This year as we venture into 2024 with aspirations of continued spiritual growth in our Christian walk, let’s make the decision to consume more of God’s Word this year than in any previous year. I’ve got a link for Bible reading plan options at the end of my article!
Like Spurgeon of old who said of the beloved author of Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan,
“I would quote John Bunyan as an instance of what I mean. Read anything of his, and you will see that it is almost like reading the Bible itself. He had read it till his very soul was saturated with Scripture; and, though his writings are charmingly full of poetry, yet he cannot give us his Pilgrim’s Progress—that sweetest of all prose poems — without continually making us feel and say, “Why, this man is a living Bible!” Prick him anywhere—his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his very soul is full of the Word of God. I commend his example to you, beloved.”
As we recently looked at the command from 1 Timothy 4:7 to “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness,” I encouraged you to make a purposed plan for spiritual growth that was both intentional and sustainable. In other words, start a Scripture reading plan that you can stick with and can thus experience sustained progress and success with.
Consider with me the importance of God’s Word with regard to our continued spiritual growth and successful walk in following Jesus. One particular Scripture that informs our thinking in this manner is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 teaches us that ALL of the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, a collection of 66 books, were ALL inspired by God, for the express purpose of growing us spiritually and preparing us to successfully follow Jesus. My pastor in college used to say that he could never get over the fact that God had written him a letter for what to know while on earth. He was a man known for his great Bible intake.
When we allow the authors of these pages of Scripture to speak for themselves, what they tell us overwhelmingly, over 2,000 times in just the Old Testament alone, is that the pages of Scripture that were written by the hand of man are actually a Word from God Himself. So a logical question might be, ‘How is that even possible?’.
The Apostle Peter tells us how God did this in 2 Peter 1:21 when he said, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” As such, Scripture is not of human origin but clearly of divine origin. The Holy Spirit of God is thus the acting agent in the production of the Scriptures as each writer was borne or carried along by the Spirit of God while writing, all the while using their own personality, inflection and style of writing, to produce the collection of 66 inspired letters from the mouth of God.
Let’s look at 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and be reminded again of just how much we need a consistent plan of Scripture reading and memorization for our continued spiritual growth.
2 Timothy 3:16
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
Let’s make 7 simple observations from this text.
#1. All Scripture…this would include both Old and New Testament…are inspired writings.
As such, as we see here, ALL SCRIPTURE is breathed out by God.
#2. Breathed Out by God = God Breathed (literal translation)…All Scripture is thus from the mouth of God to the pen of certain individuals whom He chose to write down HIS WORD. The Word of God is perfect, without error, and infallible; it cannot be broken.
#3. Profitable…it’s for your flourishing in life…it’s for your gain…and specifically it’s profitable in four distinct ways. 1) Teaching. 2) Reproof. 3) Correction. 4) Training.
#4. Teaching…comprised together, the OT and NT provide for all mankind, a comprehensive understanding of what the Creator of the Universe wants us to know about HIM, Ourselves & Sin, the Gospel & Redemption in Jesus, the Resurrection, Heaven & Hell…everything God wanted us to know…the Scriptures teach.
#5. Reproof…this is the work of Scripture whereby it rebukes us for sinful behavior and attitudes and beliefs. When we believe and thus live as if our way is better than God’s way, God’s Word will rebuke us. The Word of God is a rock. It can wound, hit, and break. It is a fire. It purifies us.
#6. Correction…this is the work of the Scripture whereby it restores what has been broken and brings it back to its intended condition. Meaning…the Scriptures are there continually pointing all people back to the right standards that God has established for them. Then they can make things right. Think of correcting a math problem. The mistakes are erased and the correct way recorded. This is what our amazing and loving God does. He redeems it. He makes things right. In my home, my wife and I often pray for God to redeem things. To make it right. To make up for the mistake.
#7. Training in righteousness…as a parent trains a child to live rightly…so do the Scriptures train God’s children to live righteous lives to the glory of His name and in accordance with the gospel of grace. He is a good, good Father. He doesn’t throw us in the ocean and say, “Swim!” He teaches and trains us like the perfect teacher and coach who shows their students how to do what they are calling them to do. We see in Christ the perfect example to follow.
Verse 16 shows us what the Apostle Paul thought about the origin, value, and effectiveness of God’s Word. Imagine if we lived having this same perspective and the difference it could make as we consider our personal daily intake of the Word of God.
And then we see the WHY of all of this come together.
2 Timothy 3:17
“That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
I have 3 observations for us here. These observations are as Paul said, for the man and/or woman of God.
#1. Complete… this is the idea of being competent, capable of living for God all the days of your life. God uses His Scriptures to complete us in this life.
#2. Equipped…this is the idea of being ready for all of the opportunities that God gives you to live for Him and to let your light shine for Him in your generation. God uses His Scriptures to equip us for useful ministry in this life.
#3. Every Good Work…the very purpose for which God saved you. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10 that God saved us unto good works. And here we learn that our interaction with the Word of God is the means by which God plans on making us useful, for every good work, in the divine plan of building up His kingdom and the body of Christ.
As such, the importance of daily Bible intake comes more clearly into view as we see and understand that God’s plan all along was to use His Word, the Bible, to grow us into the image of His Son Jesus Christ, for the purpose of accomplishing His Kingdom work this side of heaven. I like the motto of The Master’s Seminary, “Train for ministry. Lives depend on it.” As you spend time training for ministry in God’s Word, God will use you in the lives of others. Their lives depend on it.
So let’s get into God’s Word in 2024 and allow it to do its good work in our lives each and every day!
Need ideas for a reading plan? Bible Reading Plan Options
Enjoy your time in the Word!
Pastor Ben