We Always Need the Scripture

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Many, if questioned, would affirm that they believe Scripture to be God's Word. If pressed, they might even confess to believing that it was "breathed out by God." But how many really believe that all Scripture is profitable? Do you believe all Scripture is profitable? Are there portions of Scripture you avoid? Do you read the Scriptures daily? Are you meditating on what you read in order to gain understanding?

Paul informs Timothy that all of the Scriptures are profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. However, he does not mean that all Scriptures do all of those things. Some passages teach, some reprove, some correct, and some train. Some passage reprove and correct or correct and train or teach and train. Some do all four things.

Thus, we must continually be in Scripture and striving to get Scripture into us, if we are to taught, reproved, corrected and trained in righteousness. It is Scripture that profits us in this manner. Apart from daily contact with the Word, there is little hope of continual growth and maturity. The Holy Spirit primarily works through the Word of God. He can use other means if he so chooses, but what we see from the Scriptures and Church history is that he prefers to work through the Word.

If our conviction is that the Spirit works through the Word, then our action should be to abide in the Word. A call to walk in the Spirit is a call to walk in the Word. The Spirit is our guide, but the Bible is the lamp he uses to maneuver us through the dark. Avoiding the Scripture and expecting the Spirit to transform us is like taking a surgeon's instruments, yet expecting him to continue with the surgery. It just won't work, because that is not what God intended.

If we are to be competent followers of Christ, if we are to be equipped to do what he is called us to do, then we must be in the Word. This means reading it, studying it, meditating on it, memorizing it, hearing it, teaching it, hearing it taught, and proclaiming it. The Word has the power to change us, as the Spirit applies it to our believing hearts.