“... [F]rom infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:15-17).This passage is a wonderful summary of what the word of God does for us.
It teaches us things we need to know. First and foremost, the Bible is how we know God. It makes us “wise for salvation.” It is the method God has chosen to reveal himself. The word of God tells us how to gain eternal life, and, according to Jesus, “... this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God ...” (John 17:3). We get to know God the way we get to know anyone else: By talking to him and listening to him. Communication is necessary, and this is his part of the conversation.
It is also food for the soul. Jesus said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matt 4:4). The spiritual health of a believer will be affected by how much time he or she spends in the word.
It also teaches us about people. Do you want to know about the wickedness in other people’s hearts? Do you want to know how to distinguish the lazy, the proud, or the immoral from the righteous? It’s in there. Do you want to see the dangers that lurk in the hearts of even good people? It’s in there. Do you want to know, when temptation strikes, whether you should fight or run? It’s in there.
The Bible also teaches us what God expects from us. It does this so that we can “be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” If you want to be useful to God’s Kingdom work, thorough immersion in the scriptures is required. You will be of no use if you do not know God plans, his standards, and his methods. You cannot represent him if you do not share his heart. This all comes through the scriptures.
The scriptures also rebuke and correct us. “The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. ... By them your servant is warned ... But who can discern their own errors?” (Psalm 19:9,11,12). God gave us all a conscience, but it is a fallen conscience. You can convince yourself anything you want to do is right. If you’re spiritually healthy the truth will nibble at you, but you can ignore it if you want to. The scriptures are our Jiminy Cricket, telling us where we’ve gone wrong and pointing out the right way.
The word of God is also our weapon. Paul calls it “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6:17). With it, Jesus fought the temptations of Satan. We can do the same (Eph 6:11).
Ultimately, the Bible transforms us. Paul wrote, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). Either we will conform to the world, or we will be transformed by the word. No other options are given.
God did not just abandon us here to try and figure out what he wants and how to live. “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Pet 1:3-4).
He gave us this great gift to equip us for the works he wants us to accomplish through his Spirit. What do you think the appropriate response would be?
Image credit: Thy Word is a Lamp unto My Feet and a Light unto My Path by Bertram Poole
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