The Bible and the Christian – Part 5 of 5

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

All scripture is God inspired and is useful for four things:

1. Teaching – knowing truth
2. Rebuking – knowing when and where we err
3. Correcting – knowing how to live correctly
4. Training in righteousness

What is the aim and purpose of right teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness?

“So that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

God created us with a purpose. God created us and birthed the church so that through the church and his people God can establish his kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. God created us for good works.

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify the Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:9).

God created us to be a blessing to the people around us. God created us to be agents of God’s peace and love so that the people around us cannot help but be drawn to the Christ we adore.

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, you adore, study, and read God’s word. Loving God starts with loving his Word. You cannot love God and not love his Word.

The Verse of the Day is a good start. I encourage you to go deeper in God’s word. Commit to hearing God’s word preached through Sunday worship and commit to studying God’s word together in a small group. I say this for your benefit, for this is how you grow up and mature in the faith. Just because you study God’s word doesn’t guarantee you will grow up and mature in the faith. But, there is no way you can grow up and mature in the faith without studying God’s word.

The relationship between God’s word and the Christian is essential. One cannot be a disciple without loving and obeying God’s word.