Message from Scripture: 11/22/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from 2 Pet. 1:20-21: “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

 

There are those today, even in our brotherhood, who would deny the inspiration of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17), telling us it was written for unique situations in former times, and is thus subject to being reinterpreted for our day and time. For example, what Paul wrote to Corinth was true for them, but not necessarily for us today. We are free to change it as we see fit for today. This certainly isn’t how Paul understood Scripture.

 

To the church at Corinth, Paul wrote of sending Timothy, who would remind them of his ways “which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Cor. 4:17).  No matter where Paul labored, or to whom he wrote, he understood it all to be the will of God, and all applying to us as Christians.  By reading each of his letters to the various churches, we do learn about the unique situations many of them faced.  Not only this, we also have a complete picture of God's will, and how it applies in every situation we can encounter today.

 

The Hebrew writer tells us the word of God is living and active (Heb. 4:12), and able to cut through our motives to reveal our true hearts. All of Scripture is applicable to us all (Rom. 15:4), for one day we will be judged by it (Heb. 4:13). It offers us a complete understanding of what we must do to be saved, of how we can live the Christian life, of having the promise of eternity.  All Scripture is inspired of God, and all Scripture reveals God and His will to us.

 

May we not read our desires and feelings into Scripture of what we want it to say, but be willing to conform ourselves to what it does say. God bless.

 

Robert