Super 7 - Key Scriptures for All Christians
All Scripture is God-breathed and useful, but there are some Scriptures that we can consider the Himalayan mountaintops of the Bible. In the next few months, we will be looking at a series of great texts that inspire and move us - the "Himalayan Heights" of God's Word.
Today's Reading: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The "Super 7" refers to 7 passages I consider formative in my Bible Study and Christian life. They are taken from both the Old Testament and the New, various sources and various subjects.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Through the Bible Readings: 1 Kings 7-8, John 4:46–54, Psalm 65:8–13, Proverbs13:15-16
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Devotional: God-breathed and Useful
How does the church achieve all it needs to achieve? How can a pastor do what needs to be done? In this day, we are told we need to be creative, innovative, come up with new strategies and programs to lead the church into the new world. Paul, when he was advising his protege Timothy, had a very different view. He told him that there was one thing that would equip him for every good work and complete him in God.
Paul told Timothy to be invested in Scripture. The Bible. Of course, to Timothy, the Scriptures were what we now know of as the Old Testament. God was inspiring Paul, John, and the other apostles to write the New Testament books that would eventually be gathered and complete what we now know of as the Bible. Peter referred to Paul's writings as Scripture, so there was some recognition that what they were writing was of God. It was the word of God that would equip the man of God to do the work of God.
Paul begins 2 Timothy 3:16 by making two statements about God's word, the Bible. Note that he makes these assertions about ALL Scriptures, not just some. From Genesis to Revelation, every word of God's word is inspired and profitable. The basis of this study, "Himalayan Heights" is that there are some Scriptures that are more inspiring to us (who would want to read Romans 8 or Psalm 23 over the genealogies of 1 Chronicles?) but we still affirm that Leviticus' teachings on infectious skin disease and mildew and the 8 chapters of begats are inspired and they have value - they are profitable.
The first word, inspired, literally means "God-breathed." God spoke to and through different men and used their minds, their personalities, their writing styles construct the Bible, but there was one author, one voice, one breath behind all of it - God's. Whether Moses or Matthew or Peter or Paul is writing, it is God who is speaking.
Because the words come from God, they are profitable, useful. They work. They are true and they have their desired effect on us. God works in us by his Spirit to guide us through the written word. It is when we immerse ourselves in God's word that we are completed in Christ and prepared for every good work God calls us to do.
Verse 16 defines four specific ways the Scriptures are profitable in our lives. First, the Bible is profitable to teach us the ways of God, the character of God, the things of God. We learn the gospel and the truth of Christ through the Bible. When we stray from the ways of Christ taught in the Bible, it rebukes us. God's word is like a mirror that shows us who we really are, revealing our sins to us. The Spirit convicts us through the teachings of Scripture and then it corrects us, showing us how to get back on the right road. God does not just use the word to show us where we are wrong, but how we can get right again. Then, God's word trains us in righteousness, so that we do not fall into sin again.
If you want to grow in Christ, be a student of God's word. Here, nearing my 15th year as pastor at Southern Hills, that is now my 2 millionth time to give that advice, but it doesn't change. Get in the word and stay in the word!
Paul told Timothy to be invested in Scripture. The Bible. Of course, to Timothy, the Scriptures were what we now know of as the Old Testament. God was inspiring Paul, John, and the other apostles to write the New Testament books that would eventually be gathered and complete what we now know of as the Bible. Peter referred to Paul's writings as Scripture, so there was some recognition that what they were writing was of God. It was the word of God that would equip the man of God to do the work of God.
Paul begins 2 Timothy 3:16 by making two statements about God's word, the Bible. Note that he makes these assertions about ALL Scriptures, not just some. From Genesis to Revelation, every word of God's word is inspired and profitable. The basis of this study, "Himalayan Heights" is that there are some Scriptures that are more inspiring to us (who would want to read Romans 8 or Psalm 23 over the genealogies of 1 Chronicles?) but we still affirm that Leviticus' teachings on infectious skin disease and mildew and the 8 chapters of begats are inspired and they have value - they are profitable.
The first word, inspired, literally means "God-breathed." God spoke to and through different men and used their minds, their personalities, their writing styles construct the Bible, but there was one author, one voice, one breath behind all of it - God's. Whether Moses or Matthew or Peter or Paul is writing, it is God who is speaking.
Because the words come from God, they are profitable, useful. They work. They are true and they have their desired effect on us. God works in us by his Spirit to guide us through the written word. It is when we immerse ourselves in God's word that we are completed in Christ and prepared for every good work God calls us to do.
Verse 16 defines four specific ways the Scriptures are profitable in our lives. First, the Bible is profitable to teach us the ways of God, the character of God, the things of God. We learn the gospel and the truth of Christ through the Bible. When we stray from the ways of Christ taught in the Bible, it rebukes us. God's word is like a mirror that shows us who we really are, revealing our sins to us. The Spirit convicts us through the teachings of Scripture and then it corrects us, showing us how to get back on the right road. God does not just use the word to show us where we are wrong, but how we can get right again. Then, God's word trains us in righteousness, so that we do not fall into sin again.
If you want to grow in Christ, be a student of God's word. Here, nearing my 15th year as pastor at Southern Hills, that is now my 2 millionth time to give that advice, but it doesn't change. Get in the word and stay in the word!
Father, I thank you for God's word that teaches me God's way, rebukes and corrects me when I go wrong, and trains me so that I can walk in God's righteous path.
Think and Pray:
Are you a deep and passionate student of God's word or is the Bible a closed book in your life? How would you describe your Bible study life?
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