AIN’T THE BIBLE GOOD?

2 TIMOTHY

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

    Paul was a mentor to Timothy. Paul knew he would be going to Heaven soon and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he wrote his last letter to Timothy, but not to Timothy alone- but by the providence of God- to all of us. These are not just the words of a great man about be “far better” but instructions from God Himself using the aged apostle as His ready writer.

   In this closing letter the Bible and Christ take center stage. John R. Rice said, “If the Bible is the very Word of God, then Jesus is the very Christ of God. If the Bible is not infallibly inspired and correct, then there is no way to know about the deity of Christ, His virgin birth, bodily resurrection, His miracles and blood atonement: there is no way to know about Heaven or Hell or salvation. Christ and the Bible stand or fall together, and no one is true to Christ who does not accept Him as He appears in the Bible and who does not accept the Bible as Jesus Christ Himself accepted it.” It’s all about the Word, ain’t the Bible good?

 

I. HOW HAVE WE LEARNED THE BIBLE?

 

1. We Learn the Bible through the Help of Others [1:5, 11]

2. We Learn the Bible through the Hard Work of Study [2:14-15]

3. We Learn the Bible through the Holy Spirit of God [3:14-17, 2 Pet. 1:20-21]

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

II. HOW SHOULD WE LOVE THE BIBLE?

 

1. We Must Hold Fast to the Bible [1:13] possess it

2. We Must Continue in Its Teachings [3:14] abide in it, live in it

3. We Must Spread Its Truth [4:2]

 

III. WHO MUST WE LOOK OUT FOR?

 

1. Teach the Bible because of Lusters  Foolishness [4:3]

2. Teach the Bible because of Lovers of Fables [4:4]

3. Teach the Bible because of Losers of the Future [4:14-15]