(8) Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,
(9) who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
(10) but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
(11) to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
(12) For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
(13) Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
(16) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for doctrine [teaching], for reproof, for correction, and for training [instruction] in righteousness,
Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD—Your salvation according to Your word.
So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
So shall I keep Your law continually, Forever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts.
I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, And will not be ashamed.
And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love.
My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, Which I love, And I will meditate on Your statutes.
When I read this passage two things struck me:
This verse stuck me because: an online magazine I had read earlier last month had stated that the problem with our churches has arisen from that fact we have forsaken the Bible.
Indeed more than that: we have become embarrassed by the Word of God – it simply does not align with the values of the world and churches have acceded to this.
Alistair Begg[1] remarked:
We live at a time in which truth has been devalued and tolerance has been enthroned, and young men and women growing up in our churches with a kind of “accept everything” Christianity, devoid of a solid understanding of biblical theology, and are these folk trembling on the brink of capitulation to this world.
The magazine author appeared to indicate that the failure of our modern Church arises because we have left the Word of God. This is so true, and is indeed why the church is in a time of confusion.
There has been a wholesale attempt to modify the Word of God to match the current so-called ethical requirements of the world. If modification has not work, then the Bible is abandoned altogether as the founding document of the church.
Some have become embarrassed by the Word of God – the Bible does not align what the modern liberals (with a small L) have to say in respect of what we ought to believe or and how we should behave. And we see this is where the Apostle Paul begins in his passage – do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord.
As the Holy Spirit says to the Church of Ephesus in Revelation – the church had abandoned their first love. That first love is encapsulated in the Bible; and is the Lord Jesus Christ who have his life for the Church as Ephesians says.
We are told that that the Bible simply does not match the beliefs and actions deemed essential in this modern world, so Christians, rather than suffer the humiliation of the persecution of our fellow men, many have acceded and obeyed the desires of the world rather than God.
However, this sermon will not be dwelling on tension between the far left, or the socialist left, or even the far right but rather about how Christians ought to treat the Holy Scriptures – the Bible: and focus verse 13 do not be ashamed of the testimony, along with a verse in chapter 3.
The passage at hand is for Christians and about Christians – in particular for Timothy as it was a reminder he had to rely upon the sound words of Paul – which even at this stage of history were in circulation in writing and formed a part of the New Testament.
The most fundamental is the Christian needs to be in the Bible and take his or her instruction from the Scriptures: as Paul writes in his first letter to the Ephesians:
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:25-26)
This uses that technical term sanctify which can cause a little confusion.
We all know that to be saved from the wrath of God’s judgement, a person must put his or her trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
After which we all have a life to live – and in living that life as Paul puts it, we are running a race (see 2 Tim 2:5). It is in the life we must grow more and more Christ like; we are to put off the old things, those things that hold us back, or trip us up; we practice godliness more like Christ than a donkey (remembering it was a Donkey who spoke the truth to Balaam who was trying to run from God).
Indeed earlier in this letter Paul writes that in our life, like in a race or any sport, needs to keep to the rules. How do we know those rules? They are in the Word of God.
We are grow in our faith – this is sanctification and it is carried out by the work of the Holy Spirit, if we allow Him to do so.
Paul gives a very practical example – of both where Scripture is important and how sanctification occurs. He says
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
Another example: Paul writes in Romans 12
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind (put aside worldly values), that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Note well the words; “by testing”.
The Bible, can be referred as the Canon – which really is a word from the Latin to mean ‘rod or ‘measuring stick’. It is by the Bible that we test all things – to see if its fake or true, solid or empty and useless.
It is the Scriptures we find what is good and acceptable and perfect.
The Apostle Paul is writing to Timothy, to encourage him in his Ministry in the Church at Ephesus – and in his two letters, time after time he points Timothy to the Scriptures or that what Paul has written – which appears as books in our modern bibles.
He is addressing two things
In 1 Timothy Paul points out that some were teaching a different doctrine: they were not teaching the true gospel of Christ, but had introduced the notion that one had to do certain things in order to be saved – in some cases this included the need for circumcision (See also Gal 5:2) (1 Tim 1:3).
In Ephesians we learn that there is absolutely nothing we can do to contribute to our Salvation – it is totally in the hand of Christ, it was his doing of the cross that saves us. We only need to trust Jesus Christ.
In another place in the first letter to Timothy Paul gives an example where shunning the Word Of God had led to disaster. Two men had literally swerved from the truth – indeed abandoned it: Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Timothy 1:20), were morally corrupt and had to be isolated until they came to their senses.
Paul’s challenge was to give the urgency to Timothy in an environment of total confusion, the absolute truthfulness and authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures.
Thus this message is about the Bible; and importantly it’s an encouragement that our divine direction starts with the Bible.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
The Bible has a supernatural origin; every revelation in the Bible was provided to the author by God. It is because Scripture is God given that it is profitable for teaching (what to believe), reproof (what not to believe), correction (how to live), and training (how not to live).
The Bible was written for man’s benefit by God for him.
If he called them gods to whom the word of God came--and Scripture cannot be broken
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
"The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.
The Bible is the authentic words of God, carrying His full weight
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken.
It was by Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother that Timothy came to the saving knowledge of God:
From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (14) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (15) And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" Romans 10:13-15
If one study’s the book of Acts, it is the preaching of the Holy Scriptures that convicts sinners of their sin:
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
Its origin is from God
Scripture is the foundation upon which we make our stand. All Scripture is Breathed out and therefore, we know and believe its profitability is tied to its origin we need to act.
Paul urges: Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim 1:13
He goes on: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness 2 Timothy 3:16
We need to read it, study it, meditate upon it, and put it into practice
There is a lot more to be said here, but I will leave that for another day.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for doctrine [teaching], for reproof, for correction, and for training [instruction] in righteousness,
[1] Alister Begg from Truth for Life https://www.truthforlife.org/about/
[2] Taken from the work of Arnold Fruchtenbaum on the Bible: see https://www.ariel.org/
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