HOLDING ON TO TRUTH - LIFE ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.
Sermon Title: LIFE ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE
Main Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 3:5-7
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
In this sermon, Pastor Ryan brought us back to 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to tackle the rest of that scripture. We have learned for the past few weeks how we trust the Bible to be inspired and authored by God. If we believe this then we have confidence in fashioning or knitting our lives to live according to scripture. The Bible speaks on on all matters of life that are fruitful and beneficial for us as His children. Pastor Ryan encourages and challenges us to approach scripture with submission, humility, and genuine intention to apply it in every area of our lives.
Notes:
For the past 4 weeks, I’ve made the case that all scripture is from God. I’ve made the case that the Bible is our reliable foundation and source for what we should believe and how we should live. God’s Word is absolute truth, being the highest standard and guide for beliefs, morals, and living. God’s Word is the framework and the lens by which we should view the world and interpret the times we live in. We can even say with confidence that all of mankind should be viewing, weighing, and interpreting the world through God’s Word, but unfortunately, not all will agree or do so. We believe the Bible is God’s Word in principle, but do we submit, apply and practice His Word? God calls us to faithfulness to both: belief and practice.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 NLT
14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
V. 16a: “All Scripture is inspired by God… or breathed out by God”
If the Bible is the Word of God it would be internally consistent and it is. The Bible would be externally verified and it is. The Bible would be full of the most profound wisdom and it is. The Bible would hold the loftiest ethics and it does. The Bible would transform lives and it has and continues to. The Bible would be the most influential book in the world and it is.
We believe the Word of God is authoritative. It judges us, we don’t judge it. It teaches us how to live, we don’t tell God how we should live. The Bible assumes the role of absolute truth and is full of wisdom from an all-knowing (omniscient God) to guide us. Our role in scripture is to know it, accept it and follow it.
If we truly believe the Bible is God’s Word to us then we would value it and read it and follow its teachings above all other books. On the other hand, could our lack of reading and living according to the Bible reveal what we truly think and believe of God and His Word? To believe and love God is to value what He thinks, to value and know His will for us and apply His Word to our lives.
V. 16b: “and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” NIV
The Bible is useful for knowledge but it’s also meant to be useful and profitable to our everyday living. “The test of the divine inspiration of Scripture is here placed in its practical usefulness.” Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 4, p. 318). If it’s true it will change us. It does.
Profitable and useful for teaching and doctrine. Scripture gives us understanding and knowledge about the Trinity, sin, mankind, marriage, family, salvation, future events, etc. This point right here is how we develop a Biblical worldview. Building our lives on and within the guidelines of Scripture. Study God’s Word to know what we believe.
Profitable and useful for rebuking, reproof, and conviction. As we read the Bible, it clearly points out where we are wrong. The Bible acts like a scalpel, to convict and heal.
Profitable and useful for correction. The Bible doesn’t just tell us how we are wrong but it brings us back to the right way of thinking and living. For instance, Ephesians 4:28: “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” This is reproof and correction. Like a broken bone reset by a doctor so it can heal properly.
Profitable and useful in the way of righteous and holy living. The grace of God, the work of Salvation and sanctification through salvation and the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to live godly lives. Meanwhile, the Bible spells and traces what that looks like.
V. 17 “so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” NIV 17 so “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” ESV
All scripture is profitable and useful to equip, prepare and complete us, for every good work God has planned for us to do.
“Complete doesn’t mean that the whole Christian life is about reading the Bible, or that the only important thing in ministry is good Bible teaching. Complete means the Bible leads me into everything I need…So, I don’t ignore prayer, or worship, or evangelism, or good works to a needy world – because the Bible itself tells me to do such things. If I will be both a hearer and a doer of the word, I will be complete.” - David Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary
When I preach on Sundays, I should be confirming what you have already been receiving from God and His Word. When I preach on Sunday God has already been teaching and equipping you as you read the Word. I have the joy of helping add to it and confirming, as well as, helping you understand how to live it out in our context, today.
Application: This scripture challenges us to approach the Bible in a helpful way. Here are a just few:
We submit to the authority and wisdom of God and His Word.
We need help, we need God’s divine revelation to help us know and live properly in this world. Remember when I said the Bible is like putting on corrective lenses which help us see the truth, the way we should view everything in this life? That’s because we think we are wise and right in our own eyes but were not. We need God’s help.
Proverbs 26:12 NIV Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
Proverbs 14:12 NIV There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
Outside the Bible, we only have our hearts and our judgment calls. I’ve seen what our hearts and judgments can come up with and it’s not always good (Jeremiah 17:9-10).
Proverbs 3:5-7 recommends: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
We are not omniscient and all-knowing. God has eternal vision and knows the plans He has for us. We agree with God’s path, not God has to agree with ours. Trust God’s Word.
2. We approach the scriptures with humility.
We need to approach scripture with the attitude and truth that, “I don’t know it all. I need to learn what is true. I can use some course correction in life and I need to learn how to live righteous and holy.”
Do not be like the wicked found in Isaiah 26:10 “But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord.”
We set aside our presuppositions when we open the Bible. We don’t read the Bible to find what we want it to say and to affirm how we want to live. No, we open our Bibles and let it say what it says, and discover what it truly means, even if it goes in complete contrast to what we want or how we want to live.
To add what we want it to say or to remove things we don’t like that it says is to pollute and distort God’s truth and message to us.
3. We approach the scriptures with the intent to live them out.
We have truly and humbly submitted to the authority of God and His Word when we let it change the way we think and the way we live.
We don’t just hear but we obey. We hear and we do. James 1:22
We conform our lives to the Word. This can be very difficult depending on your walk with the Lord. The Bible may be challenging you to trust God and repent of something that has a stronghold on you like a sinful habit. It may be to forgive or to apologize. It may be to change the culture of your home, work, or schedule for the spiritual health of your family.
Christians believe our lives should be defined according to scripture. If we are convinced of this…
We need to be careful and faithful to live in agreement with God’s Word.
We need to be careful not to cherry-pick scriptures to affirm behavior that is clearly defined in scripture as sin in multiple pages of the Bible.
We need to be careful not to let the pressure of this world cause us to compromise. We confuse the world when we say we believe and love God but then live, condone or approve of sinful behaviors and patterns of this world.
Let God’s pure Word be profitable in your life. You will not regret it.
Discussion:
What scripture verse stuck out to you from this sermon and why?
What spoke and or challenged you in this sermon?
Why did Pastor Ryan say we need to let scripture speak what it actually says rather than what we want it to say? Why is that vital, today?
What do you need to do after hearing this message?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, amen!
We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!