The Bible Is All Sufficient
I.
INTRODUCTION:
II.
DISCUSSION:
A.
THE ORIGIN OF THE BIBLE:
1.
The Bible is of divine origin:
John
1:1 =
“In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John
1:14 = "And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
a.
The true Bible is “inspired
of God”. [II
Timothy 3:16]
b.
Inspired is from the Greek word = Theopneustos, pronounced (theh-op'-nyoo-stos); meaning divinely breathed
in; or God breathed.
(1)
The Bible contains the thoughts [will] of God and no
man knows the thoughts or the Will of God
unless they are divinely revealed.
1
Corinthians 2:11 =
“For what man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things
of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
(2)
All that is called Scripture, or the Bible, is not
“God breathed”
and is the true Bible, for it is “man breathed”.
2.
The Bible was written by holy men as they were “moved
by the Holy Spirit”
[II
Peter 1:21].
2
Peter 1:18-21
= “And this voice which came from heaven
we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto
ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth
in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise
in your hearts: 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.”
3.
The Bible is a gradual unfolding of God’s Plan
and Will toward man.
Hebrews
1:1-2 =
“God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he
made the worlds;”
B.
THE FUNCTION, OR PURPOSE, OF THE BIBLE:
1.
It is “ Profitable”.
a.
It is from the Greek word - Ophelimos, Pronounced
(o-fel'-ee-mos); meaning
helpful or serviceable, i.e. advantageous:
b.
But just how
profitable is the Bible – just how advantageous and serviceable
is this inspired Bible?
2.
“For Teaching”
a.
It is from the Greek word
Didaskalia,
pronounced (did-as-kal-ee'-ah); Meaning
instruction, the giving of information involved in
the learning process of teaching.
b.
The source of doctrinal instruction concerning the
fundamentals of both physical and spiritual life.
Hebrews
5:12 =
“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers,
ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles
of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of
milk, and not of strong meat.”
Matthew
28:19-20 =
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost:Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
2
Timothy 2:2
= “And
the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to
teach others also.”
1
Peter 4:11 =
“If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the
ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified
through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever
and ever. Amen.”
3.
“For Reproof”
a.
It is from the Greek word Elegmos,
prnounced (el-eng-mos'); found only in 2
Timothy 3:16: conviction (of a sinner), punishment, refutation
of error, reproof. It
has to do with the convicting,
convincing of another of his fault to admonish him by rebuke
or reproving.
b.
God’s inspired Word gives us all that is needed
in the confrontation of error.
(1)
Peter had to be confronted by Paul due to an error.
Galatians
2:12-14 =
“For before that certain came from James,
he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he
withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of
the circumcision.And the other Jews dissembled likewise with
him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their
dissimulation. But
when I saw that
they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel,
I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest
after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why
compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?”
(2)
This is the standard for us to walk in the light of
Christ and have fellowship one with another.
1
John 1:7 =
“But if
we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Note:
The question is constantly being asked today, “Where
is the standard to determine with whom we are to have fellowship?” That standard is the inspired Word of God which will let us
know if we are of the same mind, judgement and not divided.
John
12:48-50 =
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not
my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have
spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which
sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and
what I should speak.
And I know that his commandment is life everlasting:
whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto
me, so I speak.”
1
Corinthians 1:10
= “Now
I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions
among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and in the same judgment.”
4.
“For Correction”
a.
It is from the Greek word - epanorthosis, pronounced
(ep-an-or'-tho-sis); Meaning
to straightening up again, or make correction.
(1)
It was the corrective teaching of Peter concerning a miss understanding of Simon the Sorcerer about the laying
on of hands that led to his repentance [See Acts
8:12-24].
(2)
It was the teaching of Philip to the Eunuch that led
him to be baptized [Acts
8:26-40].
b.
We make many mistakes and need to be corrected.
c.
When we fall it is the Word of God that sets us upright
again.
5.
“For instruction”
a.
It is from the Greek word
- paideia, pronounced (pahee-di'-ah); Meaning tutored, that is one being
educated or trained; by disciplinary correction as chastening,
chastisement, or instruction.
Often used in connection with children = “to train
up a child, instruct, learn or teach.”
b.
The word has always been used in conjunction with discipline,
but here it is directly connected to discipline “that
is in righteousness.”
c.
When we receive
the discipline according to God’s Word, abide
in it and let is mold our character and we grow in the grace
and knowledge of the Son of God.
(1)
We are in the clay in the hands of the potter.
(2)
Under the skillful hands of the Son of God we will
be as He wants us to be and grow in the grace and knowledge
of God.
Isaiah
64:8 =
“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we
are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work
of thy hand.”
Romans
9:21 =
“Hath not the potter power over the clay,
of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another
unto dishonour?”
Romans
6:17 =
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants
of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine
which was delivered you”
2
Timothy 1:13
= “Hold
fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me,
in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
2
Peter 1:5-11
= “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And
to knowledge temperance;
and to temperance
patience; and to patience
godliness; And
to godliness brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make
you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar
off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make
your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things,
ye shall never fall:
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly
into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ.”
C.
THE END TO WHICH THIS ALL-SUFFICIENCY LEADS:
1.
“That the man of God may be perfect”
[KJV}; or “That
the man of God may be complete” [ASV].
[ II
Timothy 3:17]
a.
The word perfect is from the Greek word
- Artios,
pronounced (ar'-tee-os); Meaning:
fresh, that is (by implication) complete or perfect.
b.
The application of verse
II Timothy 3:16 is for the “man of God”
to in a state of readiness when the Lord comes.
(1)
When one obeys the inspired Word of God, he becomes
a Christian born of the water and Spirit
risen from the baptismal birth to “walk in newness
of life” [John
3:5; Romans
6:4].
(2)
When one continues to obey the inspired Word of God
he will live “faithfully unto death”
[Revelation
2:10].
(3)
When one continues to obey the inspired Word of God
he will bow submissively to Biblical reproof when shown he
is in error [Acts
8:12-24]
(4)
When one corrected by the
inspired Word of God he will repent of his error and
seek forgiveness [Luke
13:3].
(5)
When one
daily walks with the Lord, living in obedience to His Word
then he will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and
be acceptable to Jesus to enter into the heavenly home [ II
Peter 1:5-11;
I
John 2:17].
(6)
When one is in complete harmony with the Word of God
he stands in prefect readiness for entering into the presence
of the Father through Christ [John
14:6].
2.
“Throughly furnished unto all good works”
[KJV]; or “Completely
furnished unto every good work” [ASV]
[II
Timothy 3:17]
a.
The word translated “throughly furnished”
or “completely furnished” is from the Greek
Word -
Exartizo,
pronounced (ex-ar-tid'-zo);
Meaning: to
finish out, or to
equip fully as a teacher fully equipped to perform her task. It is used in reference to one being fully prepared (accomplished,
or furnished to carry out assigned tasks.
b.
The man of God that is so completely, or throughly
furnished, by the inspired Word of God to be ready “unto
every good work”.
Philippians
1:6 =
“Being confident of this very thing, that
he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until
the day of Jesus Christ:”
Colossians
1:10 =
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto
all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing
in the knowledge of God;”
2
Timothy 2:21
= “If
a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel
unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and
prepared unto every good work.”
Titus
3:1 =
“Put them in mind to be subject to principalities
and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good
work,”
Hebrews
13:21 =
“Make you perfect in every good work to
do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in
his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever
and ever. Amen.”
III.
CONCLUSION:
|