Series: Live Well [#14]
LIVE IN SCRIPTURE
2 Peter 1:12-21
Introduction:
As we have been studying, the Christian life begins with faith. Faith should result in spiritual growth and spiritual growth brings practical results. The only way you are going to experience spiritual growth is by feeding upon the Word of God. The text in this study looks at the power of Scripture and gives us 3 things not to do with Scripture.
2 Peter 1:12-15
Don’t…
1. Stop studying Scripture.
As we grow older, we have a tendency to start thinking that we have it all figured out and that we don’t need to learn anything else. Not only do we have the tendency to think that way about our occupation, education, etc…; we also think that way concerning Scripture. There are some that have read the Bible from cover to cover numerous times. There are some that have heard sermons and Sunday School lessons from numerous preachers and numerous texts. There are some that have spent many years in Theological school studying the Old Testament in the original Hebrew language and the New Testament in the original Greek language; but as Peter tells us, we cannot stop studying God’s Word.
The Bible is the Living Word of God. The reason Scripture is referred to as living is because God opens up new things to us each time that we study God’s Word through the Holy Spirit. Scripture is our spiritual food and regardless of how much food you ate yesterday, last week, or last year; you still need to eat today.
How often do you study Scripture? (There is a difference between reading Scripture and studying it. If you are a person that reads for quantity, you need to stop and consider the fact that the quality of your study is much more important.) Do you allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through your study? Are you applying Scripture to your life or are you just reading it?
2 Peter 1:16-18
Don’t…
2. Doubt Scripture.
1 of the 1st questions a lost person is going to ask a Christian is, “What proof do you have that the Bible is right?” Through the centuries there have been many who tried to destroy God’s Word, but they have never been successful. The Bible has been written by many different men who lived in different countries, times, and cultures; and yet each book, each chapter, each verse fits with the others.
As Peter was saying, Scripture is not just some “fairy-tale” and that he and others were witnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Peter looked forward to the return of Christ, he looked not with doubt but with surety. In these verses Peter is referring us to the transfiguration of Jesus Christ.
There are many proofs of Scripture that I will not elaborate upon, but 1 of these proofs is found here- This is the proof of the eyewitnesses. Obviously, we were not living at this time, but that is what faith is. Don’t allow Satan to convince you that Scripture is outdated or irrelevant. It is applicable to our lives regardless of what year we are living in.
2 Peter 1:19-21
Don’t…
3. Forget who the author of Scripture is.
On our own, we are walking around in darkness not knowing what to do, but God’s Word lights our path. Although each book had a writer, the Holy Spirit is the actual author of the Bible. All Scripture is God breathed. God’s Word guides us in living our lives as obedient children. This also means that as far as prophecy is concerned, if God has fulfilled all of the prophecies in the past, He will fulfill these too.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
For further reading concerning the Bible, go to Psalm 119. This is the longest chapter in the Bible and all 176 verses are about God’s Word.
