Please open your Bibles to 2 Timothy 3… Read along with me again our key passage for this Message Series on the Word of God: 2 Timothy 3:16-17……………
And so, we had noted that the Bible is the Word of God; God breathed out His own words to writers. Besides the Bible itself, we should all be able to give at least 3 reasons why we believe God speaks through Scriptures (this was our first message in our Series of the Word of God). All Scriptures is God breathed and it is useful for teaching; and so, a few weeks ago, we discussed why and how we should teach. All of us must always be ready to teach the Bible to someone. But before we can teach Scriptures, we must study Scriptures. We must know how we got our Bibles and we are commanded by God to feed ourselves daily with Scriptures.
Last week, we discussed that all Scriptures is useful for rebuking and correcting and how we are to do it. Today, we will end our Message Series on the Word of God by grasping the truth that All Scriptures is God-breathed and is useful for training in righteousness!
What does it mean to train in righteousness?
First of all, again, we must look at this in context: First, let us look at the expected result of training in righteousness…. It is clear in our passage…
Training in righteousness is to equip for good work the servants of God!
And what does to equip means? To equip means to provide for. And so, “Training in righteousness is to provide for good work the servants of God!
And who are the servants of God? Other English Translation of this verse basically states “man of God”. A better question to ask is, who desires to serve God? All Christians are to love God because God loved us first; to love God is to serve God!
Turn with me to Colossians 3:23-24…..
Everything that a Christian does is to be done for the Lord; and so, All Christians are to be training in righteousness to provide for doing good work! In other words, All Christians are to be training in righteousness to have all the tools and skills for doing good work!
Now, take a look at Romans 5:18-6:2…..
And so, all those who believe in Jesus Christ are seen righteous by God through the Cross; but while living on earth, Christians can still do unrighteous things. And so,
Although Christians are righteous (a standing) in God’s sight, Christians are still to pursue righteousness (a behavior). In other words,
While still on earth, Christians are to pursue and live out righteousness (behavior) to line up to how God sees them through Jesus Christ (the perfect standing with God)!
And how does a Christian pursue and live out righteousness?
A Christian must train in righteousness to pursue and live out righteousness.
Let us note what God says about training by looking at the original Greek word used which is paideia; this word occurs in only 5 other verses (and so it is fairly easy to understand). In Ephesians 6:4, the same “training” word in 2 Timothy 3:16 is used for parents in raising their children. In Hebrews 12, the same Greek word for training is used for the word discipline.
The original Greek word for training is paideia which means training, discipline, and learning!
Now turn back to 2 Timothy 2, read along with me v1-7, and v22…
Not only Timothy but God calls all Christians to pursue righteousness. In this passage we can note the 2 Christian Believers (the Apostle Paul and Pastor Timothy) “training in righteousness” and their “spiritual training” is like that of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. Christian are Spiritual Soldiers, Spiritual Athletes, and Spiritual Farmers!
As you and I who are Christians training in righteousness:
As a soldier pleases the commanding officer, we are to please Jesus Christ!
As an athlete competes to win abiding in the rules, we are to abide in God’s Word!
As a farmer works hard day and night, we too must be disciplined for good works and bring good rewards!
Before a soldier, an athlete or a farmer reap their rewards, they must train, learn, and be disciplined. But let us note that as the soldier, the athlete and the farmer is in training, many good benefits results (truth, fitness, confidence, encouragement, satisfaction, perseverance) before they get their final rewards!
We Christians are to daily “train in righteousness”; disciplined in learning God’s Word and putting it into action!
We Christians will not receive our perfect, final, and eternal rewards till we get to heaven, BUT, as we daily “train in righteousness”, many good benefits will result here on earth (truth, spiritual fitness, confidence, encouragement, satisfaction, perseverance, and goodness)!.....
Take a moment to quietly ponder about these things then make a commitment to the Lord to daily train in righteousness; ask Jesus to help you everyday!! Take a moment to quietly pray right where you are….
