God-Breathed: The Sufficient Word for Trying Times

Sermon Text

2 Timothy 3:10-17

10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

• In difficult times, Paul directs Timothy to continue in the sacred writings, which provide the true framework for understanding sin, suffering, and Christian perseverance.
• All Scripture is breathed out by God: the biblical text is fully trustworthy divine speech given through the distinct language and style of human authors.
• Scripture is sufficient as the church's final authority; tradition, expertise, management, and personal interpretation must remain subject to God's Word.
• Careful interpretation respects context, grammar, literary form, historical setting, and the Bible's unified testimony to salvation in Jesus Christ.
• The God-breathed Word teaches doctrine and also reproves, corrects, and trains believers in righteousness so that they are equipped for every good work.

• When life becomes difficult, do I interpret my circumstances through Scripture or through the assumptions of the surrounding culture?
• Do I treat the Bible as God's authoritative Word or merely as religious writing that can inspire me?
• What tradition, expert opinion, personal feeling, or technique am I tempted to place alongside or above Scripture?
• Am I dismissing a clear biblical teaching with the phrase, 'That is just your interpretation,' instead of studying it carefully?
• Do I read passages in context and compare Scripture with Scripture, or mainly look for verses that confirm what I already believe?
• How consistently do I read, hear, memorize, discuss, and apply the Word in personal, family, and church life?
• Where is Scripture presently reproving, correcting, training, or comforting me?

Inspiration

The truth that Scripture is breathed out by God and therefore speaks his trustworthy and authoritative Word.

Inerrancy

The complete trustworthiness of the Bible in all that it teaches and affirms.

Sufficiency of Scripture

The truth that Scripture contains all that God requires for his glory, salvation, faith, and life, whether expressly stated or necessarily deduced.

Hermeneutics

The careful work of interpreting a text according to its words, context, literary form, historical setting, and place in the whole Bible.

Providence

God's meticulous rule over people and events, through which human authors wrote words that are also fully God's Word.

Means of grace

The instruments Christ uses by his Spirit to bring saving truth and growth to his people, including the reading and preaching of Scripture.