Gospel Prism

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 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 competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:14-17)

Prior to Martin Luther’s protest against the Roman Church in 1517, there was no Bible that a common person could read. The Bible was in one language alone, Latin, and unless you knew that language, you had no hope but to depend on what the parish priest told you was God’s Word. And of course, with such hidden knowledge that the Roman Church possessed, the church had the power to influence others on the basis of that knowledge. If the Roman church decided that paying money would free relatives from purgatory, then the common person had no recourse but to believe that God must be saying this. And so without God’s Word, people were left to believe that their good works saved them from their sin. It would be the translation of the Bible into the vernacular then, that would finally free people to see that salvation was not by anything that they did, but rather by what Christ has done. So the Reformers came up with the phrase Sola Scriptura or Scripture alone to represent what the Bible taught about the Christian life, that Scripture alone is the means by which believers understand God, His Gospel, and salvation. No longer would Christians need to depend on another person to know what God said about the Christian life. Only Scripture could show us this truth because now Scripture was there for all to examine. So Martin Luther wrote:

God alone, through his Word, instructs the heart, so that it may come to the serious knowledge how wicked it is, and corrupt and hostile to god. Afterwards God brings man to the knowledge of God, and how he may be freed from sin, and how, after this miserable, evanescent world, he may obtain life everlasting. Human reason, with all its wisdom, can bring it no further than to instruct people how to live honestly and decently in the world, how to keep house, build, etc., things learned from philosophy and heathenish books. But how they should learn to know God and his dear Son, Christ Jesus, and to be saved, this the Holy Ghost alone teaches through God’s Word.

Luther has it perfectly right. Without the Bible, we would never know the Gospel. We could never know how to live in light of that Gospel. Without the Gospel there could be no salvation. Without salvation, there could be no hope. The Bible is absolutely essential to a Gospel-centered life and a Gospel-centered church. And 2 Tim 3:16-17 teaches us three main points about the Bible’s central place in the life lived in light of the Gospel: 1) the Bible gives wise words of salvation for a child, 2) the Bible consists of God-breathed words of righteousness in Christ alone, and 3) the Bible equips us with words of joy for every good work.

Wise Words of Salvation for a Child (vv. 14-15)

The first point the Bible teaches about its centrality in our lives is that the Bible gives wise words of salvation for a child. Paul tells Timothy in verses 14-15: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Timothy had learned and firmly believed…from childhood from adults who loved the ‘sacred writings.’ That is, there were people in Timothy’s life, beginning with his mother Lois and his grandmother Eunice, who loved God’s Word with a passion and taught it to this young boy. And their passion was obviously to teach them not a set of laws and rules, but salvation through Christ in Scripture. How beneficial it would be for all of us to read the Bible with this lens.

For example, a couple of weeks ago, I was speaking with a woman from Central Peninsula Church who was not a Christian. She was holding a Bible in her hand and I asked her how she was doing in reading it. She shared how she was trying to read it, but found the Bible to be somewhat difficult to understand. I gave her one piece of advice, one that I wish I had been given when I first started reading the Bible: Read every book of the Bible with Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection in mind. But this isn’t something that I invented. Paul tells Timothy the same thing here in verses 14-15. The Scriptures (all of Scripture, every part of Scripture) make one wise to salvation in Christ. That’s the purpose of the Bible, to glorify God the Father through the work and life of God the Son by the inspiration of God the Spirit. And this doesn’t begin when you’re 20 years old. This begins from childhood. It’s how Lois and Eunice taught Timothy, even at the youngest of ages. And it made a marked difference in his understanding of God, of Christ, and of his own faith.

If Paul believed the Bible saves through the telling of the Gospel of Christ at a young age, and if Timothy is a prime example of this, then surely we must believe this is something that we must cherish as believers in Christ for our children. Many of you are parents and you have grand wishes for your children. But I hope the one wish that far outstrips all others, and I know for many of you this is your wish, would be that your child comes to love Jesus with his whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. If your hope for your child is set on this, then the primary way this takes place is through a love for God’s Word.

Notice in verse 14, Paul says Timothy has ‘firmly believed’ Christ. How does one firmly believe something? One thing is for certain, sheer rote memory, forced learning, a bunch of rules does not create a “firm belief,” at least not one that gives one joy. I knew one person whose parents promised to give him $100 if he wrote out the New Testament longhand. And he did it. Today, he doesn’t trust in the Lord at all. Simply forcing a child, or bribing a child to read or memorize God’s Word does not create a love and joy and a firm belief in Christ and His salvation.

Instead, there first needs to be a love in your own heart for the Bible. Why should a child be interested in something deeply when you yourself have no interest? Children are very perceptive. They see much more than you realize. So if you have no desire, nor delight in reading God’s Word, probably your child will mirror himself after you. Second, children need a regimen of learning God’s Word, but never out of punishment or drudgery. Speak to their souls as if you knew their very lives were at stake. We must teach the Bible with an urgency over their spiritual condition. We must teach them with passionate love for them and for God’s Word. And so you need to plan times with your children and His Word. Do you have family devotions with your children? Do you spend any time explaining to your children regularly from God’s Word? Do you have fun sharing with your children from God’s Word? Children need to come to enjoy how great God is, and you don’t need to be entertaining to do this. You just need to be genuine. How thankful are you for the preciousness of the Gospel told by God’s Word? Let that show to your children. Let them see you joy in God’s Word and they too will have that joy.

Parents and Gospel Train teachers, never underestimate the power of God’s Word over the hearts of children. Through His Word, as you teach Bible memory, as you teach about Jesus from God’s Word, as you teach about God’s greatness from God’s Word, you will see many also greatly impacted and salvation shall come to your home and to this church.

God-Breathed Words of Righteousness in Christ (v. 16)

The second point the Bible teaches is that the Bible consists of God-breathed words of righteousness in Christ. Paul writes in verse 16: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” There is no clearer verse that tells us why we should trust the Bible for our lives than verse 16. The Bible is God-breathed. The Bible is God-inspired, God-breathed words. Genesis 1:3 lets us know that when God speaks, things happen. When God says light, there is light. And so God’s Word, the Bible, is not merely an anthology of men’s thoughts, or a group of sayings and stories like Aesop’s fables, but rather, the Almighty God, Creator of the universe’s words for all people to cherish.

And these God-breathed words are not simply there to look at and observe like a Monet painting on the wall. These words are profitable. The word ‘profitable’ means that they provide a practical benefit. What is this benefit? The benefit, as I spoke on last week, was that we can have ultimate joy when we do all things for God’s glory. According to verse 16, the Bible gives us a very tangible, practical way to live for God’s glory. Hebrews 4:11-12 helps us understand verse 16:

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The Hebrews writer says that to avoid falling into disobedience (that is, a mindset and a life lived apart from God’s glory), we must turn to the Word of God for it is living and active and sharp and cuts right to our hearts. The Bible doesn’t waste time with you. It doesn’t let you get away with looking good on the outside but in your heart, turning away from him. The Bible doesn’t let you fold your arms in church on Sunday, or teach children without a love for their souls, or pastor a church to make a great name for himself. The Bible cuts to the heart’s motives and it convicts you by His Spirit. The Bible deals with your disobedience.

This is why the Bible is so profitable. It keeps you continually centered on the Gospel of Christ which gives you joy. It trains you to understand that a righteous God deserves perfect righteousness. Now I know, you’re probably thinking, “I’ll never be perfectly righteous, if you’re talking about my heart’s motives.” And that is the true. When the Roman Church withheld the Bible from the common people, people determined holiness was purely on the basis of what ‘appeared’ to be holy. The popes and bishops and parish priests ‘appeared to be holy,’ even if they had a love of money, were having sexual affairs, and were incredibly self-centered. And without the Bible, the average person believed holiness was based on their title and office, regardless of their heart’s motives. But once the Bible was read and understood, holiness was understood to be more than mere external holiness. And Martin Luther was one person who came to this conclusion after he read and understood the Bible. It became profitable to him and to the church.

Here he was, a man on the road to be a successful lawyer making a great salary, and one day he is struck by lightning and his life is changed. He decides to join the monastery to be as holy as a person was deemed to be. But the more he studied the Bible, the more he realized that he was far from holiness, even as a monk who had dedicated his whole life to God. In fact, the Bible seemed to show Luther that even his most spiritual works were still manipulated for his own glory and not God’s. Luther wrote: “The Scriptures describe man as so turned in on himself that he uses not only physical but even spiritual goods for his own purposes and in all things seek himself.” (James Kittleson, Luther: The Reformer, 93) But it even though the Bible showed him his total self-centeredness it also taught him that perfect holiness could never be achieved through his good or bad works, but instead through the work of God’s beloved Son Jesus Christ. So Luther taught others: “Learn Christ and him crucified, despairing of yourself, learn to pray to him, saying, ‘You, Lord Jesus, are my righteousness, but I am your sin; you have taken on yourself what you were not and have given me what I was not.’ Beware of aspiring to such purity that you no longer wish to appear to yourself, or to be, a sinner.” (James Kittleson, Luther: The Reformer, 95) As Luther himself realized, the Bible provides the truth of freedom from such sin. And so when Paul tells Timothy that God’s Word IS profitable to teach, rebuke, correct, train, it is with the full assurance that there is a righteousness that is given to us because of God’s Son. As Paul has just told Timothy in verse 12: “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” That is to say, a Godly life, a life of righteousness will always be a result of the perfect life Christ lived, hence the ubiquitous phrase ‘in Christ.’

Without therefore a regular intake of the Bible, every one of us, regardless of our education level, our role in the church from pastor to bulletin folder, our length of walking with the Lord, our past sins or present goodness will lack a desire to live a godly life in Christ. We will be ungodly in our lives and will not live for His glory (soli deo gloria). We will do all things for Christ as works of religion rather than works that flow out of our joy and faith. But according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, it is by God’s breathed words found in the Bible that give us joy in Christ and His Gospel. John Piper expresses well this same sentiment:

I love the Bible the way I love my eyes—not because my eyes are lovely, but because without them I can’t see what’s lovely. Without the Bible I could not see “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” Without the Bible I could not know “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Without the Bible I would not know that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior. I love the Bible because it gives the wisdom that leads to salvation, and shows me that this salvation is nothing less than seeing and savoring the glory of Christ forever, and then provides for me inexhaustible ways of seeing and knowing and enjoying Christ.

Equipping Words of Joy for Every Good Work (v. 17)

The last point is that the Bible equips us with words of joy for every good work, hence v. 17: “that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” I don’t think every good work is referring to the things we do. In other words, the ultimate purpose of reading and knowing the Bible is not so that you will pray more, or be a pastor, or go to church with more joy. Colossians 1:10 uses the same phrase of “every good work” in the context of being a person who knows God. And then Paul follows verse 10 with an explanation of how that knowledge of God comes: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (vv. 13-14). Paul tells us that this knowledge of God comes through His Son and His saving work. So the Bible equips us to know God and His Son’s saving work. That is, we come to love the Gospel through God’s Word. We come to look more like Christ through His Word. And we live for joy because of His Word. So what must we do in light of all of this?

We must memorize God’s Word.

The Bible makes it clear that without Scripture in our hearts, we simply will not appreciate the Gospel of Christ. The psalmist says, “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). In commenting on 2 Tim 3:17, John Piper writes: “But most deeply the way the Bible equips us for every good work is by changing what we find satisfaction in so that our obedience comes from within freely, not by coercion from without. It does this when we read it and meditate on it and memorize it and meditate over it every day.” Chuck Swindoll wrote, “I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. . . . No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified” (Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994], p. 61). Honestly speaking, I do not regularly keep up with Scripture memory, not because I am too dumb, not because I am too old, but simply because I am too lazy. I believe that most of us in this room cannot claim stupidity or age as a reason to ‘get out of’ Scripture memory. With something as important as our understanding of the Gospel on the line, I am asking that you take up this challenge with me. DGM has fighter verses that they offer. It’s a program to help you to memorize some great texts of Scripture. I am asking that you find a Bible memory partner in this church, someone who will hold you accountable to Scripture memory. I hate working out. But I worked out most consistently for my longest stretch when I had a partner who spurred me on to keep on going. I believe having a partner in this who you can work together with will help you tremendously. Find a partner and if you wish to purchase DGM fighter verse packs.

Also, most obviously we must read and reflect on the Bible.

The Bible must be read and cannot be haphazard and scattershot or you will: 1) never come to love, 2) you will always read it at your convenience (which is never), and 3) you will never be convicted by it. Donald Whitney gives some practical suggestions, and I’ve added some, to help you to love reading the Bible (Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 29-31):

First, you need to find the time.

It IS possible to read the Bible through at a regular pace in 71 hours. This means that it just takes 11.6 minutes a day of reading the Bible to finish the whole Bible in one year. Think of a TV show that you watch. 11.6 minutes is less than half a half an hour sitcom. We must and can never say that we do not have the time. Rather, we must admit to ourselves that we do not want to read the Bible, and we think it makes no difference in our lives to read the Bible. This is why this sermon must be preached. To miss out on God’s Word is to rob yourself of ultimate joy found in the Gospel. Apart from the Gospel and from His Word that professes that Gospel, your life will be ruled by fear, pride, anger, anxiety, rejection. The Bible is for your joy and you must find the time.

Second, consider a plan in reading the Bible.

If you need one, I can give one to you. I use Robert Murray McCheyne’s Bible reading plan. There are others out there that are just as good. Having a plan allows you to track your reading, but it also can give you a good context as to the fullness of the story of the Bible, rather than an arbitrary reading of the Bible.

Third, take a word or a verse from your readings and meditate on it.

Think deeply about what God has done in your life that reflects that text. Think of how great God is in light of that verse. Ask God to lead you throughout your day and your life in light of that text.

Fourth, study the Bible.

This is why our Homegroups meet to study the Bible together, rather than merely read a good book together, or talk about the sermon, or join together because of common interests. Wellspring Church is here to cultivate your love for the Gospel. I believe this occurs in a faithful study of His Word in light of the Gospel of Christ. But I would add also, this is why I read and encourage reading other books. I encourage only books that help you to love Scripture. If a Christian book does not lead you to reflect on how great God is, how great His Gospel is, and how necessary His Word is for our lives, then it is probably not a book worth your time. You don’t have time for good books, only great ones. Reading such books lead you to a study of the Bible.

Fifth, pray through the Bible.

Use Scripture in your prayers. Reflect on what the Lord has said through His Word and pray with that Word in mind. Luke records in Acts 6:4: “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” These two critical facets of our relationship to God are vital to our joy in faith.

Sixth, apply the Bible.

What good is reading, memorizing, and studying the Bible if we do not put it into practice? God tells Ezekiel: “And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. 32 And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it” (Ez 33:31-32) What God is saying is that simply knowing His Word without putting it into practice (shall I say, without doing all things for His glory), is still not God-glorifying, but self-glorifying. Jerry Bridges says it best: “So it through knowledge, plus meditation, plus application of the Scriptures to concrete situations in our daily lives that we develop Bible-based convictions. And as we develop those convictions, we will be transformed by the Holy Spirit and more and more into the likeness of Christ.” (Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace, 178) Believing and living out the Bible is the means by His Spirit allows us live in light of the Gospel.

We must give praise to our God for His Word. Without it, we would not love Him. We would not know how to worship Him. We could not have understood the freedom Jesus brings to us apart from it. May we not run away from it as we do. May we cherish every word. If you have not read this Word, may you come to begin the process of cherishing the Bible simply because you are saying, “I believe this Gospel and I love what Jesus has done for me on the cross. Now I want the joy that is promised through this Gospel and I know I need the Bible to fill my soul with His love.”