Good News for Today’s Christian

Yesterday we considered a significant warning from the Apostle Paul that applies to all Christians. In a world and culture that can hurt us, we are warned to humbly remain faithful to Jesus Christ. In the same text, however, Paul also included some great news for every Christian. Paul explains what will help us avoid the pitfall. For this, I am grateful and, as well, want to humbly follow his instruction. With great warning also comes great news!

Paul’s Great News for Every Christian

Paul explains what should encourage us:

You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Thankfully, Paul did not leave us hopeless. No doubt, yesterday’s passage (2 Timothy 3:1-5) could leave us down and discouraged; however, Paul provides us great hope. Simply put: the hope is found in God’s Word. Let me explain.

Hope for Daily Living

God provided us His Word which then gives us hope in a culture that can severely hurt us.

1. God’s Word provides you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. When we read the word salvation, we should be remember that salvation includes everything from the moment you accept Christ to the moment you arrive in heaven. God’s Word provides us the blueprints for that.
2. God’s Word serves as our authority for living. God speaks to us through His Word. In it we learn from Him. The Bible is His word. As our Creator, He knows what is best and makes that known through His Word.
3. God’s Word provides the means for our complete maturity in Christ. Paul explains that the Bible instructs, reproves, corrects, and disciplines us for the purpose of our maturity in Christ – our character and conduct.

God’s Word provides us the hope that we need to live for Jesus. Friends, that is great news. In light of the warning provided here and the realities of sin, discouragement, and hardships in our own lives, the Bible provides a ray of hope.

Maybe you, like me, need that ray of hope. I am so grateful that I can personally seek to gain from the Bible and share it with others so they can enjoy its benefits as well.

How do we respond to this hope?

Let me suggest four responses you can have to this wonderful news of hope.

Response One: Approach the Bible in humility as our authority. Recognize that we all are sinners, strugglers, and otherwise in need of further spiritual maturity. We slowly progress through the unto stage of Christianity. Although saved, the sanctification process is messy, long, and includes better times and not-so-better times. With the significant warning we considered yesterday, we approach the Scriptures desiring to learn, grow, and change. In order to do that, however, we first must have an open ear and open heart to what God says.

Response Two: Seek to hear, understand, and learn from the Bible. The Bible as God’s Word provides us help. In a world of many voices, the Bible stands as our authority. The Bible is not a voice but the voice for the Christian. We seek to hear, understand, and learn. Paul explains that it teaches us what to believe, reproves our false beliefs, corrects our behavior, and helps us live a life that honors God. In other words, it provides for our inner man as we develop Christlike maturity and our outer man as we are equipped for every good work. Therefore, we want to hear, understand, and learn.

Response Three: Apply the Bible to daily living. We do not simply want to learn the Bible, we also need to apply the Bible. Again, this is done in humility. We do not apply the Bible as a checklist. The Bible does not simply create a list of dos and don’ts for us to follow. Instead, the Bible provides us a path upon which to walk. But walking actually implies movement. Walking with Christ is not riding with Christ. We are to do something. Jesus taught the wise person hears and obeys.

This again takes humility as we strive to apply those things we receive from God’s Word. No doubt applying God’s Word is a messy process for each of us – imperfect in our application and pride-inducing if we are not minding our hearts along with our behavior. Yet God is faithful to provide us grace in this process and allows us to demonstrate grace to others also in the process.

Yesterday, a significant warning.
Today, great news of hope as we seek to live for Jesus.