The God-Inspired Word

Paul told Timothy, "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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We must understand the nature of Scripture—what Scripture is. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (v. 16a) is the key phrase. The Greek word translated "inspiration of God" comes from a compound word that combines the word "God" with the word "breath, wind, or spirit." It means that Scripture was given by God's Spirit, or more directly by God's breath. Scripture came directly from God when "holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21).

God told Jeremiah: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth" (Jer. 1:9). God gave Jeremiah the words to speak and write. The words came from God. It is the  same with all the writers of Scripture. God may have at times spoken the Word directly with writers writing them down much like taking dictation, but more times than not, God simply laid the words on their hearts and minds. The bottom line is that all Scripture is "God-breathed." It is God’s inspired Word, without error in the original autographs. It is intended to make us like Jesus.

In addition to leading us to salvation, the Word provides divine instruction or doctrine. The precise words are that it is "profitable for doctrine" (2 Tim. 3:16a) or "teaching" (NASB). "Profitable" carries the idea of "profit" or "advantage" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 36). It means specifically to be "useful" (Ibid, 901). So the word of God is profitable or useful for teaching doctrine. It is then up to us to adhere to that doctrine and to live by that teaching of Scripture. It is up to us to study the Word carefully to learn its doctrine or teaching, and then apply that instruction in our everyday lives.

Scripture is "profitable… for reproof" (2 Tim. 3:16b). The teaching of Scripture, the instruction or doctrine, helps us walk the narrow way of righteousness. It heads us in the right direction of becoming like Jesus. But sometimes we walk away from that path, like sheep that have gone astray. We fall back into our old sinful ways and quit living by the Word as we should. When this happens, the Scripture brings "reproof."

"Reproof" means "to convict" or "rebuke" (Ibid, 965). The Word rebukes sin and false belief. Scripture pinpoints the problem of sin in our lives. When you know the Word, various Scriptures will come to mind and will confront your sin. It will rebuke the sin in your life and call you back to Jesus. Scripture penetrates our heart and soul, and both exposes and rebukes our sin. It leads us to repentance and turns us back toward God when we have gone astray. That is another reason why it is so important to know the Word; to read it, study it, meditate on it, and memorize it.

Scripture is “profitable… for correction” (2 Tim. 3:16c). This is the only occurrence of this Greek word for “correction.” It literally means “a restoration to an upright or right state” (Ibid, 243). It is the idea of restoring something to its proper shape. The thought has to do with correction. Scripture corrects us of our wrongdoing or our straying off the narrow road, and puts us back on the right path.

When you accept Scripture's reproof and repent of your sin, Scripture then corrects your walk. When you leave the narrow way and stray from living by the Word, "reproof" is how Scripture stops you from following the wrong path and "correction" is how Scripture sets your feet back on the right path. Through confession and repentance you are restored to a right and proper state, a life of righteousness.

Scripture is also "profitable… for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16d) or "training in righteousness" (NASB). This refers to training a child or giving children instruction, "suggesting the broad idea of education" (Ibid, 185). The inspired word of God gives us instruction in living a life of righteousness, or a life that is holy. It trains us to walk with Jesus in the power of the Spirit.

The teaching of the Word puts us on the path of righteousness. The reproof and correction we receive from the Word stops us from wondering too far from that path and puts us back on that path of righteousness. Then the instruction of the Word keeps us on the straight and narrow path of righteousness. But in order for that to work, you must know the Word.

The purpose is "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (v. 17). God's Word makes you adequate. God's Word equips you to live a life of righteousness like Christ, a life filled with the good works "which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

Do you see how important it is to know the Word—to learn it well and to live by it every day? By way of application: read the Word, study the Word, meditate on the Word, and memorize the Word. Make it a part of you. Know it well. When you know the Word well, no matter what hardships or temptations arise, you will recall it when the time is right and you will be prepared to win the spiritual battle. Amen.

Walk in the Spirit

Paul prayed for His followers, including you and me, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (Eph. 1:17-20).

Not only are we to live by that same faith through which we were saved, but we were saved by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. That mighty power of God is at work in us and we are to live our lives by that same power. Living by that same power means living by faith in Jesus and letting Him have control of your life; letting Him guide and direct your path so that you become more like Him every day.

To have Jesus guide and direct your path is to walk in the Spirit or to live the Spirit-filled life. Paul said, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16). He also said, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 1:18). When you live the Spirit-filled life you find yourself growing daily in your spiritual walk. Each day you become a little bit more like Jesus.

To walk in the Spirit means spending time reading and studying the Bible every day, not because you have to, but because you want to. It becomes a desire or even a passion of yours as a child of God. When you are Spirit-filled, the central focus of your life will change. Your whole focus will center around the Lord Jesus and your main desire will be to want to get to know Him better. The main avenue for getting to know more about Jesus and to walk closer to Him is found in the word of God, the Bible; hence, spending time in the Word every day.

Following the death of Moses, God turned to Joshua and commissioned him in Moses' place. Part of what God told Joshua was this: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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" (Josh. 1:8). This shows the importance of spending time in God's Word. Through His Word you receive guidance and direction in the way you should go. By following His Word you will be made to prosper and have success. Amen.

Be Holy!

It is God's desire that all who trust in Christ for salvation, all true believers, be holy. He even commands us to be holy. Peter writes, "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Pet. 1:15-16). "Holy" is an interesting word. In New Testament Greek it means  "separated" or "to set apart to God," and can be translated "sanctify," just as "holiness" can be translated "sanctification" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 565).

When referring to God, He is seen as "the absolutely Holy One, in His purity, majesty and glory," whether used of the Father, as in these verses, or of the Son, or of the Spirit" (Ibid, 566). Often the word "holy" is used "of men in so far as they are devoted to God" and "is often presented in a way which involves Divine demands upon the conduct of believers" (Ibid). Here in 1 Peter 1:15, believers are called to cleanse themselves "from all defilement, forsaking sin, living a holy manner of life" (Ibid).

Hebrews 10:10 says, "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Having been sanctified in Christ, all believers are called "saints," or literally, "sanctified" or "holy ones" (Ibid, 1000). God calls all believers to this state of sainthood, or, more specifically, to sanctification. In 1 Corinthians 1:2, Paul refers to believers as "those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints."

The writer of Hebrews encourages us to "pursue holiness." In Hebrews 12:14, he writes, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." "Holiness" or "sanctification" is something to be pursued. Sanctification is a process of growth. When you trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you were saved, you were justified in God's eyes. When God looks at you He sees you through the lens of Jesus. He sees the blood of Christ which covers you and therefore, He sees you as holy or righteous.

Romans 4:3 says, "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'" This does not mean that our faith makes us righteous; that we have somehow arrived. No, it means only that our faith connects us with Christ in such a way that His righteousness is reckoned to us. Positionally, we are seen as righteous in Christ. Practically, we need to grow in faith each day so as to become more and more like Christ until we reach heaven fully righteous.

Having been saved by grace through faith, we must now learn to live by that same faith. Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). Now when he says, "I have been crucified with Christ," what does that mean?

In Romans 6:3-4, Paul, speaking of baptism, said, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Baptism, being dipped under water and then raised back up out of the water, symbolizes our dying with Christ through our faith in Him and our rising with Him to a new life, a changed life.

Paul further clarifies: "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (vv. 5-11).

"Our old man," our old sinful self, "was crucified with Him," that is, with Christ, setting us free from our slavery to sin. Having been "freed from sin," we are to live the resurrected life with Jesus. Like Jesus, the life we now live, we live to God. Again, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God" (Gal. 2:20b). Amen.

The Road Few Travel

Taking the road to salvation is not easy. The narrow way that leads to life abundant and life eternal, is difficult and it is a road few travel. God made you for a purpose: to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus. "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:9). God wants us to know Him and be with Him. He made us for that purpose. Seek Him first above all else: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33).

Jesus is the narrow way that leads to life. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matt. 7:13-14). Through Jesus you can realize God's purpose for your life.

Man's problem: Sin. Fellowship with God is broken by sin: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Sin leads to destruction: "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23a). In sin you "sink in deep mire" (Ps. 69:2a). The more you struggle trying to reach God through your own efforts, the deeper you sink in the miry clay. Sin is such an affront to God; you can never be good enough to be saved. You cannot save yourself. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). Good works cannot save you. Salvation comes from God. Only by God's grace are you saved through faith.

God's solution: Jesus Christ. He shed His blood and died for us. "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22b, NIV). "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). Christ died for you and rose again for you. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures… He was buried, and… He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4). All that Jesus went through, all that He suffered, was for you, for your salvation.

At the cross, Jesus shed His blood for you. He forgave you and lifted you out of the miry clay. He rose again and set your feet on the narrow way that leads to life with God. As David said, "He… brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps" (Ps. 40:2).

Man's response: Believe and receive Jesus. "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23b).  "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9). "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12a). Together, these verses tell us what you must do to be saved: (1) Confess your sin and repent—turn away from sin; (2) Confess Jesus as Lord and believe He rose again; and (3) Pray to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Here is a suggested prayer (you can use your own words): "Lord Jesus, forgive me of all my sin. I believe you died and rose again to give me new life. Come into my life and make me the person you want me to be. Amen."

God's blessing: Assurance of salvation. God promises eternal life to all who receive Him: "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:11-13).

What happened when you received Christ? First, God lives in you to guide you: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). Second, your sins are forgiven: "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:14). Third, you are His child in fellowship with Him: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).

What now? (1) Read the Bible and pray: "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). (2) Tell others what Jesus means to you: "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:8). (3) Worship at church regularly: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25). Amen.

Jesus Is the Only Way to God

Psalm 62:1 says, "Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation." God ensures salvation, because our salvation comes from Him. Jesus saves, because our salvation comes from God through Jesus. There is no other way. Deeds and good works cannot save you; Jesus does. Salvation comes only through Jesus. Acts 4:12 says, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." "No other name under heaven given among men!" No one else can save you; Only Jesus. He is our Lord. He is our Savior.

Again, John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." We are saved in and through Jesus. He died on the cross in our place. He paid the penalty for our sin. Therefore, it is as the Apostle Paul said, "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13).

Jesus wants you to come to Him in faith, believing in Him and trusting Him for salvation. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'" (John 14:6). The Apostle John relates how this works: "Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly'" (John 10:7-10).

We are the sheep; Jesus is the door. Everything goes through Jesus. It is through Jesus that we are saved. It is through Jesus that we experience an abundant life now. It is through Jesus that we will experience eternal life in God's presence. It is not through anyone else. Anyone who says otherwise is nothing more than a thief and robber. Do not listen to them. They speak falsely. Listen only for Jesus' voice and follow Him.

Continuing on, Jesus also said: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd" (John 10:11-16).

Again referring to us as sheep, Jesus said that He is the good shepherd who truly cares for us and watches over us. He is the one who died for us and saved us. He knows us and all who are saved know Him. Jesus laid down His life for us and all who know Him by faith. Regardless of who you are or where you are from, we will be one flock with one shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Salvation Is Your Ticket to Life

Salvation. That is the sum-total of what we have been talking about these last several weeks in Bible Insights. Repentance, faith, justification—it all adds up to salvation. Titus 2:11-12 says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." We are saved purely by God's grace. It is God's grace that "brings salvation" to us. God's grace leads us to repent, which involves a complete turnaround. God's grace teaches us to deny "ungodliness and worldly lusts." Turn away from all worldliness and sin. Instead, "live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."

Turn your life around. Leave your old sinful life behind (repentance) and live for Jesus (faith). Peter, preaching to the crowd on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2:21 said, "And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (justification). So there we have the bottom line, the basic formula of salvation: repentance plus faith equals justification.

Hebrews 12:1-2 spells it out more completely: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

This passage immediately follows Hebrews chapter eleven, often referred to as the "Hall of Faith," because it lists the many Old Testament saints who ran the life of faith with great success and endurance. They are our "great… cloud of witnesses." They, along with all the saints that have run the race of faith before us, testify as to how we run that race. We are to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us" (repentance), and "run with endurance the race that is set before us" (faith).

"Endurance" means "patience," or literally, "a remaining under," and can be translated "patient enduring" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 370). It is related to another Greek word meaning "to abide under" or "to bear up courageously (under suffering)" (Ibid, 369). And how do we do that? By "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (justification).

When you run a race, keep your eyes fixed on the goal. Never look back. Never look to the side. Always look straight at the goal or you will slow down and run off the path. You don't want that to happen, so keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. He is "the author and finisher of our faith" and the one who will bring us home to heaven (endurance or perseverance). Salvation is all about Jesus—knowing Him, following Him, and becoming like Him.

But to run the race, you first have to get into the race. You have to sign up for it first, then you can start to run the race. How do you qualify to start the race of the Christian life? By trusting Christ for salvation. You must believe that He died on the cross for you, for the forgiveness of your sin, and that He rose the third day from the grave providing life as well. You must believe, confess your sin to Him seeking His forgiveness, and you must receive Jesus into your life to be your personal Savior, and to let Him have all of you, all of your life. You can do that right now by praying and asking Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. Amen.

The Gift of Christ Jesus

Romans 5:16-18 says, "And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life."

It is very simple. Adam fell from grace—He sinned. This sin passed to all and brought with it judgement resulting in condemnation. But the free gift, which is the death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection, brought justification. Through Adam, death reigned, but those who receive God's grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through Jesus Christ. Romans 4:25 says clearly that Jesus, "was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification."

Justification is a very important doctrine. The person who receives Christ while on his death bed, or just shortly before they die, is as saved as the person who receives Christ at a young age and then spends years learning to walk more closely with Him, growing stronger in their faith, and becoming more like Jesus. The one who first believes in Jesus while approaching death, the so-called eleventh-hour conversion, is justified just like any other believer. That is why he, like the believing thief on the cross, will go straight to Heaven and find himself immediately in the presence of Christ where he will spend all eternity.

You are justified, or saved, by God's grace through faith. Good works won't save you. They are important for the believer for growing in faith, but belief in Jesus' death and resurrection is what gives you the gift of salvation. Trust Jesus by faith right now. Amen.