2 Tim.3
Introduction
Stories from the paper to illustrate vv.1-5. In what is by no means an exhaustive list of the depravity of human kind we do not have to look far to find the equivalent in today’s world. Equally we will find looking back in history we find similar indictments throughout the Old Testament. There are times when I look at the world around me and wonder if we have reached the state described before the flood when God declares about humanity: “every inclination of the thoughts of his heart were only evil all the time” Gen.6:5. In deed are we in the last days about which Paul speaks with this devastating list?
However for every story of greed, callousness, selfishness and so on that makes it into the news there are countless stories of kindness, courage, faith, hope generosity and perseverance that don’t. Illustration from Tear Times. Paul gives a glimpse of this in vv. 10-13. This is not an exhaustive list of the positive corollaries to vv.1-5 but hints at a different way of life. Of course the reality is that both good and bad co-exist in the world around us and in each one of us. No human being is perfect and none is irredeemably bad. The question is how do we move from one to the other, how do we stamp out evil and do good? The answer is here (hold up Bible). Paul tells us a number of things about Scripture here: it is God-breathed, it makes you wise for salvation and it is useful for equipping.
God-breathed
Paul says that Scripture is God-breathed, a literal translation of the Greek theopneustos. Looking at various Bible translations one sees why this word is often rendered like this – to say as some translations do that Scripture is inspired seems a bit weak. When we say “This is the word of the Lord” what do we mean? Do we see it being inspired in just the same way as say Shakespeare or some other famous author? Alternatively do we believe as some do that every single word, jot and tittle is the work of God. Those humans who wrote it simply acting as some kind of word processor. Another view is that it becomes God’s word to us when we receive it by faith. The Scriptures involve both divine and human input. The people who wrote and compiled the Scriptures were human beings inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Wise for salvation
Paul says of Timothy: “from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation” How? “through faith in Jesus Christ.” This is where the process of turning from evil to good has its roots. We can only truly embark on this process once we have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and this comes about through hearing and reading the Scriptures
Useful for equipping
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”. I wonder what use you put your Bible to? Is it the heavier book at the end of a row keeping the other books vertical on your book shelf? Is it a plinth on which your bed-side light stands? Is it simply a mark of some past occasion – baptism gift, Sunday school prize? Paul says this book is really useful when it comes to training for righteousness. If we really mean it when we say we want to be part of a better world then here is the place to begin. It is through regular, prayerful, committed reading of Scripture that we begin to hear God’s voice speaking to us.
Application
The world around us is full of good and bad things, we ourselves are a mixture of good and evil. If we want to see good increasing and bad decreasing in our own lives and in the world around us then we must take Scripture seriously.