What Is the Bible For?

Phil Benedict

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

United Indian Mission

Greeley, Colorado

These guides are designed to help you to study, to learn, to understand, and to live what God teaches us in his Word, the Bible. God gave us the Bible to teach us how to know and to walk with Him. We can enjoy God’s blessings forever, rather than experiencing his judgement. His Word is eternally true. Take time to carefully read and think about the Scriptures used in this guide. Meditate on them and the truths they teach. Learn to love God and his Word. Regularly ask God for a right understanding of Scriptural truths and then make them part of you. Absorb them. If you go over the material too quickly without much thought, it will have little or no lasting impact on your life. Commit yourself to making Biblical truths the foundation of your life and to putting them into practice every day of your life.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Before we can walk with God and experience his blessings or before we can grow spiritually, we must first know God. The Bible uses the word "saved" to describe the experience of coming to know Him. We are saved from spiritual death (also called the second death) which is the penalty for our sin. When this happens, then we can walk with Him and honor Him and enjoy a meaningful, satisfying, and productive life while we are alive here on earth. An even bigger blessing is that we are saved from eternal death and will have eternal life with Him forever. What a blessing!!!

Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17 carefully. In the Bible, "salvation" and "being saved" mean essentially the same thing.

From verse 15, where do we find out how to be saved?

The Bible also uses the term "born again" to describe being saved.

In I Peter 1:23, it states that we are "born again" through the ________________________.

In John 20:31, what is the word "these" referring to?

From this verse, why did John write the book of John?

The greatest truth of all time is that you and I, even though we are sinners, can know and walk with the holy God. Even if we were "the worst of all sinners", all our sin can be totally forgiven. Even greater than that, God will credit his own goodness to our account and our record before God can be absolutely clean. He will even adopt you and me as his own children, and we can be the children of God!!! You can’t get any greater honor than that. The God who created and sustains the universe will make us his child and we can walk and talk with Him. God offers all this as a free gift to anyone who will come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is extremely important. At stake is not only our ability to walk with God, but also where we will spend eternity. If we know God, we will spend an eternity with God. If we do not know Him, we will spend eternity separated from Him, suffering God’s wrath in hell.

To know God you have to come to Him on his terms, not our own way or any other person’s way. According to the Bible, there is one and only one way to genuinely know God. The way is simple and the Bible is clear on how to come to God and be saved from the wages of sin.

Very carefully read and think through each of the following Biblical truths. Each of these Biblical teachings must be accepted before one can know God and be forgiven of his sin.

Romans 3:23 " For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

Isaiah 64:6 "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf and like the wind our sins sweep us away".

Do these verses accurately describe you?

Do you feel that, although you may have sinned, you are not really a bad person?

Does it make you angry to admit you are a sinner?

There is a huge moral gap between the holy God and sinful man. We will never be able to come to God on the basis of our own goodness. Even "little" sins keep us from God.

Romans 6:23a " For the wages of sin is death..."

Romans 5:12b "...death came to all men, because all have sinned."

In Scripture there are two kinds of death. Both are the consequences of sin.

A. Physical death. All of us (saved and unsaved) will die a physical death. Physical death is a result of sin. If man had not sinned, there would be no death.

B. The "second death", or "spiritual death". The second death is to spend eternity in hell, separated from God. This is true of non-believers only.

See Revelation 20:11-15 and Revelation 21:6-8.

What is the "second death"?

Read Luke 16:19-31 and the two passages just mentioned from Revelation. From these passages, how would you describe hell?

3. Because God loved us, Jesus Christ (God’s Son) died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. Romans 5:8b "...While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God."

Jesus was absolutely sinless. Therefore He did not have to die. However, He chose to die anyway so that He could pay the penalty for our sin. What a blessing that is!!! Because Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin, we can escape the judgement of death that was given us. We do not have to spend eternity in hell, separated from God.

Why did Jesus choose to die on the cross?

After Jesus died on a cross paying the penalty for our sin, his body was taken down, prepared for burial and then buried in a tomb. On the third day after He died, God brought Jesus back to life. His body was resurrected from death and Jesus came to life again. See Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead proved beyond any doubt that the death of Jesus was not a normal death. The truth is that He died paying the penalty for our sin.

Do you accept the Biblical account of the resurrection of Jesus?

4. The death of Jesus Christ is full payment of the penalty for our sin.

Ephesians 1:7 "In Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."

2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made Him (Jesus Christ) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

From 2 Corinthians 5:21, what is available to us because of the death of Jesus Christ?

This verse states that God made Christ to be ________________ so that we could become _____________________________.

5. There is absolutely nothing you can do to earn or to be worthy of God’s forgiveness of your sin and the removal of the penalty for your sin. You can only accept the death of Jesus Christ and God’s forgiveness as a free gift.

Ephesians 2:4-5 "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved."

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast."

Romans 4:4-5 "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness."

In these verses we are described as being "dead in__________________________________".

What can a dead person do to gain forgiveness of sin?

We can only receive salvation as a free _____________________.

It does absolutely no good to try to improve yourself or to "clean up your act" before you come to God for forgiveness. We are all sinners and we cannot change that. We can only come to Jesus exactly as we are---sinners.

Acts 16:31 ... "Believe (put your trust in) in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..."

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (trust) -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works..."

In the Bible, the words "believe", "trust", and "faith" all have basically the same meaning. To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ is to make a deliberate personal choice to put your trust in his death on the cross as the payment for your own sin. You can either pay the penalty yourself by spending an eternity separated from God, or you can accept his death as the payment for your sin and have eternal life with God. The choice is yours!!!

Do you understand what has been said so far in this lesson?

Are you trusting in Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for your sin?

Are you trying to be a good person to be saved from this penalty, or are you accepting eternal life with God as a free gift?

7. Be willing, with God’s help, to turn from a lifestyle of sin and live for the Lord Jesus Christ. This does not mean that you will be perfect or sinless, but it does mean that you will commit yourself to following and serving the Lord Jesus.

Acts 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

Luke 13:3b and 5b. "...but unless you repent, you will all perish."

You will never be saved by your own efforts. Your own efforts will gain you nothing before God. However, after putting your trust in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, then, with God’s help, you turn away from a lifestyle of sin and dedicate yourself to living a life that honors the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is not a light decision. In fact, it is the most important decision of your whole life. It is a total change in your life. In the past you served yourself; now you will serve the Lord Jesus Christ. In the past you freely sinned; now you are committing yourself to becoming more and more like Jesus Christ. We, as humans, cannot possibly do this without the strength that God’s Holy Spirit gives us after we make the choice to accept Him.

If you, to the best of your understanding, strongly want to be saved from the penalty for your sin (hell) and to live for God, then pray a prayer like the following. The exact words are not what is important---it’s the choice you make to trust Him, and your attitude that count.

If you, to the best of your understanding, honestly and sincerely prayed this prayer, you are now forgiven and have a clean record with God. You are saved from the penalty for sin. You are now God’s adopted child. Wow, what a truth!!!

Now read the following verse several times. Its promises are true. You can put your own name in this verse.

Knowing God is not a matter of feeling saved or some other kind of good feeling. It is a matter of trusting or putting your faith in what God has said in his Word, the Bible. Feeling good or bad is no indication of whether or not you are saved.

Have you heard the Word and believed (put your trust in) God?

If so, what do you have?

Is eternal life a present or future possession?

Will a person who has eternal life ever be condemned or sent to hell?

Those who have believed have crossed over from _________________to ______________.

What if a few days from now you don’t feel saved? Are you still saved?

Is being saved dependent on our feelings or on God’s truthfulness and faithfulness?

Once you are saved, do not expect instant maturity. Maturity comes with growth and faithfulness over time. Expect Satan to oppose your commitment to serve God. Expect your faith to be tested. Be faithful and make the right decisions, even when you don’t feel like it.

Man is forever trying to find another way to be saved other than what the Bible clearly teaches. Following are some things that will not result in your being saved. Salvation is not any of the these.

It is not being "religious".It is not being "sincere"or being a "good" person.

It is not attending or joining a church.

It is not "going forward" in church.

It is not being baptized.

It is not keeping the Ten Commandments or following any other set of rules.

It is not giving all your problems to Jesus.

It is not having a "spiritual experience" or a "spiritual awakening".

It is not "seeing the light".

It is not just saying a prayer, or praying for help, or "praying through".

It is not "speaking in tongues".

It is not when your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds.

It is not "turning over a new leaf".

It is not taking communion or the "sacraments".

It is not having an uncle who is a Baptist preacher.

Many of these are good things but they are not what save us from the penalty for sin. The truth is that a person could experience all of these things and still never know God and spend an eternity separated from God.

Do you understand what the Bible teaches about how to be saved?

What are you basing your salvation on?

Do you know Scripture well enough to explain the plan of salvation to someone else?

Once we know God (are saved), then we are ready to begin a lifetime of spiritual growth. As life moves along we should know Him better and better, and our walk with Him continually deepens. This growth will be very shallow or non-existent if we do not continually absorb and live by the Word of God.

II Timothy 3:16-17 is a key passage in explaining how the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to bring about growth and maturity in the life of a Christian.

Find this passage in your Bible and read it over and over again and meditate on it until you begin to understand and absorb what is being taught.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

From these verses, what is the source of the Bible (Scripture)?

From these verses, what is the Bible useful for?

In the last part of this passage, what is the result when the Scriptures are doing their work?

In order to understand this verse, we will define and discuss several key words in these verses.

1. Teaching---doctrine: Teaching the authoritative body of Scripture. (Vine and Zodhiates)

The word "teaching" is the same word that is translated "doctrine" in many other parts of Scripture and in some other Bible translations.

Carefully read the following verse several times.

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:16

What are we told to closely watch?

What are we told to persevere in?

What does "persevere" mean?

What is the result of persevering in right doctrine and right living?

By inference, what would be the result of not persevering in right doctrine and right living?

Right doctrine leads to right living. A correct Biblical understanding of doctrine and a commitment to obedience are the foundation for a lifetime of solid growth. It leads us to greater faith in God, to productive service, to freedom from the bondage to sin, and to strength, to encouragement, to assurance of salvation, to fruitfulness, and to peace.

If an individual’s understanding of doctrine is Biblically inaccurate, it will lead to wrong attitudes and behavior patterns and can lead to fear, anger, guilt, fruitlessness, frustration, distrust and other unhealthy feelings and wrong ideas.

Warning against false teaching (doctrine) is a major theme in the Bible. These warnings permeate the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments. Jude 1, Galatians 1:6-10,

2 Timothy 3, Titus 1:10-16, 2 Peter 2, Acts 8:13-23, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 1 Timothy 4:1-6, 2 Timothy 4:3, Matthew 7:15, Isaiah 8:19-22, Isaiah 47:9-15, 2 Peter 3:3-5,

Matthew 24:9-12, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 1 John 2:18-19, 2 John 1:7, 1 Timothy 1:1-7,

1 Timothy 6:3-5, and many more. If avoiding false teaching is so important that God gave so much space in Scripture to it, then should we consider it important too?

Incorrect teaching can come from many different sources. Friends, family, churches, and, yes, even teachers and ministers can mislead people with wrong teaching. If an individual or a preacher or teacher does not regularly study the Word, or if his motives are not in tune with God’s purpose, then he will very likely be a source of false teaching.

It is not enough to simply read and study to gain more knowledge and understanding of doctrine. God expects us to be submissive and obedient. Unwillingness to submit to Jesus Christ brings defeat and gives Satan a foothold in our life. Be willing to change attitudes and behavior patterns in your own life as the Holy Spirit brings to your attention areas of your life that need changing.

In Titus 2:1, how are we instructed to teach?

In Ephesians 4:14, how does Paul describe those who are taught man’s doctrine?

In this verse, how does Paul describe men who teach false doctrine?

From 1 Timothy 4:1, who else teaches false doctrine?

What do man’s rules cause in Matthew 15:9?

From 2 John 9, what is the difference between one who continues to live by good teaching and one who doesn’t?

Carefully read 1 Timothy 1:3-7 several times.

In verses 3-4, what is Timothy told to do?

In verse 5, what is the goal of right teaching?

In verse 5-6, what do some wander away from?

In verse 6, what have some turned to?

What does verse 7 say about some who want to be teachers?

Most of us are in a position to teach someone. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, Sunday school teachers, youth workers, and pastors are all in a position to teach. You do not have to be a theologian or a pastor to teach right teaching, but you do need to be regularly absorbing the Word of God.

Think for a moment. Who are you teaching or who should you be teaching?

Are you giving them right teaching from the Bible?

What can you do to be a better teacher?

In 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Paul puts "whatever is contrary with sound doctrine" in a list with what other things?

From the verses above, how important is sound doctrine?

Are you carefully reading and studying to make sure your understanding of Scripture is correct?

Do the individuals who are teaching you have a solid accurate understanding of Scripture?

Do individuals who are teaching you spend time studying, and are they very careful to teach Scripture accurately?

Are you regularly teaching others in your own family?

If you occasionally or regularly teach others, are you very careful to teach only accurate Scriptural truth?

If others stumble or falter because we have given them bad teaching, are we not at least partially responsible for their stumbling???

2. Rebuke: Convincing of error. Refuting an adversary. Showing the truth of a charge. The desired result is the acknowledgment of wrong on the part of the accused. (Zodhiates)

The Bible points out and in most cases very clearly tells us what sin is. As we hear the Word taught and as we read it, the Spirit of God using the Word of God will convict us and rebuke us of sin in our lives. When this is done, we should not respond in stubbornness or anger, but in submission and obedience.

From Psalm 119:9, how does one live a pure life?

From Psalm 119:11, what does one do to keep from sinning?

Are you letting the Word of God keep you from sin?

How should we respond when we become aware of sin in our life?

Hebrews 12:4-11 tells us what can happen when we allow sin in our lives.

What does God do to develop us as his loved children?

What is discipline?

In this verse, we see that the Lord disciplines and rebukes his children. How do you think God might do this?

As Christians, we also have a responsibility to rebuke our fellow Christians when they refuse to repent of sin. This may be tough, but there are times when we need to have wrong behavior or wrong understanding pointed out to us.

From Luke 17:3, how are we to react when a brother sins?

What do we do when he repents?

From Titus 2:15, what do we do along with rebuking a brother?

From Matthew 7:3-5, what should we do before we try to help someone else who is sinning?

Rebuking a brother must be done with tact, love, and under the leading of the Holy Spirit. If you see a situation where this needs to be done, how do you think a person should prepare himself for this responsibility?

3. Correction: Setting up straight again. A restoration to an upright or right state. (Zodhiates, Vine)

Rebuke and correction go hand in hand. The Word of God not only points out the wrong behavior, it also tells us how to correct the wrong behavior. The pattern is common in Scripture.

In Ephesians 5:18, what is the negative rebuke in this verse?

What is the correct behavior?

The books of First and Second Corinthians have very strong rebukes in them. However, Paul does not leave it there. He tells the Corinthian people what must be done to get back to serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

Skim through the Book of I Corinthians. What are some of the wrong behaviors that Paul points out to the Corinthian people?

What is the right way to live instead?

In Galatians 1:6-8, there is an extremely strong rebuke.

Who and what is Paul rebuking?

Skim through the rest of Galatians. How does Paul go about correcting the wrong in the Galatian church?

4. Training: (3809) - To instruct, to discipline. (Zodhiates)

Scripture gives training or instruction in right living. Training can be simply basic instruction in Godly living or it can be harsher discipline for disobedience. In either case the desired result is a growing productive walk with God.

Teaching and training are related, but not identical. This may be an oversimplification, but you could say that teaching is the passing on of knowledge while training is helping a person to put that knowledge into practice.

How have you been trained to live a Godly life?

Are you helping to train anyone else to live for the Lord?

In Hebrews 12:5-11, whenever the word "discipline" is used, it is the same Greek word as "training" in II Timothy 3:16. From this passage, what can we learn about training?

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

What are some important things to do to train your children to walk with God?

2 Timothy 3:17

From 2 Timothy 3:17, what is the result when this Scriptural pattern of teaching, rebuking, correcting, and instruction in righteousness is taking place in one’s life?

Do you want to be equipped to do the work of God in your life?

Give some examples of how part or all of this process is taking place in your life.

If you are neglecting or not submitting to Scripture, then this process is not going on in your life and you are not equipped to do God’s work. We need to carefully examine ourselves to see if we are allowing Scripture to work in our lives.

It is important to note that in the verses following II Timothy 3:14-17, the Spirit of God leads right into a description of the pastor’s role as a preacher/teacher. This passage not only applies to the pastor, but also to anyone responsible for teaching the Word of God. Fathers, mothers, Sunday School teachers, youth workers, and others should respond to this passage. Let’s look at some key parts of II Timothy 4:1-2.

Preach the Word - Pastors and teachers must preach/teach the Word of God. As we have seen, there is power in the Word. God never says He will bless messages on politics, psychology, sociology, etc., etc., etc. Messages and lessons should be solidly based in the Word rather than on random thoughts and opinions. This takes a significant amount of preparation. We simply cannot continually rely on our experience and knowledge to replace preparation.

In 1 Corinthians 1:17, What happens when we substitute our human understanding for solid teaching of the gospel?

In 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, a distinction is made between "wise and persuasive words" and demonstrating God’s power.

From these verses, what is the result of preaching with "wise and persuasive words"?

What is the result of preaching in the Spirit’s power?

How can one be a teacher or preacher whose teaching is a demonstration of the Spirit’s power?

Correct-Rebuke - These are exactly the same words as in chapter three. There are times the pastor needs to rebuke sin in the church, and then help to set the individual(s) back on the right path.

Encourage (exhort) - Church members need a lot of encouragement as they live and grow. It is the pastor’s job to regularly encourage and nudge them on to regular growth.

With great patience and careful instruction - It is the pastor’s role to give careful instruction (teach/train) in the Word and how to live right. And he must do it with great patience. In "normal" circumstances, most of the pastor’s time needs to be spent giving sound Biblical teaching and training.

The result of good Biblical preaching/teaching is found in Ephesians 4:11-16.

This is another key passage relating to the Word of God. It needs to be absorbed by us all. Read this passage over and over again until you begin to have an understanding and appreciation of the function and value of the Word. In this passage the words law, statutes, precepts, commands, and ordinances, all in one way or another refer to the Word of God.

As you study this passage, there are three key questions you can ask.

What is God’s Word called? (At least five different things)

The Word is described as being what? (Nine different things)

What does the Word do? (At least five different things)

Think and meditate on this passage. It will greatly enhance your appreciation for God’s Word.

Now let’s look at some things which cause the Word of God not to bear fruit in the lives of Christians. In this passage, the parable of the sower is told and explained by Jesus. In verse 15, we find that Satan keeps the Word from bearing fruit. We know that Satan and his evil spirits will do every thing possible to stop the Word. He will persecute pastors and laymen; he will spread false doctrine; he will mix truth and false teaching so people don’t know the difference; and he will spread a watered down, ineffective version of the Word. Satan is cunning and deceitful and he will do everything he can to make the Word ineffective. Christians must be aware of this and be on guard. They must know and submit to the pure Word so that they honor God, continually grow, and be productive servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In verse 17, we find that trouble and persecution cause Christians to fall away. We have to continually absorb the Word so that when trouble or persecution comes, we will stand firm in our faith. When trouble comes, remind yourself of how deeply God loves you. Be faithful and let the troubled times build your faith, rather than losing faith. Make passages such as

Psalm 91 and 139, Matthew 5:11-12, and many other similar passages, a regular part of your reading of the Word.

In verse 19, there are three things that choke the Word and make it unfruitful. The first is the "worries of this life". Worry will keep a person from growing. You cannot continually worry and be trusting in God at the same time. If you are a worrier, read and meditate on

Philippians 4:4-9, Colossians 3:15-16, and Psalm 139. There are many other very good passages that are full of promises of protection, provision, and direction.

The second thing in verse 19 is "the deceitfulness of wealth". Almost all of us have felt the desire to have more things. With some, it becomes a passion. God wants us to serve Him and trust in Him to supply daily needs. No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24 One simply cannot allow himself to get taken up with acquiring more and more things. This chokes out the Word of God. We will have to decide what is important.

The third thing is "the desires for other things". This is a broad category that would cover things such as entertainment, recreation, power, success, prestige, popularity, cultural orientation, and sometimes even good things such as friends and family. These things may not be wrong in themselves; however, when they become more important than our obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, then they choke out the Word and are wrong.

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October, 2001