Usefulness of scripture
Day 648, Thursday, May 21
2 Timothy 3:10 – 4:22
Near to the fist church I served as pastor was a billboard that read, “Does your church allow you to believe 2 Timothy 3:16?”
While I’m not sure why any church would forbid believing any part of the scriptures, I think I understand the point the billboard was trying to make. The billboard was placed by a church that might be referred to as fundamentalist, and had a particular understanding of the passage in question. Adding 3:17, which is part of the same sentence, the passage reads, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughtly equipped for every good work.” Or, to quote the familiar King James Version, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Some religious groups believe that 2 Timothy 3:16-17 means that all scripture was, in its original form, inspired word-for-word by God and is thus inerrant. While that view is sometimes thought of as “conservative,” it is a fairly new idea, having appeared in the last two centuries. It also raises questions about the New Testament, which was not all written at the time.
There are also religious groups that question whether all of scripture is, in fact, necessary or useful for modern followers of Jesus. They often point to the limits biblical writers faced by living within a historical and cultural context very different from our own.
A larger body of Christians regard the scriptures as inspired by God and revealing God’s truth, but not necessarily infallible on issues unrelated to salvation, such as science and history.
The Catechism of the Global Methodist Church contains two relevant statements on this, “We believe the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments, reveals the Word of God so far as it is necessary for our salvation,” and “The Holy Bible is to be received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for faith and practice.”
My own understanding is fully in line with that—all scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Insights into modern culture and wisdom gained from history and science provide valuable help in understanding and applying scripture, but do not replace it.

Thursday meditation

Psalms 120:1-7
I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.
What will he do to you, and what more besides, you deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush.
Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Prayer focus
Let the words of scripture guide us to live as you would have us live. Let your Holy Spirit be with us as we read and study the words, as it was in their writing and preservation.

-Rev. Mark Fleming