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The Purpose Of The Word Of God Series
Contributed by Dr. Thomas Norton on Jul 17, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Understanding the purpose of God’s Word for Pastors and Christians
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Have you felt lost and alone with little hope of understanding what you need to know and what you need to do? Where do you turn to under pressure and in distress when everything seems to be bearing down on you?
We all are looking for answers on this planet with so many things that seem to be running wild and life just goes faster and farther leaving our heads spinning. How should we live and who should we believe anyway?
God has a word for us if we will take the time to look up and ask for wisdom and guidance. Let us hear the Word of the Lord.
Read 2 Timothy 3:15-17
1. God’s Word will Save You. v15 (Saving power of Scripture) (Believing)
JOH 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
JOH 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
JAM 1:18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
2. God’s Word will Change You. v16-17 (Sanctifying power of Scripture) (Being)
(Source of Scripture) 2PE 1:20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2A. God’s Word gives instruction--What should I beelieve? Orthodoxy--belief (profitable/beneficial)
PSA 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
2TI 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2B. God’s Word brings conviction--How should I not behave? Orthopraxy--behaviour
HEB 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
2C. God’s Word causes correction--What should I not believe? (reformation—setting right of what is broken)
PSA 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
GAL 6:1-2 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
2D. God’s Word gives guidance--How should I behave?
MIC 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
ROM 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
2CO 10:3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
"The Word of God emphasizes being before doing, character before career, and maturity before ministry." Dr. Neil Anderson
3. God’s Word will Equip You. v17b (Doing) How?
3A. So that the man of God (written to Timothy) may be competent because he has been properly equipped (outfitted). God’s Word gives every servant of God the necessary skills and tools to be capable of of performing every good work.
EPH 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
3B. As God’s spokesmen are adequately equipped they will in turn equip the people of God to do the work of God.
EPH 4:11 He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ...
Whatever your need today, let God show you the answer.