"But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 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. 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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:14-17
Some may wonder: "Why the emphasis on teaching, studying and learning the Scriptures? Why did the Apostle Paul command Timothy to preach the Word, to use the Word to reprove, rebuke and exhort? Why are ministers today commanded to preach the Word and nothing but the Word?"
The answer is quite simple. It is through the Holy Scriptures that we are made "wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." The Scriptures reveal our utter sinfulness and the judgment of God upon our sins; and the Scriptures reveal our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the salvation God provided for us when He sent His only-begotten Son into the world to suffer and to die for our sins and then rise again.
And the Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, are His Word, not man's. They are useful and profitable for teaching, for reproving, for correcting our erring ways, and for instruction in righteous living. They provide us with all we need to know to be thoroughly furnished to do those works God created us to do (cf. Eph. 2:8-10).
God's Word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path (Ps. 119:105), and God desires and commands that we study and learn His Word (cf. Matt. 28:19-20; John 8:31-32; Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Rom. 10:17).
Of course, the day has come when people don't wish to hear the Word (cf. 2 Tim. 4:3-4; John 3:19-21). They hire preachers who do not preach the Word or who explain it away and water it down. And, as a result, they do not see their sinfulness and do not look to Christ for their salvation.
But, that we might be saved, we need to continue in the Word and hold fast to the truth we have learned from the Word that we would be made "wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Move us, O Lord, to continue in Your Word that we might know Christ and salvation through faith in His name. Amen.
[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. More of Moll's devotional writings are freely available at https://goodshepherdonline.org. Moll may be contacted at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.]