Denver Seminary

The mission of that church was to reach people with little or no understanding of the Christian faith. The pastor wanted to introduce them to Jesus and launch them into the world as agents of Christ's love—a great goal! But I wondered how these people could learn what it meant to be disciples without a grounding in the Scriptures. Sermons in this church were almost exclusively topical in order to appeal to the audience's felt needs, so there was virtually no place to build biblical literacy. This situation raises a crucial question: Do people have to know the Bible in order to become faithful disciples? I can't help but think of the words Paul wrote to Timothy, his son in the faith. Timothy had grown up in a religious home—his grandmother and mother were faithful Jews. He had embraced the Christian faith when Paul came to town on his second missionary trip. For decades after this initial contact, Paul and Timothy shared many trips and trials, until Paul wrote a final letter to his young protégé. In it he urges Timothy, "Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." Then Paul goes on: "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 Tim. 3:14–17). TO BE CONTINUED … In his letter to Timothy—by this point a veteran Christian—Paul speaks to my question about knowing the Bible. If such a seasoned Christian needed these words, then we surely do as well, from the newest believer to an aged professor like me! Let's listen carefully. Paul urges Timothy to continue in what he has previously learned. I'm sure Timothy learned many practical lessons on following Christ by watching and imitating Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others. But Paul's immediate reference to the Holy Scriptures alerts us to their formative role in Timothy's ongoing life of discipleship. Paul uses the word learned, as if to say that Timothy had already internalized the principles of Scripture, and that he needed to continue putting those teachings into practice to be "wise for salvation." Paul didn't mean that Timothy needed to exercise initial saving faith. That was behind him. Instead, continuing in the Scriptures would enable Timothy to persevere in the journey, leading to final salvation in Christ. Paul was all too aware of men like Phygelus and Hermogenes who had deserted him (2 Tim. 1:15) or Hymenaeus and Alexander who had "suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith" (1 Tim. 1:19–20). Many of us also know people, some within our own families, who once seemed to be faithful Christians but now believe they have little use for the church or for following Christ. They are like Paul's "deserters." Their faith has been shipwrecked. That is why starting out well is not sufficient. The wise way that leads to salvation requires persevering in the life of faith, and Paul was convinced that the Scriptures are essential in that process. In their very nature, the Scriptures are God-breathed, or divinely inspired. Not merely a compilation of human thoughts, the Scriptures embody the Creator's own words for His creatures. OUR "OWNER'S MANUAL" Why do the Scriptures play such a crucial role? Paul points out two factors: the unique nature of the Scriptures and their usefulness in the life of faith. In their very nature, the Scriptures are God-breathed, or divinely inspired. Not merely a compilation of human thoughts, the Scriptures embody the Creator's own words for His creatures. God's words are authoritative and true. In fact, they are the "owner's manual" for us humans. We can ignore them only to our spiritual peril. As to the usefulness of the Scriptures, Paul believed that a person who continues in the Scriptures will be equipped to do what is good. Paul teaches here that the Scriptures produce such good works by several tactics. He says the Scriptures teach, rebuke, correct, train in the way of righteousness, and equip. It's worth thinking a bit about each of these transforming tactics. First, the Scriptures teach, and I will include with this that they train in righteousness. The very point of teaching and training is for students to learn— not merely to amass knowledge, but to put that knowledge into practice, or in Paul's words, to do what is righteous and good. Training keeps us practicing what we have learned so that our lives are changed. Life transformation is the point of Bible study. ENGAGE 13 JarenWicklund/iStock

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