The Sufficiency of Scripture

Introduction

(Read vv. 10–17) This summer, my wife and I watched a miniseries on the Oregon Trail. I told Heidi several times that if I were alive in 1800’s, there’s no way I would have taken my family on that journey. I don’t care how much land or fortune I was promised. I am not wired to take that kind of risk or take that miserable journey to get there. 
But many people set out in tiny, covered wagon for a months-long, grueling journey. They risked starvation, deadly weather, bandits, and Indian attacks believing they could finish the journey.
But surviving the journey was only the start. There was no Holiday Inn at the end of the Oregon Trail, or a free pioneer starter kit, a Home Depot, or a Walmart. So, you didn’t only need to pack enough supplies for the trip; you had to bring everything you needed to build a home and raise your first crop. You think packing for vacation is hard; imagine packing for the Oregon Trail. You better think of everything and pack well.  
So, consider the challenge God faced when he planned the Bible. He had to anticipate every essential question the church would face from the apostles’ death to the return of Christ. He had to think of everything we must know about God, salvation, godliness and Christian service. And he had to deliver it in a form that would transcend every time and culture. This is an incredible challenge. But God met the challenge. Our text says the Bible is fully sufficient for every spiritual need. 
But our text is more than a doctrinal affirmation. Timothy grieved the looming execution of his spiritual father, and he toiled against the stubborn threat of false teachers. But he must not quit or compromise. Verse 14 urges him, “Continue…” Why must he do that? Paul gives 5 reasons. Last week we studied the first 3, climaxing with the fact that the Bible is inspired by God. It is God’s inerrant, authoritative Word. The same voice that spoke the world into existence has spoken in the Bible.
Today, we will cover the final two reasons we must continue to stand. Together, they form a fundamental conviction that must shape your life and our church. We believe in the sufficiency of Scripture. 
The 2nd London Baptist Confession does a wonderful job of articulating this crucial doctrine. It says, “The whole counsel of God concerning everything essential for His own glory and man’s salvation, faith, and life is either explicitly stated or by necessary inference contained in the Holy Scriptures. Nothing is ever to be added to the Scriptures, either by new revelation of the Spirit or by traditions of men (2 Tim 3:15–17; Gal 1:8–9). 
Nevertheless, we acknowledge that the inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary for a saving understanding of what is revealed in the Word (John 6:45; 1 Cor 2:9–12). We recognize that some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church are common to human actions and organizations and are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian wisdom, following the general rules of the Word, which must always be observed (1 Cor 11:13, 14; 14:26, 40).”
That’s well said. You should believe it, and it should shape everything about you. And as you can see, our text is central to this doctrine. We must hear what it says and think hard about how to apply it. In the end, I hope you will trust the Bible to change your life and the lives of those you love. So, picking up from last week, the 4th reason to continue is…

i.  The Bible is profitable for all things (v. 16b).

Verse 16 makes two crucial declarations about the Bible. First, the Bible is God-breathed or inspired. Second, it is “profitable.” For example, museums are filled with artifacts that are priceless but only because of their historical significance. For example, I remember visiting the Henry Ford Museum and being in awe at the chair where Abraham Lincoln sat when he was shot. 
It’s a priceless artifact, but that’s all it is. Otherwise, it’s just an old, worn-out, worthless chair. But the Bible is more than a relic. It is “profitable” or “useful.” 
So, we don’t read Bible merely to make some mystical, superstitious connection to the past. Consider that Hezekiah had to destroy Moses’ bronze serpent because people worshipped the relic in hope connecting to the power that healed the people (2 Kings 18:4). Reading the Bible is nothing like that. We aren’t merely perform a ritual or grasping for an ancient magical power. No, you read the Bible because it is God’s creative voice, and God’s voice remains powerful and profitable. 
Then Paul expands on its profitability with 4 qualities. He presents them in a chiasm. The first and last describe the Bible’s positive instruction, and the middle two describe its correction. As well, the first two address doctrine, and the second two address practice. So, the Bible tells us what to believe and how to live. So, first, the Bible is profitable for…
Doctrine: It “teaches” us. Everything you need to know about God, the gospel, human nature, the church, and every other essential doctrine is in the Bible. So, we harvest our theology from the Bible.
That’s so basic, but it’s easy to forget. Over the course of my theological education and years of ministry, I have read 10s of thousands of pages of theology. Every theology book is not created equal. Even conservative authors often go on and on about what this person thinks and that. Others are clearly enthralled with their own logical and rational powers. They write more philosophy than theology. So, I really appreciate a theologian who wrestles with the text and helps me ground my convictions in the Bible. It’s so refreshing and faith-building.
I’ve also had many conversations with people about theology and church practice that quickly abandon the text. We’re not wrestling with the text; we are wrestling with opinions, passions, and assumptions. But it doesn’t matter what you feel about a doctrine like election; what matters is in the text. Make sure you anchor your convictions in the Bible. When you have a question, go to the text.
But what do we do when the Bible doesn’t give a clear answer? I’d love to know why God didn’t crush Satan before he reached Adam and Eve, but the Bible doesn’t tells me. We run into difficult scenarios as a church all the time, and God could have made my job much easier if he wrote an answer to all my questions. He didn’t. 
But he did tell us everything we must know to please the Lord. So, be sure to build your theology on the Bible. When the Bible is clear, stand on the text. Where it’s not, give room to disagree.
Then, Paul adds that the Bible is profitable for “reproof.” Most likely, Paul especially means for reproving false doctrine. It’s amazing how creative some heresies are. People have been creating false doctrine since the church began. But the Bible has been sufficient to correct each one. Frankly, God has used many of them to force the church to think more deeply about the Word and to refine our theology.   
Don’t get flustered when someone has a new idea or a new spin. Don’t worry that maybe this time, the Bible won’t be sufficient to answer. It has passed every test, and it will pass this one also. And if someone you love is deceived, take them to the Bible. It is profitable to correct. Your logic or your tears are not what they really need. They need God’s voice in the Word.
Your Christianity begins with what you believe about God, man, salvation, and other doctrines. Make sure your doctrine comes from this book. 
BTW, one of the best ways you can make sure is to stand on the shoulders of godly pastors and theologians who have spent countless hours studying all the Bible says about various subjects and then articulating it in creeds, confessions, and theologies. Always check what they say with the Bible, but we be very slow to think you know better. Next, the Bible is profitable for our…
Practice: The final quality is “training/instruction in righteousness.” In other words, the Bible is fully sufficient to teach you how to live a godly, righteous life. It teaches you about God’s moral attributes, and it brings them to life in the testimony of Jesus and other saints. It includes scores of commands that tell us what righteousness will look like in a fallen world. It says, “Do not bear false witness,” “abstain from immorality,” “do not kill,” “obey your parents,” and “be holy as God is holy.” 
Many people claim that we’ve advanced beyond these commands, or they have some kind of personal exemption. It’s rebellion, plain and simple. When God speaks, we obey. Don’t let some arrogant sociologist tell you they have a better path to a healthy life or good parenting. The Bible is sufficient to change your life and the lives of those you love.
And when we don’t obey, the Bible is profitable for “correction.” That’s not always pleasant. Sometimes the Bible stabs you in the heart. Or the auditorium feels warm. It’s not fun, but it is good. Respond like the psalmist who said, “I know O Lord, that your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me” (Ps 119:75). The Lord chastens, convicts, and corrects those he loves. Don’t run from the Spirit’s conviction. Embrace it as the loving but firm hand of your Father. 
And again, if someone you love is living in sin, what they really need is not your guilt trip or your horror story about a high school friend. Use the Bible to correct. Let the Sword of the Spirit do what only it can do.
I must say that sufficiency does not mean the Bible answers your every question about God’s will for your budget or the loving response to this person. It commands you to flee youthful lusts, but it doesn’t identify every lust. The confession I read earlier acknowledges that. But it says the Bible gives us the principles we need to discern God’s will.  
God didn’t pack a house in your covered wagon; he packed the tools you will need to build one. So, if a godly saint confronts your practice, don’t ever reply, “Show me in the Bible where it says I can’t do X.” No, you want to please the Lord, and if a godly saint is seeing a principle you should consider, you want to listen. You may still not agree, but you better wrestle honestly with the text before you dismiss them.
The Bible is profitable for all things. Rejoice that God thought of everything. The Bible is a wonderful treasure. So, study the Bible and trust the Bible to guide you through every challenge and every hard question. Then notice in v. 17 that…

ii.  The Bible prepares us for life (v. 17).

I want to begin at the end of the verse, where Paul says…
The goal is maturity and ministry. The Bible is adequate to equip you “for every good work.” This evening we will see that God is on a mission to transform every believer into the image of Jesus. 
But “good works” also includes your ministry and service to others. The Lord didn’t create humanity and then lock himself away. No, he loves us, he watches over us, and he gave his Son for us. So, Christlikeness demands ministry to others. 
Timothy was a pastor. When Paul speaks of the “man of God” in v. 17, he’s probably thinking of Timothy’s role as a pastor. So, in the most basic sense, Paul is assuring Timothy that the Bible is sufficient to shepherd Christ’s church, to do every good work in discipling them and caring for them. 
But that’s based a broader underlying principle—the Bible is sufficient for every good work God expects from all his people, not just pastors. 
God cares about your good works. He is on a mission to make you holy and to make you a servant of the brethren. He wants you to encourage them, disciple them, and meet their needs. He wants you to honor your parents, love your spouse, train your children, and on it goes. 
Many ungodly people enjoy the intellectual stimulation the Bible gives. It’s a fascinating and world-shaping document. Who wouldn’t be curious about the Bible. But God didn’t write the Bible to entertain us, tell a great story, or fill our heads with facts. He gave us the Bible to equip you for every good work. So, always study the Bible to this end. 
You want to know God and become like the Lord Jesus. You want to know his will and do all his will. This is so important. Sufficiency is not a stale, dusty doctrine, and the Bible is not a dry book of facts. The Bible was written to change your life, and it is sufficient to do that. With this in mind, notice that…
The path travels through the Bible. Paul uses a play on words that is hard to translate into English without it sounding strange. Adequate and equipped come from the same root. It means “complete” or “equipped.” One commentator said “fully outfitted.” I like that because it fits the packing analogy I used earlier. 
You don’t know what the future holds. You don’t know what temptation will arise, what trials you will face, or what lies the world will tell. We don’t know what new questions Life Point will face or what tricky situation we will have to navigate. But God does. Through his Word, God has fully outfitted us for every good work. 
The Bible is the ultimate Swiss Army Knife and the very best survival kit. You will never face a spiritual need that the Bible can’t get you through. 
There may be times that you doubt that. In particular, the sufficiency of Scripture is very important as we think about the entire realm of psychology, psychiatry, and counseling. The world is going to tell you that it has many tools and even drugs that can take you far beyond the Bible and grace. 
This is a huge, complicated subject that we can’t fully tackle today, but I at least want to get you to slow down and think the next time the world is pushing something down your throat. 
In particular, God says the Bible is sufficient to equip you for every good or spiritual work—to make you godly and fruitful. That’s the arena for sufficiency. So, the Bible is not a guide to getting rich or to good physical health. God has given you and many other people sharp minds and keen observational skills. So, we can learn a lot from people who have devoted their lives to various practical issues of life. 
So, if you have a physical issue, take medicine. Medicine is a blessing of the dominion mandate, and God wants us to take advantage. As well, people have devoted their lives to studying subjects like child development or how drugs or trauma affects people. Again, we can learn from their observations. It’s another blessing of the dominion mandate.
But always remember that sanctification is a spiritual process, and at the heart of spiritual growth is a spiritual conflict between depravity or the flesh, and gospel grace. So that child psychologist may know a lot about brain development, but if he believes that people are innately good, and he denies the reality of grace, his applications are doomed from the start. 
Or think about the consequences of believing this life is all there is or that life is about chasing your happiness will have on your philosophy of healthy life. It’s like God is taking us to Oregon, and they are giving you directions to New Mexico. At first, it may seem similar, but their false presuppositions will slowly lead you astray.
If you and the people you love are going to be godly, fruitful and enjoy the peace and contentment of Christ, you must build your roadmap from the Bible. You need a healthy doctrine of depravity and strong confidence in the power of grace. You must believe in the value of authority and discipline. You must believe that life is for service not for selfish indulgence. And your goal must be heaven, not temporal success, money, or any other worldly aim.
The Bible is sufficient to make you godly and to equip you to help the people you love get there too. Don’t listen when the world claims to know better. Love the Bible and stand on the Bible. Believe that the Word is sufficient. And then live it. I have 3 foundational applications to pull all this together.

iii.  Application

Study the Bible to hear from God. Be careful about ritualism. The Bible is not a good luck charm. It is God’s voice. So, read the Bible to hear his voice so that you can know him and please him. 
“Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet 2:1). This verse is always convicting. Babies want milk, and they let you know when they are hungry. You need the Bible just as badly. It’s your only hope of growing in your salvation. 
But do you want the Word like a baby wants milk? Do you build your life around studying the Word and sitting under the Word as much as possible? You can say all day long that you believe in the sufficiency of Scripture, but it means nothing if you don’t listen intently with zeal to hear from God. 
Submit to the Bible. James 1 warns that hearing the Word is vain if you simply forget what you have heard. The Lord is not giving away brownie points for ritualistic Bible study. You must believe what the Bible says, and you must obey what the Bible says. 
Most of the time, that’s not too difficult, but you have a few sore spots where it’s really hard. It’s hard to let go of a false belief, or obedience feels especially costly. Jesus is either Lord, or he is not. The moment you begin to pick and choose, you have set yourself above the Word and above the Lord. Believe everything he says and do everything he requires. 
That begins with believing what the Bible says about sin and salvation. You are a sinner, and Jesus is a great Savior. Faith is hard, but you must believe. And God commands you to repent. Stop resisting and receive Jesus today.
Minister through the Bible. We constantly want to believe that we can do better than Word-centered ministry. The rich man believed that everyone would get saved if they saw someone rise from the dead. You’re probably inclined to agree. But Jesus replied, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16:31). The Spirit works by the Word.
So, “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12).
The best gift you can give your grieving friend or the man trapped in addiction is the Word. Fall ministries begin this week. Remember that the Bible is our superpower because it is fully sufficient. So, love the Bible and trust the Bible to change your life and the lives of those you love.