God has made marriage as a covenant to be lasted till the time of death and divorce is not an option at all. And abortion for the sake of contraception is wrong and unethical. But my friend’s opinion was that divorce is okay if there is a 'valid' reason. And we can abort the child depending on the ‘situation’. We found out the reason for our disagreement is because of our attitude towards Scripture. My friend said, scriptures though is God’s word cannot answer for issues of daily living like the case above. We can see that our view on Scripture can drastically change our way of thinking and change our life dramatically.
Many of us are of the view, like my friend above, that Scripture is a good book but is irrelevant for the issues of 21st century. But if Scripture cannot answer for issues like this, how can we trust it for much more important things like our salvation?
Scripture – Sufficient for our faith:
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 competent, equipped for every good work. (2Ti 3:16-17)
In this context, Paul was warning Timothy about the false teachings which were prevalent among Christians during his time and told him to be steadfast in his faith. Then he exhorted him declaring that Scripture is God’s Word breathed out directly from the Holy Spirit (2Pet 1:21). Though God can speak to us through a prophecy or dream, yet that would contain a human element and thus can be fallible. But Scripture does not contain those human elements because “no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. (2Pe 1:20)”. Thus it is free from corruption due to sinfulness of man.
If we expand 2Tim 3:16, we can find that Scripture is sufficient for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. Let us look for each of it in detail.
1) Sufficiency of Scripture in teaching:
Scripture is sufficient for teaching about Christianity. Scripture gives first hand account of who God is, His attributes, His nature and His relationship with man.
The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation." (Exo 34:6-7)
Scripture is sufficient to know about the teachings regarding our salvation of our sins and the good works which we are expected to do when we are saved.
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 good success. (Jos 1:8)
He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. (Psa 107:20)
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. (Heb 1:1-2)
If we want to know what God wants to teach us, we can go back to Scriptures and meditate on His words. We have to test each and every teaching to be true from Scripture. This exercise should not be considered as a sign of not trusting the messenger but faith in the unchanging Word of God.
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Act 17:10-11)
Paul here tells us that, Bereans when compared to the Thessalonians, were more noble because they were testing Paul’s preaching from God’s word. Paul did not consider this as lack of trust upon his word, but as a sign of respect and reverence for Scripture. Thus we should also be like Bereans testing all the teachings of Christianity from Scripture. That is a noble affair in the sight of Lord.
2) Sufficiency of Scripture for reproof and correction:
There are plenty of verses in which God talks about the different types of sins, and the call for repentance. We can read the old testament prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah rebuking Israelites for their sins. They are recorded in Scripture for us so that we would not do the same sins which they have committed.
It is because you made offerings and because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey the voice of the LORD or walk in his law and in his statutes and in his testimonies that this disaster has happened to you, as at this day." (Jer 44:23)
1Co 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
(ESV)
3) Sufficiency of Scripture for training in righteousness:
Scriptures are sufficient for our guidance in holiness. Only through Scriptures, we can know about how to please God. The Ten Commandments show the holiness of God and His expectation from us.
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psa 119:11)
The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; (Psa 19:8)
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psa 1:1-2)
After resurrection, when Jesus showed Thomas His physical hands to touch and see to prove that He is resurrected, He said the following words to exhort us who believe Him through His words revealed in Scripture:
Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (Joh 20:29)
Let us therefore meditate on Scriptures to know what God wants us to do for Him in this life. Scripture is sufficient for us for everything God wants us to know in this world.
If you have liked this, you can also read 9 Marks of a False Teacher
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