…that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work(2 Timothy 3:17 – ESV)
The Gospel, the spread of it, and your inclusion into it are all about Christ. Jesus is the one who called Paul to salvation and apostleship and Jesus equipped him for the mission. He is the one who called you and He will empower you for service in His kingdom. If you have answered the call to salvation, it is high time to answer the call to service. We also have the ministry of reconciliation, the ministry of miracles, and so forth. Not exactly the same as Paul had, his mission was unique, but your mission is also unique, and you need special equipment to do the task. With Bible in hand and heart (Colossians 3:16) you have all you will ever need.
You are called, and you have everything you need to perform every good work right at your fingertips. At other times we have discussed the futility of trying to serve in your own power. The Bible, through its great and precious promises, is how you are made a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:2-4). Whatever grace, guidance, or gifts you may receive they are to be found in God’s Word. Jesus, the Living Word, will give to you from His written Word.
We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). What you need is Christ, not some self help book; do it His way (Colossians 2:6-10). The Spirit changes us as we behold Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). When you have the Word then you have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), and you have the Spirit, for the Spirit and the Word are one (1 John 5:7). He has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:2-4 – “knowledge” here is epignosis – a fuller knowledge, a growing recognition).
We see how everything we need is wrapped up in Jesus, and we acquire these things from Him by the promises in the Word of God. It is through the Bible that we receive the power of the divine nature. Indeed the Word of God is ALIVE (Hebrews 4:12)! This is where we get our needs for sanctification met (2 Corinthians 7:1): through the Word we are thoroughly equipped (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Discernment point: Regarding your needs for life and godliness, remember this:
IF YOU ARE GETTING IT OUTSIDE THE WORD OF GOD
THEN YOU ARE GETTING IT OUTSIDE THE WILL OF GOD.
7 comments:
Those are great verses to make such a impotant point with. Praise God!
Excellent points JD, we need to be constantly reminded that Christ is sufficient.
I wonder what it would be like if we all laid aside our commentaries, and simply focused on the Word of God for a year?
Amen, brother!
Thanks, guys...
Jim, two things...
First, I am not saying we shouldn't read books, but I am saying any book we read and take advice from should line up with the precepts the Word lays out...it is the Word (view) that should shape our world (view)...otherwise, lets all stop blogging (no, no, no, aaaahhhh)...
That being said, we all should make sure our noses are in our Bibles, everyday, and that our lips are swelling to speak of God's message and meaning and magnification through the Word dwelling in us richly with all wisdom...
Second, I think it wise to come to the text first, then afterwards look to the commentaries to see if we are the only ones thinking this new thing we may have found...not that we cannot see nuance no one has picked up on, or perhaps hasn't written on, or we haven't seen anything written on, yet, just that it prolly shouldn't be something completely new, and of course, it must be in line with the whole of the scriptural witness, not simply "verses in a vacuum"...
We might just see some future post action from what I just wrote...
God bless you all for coming over here...
JD, I agree with you on your second point with a caveat. If you only have one viewpoint of books in your library, you will obviously arrive at the same conclusion or think yourself obviously wrong if you have another.
Of course, anyone who will faithfully study the word of God asking the Holy Spirit to guide them in all truth, will continue to grow in truth and grace just as your post has emphasized.
Jim, I agree with you, in that if you mean we need some Reformed perspective, Wesleyan perspective, etc., I agree, we need to round out our understanding of others' viewpoints, not simply parrot the party line...
This would also go with the first point, it is good to know what other religions believe and why they believe it, again, not just parrot the party line, which also means we need to know what and why we believe also.
My point is not to drink at the well too deeply, and to counter balance your reading with Scripture or scripturally based material, and let the Bible be the #1 reading source, so you can see the difference, be able to articulate your positions and the differences, and hopefully, become more grounded in confidence and the truth of your faith, and help others to do so as well...
Thanks for the input...
Oh, and from one Jim to another, if you link me I will return the favor...
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