Today’s Thoughts – 22 February 2021
By T. S. Candee on February 22, 2021 in Second Timothy Thoughts
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Why is the Word of God so important to a Christian? The answer lies in the verses we study today. The Word of God is so important to Christians today because it transforms our lives and directs us to conform closer to the image of God’s Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29).
God’s Word can do this because it is literally God’s words. They are given to us by God, and they are God-breathed. The inspiration here does not speak of a painter being inspired to design a masterpiece, but instead of God breathing out His words to men of God who wrote them down without error. This is Biblical inspiration (2 Peter 1:20-21).
When we understand that, we understand that the Word of God is true and that there are no mistakes, errors, or false teachings contained in it. And when we understand that, we can allow it to transform our lives and make us ready for service to God.
Whatever the Bible says about itself, man, God, life, death, history, science, and every other subject is true.
We then see what the Word of God can be profitable for:
Doctrine: Simply put, this is what is right. There are many doctrines in the Bible, but they are all doctrines that are true. The doctrine that the Word of God teaches us will tell us the right way to go in the paths of life.
Reproof: Reproof is what tells us what is wrong. When there is something that is right, there will always be something that is wrong. And when we read the Word of God, we should be convicted of what is wrong in our life so that we can remove it from our life.
Correction: This is the idea of how to get right. You’ve read what is right and what is wrong, so now you have correction to tell you how to get right and turn from what is wrong. We should allow the Word of God to correct us and our behavior.
Instructions: Finally, this is how to stay right. When we know what is right and wrong, and how to get right, we should desire to stay right with God. This can be done through the instructions that God has given to us in His Word.
All of this is profitable to us because our goal in life should be to please and glorify God. This can be done by being more and more like Jesus Christ. Jesus was perfect – even sinlessly perfect – because He was 100% man and 100% God. We cannot be sinlessly perfect until we are with Him in heaven.
But we can be perfect here on earth. This perfect, though, means to be completed or in fit condition. We can be used greatly by God and be complete for him if we yield ourselves to the Word of God and the transformative powers it has on us.
And like a house may already come with the furniture when we buy the house, we can have all the tools and be equipped to serve God with our lives if we simply open God’s Word, read it, and apply it in our lives. We can have furnished and complete lives because we allow the Word of God to teach, convict, correct, and instruct us each day.
