Good morning brothers. It’s great joy to study, to meditate the Word of God. We are going through the series of 2nd Timothy.
Now we are in chapter 3, verse 13 to 16. We are going to study today and next week also. I know you all came here to study the Word, to know about the Word.
But it is very clear, it is very evident that one who honors the Word will be useful by God. One who does not honor the Word, he cannot be useful by the Lord. The Word of God is the source or we can say the Word of God is the means to save sinners.
The Word of God is the means to sanctify sinners. We know you all came here to serve the Church, right? If you want to serve the Church, if you want to preach the Gospel, you need to know the Word of God. You should honor the Word of God.
So that is very important. It is very clear, even Paul before he is going to die, he is exalting the importance of the Scripture. The Scripture is so important in lives of a pastor or minister.
If you want to serve the Church, you should honor the Word of God. You should cling to the Word of God. One day I went to ocean to swim with my brother.
I was swimming with him, very near to him because I was not very confident about my swimming. So one time what happened, I went little further inside the ocean. Then I lost my confidence.
I thought waves are pulling me inside. I decided, I thought I am going to die today. Then I was calling my brother, hey brother come, come, I am going to die.
The waves are pulling me inside. Then finally my brother has come and saved me my life. So why I am telling this one, I left my brother companion.
I thought I am so confident about my swimming, I went inside, I left my brother. So I am going to die. I was in the danger.
If you are leaving the Word of God, if you are not honoring the Word of God, if you don’t have the company of Word of God, you are in danger. You will destroy the Church, you will destroy your life if you don’t have Word of God with you. If you are leaving the Word of God, what you have alone.
That’s what Paul is saying here. Don’t leave the Word of God. You should continue in the Word of God.
We can see that the truth from verse 13 to verse 16. We know most of us like verse 16 and 17, right? Famous verse. Even that one also we are going to deal next week.
Just it reads like this. But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse. Deceiving and being deceived.
Verse 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Verse 16 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for refuge, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be at fit, equipped for every good work. You can see the theme of this passage, clinging to the Word of Truth.
You need to cling, you need to hold to the Word of Truth. It says very clearly, right? Verse 13 But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse. Verse 14 You, however, continue in the things.
The only command we can see in this passage, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of. The idea of continuing is someone who does not leave a certain place. That is the basic mean.
It’s like abiding. Here Paul is commanding Timothy he must continue. He must not leave the things that he has learned, that he is convinced about.
But he should do ongoing state. It is present tense. Sometimes a minister, he holds the Word of God very seriously, continually.
Sometimes he does not read the Word of God continually. He does not believe the Word of God continually. So here what Paul is saying, you should not leave the Word of God.
You should always respect, you should always meditate and read. Be faithful to that what you have believed. Here idea is Timothy should train himself so that he may not leave the truth that he has learned.
Paul was not saying casually, hey whether you leave or not. He is not saying like that. You should not leave.
You should keep the Word of God with you continually. Look at verse 14. Paul says that you however.
Which indicates Timothy should continue in things that he has learned. Whatever situation is around him. Whatever situation that he sees because of false teachers.
He must continue in the Word of God. Look at verse 14. It says he said that you have learned and become convinced of.
He is explaining, he is describing from what kind of word, what kind of things you should continue. That is he is explaining becoming convinced of. This refers to Timothy being convinced that whatever he has learned, he believed those are truth.
Paul is telling him the main idea of this passage is to continue in the Word of God. Word of truth. It is very clear.
That is truth. You believe that. It is true, very true.
Whatever you learn. So you please believe in that. Please keep those word with you because of all circumstances.
The Word of God is true brothers and sisters. There is no error in this. All scripture is without error.
I mean the original manuscript. Everything without, everything has truth. The Word of God is truth because it came from God.
That’s why Timothy believed. He is not saying you will believe. You convinced about this.
You came to know that this is truth. Whatever you learn, it is true, right? Because it is very true, the Word of God. Even Psalm 19 verse 9 says judgments of the Lord are true.
They are true. Brothers, you believe that. Did you believe whatever you learn from the scripture are true? Continuing that.
Please hold on that. Don’t leave that truth. Because of circumstances.
Here Paul gives the reasons and cause why he must continue in the truth. Which is scripture. We can take verse 13 as first indirect reason why Timothy must continue in the faith.
Verse 14 to 17 he is giving another main reason why Timothy must continue. Be faithful to the truth. What are the circumstances? What are the things that causes even pastors, ministers to leave the Word of God? Facing the teaching of false teachers.
If you are listening false teachings again and again, one day you will doubt what you have learned. You are so confident about the Word of God. But one day because of false teaching you think you will doubt the truth.
What you have learned. And also loving worldly wisdom. Thinking about philosophies.
You remember Colossians. They are facing the teachings of philosophy. We don’t need the Word of God.
We don’t need the Christ. We need philosophies. If you love the worldly wisdom, philosophies, there is a temptation to doubt the Word of God is not true.
Not only that facing persecution. When you are going through suffering, whether sickness, whatever situation you are facing, that time you will think. Is it true? What I have believed? Did you thought, did you think any time these things are true? But Paul is reminding Timothy.
Timothy listen, you must continue in that. What you have learned. You came to know that all things are true.
You convinced about that. We know many times even from churches, Christians, so called Christians, they used to come to the church. One day they will leave the church.
They leave Christ. Because they thought whatever they learned in the church from the preaching, that is not true. One day you are going to face brothers.
Those who are coming to a church, church they will leave immediately. Why? Because they are not thinking the Word of God is true. That’s why Paul is reminding even though he is going to die, he is helping Timothy.
Timothy careful, I am going to die but don’t leave the Word of God. Because it is the means of salvation, means of sanctification. It is so important.
Before you are going to die, you will tell all your property, things and documents to your children. Because that is very important. Paul is not telling what he has kept for Timothy, his spiritual chair, but he is telling most important thing, don’t leave Word of God.
I know one brother like you, he came to PTS. Because he is not believing the truth from the scripture. He left PTS in second year.
Some of the things we believe in the scripture, he is not believing. Just he is making argument, just he left after second year. Because they are not willing to believe what is the truth.
That’s why Paul is encouraging Timothy, don’t leave the Word of God, cling to the Word of God. That’s what I want to encourage. That is the lesson you need to take from this passage, from this lesson.
Two reasons why a man of God must cling to the truth. First reason why a man of God must cling to the Word of Truth is evil men increase in wickedness. I told you it is indirect reason why a man of God should continue in the truth.
Look at verse 13, it says 13 and 14. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Look at verse 14.
You however, did you see that? You however, whatever circumstances you see, whoever preaching truth badly, whoever teaching false things, but you don’t care about those things. However, you continue in the things you have learned, become convinced of. Did you understand? The false teachers are teaching errors about the truth, about God, about Christ, about Holy Spirit, about all things.
But whatever they do, the false teachers are becoming worse and worse but don’t care about those people. You however, continue in the truth. That is the first reason why a man of God must continue in the truth.
Paul used the future tense here which indicates that something will come to pass, take place. One day it will happen. What is that? Evil men who are deceivers will progress from bad to worse.
This will take place, come to pass in future. Don’t think initially they are less evil people but in future they will become worse and worse. False teachers, they may have less evil initial days but one day they will show all their wickedness.
They will progress into what is worse, will become worse and worse. We know that 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 to 5, the list, the list of sins. We know this list is talking about general people sins and also false teachers sins.
If you read verse 2, man will be lovers of self, the lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, treacherous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Holding to form of godliness although they have denied it. See these all evilness will increase in future.
That’s what Paul is saying. Even false teachers will increase in their wickedness more and more. That’s why you need to continue in the word of God.
Why they are progressing, increasing in the evil wickedness? Because they don’t honor the word of God. They don’t know the word of God. So you need to continue in that.
Even John MacArthur, he says like this, the dangerous movement of false teachers will become increasingly more successful until Christ comes. Before, until Christ comes, these false teachers, they will do more evil, more evil. If you ask why? The answer is even God will judge them through deluding influence, even deceiving influence.
God allows them to be deceived, to be deceived. 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 11. If you see 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 11 it says, For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.
See God, God is using Satan, other sources, Antichrist to deceive others who believes errors. Why God is allowing these things? Because God gave many chances to people to repent of their errors, to repent of their evilness. They are not obeying, they are not honoring the truth, they are not believing the truth.
So God is judging them through sending deceiving influence. If God is allowing them to be deceived, think about evilness. We need to be very careful.
Even that is judging, right? God gives you many chances, believe the word of God. Trust these are truth. But if you are not believing, if you are not confessing of your sins which is against the Bible, then one day God will judge those people, false teachers.
I am not saying He will tempt, He will allow believers to be deceived. I am saying He will allow unbelievers, false teachers to be deceived. You know that, look at verse 13 it says, They are described as imposters, you can say deceivers, who pretend themselves for something that they are not.
That is the idea. It says right, evil men and imposters. Literally meaning of this word is magician who works with verbal formulation.
Just using his word and helping others to do evil things. That is the idea. The person who entices others to impious evil action by his moral religious words.
Did you see? They are people, they use moral words, moral speech, religious words. Did you see any false teachers? They are using Bible and explaining things from the Bible. Leading others into, to do sin, into error.
They make others to do evil action through their evil words. They are the ones who make others to do sin through their teaching. That is the idea, imposters means.
They are deceivers. They look like they are true teachers but they are not true teachers. Most of the people are running after them.
Did you see? Like Benny and other people, they have more so called believers. Why people are running after them? They look like they are true teachers but they are not true teachers. They are manipulating flock, they are manipulating people and deceiving other people.
So they are so dangerous we can say that. How they are doing these things with their words? Look at 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 6 to 7. 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 6 to 7. It says, For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women, weigh down their sins, led on by various impulses. Verse 7, Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.
They don’t know the truth but they preach. They don’t know the truth but they preach. We can see that very clearly.
They are misleading the people. They are deceiving the people. They look like true teachers but they are not true teachers.
That’s why they are evil men. We see some example how they will become worse and worse. Some preachers are teaching homosexual is ok.
Some preachers are saying that it’s like that is hormonal problem. You can be a homosexual. You can lust after men.
It is ok. Even preachers are teaching those things. They can be in the church.
They can continue to do those things. Not only that, polygamy is ok. They will become worse and worse.
I know one pastor. He is not good pastor. He is evil man.
One day he went to one house. Husband and wife, they both are fighting. Then why they both are fighting? This person has illegal affair with some other woman.
That pastor went to counsel that person. Why you are fighting? You need to maintain secretly. See how I am maintaining secretly with two wives.
He is pastor. Did you see? Did you observe? See I have two wives. I am maintaining without fight.
How you are coming out? Making this issue bigger. Somebody asked him why you are doing like this? Why you are teaching like this? He told Abraham has two wives. David has how many wives? If they have done, I will do.
See these are teachers. They will become worse and worse. Worshipping idols.
One pastor is preaching. I don’t know what he is saying. Chief minister is worshipping idol.
He can be a Christian. He is worshipping idol because he is chief minister. So that is not sin.
So you can be a Christian but you can worship idols. These things are preached by so called teachers. Marrying unbeliever.
If you marry unbeliever, then she will become Christian. Where is in the Bible? Where is in the Bible? To change heart of unbelievers, you need to marry. If you heard these kind of teachings, you are giving your life to save that person.
Where is in the Bible? Not paying taxes to government. Do you know that? One organization burned almost one crore rupees when they heard income tax officers are coming. Robbing God’s money, keeping money, so much money but they are not using properly for the kingdom of God.
Just burning those things. The evil men. Fox teachers will become evil more and more.
Even pastors, brothers. They are leading others from the truth. Leading them in the error and sins.
Two evidences of their increase in wickedness. First evidence of their increase in wickedness is they deceive others. So that is the symptom.
They deceive others. The meaning of the word deceiving is to lead away from the truth. To lead into error.
To mislead. That is the definition of deceiving. Do you know Matthew chapter 24 verse 4 Jesus said like this.
The same word used here. Jesus answered and said to them see to it that no one misleads you. Misleading is deceiving.
Verse 5 he says many will come in my name saying I am Christ and will mislead many. See so many pastors, teachers they say Christ is God but they preach false things about him. They mislead many people.
Verse 11 it says Matthew chapter 24 verse 11 Many false prophets will arise will mislead many. Verse 24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead if false will even the elect. They cannot mislead elect.
God will save those he elected already but they will try to mislead even elect. They will try to deceive. They will come to house to house.
If you are pastoring one church you won’t preach every Sunday and you won’t care about the life of believers. You need to think who are coming to their house. What they are preaching to them.
You need to ask them. You need to tell them if anybody is coming bringing another news another truth please come to me. Talk with me.
You need to tell your congregation in future because they will deceive. They will mislead people. They lead others astray from the truth.
God, Christ they are more dangerous brothers. Leading others into error is more evil than other sins. Did you understand? Leading others into some kind of sin is less dangerous.
Leading others into error is more dangerous. They are evil men because they are deceivers. They deceive through their teaching.
You know 1st John chapter 2 verse 22 says about these deceivers those who deceive. Verse 22 says who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is Christ. This is the antichrist the one who denies the father and the son.
Whoever denies the son does not have father. The one who confess the son has the father also. Verse 26 he says these things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.
False teachers are deceiving congregation. Even they are deceiving some pastors who don’t know the word of God. Just they listen to them they believe whatever they are saying right.
They teach Christ is not enough for salvation. Need works to be saved. Christ is not God.
They say Christ is not inferior. Christ is inferior to God. They deceive others through their false teachings.
I know one person he is also false teacher. He says God is God. Christ is son of God and also Holy Spirit also inferior to God the father.
Christ and the Holy Spirit both are brothers but they are not equal to the God the father. He is teaching those teachings. So deceiving the churches by saying Christ is not God.
Christ is not Lord. But you need to be careful about that. Anyway we won’t preach those teachings.
If someone is preaching around your churches please protect your church. The second evidence of their increase in wickedness is they deceive themselves. They deceive others.
They deceive themselves. This means to wander, fall away from the truth by others. They will be deceived by others.
They are being fallen away from truth. They think whatever they are preaching that is true but that is not true. One day they are going to be deceived.
If so called false teachers like Benjamin, other people if they are not repenting of their sins they are going to be deceived by themselves, by others, by Satan. Some people say they are being deceived by Satan. We have read even God is allowing judging them to deceive, to have deceiving influence so that they may believe false continually then he may judge them in hell.
2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 25 to 26 because they are under captivity of Satan. 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 25 to 26 it says like this with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth and they may come to their senses and escape from the snares of devil having been held captive by him to do his will. False teachers they are doing his will.
One day they will be deceived by him. One day they will rise in hell. Brothers, you must be aware of these men.
You need to protect your congregation. You need to protect yourself. So that’s why you should not leave the word of God.
You should not forget the word of God so that you may not become heretic first. We are judging many people. One day there is a tendency to preach heresies even you if you are not careful about the word of God.
That’s why when you are listening systematic theology, study about God, study about Christ listen carefully when professors are teaching you. Just don’t think anything else. Be focused when they are teaching so that you may know the truth.
That will be useful for you in future. And also main thing you need to preach the truth. Main thing is you need to protect your congregation.
The second reason, the first reason evil men increase in their wickedness. Second reason is scripture is precious. Why I should continue in the scripture? Why I should continue in the word of truth? The scripture, the word of God is precious.
Look at verse 14 to 17. It says knowing from whom you have learned them. Knowing is, it is participle, we know it is explaining reason.
It is explaining cause, why you should continue. Why you should continue? Because you learn these things from somebody else. Then it says verse 15 that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom.
That leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Then look at verse 16, the preciousness of scripture. All scripture is inspired by God and also profitable for teaching, refuge, correction, for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be advocate and equip for every good work.
What Paul is saying, he is explaining the preciousness of the word. Why you should continue? Because it is so precious. You know sometimes when in your family you have like dal rice, something else, you are eating, suddenly one person, your friend call you hey Badal you come to my house, I made biryani.
What Badal will do? He keep that rice and dal for night he will just go and eat that biryani because that biryani is more precious than this rice. So you will run after precious things. If you have Honda bicycle like Honda Shade, if someone is gifting you like bullet, you will run after that, you leave this Honda Shade beside because that is precious than this.
People always running after precious things, that is minor things, that is not useful. But here Paul is explaining the preciousness of code of God. There is a motivation, there is a reason why we must continue.
Four aspects of scripture that prove its preciousness. First aspect of scripture that proves its preciousness is the reliability of scripture. Reliability of scripture.
Look at verse 14 it says, knowing from whom you have learned them. That from childhood you have known the sacred writings. Here we have two reasons why it is reliable.
The first reason is it was taught by reliable teachers. It was taught by reliable teachers. Says from whom you have learned them.
Look at the word whom. The whom is plural. It is not singular.
So Paul was not only referring to himself as his teacher and also he was referring others you know who are them. Who they are? Timothy’s mother and grandmother. Paul and his grandmother and mother were reliable teachers.
They are faithful to God’s word. They were faithful followers of Old Testament scriptures. They believed that those were referring to Christ.
If they teach that will be reliable. If they would think that these things are important. These things are not important.
Word of God is not important. They would have taught them. They taught the word of God because the word of God is important.
Reason why they are reliable. We can see that they were having sincere faith in the scripture. They believed in Christ through the Old Testament scriptures.
So they taught them to Timothy. Look at chapter 2 verse 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 5 it says, 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 5 it says, For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am sure that it is in you as well. Did you see? They are having sincere faith in Christ.
They are true follower of Christ. They learnt the Old Testament scripture. They are following Christ.
That’s why they are reliable. That’s why they are reliable. They are godly.
Not only his mother, grandmother godly believers. Look at chapter 1 verse 13. 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 13.
Paul also his teacher. He says like this retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Paul also taught him.
Who is Paul? Paul was an apostle sent by Jesus Christ. Whatever scripture epistles you read just it says he introduced himself Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ. Whatever Paul is writing, whatever Paul is preaching it is not coming from him.
It is coming from God. If Paul is teaching because he was sent by Christ he is reliable. He is apostle.
Christ himself sent him. So that’s why we can trust the word of God. That’s what Paul is encouraging Timothy.
You know the scripture is reliable because of who taught you. The second we can see. Second reason why it is reliable.
It was taught as crucial. It was taught as crucial. It was taught by reliable teachers.
It was taught as crucial. Look at verse 15. It says that from childhood you have known the secret writings or holy writings.
See here it is he learnt the holy writings from his childhood. Childhood literally means an infant but we should not take it as literally. It emphasizes that at every early age, early age Timothy was introduced to the scripture.
Very early age. We don’t know how old Timothy was when he started to learning these things but we have a clue that at the age of five a Jewish boy receives instructions in Torah and memorizes from it. So that is the clue.
He was learning the word of God, the holy scripture that is referring Old Testament not New Testament. He is learning from the age of five. That is the clue.
Don’t leave those word of God. You are learning from your childhood onwards, from your early age onwards. You believe those are truth.
Don’t leave those words. That is the instruction Paul was giving to him. He is commanding Timothy.
It was taught you as crucial. If it is not important, why do his parents like mother, grandmother teach him. It is so important.
It is so crucial. As I said it is means of salvation, means of sanctification. They knows Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 6 to 7 it says these words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart.
Verse 7 very important. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your home, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise up. You see, when you walking you need to teach your children, when you are sitting you need to teach your children, when you are head to home you need to teach your children.
That is a custom. That is the command that was received from God, received by God to Israel. They are teaching.
So clue is they are teaching whenever they have free time to Timothy. They are caring about his soul. They taught them properly at the age of, from the age of five probably.
So we can learn two implications from this truth. The first implication is you should teach your children. If you have children, if you are married, one day you will get children, you need to teach the word of God to your children.
In early age, not only giving education, not only thinking which school you need to send to them, what kind of study you need to give to them, that is also important but main thing beside education you need to give them the word of God. Start as soon as possible. Send them to Sunday school.
Teach them. Try to teach your children. That is most important thing.
That is the implication we can learn. Most of the time pastors, they don’t have time to teach their own children. They are very busy with teaching in Bible study, preaching in Sunday and also doing things and going, visiting houses, praying for them, counseling but they don’t have time to disciple to their own children.
You should not be like that. You should not be like them. You need to start with your kids.
That is very important. They will continue in them when they grow whatever you are teaching. That’s what happened to Timothy.
That’s what happened to Timothy. Perhaps 22 or 6 years. Generally this was are being memorized by children but it should not, that is okay but it should be memorized by parents.
Perhaps 22 or 6, train up your child in the way he should go. Even when he is old, he will not depart from it. The same thing happened to Timothy.
His mother, his grandmother taught him so he has that wisdom. He was saved by those scriptures. Now Paul is commanding him continue in that.
The second implication is you should not leave the truth, what you have learned. You must cling to the scripture because it is reliable so your parents taught you. It is reliable so your friends taught you.
It is reliable so your pastor taught you. Don’t give up. Continue in the scripture.
The second aspect of scripture that proves its preciousness is the power of scripture. Not only reliability of scripture, second one the power of scripture. Look at verse 15 part B. It says that from childhood you have known the holy writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
We can see the power of scripture especially the Old Testament. The power of the Old Testament scripture in this context. The full scripture has power to save a sinner.
That’s what Paul is saying. Look at the word able to give you the wisdom. The meaning of the word able is to possess the capability to do something.
It refers that scripture of Old Testament are powerful to do something. Look at verse 15. Says they are able to capable, powerful to give Timothy wisdom.
They are powerful to cause a person to have a wisdom understanding and they make people wise enough. We need to understand only holy scripture will give you wisdom, nothing else. That’s what Paul is saying.
Without scripture you won’t get wisdom. The most wise people are those who read the Bible, those who know the word of God. The most wisest pastor is the one who knows the word of God well.
It will give the wisdom. Especially to give salvation. The idea of leading into salvation is scripture are the only means to experience salvation.
Paul was saying that if someone reads the Old Testament that person will be saved through them. You don’t need New Testament. If you are reading Old Testament you will be saved.
It will give wisdom to get saved. This is present participle that indicates even now the Old Testament scripture are powerful to give wisdom that leads to salvation. The experience of salvation always comes through faith in Christ Jesus.
Look at verse 15 he says right, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Here faith is referring to trust in, to have commitment, to have confidence in Jesus Christ. When you are reading, Paul is saying when you are reading Old Testament it will give you wisdom, it will give you the faith in Jesus Christ.
We know that Romans chapter 10 verse 17 even faith comes from hearing the word of Christ. What Paul is saying when you are hearing the word of Christ from Old Testament you will be saved. It will give wisdom.
Where is Jesus in Old Testament? What Paul is speaking? We know Jesus he born, he is in the New Testament right? So many people believe that. Where is Jesus in Old Testament? How did they believe Jesus through Old Testament? How did the Old Testament help to trust in Jesus? How Old Testament will give wisdom to believe in Jesus? Old Testament people were saved through faith in Christ. That faith came through the scripture.
In this context Old Testament scripture. Paul was taught what is scripture to preach Christ to Timothy. When he was sharing the gospel they don’t have the New Testament right? Fully New Testament.
He is using Old Testament scripture teaching to Timothy then he got saved. Because he know Old Testament whenever Paul is teaching him he convinced about that. He came to know about Christ.
Luke chapter 24 verse 27 we can understand very clearly the Old Testament is pointing to Christ. 24 27 it says Luke 24 27 says then beginning with Moses with all the prophets he explained to them the things concerning himself in the all scriptures. See Moses and all prophets.
He is explaining to them the things concerning himself in the all scriptures. Verse 24 Luke chapter 24 verse 44 says now he said to them they are my words which I have spoke to you while I was still with you that all things which are written about me in the law of Moses the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. The law of God is describing explaining about Christ word.
Prophets are prophesizing about Christ. Even Psalms are declaring about coming of Jesus Christ. His qualities.
They were able to lead people to knowledge of their sins even. It will help people to understand their sins. They need justification only in Jesus Christ.
Look at Galatians chapter 3 verse 24 it says therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ. When people are reading the law of God it will help people to go to Christ. That is the wisdom it is giving.
So that we may be justified by faith. Whenever you are reading all those laws you cannot do all those laws you are guilty then you need to run to Christ who is justifier. Example we can make some people when they read Old Testament Old Testament people they do not have the New Testament but they believed in Jesus Christ.
Only one way to be saved that is trusting in Christ whether Old Testament people or New Testament people. All people will be saved through Christ. That is fixed.
How did Old Testament people trusted Christ? If you look at best example Adam. Adam trusted in the seed of woman. Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 it says I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed.
He shall bruise you on head you shall bruise him on the heel. It is the first gospel that was written in Genesis. First gospel.
Jesus Christ is going to be suffered for sinners. He is going to have victory over Satan. That’s why Adam believed that.
After that what happened? God killed two animals and made garment to Adam and Eve. Adam believed Christ sacrifice. Jesus sacrifice.
So he was saved. What about Job? Job trusted in Christ. Job chapter 13 verse 25 As for me I know that my Redeemer lives.
Even Job is waiting for Redeemer. He knows. He knows God but he is waiting for Redeemer.
He will come and redeem him. He lives now. He lives now.
Even Abraham trusted in him. Genesis chapter 2. He is going to kill that lamb. Then he said what? God will provide.
God will provide. They know. Even Abraham trusted Jesus.
Moses trusted in Christ for his salvation. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 24. By faith Moses when he had grown up refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
26 says Hebrews chapter 11 verse 26. Very important. Considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of Egypt.
Where is Christ? When Moses was in Egypt he considered the reproach of Christ greater riches. Suffering for Christ is greater riches. Even Moses believed Jesus Christ.
That is people. Whatever scripture if Timothy is reading Old Testament scripture that will give wisdom to him. Not only him.
Anybody. How? If you read Old Testament scripture will give wisdom to trust in Christ. I want to read you Psalm chapter 2 verse 12.
It says Do homage to the son that he not become angry you perish in the way for the wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in you. Psalm chapter 2 verse 12 is saying you have intimacy with Christ.
Do homage to son. You know Isaiah chapter 53 4 to 6. It says Surely our griefs he himself bore and our sorrows he carried. Yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken smitten by God afflicted.
But he was pierced through our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon him.
By his scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53 6. All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way.
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of all of us fell on him. Who is he? Jesus Christ. Timothy came to know Jesus Christ by reading Old Testament scripture.
The word of God, the scripture is so powerful. That’s why it is so precious. Even though they did not know the full picture of Jesus Christ but they believed in his sacrifice and trusted in their mediator.
Even Passover lamb refers to Christ. All sacrificial systems were pointing to Christ. When they take that lamb or goat, whatever it is, when their priest is killing that, it is showing that I need to die in that place but this lamb, innocent lamb is dying in my place.
That is representing, that is referring Jesus Christ’s cross words. Brothers, even now God saves through Old Testament scriptures because Old Testament scripture is referring Jesus Christ. The word is the means to save sinners.
You need to preach the powerful scripture, powerful gospel. It is sufficient to save sinners. It is sufficient to save sinners.
We have another two aspects of scriptures. We will continue for next week. But what we have learned is very important, very important.
We must continue in the scripture. The word of God. Because evil men are increasing in their wickedness.
So you need to continue in the scripture. Second reason, the word of God is so precious. First reason, the reliability of scripture.
The second reason, the power of scripture. Please use the word of God in your preaching. Don’t use your own thinking, philosophies.
You cannot win. You cannot save anybody else. Only the word of God will save by Holy Spirit.
I hope God may give strength and energy to study His word. If you understand the word of God is powerful, if you understand the word of God is reliable, you will continue in that. The implication will be how much hard work you do in the seminary.
How much study, how much commitment you have to study the scripture. If you know the value and preciousness of the scripture. You don’t waste your time.
There is no excuses, right? To doing things and studying, sending all those assignments. No excuses for us. Because you are doing most precious thing.
You want to know the scripture, work hard, work hard. As I told initially, starting of my sermon, if you honor the word of God, you will be useful by God. If you are not honoring the word of God, you cannot be useful by God.
One who gave the word of God. Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for your word. Help us to be committed to your word.
Give us strength and grace to work hard to know your word. Lord, fill our hearts with your words, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for helping us to know about you more and more through scripture.
Lord, bless each and every one of us to study your word so that we can be useful for your kingdom. Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Thank you.
