But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
One of my favourite places is a fully stocked kitchen—pantry, cupboards, drawers, fridges, and freezers filled with fresh ingredients, utensils, gadgets, recipes, and specialised pots and pans. A well-equipped kitchen makes you look like a pro, even if you’re not a master chef! With the right tools at hand, you won’t be scrambling for ingredients or struggling with a rusty cheese grater when dinner guests arrive.
Scripture is like that kitchen, designed to lead us to salvation and equip us for every good work God calls us to. If we truly want to take on God’s character and live for His glory, we need look no further than the Bible. Scripture is unique in its ability to equip us because it is God’s Word.
Jay Adams, a renowned biblical counsellor, once wrote…
“Our problem is not that we do not have what we need in the Bible, but that we do not have enough of the Bible in us, which we need!”
Not enough of the Bible in us.
I have often thought of the truth of that statement. Our issue is not that the Bible lacks what we need, but that we haven’t let enough of the Bible truly fill us. If we use the kitchen analogy again, the problem with modern Christianity is that in our effort to make the Bible more accessible, we sometimes fail to open the cupboards and learn how to properly use the tools that help us grow godly and mature in our faith.
Paul tells us that the Bible is profitable for a life of godliness. When used properly, it is a powerful, practical, and transformative book.
So, do we truly know our way around the entire Bible, or do we simply stick to the familiar, comforting passages that encourage us for the moment? Are we teaching young Christians to discover for themselves what the Bible says, what it means, and how they can live it out? This is just as crucial to a godly life as mastering knife skills is to a cook.
God-breathed.
In his letter to the young pastor Timothy, Paul made powerful statements about the sacred Scriptures, which at that time only included the 39 books of the Old Testament. Paul emphasised that these Scriptures were nothing less than the inspired word of God, His special revelation, given to equip Timothy to challenge false teachers and be an effective minister of the Word at the local church in Ephesus. The sixty-six books of the Bible in the Canon today, translated into our own languages, are far more comprehensive than what Timothy had.
Just like Timothy, we are surrounded by false teachers who have strayed from the truth and are leading others astray (2 Tim 2:18). These imposters are deceiving others while being deceived themselves (2 Tim 3:13). In today’s world, the internet, bookstores, and Christian broadcasting networks are flooded with false teaching, but God has given us the Bible as the ultimate standard to test everything else against.
Continue in what you have learned…
“Don’t chase after the next shiny new thing, Timothy!” Paul urged the young man to remain steadfast in what he had already learned.
The Scriptures had been carefully taught to Timothy from childhood by his mother Lois, his grandmother Eunice, and Paul himself. These were reliable teachers, as their lives reflected the truth they shared. Timothy didn’t need the latest ministry trend or a self-help book to equip him for his calling. Above all, he needed to know, understand, apply, and teach Scripture more deeply.
In all the pages of Scripture, Timothy would find everything he needed for the work God had called him to as a young minister.
This got me thinking about the crucial role that God has given parents and grandparents in teaching Scripture to their children. In my service as a teen leader, it was easy to recognise the kids who have been well-taught at home. After spending a week with my own adult children at varsity, I am encouraged by the deep store of Scripture they have hidden in their hearts and minds, built through years of reading and teaching them the Bible as children. They now have a hunger to know Christ more through Bible study. But when we sat at the end of their beds reading the Bible to them as kids, we wondered if any of it was sinking in! There are tremendous blessings in being a second or third-generation Christian, as Timothy was.
Paul’s simple command to Timothy, “Continue in what you have learned and become convinced of,” reflects the timeless truth in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Bring them up…
I often hear parents lamenting their children’s disrespect or rebellion, but I wish more parents would take their own role seriously:
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Eph 6:4)
In many Christian homes, intentional Bible teaching and training are neglected or pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. Too often, parents have bought into the dangerous lie that teaching the Bible to their children will push them away or make them rebellious, so they delegate this essential task to Sunday school teachers or youth leaders, who see them for less than an hour each week. Instead of bringing children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, there is a dumbing down of children.
If Scripture enables the man (or woman) of God to be complete, to grow, and to be fully equipped for every good work, shouldn’t Bible teaching be the priority in every Christian home?
The Bible is able.
Paul tells Timothy that the Bible is able to make us wise unto salvation.
It’s not a trivial book meant for our entertainment or intellectual curiosity. It’s not simply a collection of feel-good quotes to boost our emotions like a quick refuel for a car that will run out of petrol the next day. No, the Bible is far more potent and effective than that. The Scriptures are able to give us the wisdom that leads to salvation and then draw us nearer to Christ’s likeness. Paul warned Timothy that his ministry would only remain effective and relevant if he held fast to the Scriptures.
On its own, the Bible is just paper and ink. But in the power of the Holy Spirit, Scripture provides us with the wisdom needed to understand the gospel and be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. This is an extraordinary claim to make about the Old Testament, but as Jesus explained to His disciples on the road to Emmaus, the entire Old Testament points to His death and resurrection: “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27)
I have known several people who were converted simply by reading the raw text of the Bible for themselves, without any human interpretation. The gospel is clearly laid out in the pages of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.
In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul reminds us that unregenerate people must first hear the gospel, believe, and be saved before they can grow and be transformed into Christ’s likeness. Without God’s special revelation, we cannot believe the gospel. Without the Bible, we cannot grow in godliness. Without Scripture, we cannot lead anyone to Christ or disciple them effectively. From beginning to end, the Bible tells us about:
- God’s holiness and our sin,
- Our separation from God,
- God’s plan to reconcile us to Himself,
- How to respond to Christ in repentance and faith,
- How to grow in holiness.
The Bible is living and active, quick to discern the thoughts and motives of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). It is nourishing and leads us to fear and please the Lord (Ps 19:7-11). If we neglect the Bible in our evangelism and discipleship, it’s like trying to cook a meal in the bathroom.
The Bible transforms.
The Bible is given to transform our lives and relationships. In verse 16, Paul outlines a four-step process by which the Word transforms us into Christ’s likeness:
- Teaches – We are changed as God’s standards are taught to us.
- Convicts – Our conscience is awakened as God’s Word reproves us.
- Corrects – Scripture corrects our thoughts and actions.
- Trains – When properly handled, Scripture trains us to live in a way that pleases God, shaping us into His character.
The power for godly living comes from Christ, but as we behold His glory in Scripture, we are progressively transformed into His image. This is how Jerry Bridges explains the transformative power of the Bible:
“Beholding the Lord’s glory in His Word isn’t just seeing His humanity in the Gospels; it’s seeing His character, attributes, and will throughout all Scripture. As we maintain this relationship with Him, we are transformed by the Holy Spirit and empowered to display godly character. The Christian isn’t like an automobile with an internal power source, but like an electric motor needing an outside current. Our power comes from the risen Christ, and we stay connected to Him through His Word and prayer.” (Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness)
What about us?
If the Bible is God-breathed and accomplishes its purposes, our response should be awe, respect, and a commitment to knowing and applying its truth. As we read the Bible, we must be teachable, prayerful, and responsive. Christian books, music, sermons, and groups are helpful, but their true value is measured by how faithfully they align with Scripture. There’s no other resource or system that can truly transform hearts towards godliness.
Reading through Paul’s second letter to Timothy, I realised the church’s struggles then aren’t so different from ours now. Many speak with the right Christian clichés, seem doctrinally sound, but they deny the power of Scripture. They entertain their listeners with anecdotes, but rarely dig deep into the Bible or unleash it to change lives. Refusing to submit to Scripture, they are always learning but never able to settle on the truth (2 Tim 3:4-9).
In contrast, Paul urged Timothy to find wisdom, power, and transformation in God’s Word, not in smooth talk or persuasion. Let’s take up the sharp, two-edged sword of Scripture and allow it to penetrate our thinking and way of life—every corner of that kitchen—let’s get chopping, let’s get cooking!
