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| Our theme is `Four Purposes of Scripture as applied to the Believer.'
The written Word of God is profitable and useful in the following ways for Doctrine, Reproof, Correction, Instruction.
It is useful for Doctrine, or teaching, the emphasis here being upon the subject matter taught rather than upon the act of teaching by a pedagogue. In verse 14, Paul encourages Timothy to "continue ...in the things which thou hast learned", that is to say "apply the material you have learned in your daily life; put the knowledge into practice; let the theory in your head move down into your heart!" How important it is to study the contents of God's Word - to assimilate and digest them, for then, as the occasion demands, the Holy Spirit will surely bring to remembrance those things which we have honestly tried to learn, those doctrines we have sought to memorise and hide in our hearts.
Did not Israel of old receive the commandment "thou shalt teach them... diligently unto thy children"? This is indoctrination in the positive sense of the word! And, at the time of the re-building of Jerusalem in the days of Nehemiah, do we not read (Neh. 8:8) of how Ezra and his helpers "read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading"? Once again the people had to learn the principles of God's law which had, it seems, become neglected during the years of captivity in a strange land. The same precept is found in the New Testament, much of which, especially the epistles, is doctrinal in nature. Paul exhorts Timothy: "The things which thou hast heard from me...commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). "Make sure", Paul is saying, "that sound doctrine is handed down from generation to generation."
Let us too be diligent to study assiduously and learn the central teachings of the Bible; the great doctrines of the faith; the facts of God's revelation; the main themes of "those things which are surely believed among us" (Luke 1:1). Then shall we each one become a "workman that needeth not to be ashamed" being able to "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). And so "be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers" (Titus 1:9).
Secondly - "all Scripture is profitable ...for Reproof" i.e. rebuking and censuring. Here the Greek word (elegchon) carries the meaning of "convicting of that which is wrong" together with the implication that the evil must be put right. The same word is used in Luke 3:19, where John the Baptist reproved Herod on account of his adultery and many other sins and, we may be sure, urged him to put matters right in the sight of God and men. Perhaps we can imagine John using as his text the words of Isaiah 55:7: "Let the wicked forsake his way ..and let him return unto the LORD".
The Holy Spirit, we read in John 16:8,"will reprove of sin (inherent in the human heart) and of righteousness (of God), and of judgement" (which will inevitably result because of the conflict between them) and it is the Word which the Holy Spirit uses to this end. It was when Stephen was "full of the Holy Ghost" that he preached to the Sanhedrin and "they were cut to the heart" (Acts 7:54). Prior to this, Peter had proclaimed the Word of God to the assembled multitudes on that first Whit Sunday, when the Holy Spirit had been poured upon the infant church, and we are told that his hearers "were pricked in their heart" (Acts 2:37).
Let us make no mistake about it - it is not gimmicks, methods, human strategy, adapting to the spirit and culture of the age, but the sound preaching and teaching of God's Word which will reprove sinners and saints alike. Do Christian believers need to be reproved? we may ask. The answer is "Yes". Even our Lord Himself said, "As many as I love I rebuke" (Rev. 3:19). Paul rebuked Peter "because he was to be blamed" (for compromising), and the same apostle also instructed Titus (1:13), in respect of the indolent church in Crete: "Rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith". May we always be ready, not only to claim the "exceeding great and precious promises" found in Scripture, but also to suffer rebuke and reproof from the quick and powerful Word of God, for such admonition can only be to our spiritual profit.
Then, the Scriptures are profitable for Correction, which bears the meaning of "restoration". It is, in fact, complementary to "reproof" in that, whilst the one points to the deficiency, the other indicates a making good of the fault. Reproof is diagnosing and confronting the disease, whereas correction applies the medicine; reproof clears the rubble and correction begins to build again.
An example of both is found in Paul's letters to the Corinthians. In 1 Cor. 5, a man who has committed a grievous sin is rebuked and disciplined, but in 2 Cor. 2:6 - 8 we find Paul pleading that he may be restored. Or we may think of David, rebuked by the prophet Nathan (and oh that there were many Nathans today!) but then praying for restoration.., "Renew a right spirit within me...restore unto me the joy of thy salvation" (Psalm 51:10 - 12). And was not Peter, after his dismal failure, gently rebuked as the Lord spoke to him: "Lovest thou me?" and then restored by the words "Feed my lambs ...my sheep"? No doubt he was thinking of this experience when he preached the words: "Ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" (1 Peter 2:25). The Word of God is able to correct and to restore: "He sent his word, and healed them" (Psalm 107:20).
As we hear, or read, the Scriptures, and perhaps they touch a tender spot - "the very wounds that shame would hide" - or, like a fire, burn up the chaff, let us remember that not only does the Lord chasten, but also corrects: "Whom the LORD loveth he correcteth" (Prov. 3:11 - 12), and His Word is the instrument by which He does so.
Finally, it is profitable for Instruction, or training. The word used here has special reference to the education of children - and do not we, who are "called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1) need to be continually taught the things of God, be we young or older in the faith?
Moses, said Stephen, was "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (Acts 7:22). From his earliest years he was taught the language, the culture, the sciences, the arts, the history and the politics of Egypt; the intention being that he should live, think and act as an Egyptian, and serve his lord Pharaoh well. Likewise, the teaching of the Word of God is able to build up the believer, to equip him to be a "perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ ...(to) grow up into Him" (Eph. 4:13 - 16). In fact, instruction follows on logically from reproof and correction: reproof spotlights that which is wrong; correction recovers that which is right; but instruction enables us to continue walking in the ways of righteousness.
In verses 16 - 17 we see that instruction in the Word of God has a threefold purpose:
a) It encourages righteousness. The believer is, of course, the recipient of that righteousness which is imputed by Christ (1 Cor. 1:30), but this attributed rectitude must be worked out in the life of every one who names the Name of Christ. "O man of God... follow after righteousness" (1 Tim. 6:11).
b) It fosters perfection - that is to say, being fully equipped for Christian life and service.
c) It furnishes "unto all good works" - it is the means by which the Christian may become an accomplished servant of the Lord. WE. Vine (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) describes this phrase as meaning "completely furnished by means of Scripture for spiritual service". Therefore: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed" (2 Tim. 2:15).
It is often said that, in the dictionary, and in the concordance, "word" comes before "work", and this must also be the order for the disciple who seeks to serve his Master. Let us not forget that Jesus gave forty days of post-resurrection instruction to His disciples before they began to fulfil the Great Commission! (Acts 1:3).
Whatever our spiritual ages may be - babes in Christ; mature in the faith; even ready to lay down our armour and enter our heavenly home - may we ever "desire the sincere milk of the Word that (we) may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable" - i.e. useful, advantageous, beneficial and valuable for our learning of sound doctrine, our reproof as and when necessary, our correction and restoration, and our instruction as we follow the "narrow way which leadeth unto life" (Matt. 7:14). So may we, with the Psalmist, declare: "I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word" (Psalm 119:16).
David I Johnson
Originally published in September - October 2004 issue of Protestant Truth. |
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