Ekklesia Muskogee

A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man. (2 Tim. 3:16,17; John 20:31; Acts 24:14; 1 Cor. 10:11; Eccles. 12:13)

I. THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH WHAT MAN IS TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD

GENESIS 1:1
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

EXODUS 34:6-7
“6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty…”

HEBREWS 1:1-3
“1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

REVELATION 22:1-5
“1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

“The man who comes to a right belief about God is relieved of 10,000 temporal problems.” — A.W. Tozer

Would you relieve yourself of 10,000 problems? Get a right belief about God. That’s what the Scriptures principally teach.

II. THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH WHAT DUTY GOD REQUIRES OF MAN

DEUTERONOMY 29:29
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

What duty does God require of man? Here are 8 main duties the Lord Jesus requires of us in Scripture.

I) It is your duty to love the LORD with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength

MARK 12:29-30
29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

II) It is your duty to love your neighbor as yourself

MARK 12:31
“The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Have you done that? I can tell you with absolute certainty you have not done that and I have not done that.

ROMANS 3:22-23
22 For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

Our problem is that there is no small sin because there is no small God to sin against. There is only the infinitely holy One who created us, upholds us, gives all gifts of life to us. He has clearly revealed in our conscience and in the Bible what He requires of us, yet we have all gladly rebelled against Him.We have preferred our way to His, our kingship to His, our rules to His, our path to His, our glory to His. Will what is made say to it’s maker, “You have no right to tell me what to do”? Not with impunity. Sin is cosmic treason.

GALATIANS 3:10, 13
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”. . . 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”

The gospel is the good news that what God requires, He provides in Jesus Christ. Whom He provides for by Christ, He purifies by the Holy Spirit. Whom He purifies by the Spirit, He protects by His providence. And whom He protects by His providence, He will one day perfect in His presence.

III) As a sinner who is in the path of the wrath of God, it is your duty to repent and believe the gospel

MARK 1:14-15
14 Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

JOHN 6:28-29
28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

IV) In Christ, your duty is to take up your cross and follow Jesus

MARK 8:34-38
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Recommendation: John Piper’s book What Jesus Demands from the World.

V) In Christ, it is our duty to make disciples of all nations

MATTHEW 28:19-20
“18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

VI) In Christ, it is your duty to act and speak in order to glorify God in all of life

1 CORINTHIANS 10:31
“whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

MATTHEW 5:16
“let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

VII) In Christ, it is your duty to worship God in all of life, especially as a member of a local church

HEBREWS 10:24-25
“24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

VIII) In Christ, it is your duty to be anxious for nothing, casting all your anxieties on Him 

PHILIPPIANS 4:6
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

1 PETER 5:6-7
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

ROMANS 8:32-34
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 

“To withhold Scripture from anyone is an act of ecclesiastical robbery as well as spiritual murder.” — Wilhelmus A. Brakel

ANSWER. All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Scriptures. (John 5:39; Luke 16:29; Acts 8:28-30; 17:11)

I. ALL MEN ARE NOT ONLY PERMITTED

We are permitted to make use of the Scriptures. In fact, Jesus expects us to!

Matthew 12:3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

Matthew 12:5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

Matthew 19:4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female,

Matthew 22:31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God:

Mark 12:10 Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

Mark 12:26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

Luke 6:3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:

My question to you is this: Have you read?

II. BUT COMMANDED AND EXHORTED

We are commanded and exhorted explicitly:

Isaiah 8:20 “To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.”

2 Peter 1:19 “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place.”

Luke‬ ‭16:29‬ “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’”

We are commanded and exhorted by example:

Mark‬ ‭12:24 “Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?”

Acts 17:11-12‬ “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.”

III. READ, HEAR, AND UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES

Psalm 119:97-105

97 Oh how I love your law!
 It is my meditation all the day. 
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
 for it is ever with me.
 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
 for your testimonies are my meditation.
 100 I understand more than the aged,
 for I keep your precepts. 
101 I hold back my feet from every evil way,
 in order to keep your word. 102 I do not turn aside from your rules,
 for you have taught me. 
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through your precepts I get understanding;
 therefore I hate every false way.
 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
 and a light to my path.

NOTICE THE MANY WAYS GOD COMMUNICATES TO US IN HIS WORD.

Look at Psalm 119:97-105 and see the variety of words he uses to describe what we simply call “The Bible.

Your Law (v.97)
Your Commandment (v.98)
Your Testimonies (v.99)
Your Precepts (v.100)
Your Word (v.101)
Your Rules (v.102)
Your Words (v.103)
Your Precepts, again (v.104)
Your Word, again (v.105)

WHAT MUST WE DO WITH GOD’S WORD?

I) Read / Study (implied in every verse)

II) Meditate / Reflect / Think (v.97, 99)

III) Memorize (v.98 “for they are ever with me”)

Jesus modeled this for us perfectly in his earthly ministry. Almost every time there is a problem or someone has a question Jesus would say either, “Have you not read?” or “Gegrapeti!” which means “It is written.”

IV) Keep/Obey (v.100-102)

Jesus himself says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” To Keep Gods Word is also part of our Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus also commands us through his earthly brother James, “Do not be hearers of the Word only, but doers!” What must we do with God’s Word? We must be readers, meditators, memorizers, and keepers.

WHAT DOES GOD DO TO US THROUGH HIS WORD?

Through His word, God gives us:
His Teaching (102)
Wisdom (v.98)
Understanding (v.99,100,104)
Holiness and Hatred of sin (v.101-102, 104-105)
Joy (v.103)

Jeremiah the Prophet says it like this: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” – Jeremiah 15:16

Why joy? Because the main thing God is communicating to us in His word is Jesus.

THE WHOLE BIBLE IS ABOUT JESUS.

In Genesis, Jesus is the Seed of the woman who will crush the head of the serpent.

In Exodus, Jesus is the Passover Lamb, slain so the LORD’s people can be spared justice.

In Leviticus, Jesus is our true High Priest offering a better sacrifice than the others.

In Numbers, Jesus is the Pillar of cloud by day and the Pillar of fire by night, leading His people to the Promised Land.

In Deuteronomy, Jesus is the Prophet like Moses whom we must listen to or perish.

In Joshua, Jesus is the Captain of the LORD’s army, making war on His enemies.

In Judges, Jesus is the Judge we long for to correct our rebellious hearts.

In Ruth, Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer.

In 1st and 2nd Samuel, Jesus is our trusted Prophet, revealing God perfectly to us.

In Kings and Chronicles, Jesus is the King we long for who will rule righteously forever.

In Ezra, Jesus is the Rebuilder of the broken down walls of the city of God.

In Esther, Jesus is the one who doesn’t simply RISK his life, but GIVES his life to save his people.

In Job, Jesus is our ever-living Redeemer.

In Psalms, Jesus is the Son we must Kiss and our Good Shepherd.

In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, Jesus is the very embodiment of wisdom.

In the Song of Solomon, Jesus is the Church’s Loving Bridegroom.

In Isaiah, Jesus is the Prince of Peace, the Gospel Preacher, and the Suffering Servant.

In Jeremiah, Jesus is the Righteous Branch.

In Lamentations, Jesus is the better Weeping Prophet—who doesn’t simply weep for sin but kills sin by letting himself be killed in the place of sinners.

In Ezekiel, Jesus is the wonderful Four-Faced man.

In Daniel, Jesus is the fourth Man in the fiery furnace with Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, he’s the One who closes the lion’s mouths for Daniel, and He is the Son of Man given an eternal Kingdom after His ascension.

In Hosea, Jesus is the Faithful Husband, forever married to the backslider.

In Joel, Jesus is the baptizer with the Holy Spirit.

In Amos, Jesus is our true Burden-Bearer.

In Obadiah, Jesus is the One Mighty to Save.

In Jonah, Jesus is the better one that was thrown into the sea of God’s wrath so those on board would be spared.

In Micah, Jesus is the Messenger with beautiful feet.

In Nahum, Jesus is the Avenger of God’s elect.

In Habakkuk, Jesus is God’s evangelist.

In Zephaniah, Jesus is our Saviour.

In Haggai, Jesus is the restorer of God’s lost heritage.

In Zechariah, Jesus is the fountain opened up in the house of David for sin and uncleanness.

In Malachi, Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness, rising with healing in His wings.

In the Gospel Accounts, Jesus is the God-Man come to save sinners by grace.

In Acts, we see what Jesus continued to do the first 30 years after He ascended to Heaven.

All the Letters of the New Testament clarify who He is, what His gospel means, how we should live for Him, and to watch out for those who teach contrary to His Prophets and Apostles.

In Revelation, Jesus is our coming King—He will slay men who refuse to come to Him and remain in their sin; He will perfect His people who trust Him by faith and He will perfect the entire world. Those who refuse to repent and believe on Jesus and His gospel will be thrown in the fiery pit of hell to be punished for their sin for all eternity. Those who belong to Jesus in this life will belong to Him forever in the perfect life to come, where we will enjoy Him forever for His glory and our gladness!

A. The Bible evidences itself to be God’s Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, its power to convert sinners and to edify saints; but the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God. (1 Cor. 2:6,7,13; Ps. 119:18, 129; Acts 10:43, 26:22; Acts 18:28; Heb 4:12; Ps. 19:7-9; Rom. 15:4; John 16:13,14; 1 John 2:20-27; 2 Cor. 3:14-17)

NATURAL WAYS WE KNOW THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

The Bible evidences itself to be God’s Word by…

I. THE HEAVENLINESS OF ITS DOCTRINE

ISAIAH 55:8-9 
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

“The mystery of Scripture is so [perplexing] and profound that no man or angel could have known it, had it not been divinely revealed. That eternity—should be born; that he who thunders in the heavens—should cry in the cradle; that he who rules the stars—should suck the breasts; that the Prince of Life—should die; that the Lord of Glory—should be put to shame; that sin should be punished to the full—yet pardoned to the full; who could ever have conceived of such a mystery, had not the Scripture revealed it to us?” – Thomas Watson. Works. Monergism Books. Kindle Edition.

II. THE UNITY OF ITS PARTS

40 authors, spanning 1,400 years, all with one message: “God is holy, man is not, Christ Jesus came to save sinners, we must turn from sin to faith in God’s Savior.”

ACTS 26:22-23 
22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.

ROMANS 4:2-6 
“2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

III. ITS POWER TO CONVERT SINNERS

HEBREWS 4:12 
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

1 PETER 1:23-25 “you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for 
“All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

ACTS 2:37 
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

MARTIN LUTHER: I beat importunately upon Paul at that place, most ardently desiring to know what St. Paul wanted. At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’” There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. There a totally other face of the entire Scripture showed itself to me.” – The Legacy of Luther, Sproul and Nichols, Reformation Trust

CHARLES SPURGEON: lifting up his hands, [the man] shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist could do, “Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin’ to do but to look and live.” I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said,—I did not take much notice of it,—I was so possessed with that one thought. Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with me. I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard that word, “Look!” what a charming word it seemed to me! Oh! I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away. There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that instant, and sung with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the simple faith which looks alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me this before, “Trust Christ, and you shall be saved.” Yet it was, no doubt, all wisely ordered, and now I can say,— “Ever since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die.” – Charles Spurgeon, Autobiography: The Early Years, Banner of Truth

IV. ITS POWER TO EDIFY SAINTS

LUKE 24:25-27, 30-32 
“25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. . . . 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

EPHESIANS 2:19-21 
19 you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

NATHAN COLE: “And my hearing [George Whitefield] preach gave me a heart wound; by Gods blessing my old foundation was broken up, and I saw that my righteousness would not save me, then I was convinced of the doctrine of Election.” – George Leon Walker, Some Aspects of the Religious Life of New England (New York: Silver, Burnett, and Company, 1897), 89–92.

THE SUPERNATURAL WAY WE KNOW THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

I. But the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God.

2 CORINTHIANS 2:13 “And we impart [wisdom] in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”

2 CORINTHIANS 3:14-17 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

1 JOHN 2:20 “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.”

Beloved, it is not enough to know the Scriptures and trust that they are the word of God.

JOHN 5:39-40 “39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

You must go to Jesus is faith, whom the whole Bible reveals! Your GPS can tell you exactly how to get to the Grand Canyon, but you have to go there to see it. The Bible tells you perfectly how to have eternal life, but you have to go to Jesus to get it.

A. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, being given by divine inspiration, are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Isaiah 8:20)

Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.2 is this: What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him? 

I. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments

OLD TESTAMENT: We use the same OT Jesus used, which excluded the Apocrypha. 

LUKE 11:50-51 “50b …the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.”

NEW TESTAMENT: Jesus promised His Apostles would speak on His behalf.

JOHN 16:12-14 “12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

2 PETER 3:15-16 “15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”

Watson: “The two Testaments are the two lips by which God has spoken to us.”

II. are the Word of God

1 THESSALONIANS 2:13 “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”

III. being given by divine inspiration

2 TIMOTHY 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God (theopneustos).”

2 PETER 1:20-21 20b “…no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along (same word as “born from heaven”) by the Holy Spirit.”

IV. the only infallible rule of faith and practice

INFALLIBLE (inerrant; perfect)

Psalm 19:7-11 7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
     making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
     rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
     enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
     and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

FAITH

ISAIAH 8:19-20 19 “And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

2 TIMOTHY 3:14-17 14 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God…

PRACTICE

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

BRAKEL: “The written Word is competent to teach the truth, to rebuke error, to correct evil, and to identify that which is good, so man may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. In one word, it is able to make man wise unto salvation. More one need not desire, for to have this is to have all. Indeed, the vitality and efficacy of Scripture is such that it is both perfect and sufficient.”

WATSON: “The Word is the judge of controversies, the rock of infallibility. That only is to be received as truth which agrees with Scripture, as the transcript with the original. All maxims of divinity are to be brought to the touchstone of Scripture, all measures are brought to the standard.”

DR. MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: “Here in this Book is a message that would solve every single problem of the human race.”