Written By: David Hicks                                   New King James Version

"PREACH THE WORD!"

The relationship between Paul and Timothy was uniquely intertwined. There could have been many personal reasons for this special relationship; however, we are given some insight as to the foundation behind this relationship.

On the Apostle Paul's 2 nd preaching journey, he enlisted the very young Timothy to accompany him in his travels. Timothy had already, even as young as he was, established himself among his brethren;

Acts 16:2 “He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.”

This love for the Lord would continue to develop as he worked with Paul on behalf of the churches of Christ;

Philippians 2:19-22 “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.”

We might be able to assume a great many things as to the kindred relationship that Paul and Timothy enjoyed, but nothing would undermine the revealed link they shared; a love for the Lord and service in the Gospel!

 

Text:

2 Timothy 3:15 “and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Paul would continue to enlighten us concerning Timothy and the foundation in faith he received in the Holy Scriptures from his youth. This had been due to the training of His grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (his father had been a Greek, and is not given any credit in this foundation – Acts 16:3 ); 2 Timothy 1:5 .

The Holy Scriptures being considered in this first passage of text were those of the Old Testament; as the New would not have been available during his childhood. Yet, these Scriptures were still able to make Timothy wise for salvation. The Apostle Paul in many places acknowledged that the Old Testament Scriptures and illustrations had the ability to assist us in coming to Christ and preparing us for an understanding in the perfect Law of Liberty;

Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Galatians 3:24 “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

 

Text:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Having now proceeded to include the Gospel of Christ, Paul establishes that “All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God” . This is to say that all scripture is God breathed! This is the definition of divine revelation. To this end, man can know the will of God, thus never having the excuse of ignorance concerning the righteousness of God.

The Bible reveals two kinds of revelation:

General or Natural.

This is simply that which allows us to recognize God in our surroundings and within ourselves as being created after Him;

Psalm 19:1-4 “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,”

Acts 17:26-27 “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;”

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”

Although this form of revelation speaks to us in confirmation that God exists and is the power behind the creation of everything; it does not reveal to you and I His expectations of righteousness and the means by which to achieve it. This brings us to the second form of revelation;

Divine, Supernatural, God Breathed.

As expressed in our text, this medium is a supernatural medium in which God breathes His will through His Spirit by the vehicle of man. The Apostle Peter, in writing to Christians concerning their hope based on the Gospel, would explain this supernatural medium, past and present;

1 Peter 1:10-12 “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into.”

Likewise, the Apostle Paul writing to Christians in the city of Corinth, emphasized the importance of Spiritual wisdom over that of men, gives without a doubt the best description of divine inspiration in the scriptures;

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written:

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For "who has known the mind of the L ord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.”

Paul relates that he and the other Apostles of Christ had been given this Spiritual direction, thus the very origin of the Gospel of Christ was not of man but originated in heaven, through the Spirit which is from God.

The Apostolic Medium.

Jesus, before He ascended into heaven to the right hand of God ( Acts 2:33 ), commissioned His chosen Apostles to go into the world and preach the Gospel of salvation through Him ( Matthew 28:18-20 ; Mark 16:15-16 ; Luke 24:46-49 ; Acts 1:8 ). However, before His betrayal and death, He called His chosen together and revealed to them that they would receive the supernatural revelation of the Spirit of God and exactly what the Spirit of God would do through them;

John 14:24-26 “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

John 15:26-27 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”

John 16:7-8 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”

John 16:13-14 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”

John 17:8 “For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.”

Here, Jesus would describe that the Spirit of truth would be for the Apostles of Christ a:

Comforter – Helper, Legal Counselor, Aid, etc…

Teacher – Guide to all truth, reminder, etc… It is important to know that the Spirit of God would guide them into ALL truth, which teaches us that that the revelation of God in the Gospel of Christ was exhaustive. There would not be any need of future revelations once the Gospel of Christ is revealed through them.

Witness – The word preached by the Apostles of Christ were closely followed by signs and wonders that testified to the power behind the word delivered.

Convict the World – There is neither conviction of sin or conversion to salvation apart from the word.

Glorify Christ – The Gospel of Christ is to know the plan of God for the salvation of man by Christ Jesus our Lord ( Romans 1:1-17 ).

 

Why all the fuss? Why not just deliver the message via some great sign or wonder (as if this very understanding of revelation isn't wonder enough!!!)? Paul would answer that question in dealing with Jews who always wanted another sign to believe; and in dealing with Gentiles who always thought that things should be in the wisdom of men;

1 Corinthians 1:21 “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”

 

Text:

2 Timothy 4:1-5 “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Based on all we have studied now concerning the fact that the word of God is in fact God breathed and contains all that we need to know in order to achieve the righteousness of God; can you see now why it is so important?

 

Apostles Commended Christians to the Word.

Just as Paul ordained Timothy in our text to, “Preach the word” we must truly appreciate the all sufficient nature of the word of God. In the face of entertainment, clever repartee, psychology, gimmickry, and pet projects coming from the pulpits of most churches that claim authenticity to scripture; we see that the Apostle Paul would commend Timothy to adhere strictly to the scriptures to train true Christians !

The Apostle Paul meeting with the Ephesians' elders for perhaps the last time commended them to the word;

Acts 20:32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

The Apostle Peter, knowing that he was about to die, commended the Christians he wrote to that have been scattered into northern Asia Minor , to that which would remind them of all that they had been taught;

2 Peter 1:16-21 “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Peter would emphasize the origin of the permanent reminder of the righteousness of God and emphatically state that man was not given any say as to its interpretation. The Spirit of God moved the inspired men of the scriptures and we would do well just to heed it !

 

Because the Bible is God's word, it has eternal relevance; it speaks to all mankind, in every age and culture. Because it is God's word, we must listen and obey!

 

The Bible Is Our Only Source Of Authority!

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