Title: The Working of the Word of God
Theme:
Text: 2 Timothy 3:16
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:10-15 AV)
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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 AV)
It seems that the book of 2 Timothy is a dark book. A book of sadness. A solemn reminder of what is going to happen in the last days. Also Paul is in his last days. He speaks of his famous words in 2 Tim 4:7," I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."
Paul knowing his time is ending and that there is going to come a great apostasy in the coming ages gives Timothy some instruction. He also holds up the standard of Christianity and the measuring rod. The ruler of how to avoid apostasy. We find in the book three of the greatest verse written on the word of God
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 AV)
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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. {throughly...: or, perfected} (2 Timothy 3:16-17 AV)
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2 Timothy 4:2 AV)
Listen to Paul’s antidote he gives to Timothy.
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:10-15 AV)
Oh the importance of the word of God. The importance of it in the life of a Christian. I know you have heard me say this many time lately but I still feel that I cannot stress it enough when it comes to his word.
Look at what he says in
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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 AV)
I. Doctrine-teaching
People are in error in their thinking, feelings, behaving and relationships simply because they "do not know the Scriptures" nor "the power of God’
We see this throughout the life of Christ when the many people such as the lawyers, pharisees and Sadducees would test Jesus only to find that they did not understand the scriptures.
Jesus made it plain when speaking to the Sadducees after they questioned him on the resurrection. They wanted to trick him by discussing married life after the resurrection. Jesus knowing this told them their problem was they did not know the scripture.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? (Mark 12:24 AV)
Many people are in error because they do not know they Bible. They question ideas and teaching not knowing the Bible themselves basing their knowledge on the teachings of others.
II. Reproof-rebuke
reproof-rebuke, reprove, discipline, express sharp and stern disapproval over umbilical and unchristian feelings, and reasoning, thinking, behavior and ungodly relationships
Many times we see the rebuking in scripture.
illustrations: Paul reubukes Peter Gal 2:11-14; Paul speaks of hypocrites rebuked publicly 1 Timothy 5:20; Jesus rebuked the disciples Mark 16:14;
Paul writes of the importance of it in Hebrews 12;5
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
III. Correction
When one is rebuked then there is two directions to go. One is to reject and run away but the other is to listen and continue on. Each step is important. One can stop with teaching but not listen to rebuking and be one who has head knowledge but not heart knowledge.
Next one can be rebuked but not corrected. Instead of softening and covicting the heart it hardens and causes rejection.
Correction is important because it shows the right direction to go. It is one thing to know what is wrong and another to lead in the right direction.
Correct-make things right after pointing out or exposing what is wrong; to correct is to help free someone from error or faults; and to correct is to help somebody to counteract the effects and operations of undesirable thinking, feelings, relationships or behaviors; and to correct is to assist the person to conform to a new pattern of living in accordance with the Word of God
IV. Instruction in righteous
instruction is train-to train is to discipline; to train is to constantly drill; to train is to provide a series of structured and repetitive exercises to form the habit of godly thinking and a life of Bible study and prayer
Instruction must come next. Not only correction and showing the correct path but also instruction on how to be guiding on the path.
V. Furnishing-equipping
equip-to prepare; to equip is to furnish and provide the necessary spiritual, mental, emotional, relational and material resources to the counselee for personal growth, transformation and active involvement in ministries
Finally there is equipping.
1) teaching the right way
2) rebuking the wrong way
3) correcting to show what is the right way over the wrong way
4) instruction in how to go the right way
5) equipping with the right tools, (such as the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit) to go the right way.
With the equipping the we are given through Christ, the Holy Spirit and his church then we are ready to go on and take on the world but if we stop in any of these then we are as good as doomed.
One of my favorite people to listen to is the Gideons. Each time I hear them they have a special testimony of how lives have been changed through the Word of God. We hear about a nurse, a person in a motel, a child, etc. All changed just by reading the Word of God and accepting Christ in their heart. Sometimes we get into the mindset that a person can only know by coming to church. We may forget the power of scriptures.
If we could only place scripture in one persons hand over this Christmas season. What about a verse that we give with our gifts, anything to show the Word of God. Let us not underestimate the power of the Word of God.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
