Ned Flanders Was Right

Ned Flanders was right.  It is all about Jesus.  There's a scene in "The Simpsons" where their nerdy next door neighbor says this to Homer.  While much of the show skewers the church, this statement is right on target.  

And some 2,000 years earlier, the Apostle Paul says the very same thing to the Galatians.  In discrediting the twisted teaching of the Judaizers, he explains how the entire OT points to and looks forward to the coming of Christ.

It's all about Jesus.

Paul pumps his brakes for just a moment and reminds his readers of his feelings for them and their standing with the Lord.  He calls them "brothers."  This is the Greek noun αδελφοι/adelphoi, which is plural and should be read as "brothers and sisters.”  

The apostle has been pounding them relentlessly over their desertion from Jesus (Gal 1:6).  He's called them fools or idiots for believing the Judaizers (Gal 3:1).  Yet, he reminds them that they are still brothers and sisters in the faith.  Through the use of this one word, the man from Tarsus let's the Galatians know they are still very dear to him.

Paul goes on to draw a parallel from human contracts and formal agreements.  "To give a human examples, brothers, even with a man-made covenant..." (v15).  In the ancient near east, they were called covenants.  It's a little different from today's contract, but there are similarities.  

A covenant is an agreement between two parties, often one king to another.  It was ratified by animal sacrifice, cutting them in two thus indicating what would happen if someone violated the agreement.  That's exactly what happens in Gen 15.  God confirms His covenant promise to Abram in just this way (Gen 15:9-11, 17).

While that's just a bit different from 21st century contracts, one similarity remains.  Once the contract is signed, it's a done deal.  "No one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified" (v15).  Despite what we see in sports today, contracts are NOT made to be broken.  They are pledges with conditions that must be met.  

Paul says it's the same with covenants.  Once a man-made agreement has been reached, there's no turning back.  There's no changing it.  Nothing is added.  Nothing is subtracted.  And if that's with a human covenant, how much more will God stand by His promises.

The apostle now applies the idea of man-made treaties to God's pledge to Abraham.  "Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring.  It does not say, 'And to offsprings' (v16).  He tells us to take a close look at God's original promises found in Genesis.  

When Yahweh graciously reaches out to this dude named Abram, He pledges to bless Abram and his offspring or seed.  Paul wants us to see that God did NOT make this promise to ALL of Abe's kids, grandkids and great grandkids.  He made this covenant with Abe and one very specific descendant.

Paul makes it as plain as he possibly can for us at this point.  When God made His contract with Abram, He was "referring to one, 'And to your offspring,' who is Christ" (v16).  Let's be clear about this.  When the Lord told Abram about the promised future blessings of his one specific descendant, He was talking about Jesus.  

In other words, the fulfillment of what is called the Abrahamic Covenant is found in Jesus.  All this talk of the Promised Land, Promised Seed and Promised Blessing is ALL ABOUT JESUS!

One of the great things about the Bible is how God provides interpretation for earlier people, prophecies and passages we read in His Word.  Many times in the NT, we see Paul and the other writers explain what was happening as they compose under the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit.  

I love a well-written and researched Bible commentary.  But there is no better authority to provide insight into Scripture than the Divine Author Himself.  

This is just part of what scholars call Progressive Revelation, the idea that later passages provide a fuller revelation of what was written earlier without invalidating the earlier text.  And the main thing we see is that the radical Rabbi from Nazareth is one true Hero of the story of the Bible.

It's all about Jesus.

Even Jesus Himself gets into the act.  That's exactly what He tells the Pharisees when they scoff at His claims.  "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me" (Jn 5:39).  

He goes on to say that even the human author of the first five books, the Pentateuch, knew he was writing about Jesus.  "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me" (Jn 5:46).

It's all about Jesus.  Ned Flanders was right.

©2012

Jay Jennings

Abe and the Gospel Ship

Deb and I are on our first cruise.  Our ship is the Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world.  It holds 5,400 guests and 2,100 crew members.  

More than half these people are from countries other than the U.S.  This is literally a floating U.N.  And it is a beautiful parallel of God’s gracious saving act in Jesus.  

Just as He promises through Abraham to bless all nations the world, this massive ship safely carries people from just about every ethnic group on our journey.

While we ride as passengers on this huge cruise ship, God’s saints set sail on His amazing Gospel ship.

Paul tells the Galatians that they are saved through their faith in God just as Abe was.  No good works required.  No rule keeping needed.  The false teachers are wrong.  Very wrong.  

Once again, the apostle flips his Bible open to Genesis to explain the doctrine of justification by faith.  “We’re children of faith thanks to Abraham” (Gal 3:7).

He describes how the writers of Scripture looked into the future and saw how “God would justify the Gentiles by faith” (v8).  Paul uses the Greek word εθνος/ethnos to describe the Gentiles.  It’s where we get our English word “ethnic.”  

The Lord reveal to the prophetic authors how one day He would bless, save, and justify people from every ethnic group through the faith of Abraham.  He would actually do this through Abe’s descendant Jesus.

Paul uses a very interesting phrase when he writes how “the Scripture…preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham” (v8).  “Preached the Gospel”?  

In the OT?  Huh?  It’s another fabulous example that the Bible is really one story, not two.  And Jesus is THE Hero of that story.  The OT saints were saved the same way God saves believers in the NT.  By faith and trust in Him alone.

The apostle says that the Gospel that Abraham heard preached was God’s personal promise to him, “In you shall all the nations be blessed” (v8).  This is a quote from Genesis 16:3 that’s later repeated again in Genesis 18:18 and yet again in Genesis 22:18.

Here Paul equates the very words of Yahweh to Scripture.  This reminds us how the inspired words of the Bible are equal to hearing directly from the lips of the Lord.  It is indeed God’s holy Word.

God’s promise of future blessing qualifies as the Gospel because that future blessing of all the people groups of the world will happen through Abe’s eventual descendant, Jesus Christ, the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. 

It is through Jesus that we receive that blessing.  What is that blessing?  Ultimately it is God Himself.  He is my portion(Ps 73:26; Lam 3:24).

The beauty of God’s Gospel ship as opposed to our cruise ship is that He is still accepting passengers, just as He has been for thousands of years.  He is welcoming aboard people from every country, race, language, and religious background.  

They don’t need a ticket.  They don’t need a passport.  If they’ve placed their trust in Jesus, He lovingly welcomes them aboard.

©2012 

Jay Jennings

Left Behind in T Town

“When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments” (2Tim 4:13).

Forget Something?

Ever leave something behind? If you know me, I have a long history of leaving a trail of personal possessions wherever I go. Wallet. Keys. iPhone. Bible. If I carry it, there’s a good chance that I’ve left it. Once they’re located, I either make a return trip or a phone call to get them back.

But there are times when you leave in a hurry. I mean a BIG hurry. We’re not talking about a spontaneous weekend trip. This is a “somebody just pulled the fire alarm and find the nearest exit” kind of emergency. When that happens, you’re going to leave stuff behind. Hopefully you can find somebody who will bring it to you later.

Doing Paul a Favor

That’s what happened to Paul when we read the end of his second letter to Timothy. As the apostle closes out this note to the young pastor, he asks him to do a few favors for him. First, get his tail to Rome (2Tim 4:9). Second, swing by and pick up Mark on the way (2Tim 4:11). 

He asks Tim to add one more thing on his run to Rome. “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus in Troas, also the books and above all the parchments” (v13). Hey man, I need your help. Stop by Carpus’ place and get my winter coat. Grab my personal papers. Whatever you do, do NOT forget the parchments!

This must be some VERY important stuff to Paul! Why? Remember just how desperate his situation is. He’s on Death Row and his execution date is rapidly approaching (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). When you’re life is on the line, the little things just don’t matter. Whatever he’s asking Timothy to bring, it must be mission critical in his final days.

Get My Coat

The first thing on Paul’s list is “the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas” (v13). He uses a word in the original language (Gr. φαιλονης/phailones) which describes a heavier outer garment for protection during colder or stormy weather that’s usually made out of wool. It could be used as a blanket on a chilly night. 

It’s the same piece of clothing Jesus mentions in His famous mountainside message. Christ tells His audience that if somebody sues you for your shirt, “let him have your cloak (Gr. φαιλονης/phailones) as well” (Mt 5:40). Don’t retaliate. Don’t file a countersuit. Simply let them have your coat.

Caesar’s SuperMax

The cloak makes sense. The dude wants his winter coat. That certainly makes sense when you see a little later in his letter that he really wants Tim to do everything possible and get to Rome “before winter” (2Tim 4:21). He’s cold. He’s going to get colder. 

Inmate Paul is walking the Green Mile in Caesar’s SuperMax, better known as the Mamertine Prison. This is less like an ultra modern penitentiary and more like a dark, dank dungeon. It’s where condemned prisoners went before they died. Chances are, the apostle has been lowered through the stone floor into a small cold chamber. A warm wool cloak would come in very handy.

Getting Your Name in the Bible

In order to get Paul’s heavy jacket and other gear, Tim will need to make a stop along the way to Rome. The apostle tells him that he left his stuff “with Carpus at Troas” (v13). This is the one and only time we see Carpus mentioned in the entire Bible. We really know very little about the guy. But thanks to the urging of God’s Spirit as Paul writes to his spiritual son, it’s preserved for eternity. Now THAT’S pretty cool!

What do we know about him? His name “Carpus” (Gr. καρπος/karpos) means fruit, harvest, produce, results, or profits. In the First Century, your handle often said something about you. Maybe this was your parents’ hope for you. It’s possible they wanted their son to be fruitful and profitable.

Naming Rights

Maybe Carpus is a nickname. Remember how the radical Rabbi/Carpenter dropped a new label on a hotheaded commercial fisherman named Simon? “Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas' (which means Peter)” (Jn 1:42).

Despite a personality that is, shall we say, inconsistent, Christ prophetically nicknames Simon “Rocky.” He sees what Pete will become. Steady. Faithful. Is this a picture of what Jesus writes to the church in Pergamum? He will give folks who overcome “a new name” carved in stone (Rev 2:17). Bottom line, since God made all of us in His image, He holds the naming rights!

It’s possible Paul’s responsible for slapping Carpus with a name by which he’ll be known for eternity. There’s a good chance he came to faith in Christ thanks to the apostle. One thing is for sure, Carp must have been a trusted friend of the apostle formerly known as Saul. Paul knew his gear was safe with him.

T is for Troas

So it makes sense that Carpus gave the apostle a place to stay when he was in Troas. T Town was a regular stop for Paul and his team when they was in that part of the world. The full name of the city is actually Alexandria Troas. It was a thriving seaport on the northwest coast of what we know today as Turkey. The city was perfectly located on the Aegean Sea for easy maritime access to ancient ports in modern day Greece and the island of Crete.

In one of his letters to the church in Corinth written in the Fall of 56 AD, the apostle tells them how he really wanted to take the Gospel to the people of Troas but had to leave in order to find his buddy Titus (2Cor 2:12-13). He’ll be back before you know it.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy sailed from Troas in order to take the message of Jesus to Europe for the very first time (Acts 16:8), but that wasn’t their original destination. They really wanted to tell the folks in Bithynia on the northern coast of Asia Minor all about the Good News. “But the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them” (Acts 16:7). 

A Vision in Troas

How did that go down? While they were in Troas, “a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there urging him saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us’” (Acts 16:9). So the boys hop on a ship sailing from Troas that will eventually take them to Philippi (Acts 16:11).

The Gospel Comes to T Town

On Paul’s third tour, T Town was the location of a meetup with the crew taking the famine relief offering back to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4-6). It was this visit in the Spring of 57 AD that God gave him the opportunity to unpack the message of Jesus for the people there. While the apostle was there, it becomes the location of one of his longest sermons and most impressive miracles (Acts 20:7-12). 

While Paul was preaching a VERY long message (we’re talking until midnight!), some young fella named Eutychus was sitting in a third story window. Note to self, open windows may give you a nice breeze but they’re NOT the safest place to take a seat.

Eutychus fell asleep and fell out the window. The three-story drop killed the guy! Paul ran downstairs and took him in his arms. Dr. Luke tells us that before morning, the young gun was fully alive once again. No word on how well Eutychus and Carpus know each other.

One Final Visit

Apparently the apostle made at least one other trip to Troas in 67 AD. It’s on this last visit that he left behind these very important personal items at Carpus’ house. How did that happen? Why would he not take his cloak, his books, and other important documents? 

I think the evidence points to the Romans arresting him there. The authorities took him into custody there and hauled him back to prison in the capital where he’s waiting for execution. Which brings us to Autumn of 67 AD. Paul on Death Row, writing one last letter to Timothy.

Rolls and Scrolls

In asking for a final face-to-face visit, the apostle wants Tim to travel through Troas. It’s on the way. Grab his cloak as well as “the books, and above all the parchments” (v13). There’s critical written material he needs before time runs out.

Just what exactly are these important documents? In asking for his “books,” Paul uses a Greek word (Gr. βιβλια/biblia) which decribes a small scroll, a roll of paper, a letter, or a written document. It’s where we get our word “Bible.” This is probably sheets of an early form of paper sewn together. It was made from stalks of the papyrus plant. 

Luke tells us about the time Jesus “unrolled the scroll (Gr. βιβλια/biblia)” of Isaiah and read a prophecy about Himself (Lk 4:17). John made sure to let us know that Jesus did a whole lot more than what he wrote “in this book (Gr. βιβλια/biblia)” (Jn 20:30). Ephesian magicians and wizards “brought their books (Gr. βιβλια/biblia)” of spells and incantations and tossed them in a bonfire once the message of Jesus turned the city upside down (Acts 19:19).

Paul’s Personal Papers

While we don’t know exactly, these “books” are probably Paul’s personal journals. He would have used a different word (Gr. χαρτης/chartes) if he was talking about blank paper. Here’s the deal. The apostle knows he’s about to die. Blank paper won’t do him much good. He wants to get these documents in Tim’s hands before his death.

Gimme Some Skin

The apostle really wants his winter coat and books but there’s something even more important he can’t wait to get his hands on. “Above all the parchments” (v13). This time Paul uses a term (Gr. μεμβρανα/membrana) which specifically refers to animal skins used as writing material. This the source of our word “membrane” and it’s the one and only time it appears in Scripture.

What are these critical “parchments”? Since they’re made from animal skins, these are much more expensive than the other documents he wants. That being the case, Paul is probably asking for his Old Testament scrolls. Remember, they had yet to assemble the full New Testament at the time. 

God’s Comfort in God’s Word

It appears the apostle wants his Hebrew Scriptures. The scrolls containing God’s revelation of Himself. He could once again read the Pentateuch, the first five books of the OT. He could dig into the Law and the Prophets. 

Imagine the comfort he could find in David’s songbook that we call Psalms. Then there’s the wisdom literature. You can easily picture Paul reading the Book of Job during his darkest days. In other words, he wants his Bible. 

THE Hero of THE Story

Two thousand years later, we have the 66 assembled documents of Scripture. Together, they paint a portrait of a loving and faithful God who won’t stop until He has restored the horribly broken relationship with the people He’s made in His image. 

We are not the point of the Bible. God’s Word may be FOR us, but it is not ABOUT us. Jesus is THE Hero of THE Story. Everything points to Him. He said so Himself (Lk 24:27; Jn 5:39, 46). The story is not about Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, or Isaiah. Each one is horribly flawed just like us. Like Paul, let’s read Scripture through the lens of Christ.

Choosing the Foolish

Outside of our Hero, the pages are filled with an endless parade of knuckleheads, goofballs, and losers. Just like you and me. And just like you and me, God is able to use them in amazing ways for His own purposes. As Paul likes to say, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise” (2Cor 1:27). Just to be clear, the apostle is talking about you and me when he’s writing about the “foolish.”

Starting in the very first book, God’s Word tells the story of a One who will come to the rescue of the rebels. He keeps giving us hints, clues, and sneak previews of a promised Messiah who will make things right. A Savior who will leave the the comforts of the heavenly palace and dive into the dumpster of our sin.

Sitting in a Roman cell, Paul knows that Jesus of Nazareth is the One God has promised. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He lived the perfect life of obedience to God’s law we failed to live. He died the death we should have died for our sin on the cross. He rose to a new life we don’t deserve.

The Clock Ticks Down

As the clock ticks down on the apostle’s final days, he wants what is most important. He wants to get the old gang back together one last time (2Tim 4:9, 11, 21). He would love to get his heavy winter coat. He wants his personal papers. But most of all, Paul wants his Bible. He left them behind in T Town. 

©2017 
Jay Jennings

A Very Particular Set of Skills

“that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2Tim 3:17)

Imagine being on the other end of the phone call when you suddenly hear Liam Neeson’s gravelly Irish growl. “What I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.” Hearing those words, you suddenly realize you’re in for a slightly different day at the office. Whether you know it our not, you’re about to be hunted down in a multiple motion picture franchise.

Did you know God calls every follower of Jesus to have a very specific expertise as well? No, He doesn’t train you to be a black ops agent who’s a cross between Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne. But according to Paul, the Lord has something so much better for you and me.

In a letter to Timothy, the apostle lets his protege know how Scripture preps us for anything God throws at us. So much so “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (v17). Now THAT’S what I call a very particular set of skills!

While Tim has studied faithfully at Paul’s feet for the last few years (2Tim 3:10-11), the secret sauce of his education has been God’s Word (2Tim 3:15-16). That’s critical since the apostle is now behind bars in Rome staring in the face of a death sentence (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7).

Paul scribbles down important instructions for continuing the spread of the Gospel after he’s gone (2Tim 2:1-4:5). He also pleads for his spiritual son to swing by for one last visit before his date with the executioner (2Tim 4:9, 21).

Knowing all that changes the urgency of these words, doesn’t it? We really need to remember that the Bible isn’t a dusty old collection of Sunday School lessons. Much of God’s Word involves real history lived by real people dealing with real problems in real places. The best part is there’s a very real God and Savior who’s coming to the rescue.

Meanwhile back in 2 Timothy, specifically chapter 3 and verse 17. When the apostle talks about “the man of God” (v17), you might wonder if he’s talking just to preachers, pastors, and other Christians who have turned pro. He is, for sure…BUT he’s also talking to anybody else who’s placed their trust in following the resurrected Rabbi from Nazareth. 

You see, the word “man” here is actually the Greek word (Gr. ανθρωπος/anthropos), which means human being or person. It’s where we get our word “anthropology” or the study of human beings. As a matter of fact, the Amplified Bible adds a little tidbit that removes any confusion. Paul’s calling out “all believers, whether man, woman, or child.” Do you follow Jesus? Well, heads up. He’s talking to you, me us, and them.

Being a person “of God” (v17), I am uniquely identified with the Creator. I belong to Him. I am no longer a rogue rebel terrorist against His kingdom (Rom 5:8-10; Col 1:21). I am not my own. He’s bought me with a price (1Cor 6:19; 7:23). A staggeringly high cost. As a followers of Jesus, we now belong to our Savior.

As God’s personal property and personal representatives, we must be ready for anything He throws our way. That’s why He’s given us His God-breathed written Word (2Tim 3:16). With it, we “may be complete, equipped for every good work” (v17). You probably don’t see it in our English translations, but Paul is having a little fun with words as he writes from his cold cell on the Roman Green Mile. Okay, it’s not quite “Words with Friends,” but wordplay nonetheless.

The apostle uses a pair of verbs we translate as “complete” and “equipped” that are slight variations of the same root word which means “now” (Gr. αρτι/arti). The first one is “complete” (Gr. αρτιος/artios). It means to be ready, fully qualified, perfectly fit, specially adapted, exactly suited to a particular purpose, or having a special aptitude for specific uses. In this case, Paul says Scripture gets the right person ready for the right job right here and right now.

Remember those scenes in every James Bond movie where the agent drops by the MI6 home office to get the latest gadget from Q? He gives 007 the latest in espionage technology for his next assignment. Everything from a cyanide cigarette to an Astin-Martin with the optional ejection seat/machine gun package. The folks at HQ made sure the right agent was always complete, ready for the right job, right here and right now.

God gets us “right now ready” with a very particular set of skills.

That second word Paul drops is “equipped” (Gr. εξαρτιζο/echartizo). It describes finishing, bringing to an end, made adequate, completely ready, totally furnished, and thoroughly prepared. This literally means that you’re fully supplied at the very moment when the action begins. You don’t need anything else. You may not have everything, but you do have everything you’re gonna need.

Think of a full furnished workshop. One of those places that’s loaded with any and every kind of power tool you’ll need for that next project. No reason to borrow anything from your buddy across the cul-de-sac. No running to Lowe’s four or five times before you’re done. It’s all there. This shop has everything for the current project. It’s fully “equipped” (v17).

God gets us “right now ready” with a very particular set of skills.

With that in mind, it makes sense that Martin Luther compared this to being skilled. Picture a craftsman that not only owns a fully stocked shop but knows exactly how and when to use just the right tool at just the right moment. He’s not using a sledgehammer to install a light fixture. Not cranking up the table saw to change a tire. Unlike me, there’s no danger of loosing a digit. When I begin the next craft, my wife already has “9” and “1” already punched into the phone.

Paul tells Tim that Scripture gives us the skills right now “for every good work” (v17). When I crack open my Bible and read what God has for me, He’ll provide me with plenty of opportunities to apply what He’s put before me. Earlier in this same letter, the apostle encourages the young preacher get himself ready cleaned and ready, just like the good dishes for the big Christmas meal. That way “he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2Tim 2:21).

God gets us “right now ready” with a very particular set of skills.

Let’s be clear. God’s not getting me ready for rocket surgery or brain science. He’s prepping me live a life of loving Him and others. Or as the Apostle Peter puts it, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to His own glory and goodness” (1Pet 1:3).

God gets us “right now ready” with a very particular set of skills.

The best example of someone God made sure was right now ready is found in the Old Testament. A beautiful young Jewish girl had just won the Persian version of “The Bachelor.” The king personally picked her to be his new queen. Yeah, it was a good time to be Esther. A very good time.

But things weren’t so good for the rest of the Jewish people. They were slaves in the Persian empire. If that’s not bad enough, the king’s righthand man Haman comes up with the idea of the Holocaust 2500 years before Hitler and the Nazis. His plan was to wipe every single Hebrew off the face of the planet.

Esther’s Uncle Mordecai knew the Jews had one last hope. He was certainly that God had perfectly positioned his niece for just this moment. Mordecai encourages the queen that no one else has the leverage and influence “for such a time as this” (Est 4:13). Like Hamilton, there was no way she was going to throw away her shot. God made sure Esther was right now ready for her “good work” (v17).

Paul’s point is that God gives us everything in His Word we’re going to need for the assignment at hand. Not what we want. What we NEED. There’s a huge difference. As the all-knowing, all-seeing Sovereign Lord of creation, He knows what I need for job better than I do. God’s Word preps us for whatever He throws our way. Nothing more. Nothing less.

God gets us “right now ready” with a very particular set of skills.

So we just might want to pay a little closer attention to what we read in the Bible during our devotions. Don’t just mail in your so-called “quiet time.” Don’t simply check it off your spiritual to-do list. God’s getting us ready. Get into God’s Word so that God can get His Word into you.

I’m pretty sure He’s not equipping you with the same sort of expertise as Liam Neeson’s character Bryan Mills. But the Apostle Paul assures us God’s Word gives us the exact capability we need for our next assignment. A very particular set of skills to love, encourage, comfort, and counsel the people He brings into our lives.

God gets us “right now ready” with a very particular set of skills.

The Holy Ghostwriter

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2Tim 3:16).

It’s pretty common for celebrities and other first time authors to use a ghostwriter. While the big name gets credit for the book, there’s another skilled storyteller behind the scenes doing most of the literary heavy lifting. Let’s get real. Do you really think Kendall and Kylie Jenner became published authors all by themselves? REALLY??

Did you know the human authors of the Bible had a Ghostwriter? Yup. You read that right. But there’s a HUGE difference between what went down with the Kardashians and the people who put pen to parchment to produce God’s Word. You see, there’s no secret Who’s really behind the composition of the scriptures. This Ghostwriter came up with the idea, story line, and even the Hero.

In a letter to his spiritual son, Paul discloses the true identity of the One behind it all. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (v16). Turns out the driving force behind every book of the Bible is none other than the Spirit of God. The apostle should know. He and the Holy Spirit have teamed up to write a huge chunk of what we call the New Testament. Paul would be lost without the Holy Ghostwriter.

A Letter from Prison

You might get the idea that somebody on the receiving end of divine inspiration must be some sort of seminary trained monk, detached from the real world locked away in their ivory tower. Wrong. Paul is in prison (2Tim 1:16; 2:9). Most likely, deep in the dungeon of Rome’s infamous Mamertine Prison. He writes from Death Row (2Tim 4:6-7). What’s labeled 2nd Timothy in our Bibles is actually the last letter from Paul just before his execution.

The apostle furiously fires off what he knows will be his final words with two important purposes. One, to pass the baton of telling people about Jesus to the young pastor in Ephesus (2Tim 2:1-4:5). Two, to beg for one final face-to-face visit from Tim before his last day on this side of eternity (2Tim 4:9, 21). The Holy Ghostwriter encouraging him with every stroke of his pen.

Paul didn’t compose this letter on his laptop before sending them off to his editor and publisher at LifeWay. Instead seeing these words as perfectly typeset on the page of your Bible, picture them in their original form. Hurriedly handwritten on some grimy piece of parchment. Sweat stains. Blood stains. These are the final words from the man God used to not only spread His Good News throughout the Mediterranean Rim but to write much of what we know now as the New Testament.

Paul is reassuring Tim that he can trust God’s Word. He grew up hearing it as a baby back in Lystra (Acts 16:1; 2Tim 1:5). His family stacked the biblical kindling around him so that once God set him on fire, he would burn brightly (2Tim 3:14-15). The more he grows in his understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done for him, Tim’s trust deepens. The apostle wants his protege to keep swimming toward the deep end of the pool of the Gospel.

The Creative Constant

It’s at this point that we read some of the most important words found in God’s Word about God’s Word. “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (v16). Not some Scripture. Not certain parts. Not just the Gospels. Not just the red letters. All of it. The fingerprints of the Creator are on every single word of the original manuscripts. All. Scripture.

Think about that for a moment. God has been personally involved in everything from Genesis to Revelation. Approximately 40 human authors wrote 66 documents in three different languages over about 1,600 years. The one creative constant? Almighty God. Specifically, the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Ghostwriter weaves an amazing story about one and only Hero. Jesus. That shouldn’t be any surprise. The Third Person of the Trinity never stops making the Second Person of the Godhead famous (Jn 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-14). The Son of God went out of His way to say that He’s the point of God’s Word (Jn 5:39, 46; Lk 24:27).

The First Graphic Novel

Meanwhile back in 2 Timothy, what does Paul mean when he drops the word “Scripture” (v16)? It’s a Greek word (Gr. γραφη/graphe) that generally describes any writing, drawing, painting, or picture. Something composed or created by hand. It’s where we get our English word “graphic.” Consider the Bible the world’s first and best graphic novel.

Anytime we see one of the human authors use “Scripture (Gr. γραφη/graphe)” in the New Testament, they’re always talking about God’s written Word. Almost every time, the NT writers are referring to the Hebrew Bible or what we call the Old Testament (Lk 4:21; Acts 8:32; Rom 10:11). For folks like Jesus, Paul, and Timothy, it was the ONLY Testament!

The Power of Theo-Pneumatics

But not for long. The Holy Spirit is at His creative best during the First Century. He’s Holy Ghostwriting a boatload of new Scripture. So just how did God get this done? According to Paul, every single bit of God’s Word is “breathed out by God” (v16). This entire phrase is just one word in the original language (Gr. θεοπνευστος/theopneustos). It’s a compound term that literally means “God (Gr. θεο-/theo-) breathed (Gr. -πνευστος/-pneustos).” That’s “theo-” as in theology, the study of God. And “-pneustos” like pneumatic, or air powered. I guess we could say the Holy Ghostwriter uses the power of theo-pneumatics!

Paul’s buddy the Apostle Peter explains it further. “No prophecy of Scripture (Gr. γραφη/graphe) comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2Pet 1:20-21). In other words, some folks will blow a lot of smoke telling you they’ve heard straight from God. It’s nothing but hot air. Only those directly inspired by the Holy Ghostwriter are legit.

Creativity that Takes Your Breath Away

In order to see the amazing creativity of the Third Person of the Godhead over the centuries, we need connect the dots between a couple of Hebrew and Greek words. “Spirit” in Hebrew is ruach. In Greek, it’s πνεθμα/pneuma. Both terms also mean breeze or breath. Remember the roar of the rushing wind at Pentecost when God’s Spirit made His spectacular entrance (Acts 2:2-4)?

With that in mind, it should be no shock at the innovation and innovation when God’s Spirit starts blowing! He was right there hovering over the waters at Creation (Gen 1:2). When Yahweh molded Adam’s body from the dust, He then “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Gen 2:7). One of the ancient worship songs describes how God used a similar method to create the stars and planets. “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host” (Ps 33:6).

Piling up the Godliness

So if God’s Spirit can create an entire universe out of nothing, He can certainly create something in you and me through His Spirit-breathed Word. That’s why Paul says it is so incredibly “profitable” (v16) to us. The apostle uses a word here (Gr. ωφελιμος/ophelimos) that we can translate as beneficial, valuable, or advantageous. It comes from a root word that means to pile up or accumulate. Just check out how the Holy Spirit   can stack huge piles of godliness in Jesus’ followers through Scripture.

Showing Us Truth

First of all, Scripture is of tremendous value “for teaching” (v16). In other words, there’s no better lesson plan for learning about our incredibly giving God. Or as the Message puts it, for “showing us truth” (v16 The Message). Specifically, the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done. He is THE Hero of THE Story! Not just the New Testament but the entire Bible. Don’t believe me? Take it from the Savior Himself (Lk 24:27; Jn 5:39, 45-46). The Holy Ghostwriter has come up with an incredible curriculum!

A Holy Mirror

Next Paul tells us how God’s Word is of great benefit “for reproof” (v16). This is the idea of using facts to prove someone has done wrong. The point here is NOT to embarrass anyone, win an argument, or prove you’re better than somebody. Scripture points out where we fall short of God’s holy standard. Jesus’ kid brother James compares looking into a mirror that reveals all our zits and pimples (James 1:23). It stops us in our tracks and keeps us from doing any further damage.

Back on Track

In order to get us going again, Scripture is awesome “for correction” (v16). The Greek term here is επανορθωσις/epanorthosis. It paints a picture of restoring someone or something to an upright state. God’s Word picks us back up after it knocks us down and points us back in the right direction. Think of SNL’s legendary life coach Matt Foley. “What’s it gonna take to get you…BACK…ON…TRACK?!?!?” According to Paul, the answer is the truth of God.

Living God’s Way

Finally, the Holy Ghostwriter comes alongside human authors to compose Scripture “for training in righteousness” (v16). While we’ll never be perfect on this side of Heaven, God’s Word shows us to live lives of integrity. Or as we read it in The Message, “training us to live God’s way” (v16 The Message). This isn’t just some sort of external behavior modification that lasts no longer than that New Year’s resolution about dropping 20 pounds. Scripture changes us from the inside out. Paul calls it being “transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom 12:2).

We can totally trust Scripture because of One behind it all. It has the seal of approval of God’s Spirit as “breathed out by God” (v16). It teaches us about God and the rescue we find in His Son. It exposes our sin and stops us in our tracks. It picks us back up and makes sure we’re headed the right way. It also trains us to shine God’s light and spread His salt. All the credit goes to the Holy Ghostwriter.

Building the Fire

“and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 3:15).

We’re a real fire in the fireplace kinda family. I’ve got nothing against folks who want the no-fuss and no-muss of gas logs. But a stack of ceramic logs that never moves with flames in the same place just doesn’t cut it at our house.

Real fires with real wood take time. You don’t just flip a switch. You don’t just flick your Bic on a big log and start the blaze. You need some paper, a little kindling, and smaller pieces of wood. It takes preparation before you light things up. But when all conditions are perfect, you stand a great chance of a great fire.

Did you know that raising your child to be a follower of Jesus is similar? Let me be straight up about this idea. It belongs to Matt Chandler. But I know a good line when I steal one. Matt says parents should stack all of the spiritual kindling around their kids in the hopes that when the Holy Spirit ignites them, they will burn hot and bright.

Flipping through the Spiritual Scrapbook

Paul says something very similar to Timothy in the very last letter of his life. On Death Row in a Roman prison, who could blame the apostle for reminiscing with one of his favorites? He looks back on Tim’s explosive growth as a follower of Jesus. The former Pharisee knows it goes way back before the young pastor came to place his faith in Christ. “And now from childhood you you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v15).

The man from Tarsus is flipping through the pages of Tim’s spiritual scrapbook. He recognizes how God used his protege’s family to expose him to Scripture from the time he was an infant. They stacked the kindling. They got the wood ready.

No parent can make their kid a follower of Christ. Only God can do that. But we can stack the kindling. We can make things flammable. That’s what the people did for Timothy as he was growing up. They stacked the kindling. And Once God lit the match in Tim’s life, look out!

Baby Talk

Just how old was Timothy when this began? Was it when he was big enough to go to Sunday School? Surely he had to be mature enough to understand the big ideas of the Bible, right? Would you believe it began when he was a baby? Dare I say, Tiny Tim? Okay, probably not.

Paul reminds him “how from childhood” (v15) the process began. He uses a Greek term we translate “childhood” (Gr. βρεφος/brephos) that describes baby, a very small child, infant, even an unborn child or fetus. It implies the time a child before they are finished nursing.

Check out the other uses of βρεφος/brephos in the NT. Dr. Luke purposely selects this word when telling the story of John the Dunker in utero (Lk 1:41, 44). The good doctor also describes the newborn Jesus when retelling the story of the angel’s instructions to the shepherds to look for a “Baby (Gr. βρεφος/brephos) wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Lk 2:12). Sure enough, the shepherds found the proud parents and their “Baby (Gr. βρεφος/brephos) lying in a manger” (Lk 2:16).

Paul’s buddy Peter uses the term when talking about immature followers of Jesus. “Like newborn infants (Gr. βρεφος/brephos), long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1Pet 2:2). Proper nutrition is critical for the early childhood development. That includes proper spiritual nutrition of God’s truth. And that’s exactly the kind of nourishment Tim received when he was still an itty bitty baby back in Lystra.

Mom and Memaw

This backs up what we read in the opening lines of this letter. Paul recalls Tim’s spiritual heritage when he writes about how the young pastor has “a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure dwells in you as well” (2Tim 1:5). He points out how both Mom and Memaw spiritually invested in Tim’s life. They started early. VERY early!

What a powerful reminder that it’s never to early to start stacking the spiritual kindling in the life of child. Can’t you just picture what it was like in his earliest days? His mom singing sweet worship songs to her newborn baby. Grandma Lois telling her grandson all about the goodness of his gracious Heavenly Dad. Growing up Jewish themselves, they were simply doing what God had commanded through Moses. When it comes to passing along God’s Word, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Dt 6:7).

Don’t get all freaked out and think you need to come up with some sort of formal Bible study or daily devotion for your kids. Just make it a regular part of your everyday life. While you’re sitting around. While you’re riding in your car. While you’re putting them to bed. While you’re at breakfast in the morning. You see, we can build the fire anytime and anywhere.

Thanks to both Eunice and Lois, Tim has “been acquainted with the sacred writings” (v15) since before he could walk. The language here in the original language points to something more than general awareness of Scripture. Tim and his Bible are much more than casual acquaintances. The Greek word οιδα/oida points to an intimate relationship with someone or something that leads to appreciation and respect. Let’s just say the Bible at Tim’s house didn’t spend much time on the bookshelf.

Mad Skills

Tim’s mother and grandmother saw the incredible value in the Scriptures “which are able to make you wise” (v15). Paul uses a word here (Gr. σοφιζω/sophizo) which means a whole lot more than just stuffing your head full of facts, dates, and meaningless details. This is all about pursuing knowledge which can be applied. It’s becoming skilled.

God’s Word is not some dusty book full of weird fairy tales. It’s incredibly practical. First of all, it’s God’s written revelation of Himself. The more we learn about Him, the deeper our relationship grows with Him. The result is the realization of just how desperately we need Him. That’s the kind of wisdom it provides. These are the kind of mad skills we all need.

Sure there’s all sorts of very practical tips in places like Proverbs. But Jesus is so much more than an awesome life coach. He’s my Savior. He’s my Lord. He’s my God. Scripture provides the most practical wisdom I’ll ever find anywhere. My need for Jesus. My need for His grace. When I’m regularly exposed to God’s Word, there’s a really good chance that everything will eventually all click together.

When the Lightbulb Comes on

The lightbulb that eventually turns on is actually the Light of the World. That’s what Paul means when he says Scripture is just what Tim needed “for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v15). Jesus is the exclusive source of salvation (Acts 4:12). The one and only access to our Heavenly Dad is through His one and only Son (Jn 14:6). There may be a single point of spiritual rescue but it’s available to anyone and everyone. Because of God’s overflowing love for us, anyone who goes all in on Jesus gains immediate access to eternal life (Jn 3:16). He welcomes all comers.

We place our “faith in Christ Jesus” (15), not in ourselves. I can’t save myself. It’s just not possible. Don’t believe me? God invites us to take a shot at self-salvation by following His rules. You’ll find them listed in painful detail in what we call the Old Testament. It would have been the only Bible people like Lois, Eunice, Tim, and Paul had back in the day.

Saving Yourself by Following the Rules

The rules God gives in Leviticus alone are so complicated it will make your head hurt. I can barely read through the levitical laws much less obey them. So let’s just cut it back to what we call the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:3-17; Dt 5:7-21). I may think I’m a good person because I’ve never killed anyone or had an affair. But that’s only two out of ten. Give me a polygraph on the other eight and I’m in a world of hurt. I’m a train wreck when it comes to God’s Top Ten.

But hey, that’s the Old Testament. It’s all about a mean ol’ God full of judgment and wrath. Surely the God of the New Testament has softened up in His old age. Isn’t that where we find all that talk of love, mercy, and grace? Isn’t Jesus all warm and fuzzy? For Pete’s sake, you’ve seen the pictures of Him carrying a lamb on His shoulders, haven’t you?

Jesus Raises the Bar

There’s just one problem with that. It’s called the New Testament. In His most famous sermon of all time, Jesus doesn’t lower the bar but raises it so high that we could never dream of clearing it (Mt 5:1-7:29). In His Sermon on the Mount, our Savior tells the crowd to not make the mistake of thinking He’s tossing the OT in the trash can (Mt 5:17). Think the Law was impossible? Take a run at these new rules!

Suddenly getting angry is equal to murder (Mt 5:21-22). A wandering eye is equal to an affair (Mt 5:27-28). Get the idea? The good news is that Jesus also says that while He’s not rewriting the rulebook, He is going to obey all of them for us. “I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Mt 5:17). The Rule Maker becomes the Rule Keeper.

The CT Scan Can’t Cure

So what does all of this have to do with Paul’s words to Timothy about “salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v15)? The big idea is that God’s story that we read throughout the Bible is all about how desperately we need a Hero and God’s promise to send Him. Both the OT and the Sermon on the Mount are like spiritual CT scans that reveal my sin. No matter how often they’re used, they can’t heal. They only diagnose.

The Gospel is the cure. The grace of Jesus is the remedy. He does for us what we can never do for ourselves. He lives the perfect life of obedience to God’s Law that we fail to live. He dies the death for our sin on the cross that we should have died. He rises to the glorious resurrection life that we certainly don’t deserve. We also place our trust in His loving leadership as our Lord.

Caution: Flammable!

When we see Jesus as the Hero of God’s story in Scripture, the fire ignites in a big way. It takes time to stack the kindling in people’s lives. Instead of driving folks away with a long list of rules, begin carefully building spiritually flammable materials in their lives. Tell them about God’s incredible goodness. Point out how He loves us so much that He sent His Son for us.

Do this for your kids. For your grandkids. For your neighbors. For the weird guy in the next cubicle at work. For golf buddies. Will it seem weird and awkward at times? Probably. But take the time stack the kindling. Take the time to build the fire. Don’t be surprised when God lights them up! Watch out! Caution: Flammable!

The Sword and the Scalpel

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worked who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2Tim 2:15).

Chain saw. Samurai sword. Meat cleaver. There are certain tools so sharp and powerful that you can do a lot of harm when you don’t use them carefully. They are finely honed blades which give someone with a steady hand the ability to cut closely and accurately (please note: “with a steady hand”!). That’s exactly why your mom told you not to run with scissors.

That’s basically the same warning Paul gives his protege Tim here. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (v15). God’s Word is razor sharp. It can slice and dice better than the best Cutco knife or Ronco’s Veg-O-Matic. Scripture can do the most delicate of spiritual surgery. But in the wrong hands, it can amputate and mutilate. Maybe you have the scars to prove it. When it comes to God’s Word, we must handle with extreme care.

What would lead Paul to slap a warning label on Scripture? Good question. Let’s rewind his story just a bit for a little better perspective. The man from Tarsus spent most of his adult life carrying and cutting people down to size with his biblical Bowie knife. Before Jesus jumped him outside of Damascus, the apostle formerly known as Saul was among the best and brightest among the Jewish religious elite (Phil 3:5-6; Acts 22:3). We’re talking top of his class. Five-star recruit. First round draft pick.

One look at Saul’s LinkedIn profile tells you this dude is going places. Oh, he went places all right. He went to places looking to arrest, torture, and kill the followers of Christ (Acts 22:4-5; Gal 1:13). He was a fully loaded Pharisee wielding God’s Word like a weapon. That all changed when the resurrected Jesus blindsided Saul on one of his notorious black ops missions. The next thing you know, the Son of God transforms this assassin into His spokesman.

Let’s cut to the chase. The Lord turned murderer Saul into missionary Paul. In the process, the apostle learns how to properly use Scripture. As a sword to protect. As a scalpel to help and heal. He begins a lifetime on the road around the Mediterranean Rim telling everybody who will listen about Jesus. That eventually puts him on the opposite side of his old team the Pharisees. If that’s not dangerous enough, Nero has had enough of this Jesus talk, tossed him jail and given him a death sentence.

As a result, he writes to Timothy from Death Row. He’s locked up in the incredibly nasty Mamertine Prison waiting for his date with the executioner (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). Paul begs his young buddy to hightail it to Rome before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21). He spends the rest of his last letter frantically scribbling down important instructions for making sure the message of Jesus keeps rolling (2Tim 2:1-4:5).

A huge part of what he has to say is about using the Bible carefully and accurately. God holds all the teachers of Scripture to a higher standard. If that’s you, are you ready for the day when He asks you about how you used His Word? Will He give you His stamp of approval? Or will you be embarrassed by how thrown His truth around willy nilly? Paul desperately wants both Tim and the rest of us to always treat God’s Word with great care. The same sharp blade that will can cut out our your heart is also capable of healing your soul. It’s both a sword and a scalpel.

The apostle begins by telling his spiritual son, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved” (v15). A closer look at the original language here is a whole lot stronger than a parent encouraging their child before a little league game. The Greek word here is σπουδαζω, which means to not only give it everything you’ve got but to do it in a big hurry. Drop everything and drop the accelerator. Do your best and do it fast!

It’s the same word Paul uses when he pleads with Tim to immediately stop what he’s doing and get his rear to Rome (2Tim 4:9, 21). He drops it again when wanting Titus to make a beeline to Nicopolis for a visit (Titus 3:12). It’s the idea of making something a top priority and doing it with maximum effort. Trekkies know all about Captain Kirk’s constant plea for more power for the Starship Enterprise right here, right now. Scotty would always respond, “I’m giving her all she’s got, Captain!”

That’s the kind of effort Paul is talking about when it comes to teaching and preaching God’s Word. It’s not a half-hearted, I’ll-get-to-it-when-I-have-a-free-moment deal. We’re talking urgent. Immediate. Total focus. Pedal to the metal. All the gauges on the dashboard in the red. God’s truth requires an urgent max effort. There’s simply too much at stake for anything less.

God raises the bar for those who teach and preach. Take it from Jesus’ kid brother James who was a leader in the early church. He went out of his way to tell any prospective preachers to pump their brakes and think twice about what they’re about to do. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).

Great Googly moogly! As someone who has a passion for teaching God’s truth, this scares the pants off me! My passion is to shine a light on Scripture with creativity and context. The last thing I want to do is teach it inaccurately or dishonor the rep of our Savior. The thought of having to look Jesus in the eye to answer for what I’ve said about Him reminds me of the seriousness of what I say and write.

It’s a powerful reminder to do my best to present myself to God as one approved. I can’t be haphazard. I can’t be careless. Let me give her all she’s got! If we do, there will be no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed when He meets me with us for the ultimate performance review.

Paul wants Tim to make sure he’s always “rightly handling the word of truth” (v15). Translators have a heck of a time getting across what the apostle writes here in the original langugage. “Rightly handling” is actually the Greek verb ορθοτομεω, which is a compound word that literally means “straight (ορθο-) cutting (-τομεω).” It’s the idea of cutting or slicing evenly and accurately in a single stroke.

Like the Blues Brothers comeback concert at the Palace Hotel Ballroom, this word appears one time and one time only in the New Testament. A few big time Bible scholars take a shot at explaining it. According to Theodoret, it describes a farmer plowing a straight furrow in his field. Parry likes to picture a stonemason deftly cutting stones with great accuracy. I like how Robertson sees it. Since Paul is a tentmaker, he knows all about cutting cloth with care.

In the same way, the apostle wants the young preacher to carefully and accurately teach the truth found in God’s Word. We must be meticulous in how we use Scripture. It is sharpest blade we’ll ever experience. It has the power to heal. It has the power to harm. Paul tells his Ephesian friends how it’s the “sword of the Spirit” is only weapon listed in the inventory of the armor of God (Eph 6:17).

The Lord trains you and me in effectively using our Bible as a blade to defend ourselves from the attacks of the enemy as we read, study, and memorize Scripture. Just what does that look like? Check out how Jesus swings His sword to fend off Satan’s triple temptation in a way that would make Zorro jealous (Lk 4:1-13). A great way to keep our saber sharp is by doing life with other followers of Jesus. Solomon compares it to iron sharpening iron (Prov 27:17).

But as the writer of Hebrews points out, God also uses His Word like a scalpel to do spiritual surgery. “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” (Heb 4:12). God delicately and skillfully extracts our sin like a supernatural neurosurgeon. He also removes lies we come to believe which grow like malignant tumors.

Paul encourages Pastor Tim as well as every other teacher and preacher to handle Scripture with great care. It’s incredibly sharp. If I misuse it by taking His truth out of context somebody’s going to get hurt. I can injure others as well as myself. Think of a careless knife thrower. He’s not winning America’s Got Talent if he’s missing a couple of fingers and his lovely assistant is covered in stitches and bandaids.

We also need to be very cautious not to bully others with the Bible. Sadly it happens far too often. You can usually recognize those religious thugs who use Scripture like a switchblade. They’re the ones who have a 2x4 sticking out of their own eye while pointing out the splinter in yours. Don’t be a 21st century Pharisee. There’s no reason to get cocky. We’re simply beggars who’ve figured out where to get the bread.

Use God’s Word skillfully and delicately on those who need healing. If Jesus has called you to teach His truth, give it everything you’ve got. If you do, there’s no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed. Handling His Word rightly means cutting carefully. We meet so many hurting people each day. They desperately need the therapy found only in the Gospel. Allow the Great Physician to use us to share His very Good News of grace.

Scripture can be an amazing spiritual scalpel. But in the wrong hands, it can butcher, slash, and maim. Sadly too many of us have been on the wrong end of their gruesome attacks. God has given us His Word in order to reveal the Word, His Son Jesus. Knowing who He is and what He’s done protects us from attacks but also provides the healing we desperately need. God give us His Word to love people where they are and encourage them in their walk with Christ.

It’s both a sword and a scalpel. So when it comes to God’s truth, please handle with maximum care.