SOUND DOCTRINE ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES
June 15, 2003 AM
Sermon Outline
Titus 2:1 & 2 TIM 3:14-17
INTRO:And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures... In four amazing verses in the second of his letters to Timothy the apostle Paul makes some very important observations about the scriptures. While many of us may not be away of it, the holy scriptures are under attack! And the attack comes in a variety of forms from a variety of fronts. There are even those within the Lords church who adhere to philosophical viewpoints which diminish the importance and authority of the scriptures. If there was ever a time when we need to review sound doctrine about the scriptures, it is now!
I. SCRIPTURES: WHAT DO WE MEAN?
A. From the original language...
1. 2 Pet 3:16 - uses a word which generically means a document
2. the root of the word refers to that which is written
3. thus, scripture is a written document
B. The holy scriptures, as a whole, are Gods written revelation of His word
1. often, in the New Testament, the word refers to the Old Testament
2. so, Jno 5:39 - Search the scriptures...
3. but 2 Pet 3:15,16 notes that the New Testament writings are scripture
C. Consider...
1. Jno 20:30,31 - But these are written... - a written record
2. Col 4:16 - the letters ... read them
3. Rev 1:3 - written words to read and keep
II. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE AFFIRMATIONS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL?
A. Scripture is given by inspiration of God
1. inspired - literally, God breathed
2. Gal 1:11,12 - the revealed gospel ... received from Jesus Christ
3. 1 Cor 2:12,13 - the very words used to convey the message were chosen by the Holy Spirit
4. 2 Pet 1:21 - here is the substance of the matter - scripture is not just any document ... it is the word of the Omnipotent God
B. Scripture is what one needs to come to salvation
1. note that the salvation is through faith which is in Christ Jesus
2. but where is that information going to be found?
3. Acts 8:35 - the scriptures! that is where one must go who is seeking information about the salvation that is in Christ
4. Rom 10:17 with Acts 17:11
C. Scripture is authoritative
1. the authority of the scriptures is being eroded by fuzzy thinking folks who desire to have their own way ... but claim to be Christian
2. notice 2 Tim 3:16 - these purposes of scripture assume its authority
3. and consider 1 Tim 3:14,15 - (remember, Peter said that what Paul wrote was scripture) why did he write the things he did? so that we would know how the church was to be constituted - to give us the inspired pattern
4. 2 Tim 1:13 - the pattern of sound words must be observed faithfully
D. Scripture is all sufficient
1. 2 Tim 3:17 makes this fact very clear
2. scripture provides us with what God wants us to know ... and is all we need to be all He wants us to be!
3. are there unanswered questions? probably (so, Deut 29:29)
4. still, everything we need to know about redemption, the church, holiness of life and such will be found in scripture! (recall 2 Tim 4:3,4)
E. Think about Jno 12:48
1. scripture preserves, embodies the word of Christ
2. therefore, it will be the standard by which we will be ultimately judged
3. if scripture is abandoned, either by neglect, deviation or innovation, we place ourselves in harms way in the judgment
4. 2 Tim 2:5 - there is a standard; to be crowned we must honor it in life
F. Finally, scripture is be learned
1. ...thou has known the holy scriptures...
2. all we have said is for nought if one does not make the message personal by learning the scriptures
3. Deut 4:9,10 - how diligent are we in this respect?
CLOSE: So much more could be said. But we need to come back to scripture ... in a profound way ... if pleasing God is important to us.
Cecil A. Hutson
15 June 2003