Most Bible scholars would agree that 2 Timothy 3, verses 16 and 17, set forth the intent and objective of the Bible as succinctly and straightforwardly as any passage could. Paul, the apostle, penning his final letter before his martyrdom, wrote these words to young Timothy, his protégé, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be mature, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.” Nothing of value is left untouched in these verses: doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness… pretty well covers the waterfront.
And then, in verse 17, we are given the rationale for it all, and here it is: that the man of God, or as a purpose clause would state it, in order that, or to the end that, the man of God may be spiritually mature. That is, thoroughly furnished through and through. Equipped… outfitted… unto all good works. In other words, Paul tells young Timothy, and us, that God gave us His Word to our profit or benefit so that imbibing, or taking in, His Word, we can know doctrine; that is, the teaching we are to absorb that will tell us right from wrong. What needs to be changed or corrected in our thinking so that we will be adequately equipped to do what we are supposed to do?
There it is; that’s it! It culminates in our behavior, but it begins with our belief. If we want to know how we are to behave, the Bible tells us it begins with how we are to believe because believing right results in behaving right. Many mistakenly think it doesn’t matter what you believe, only how you behave. Well, these not only put the cart before the horse, they have no horse. We act out our faith in the deeds that we do, but it is our faith or belief that prompts our doing. So, where do we get our beliefs? How do we obtain the faith or belief so as to be able to act out of it? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God – Romans 10. It goes back to the Word of God. It always does, because God put what He wanted us to know in a book. In addition to it being His love letter to humanity, it’s also the manual setting forth standard operating procedures for functioning in this present world while anticipating the one ahead.
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