WHY DO FOLLOWERS OF JESUS NEED THE BIBLE?
Is It Really Essential To the Christian Life?
There are thousands of self-help books on the market today. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands that have been written throughout history. Add to that the numerous current media options like blogs, videos and podcasts…
There is no shortage of information to help us live a supposed better life.
As Christians, we can feel the pull of the self-help phenomena. Instead of reaching for our Bibles, we’re tempted to Google for answer to our current situation or struggle.
I’ve totally fell into that trap regarding the leadership genre; too often I find myself scrolling through blogs for an answer instead of flipping through my Bible.
Why do we need the Bible?
Is Scripture really that important? Why is it so closely connected to the Christian faith? As Followers of Jesus, why should we bother reading the Bible at all, never mind on a daily basis? Will it really have impact?
In the grand scheme of life, what’s the point?
2 Timothy 3:10-17
“10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings – what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.“
Let’s break this passage down:
Paul (3:10-11)
In these verses, Paul reminds Timothy of his own character and commitment to the Gospel.
Paul speaks of his teaching, his way of life, his purpose, his faith, his patience, his love, his endurance, his persecutions and his sufferings. Most importantly, Paul points how God has always been faithful to him and helped him endure all things.
Paul’s Christian life was difficult.
Christians (3:12-13)
In 12 and 13 we see that God leads Paul to reference every Follower of Jesus.
These are not the most uplifting of verses, but it’s important for all Christians to know, that a decision to follow Jesus will have difficulties attached. And at some point in the Christian life, those difficulties will include persecution of some form.
Every Christian life is difficult.
Timothy (3:14-15)
Verses 14 and 15 are directed to and about Paul’s young apprentice Timothy.
As the books of 1 and 2 Timothy show us, Paul must have taught Timothy many things during their missionary journeys together. Moreover, Timothy learned a lot from his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois (mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:5).
Timothy’s ready for the Christian life.
But how, how is Timothy ready for the Christian life? How can we be ready for the Christian life? The next 2 verses state it clearly.
The Bible (3:16-17)
It all comes down to the Scriptures, the Word of God. Following Jesus is directly connected with the Bible. We can’t have one without the other.
When life get’s difficult, a Follower of Jesus (a Christian) should automatically look to the Bible for answers.
What’s the point?
This week we’ll be focusing on the importance of the Bible. Specifically using 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to answer, “Why read the Bible? What’s the point?” We’ll explore 3 key components found in these verses:
- The Bible is God-breathed.
- The Bible is useful.
- The Bible thoroughly equips.
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