16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17[1]
As we continue studying Scripture’s importance for the Christian, it is good to take a few weeks and consider the Bible’s different functions. Several places in God’s Word show His intentions as His special revelation. For instance, Deuteronomy 6 gives God’s direction for parents to teach their children the ways of God. Of course, the implication is what God taught them from Mt. Saini in the Ten Commandments and what He spoke to them through the prophet Moses. Then we might think of the Wisdom literature as they talk of the importance of God’s Word as a light and a lamp for our walk as a covenant child. Although we will refer to these and other passages over the next several weeks, our foundational passage is Paul’s words to Timothy in the second letter.
These verses teach us four essential functions of God’s Word. They teach us what is called “doctrine.” Simply, the doctrine teaches what is right for us. Then Paul says that these verses teach us “reproof.” Reproof functions to tell us what is wrong with us. Next, Paul tells Timothy about “correction.” Correction purposes of teaching us how to make what is wrong with us right. Finally, Paul states that God’s Word “trains us in righteousness.” In other words, Paul says God’s Word teaches us how to stay right.[2]
Before we focus on the first function next week, in this lesson, I want us to think about why Paul tells Timothy about these functions. The idea actually harkens back to the last two blog posts about Scripture’s necessity for our lives. Paul does not arbitrarily tell Timothy to have Scripture function in these four ways. No. Paul knows that God’s Word is unique. It is special because of what it is.
Paul tells Timothy that the Bible is important and vital through these four ways because it is, literally, “God-breathed.” Before we tread into the world’s, the devil’s, and our own ideas of what is right and accurate, we must look to the One who is the Truth-giver. When Paul says “all” at the beginning of verse 16, he means literally, ALL. He refers to every passage of Scripture and every word in every passage. No exceptions.
Now, “God-breathed” means “divinely breathed” or “given by inspiration” of God, and it nicely sums up Peter’s parallel teaching in 2 Peter 1:21. Every single word of Scripture is God-breathed. The rabbis taught that the Spirit of God rested on and in the prophets. He spoke through them so that their words did not come from themselves but the very mouth of God. The Greek word for “inspired” describes ships’ sails filled, being carried along over the seas. Paul says every Scripture is the product of the Spirit’s work. He filled the writers and carried them along, producing His Words. And even though God’s Word bears the mark or style of the writer’s personality, every Word is the true and sure word of God Himself.
If we think diligently about how the Holy Spirit worked in those men’s lives over 1,600 years, we cannot help but conclude that God took great care to communicate to His children important matters. His care continues for you and me today as we hold His inspired word in our hands, read them with our eyes, memorize them in our minds, hide them in our hearts, and recite and speak them with our lips. However, we must not forget that the ultimate purpose of the Bible is to make us more like Christ. Ian Hamilton says, “Every Christian and certainly every Christian minister is called to be a deep-sea diver. It is the Christian’s vast privilege to pull up treasure after treasure, week by week” the riches of God’s Word.[3] God gives us His Word because He cares enough to sanctify us. Therefore, next time you read God’s Word, stop, reflect, meditate, and contemplate that the eternal, omniscient, Holy God is speaking to your heart, mind, soul, and spirit. May we all be reverently in awe of His great love, mercy, and grace not to leave us on our own to figure out how to have a relationship with Him.
[1]Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced employ the English Standard Version. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[2]Jim Berg, Changed Into His Image: God’s Plan for Transforming Your Life (Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 2000), 228.
[3]Ian Hamilton, The Gospel-Shaped Life (Carlisle: Banner of Truth Trust, 2017), 141. This quote comes from chapter thirty-six, “Les than the Least: The Soil of Gospel Usefulness,” where Hamilton shows how Christian ministers, but also every Christian, is an explorer of the Gospel of God.
Andrews PCA 