When our verse tells us that Scripture is profitable for rebuking, what does that mean to you? Just for your easy reference, Webster defines rebuking as, "an expression of sharp, stern disapproval; reproving; reprimanding."
So my first thought was that we were being told that Scripture is beneficial when we need to reprimand someone, to "call them on the carpet" so to speak. But when I start digging into this verse and looking at the original words used in Scripture, and then comparing them to other places that the same Greek word is used, I find that this is one of those places that I think a better word could have been used in this translation (Holman Christian Standard as well as NIV). The only other place in the New Testament that the same Greek word (elegchos) is used is in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence (elegchos) of things not seen."
In light of this view of the word, could it be that Paul is telling Timothy (and us), that another very profitable use for Scripture is as solid evidence of all the things that Christians are telling people as God's truth. That the Scripture itself (through the power of the Holy Spirit) is capable of convicting others of the truths that God has conveyed through its words.
So rather than being a reiteration of the next use of "correction" (and maybe we'll be surprised by that study as well!), we have another unique and profitable use of Scripture...it is God's evidence given to us in order to convince others. If there is any rebuking going on, it is a rebuking of any other belief in a showing of the authenticity of God's truth as exhibited through His Word.
I like this positive aspect of the use of Scripture much better than my first interpretation. I fully understand that there is a time to gently correct those who we are journeying alongside in our walks of faith, but I would rather dwell tonight on the fact that God has given us a wonderful tool that we can use, sitting side-by-side with one who is ready to explore, in bringing His evidence to them and allowing their hearts to be convicted.
A wonderful example of just such a situation is given to us in Acts 8:30-36, where Philip uses Scripture as evidence to bring about conviction...
"When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you're reading?" How can I," he said, "unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so He does not open His mouth. In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. The eunuch replied to Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about-himself or another person?" So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture. As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, there's water! What would keep me from being baptized?""
And, as a matter of fact, sometimes I need the Holy Spirit to once again convict me that I have God's truth...and you know how He does that? By nudging me to open my Bible, read it's words, and washing over me with a fresh testimony of His evidence that my faith is secure.
So my first thought was that we were being told that Scripture is beneficial when we need to reprimand someone, to "call them on the carpet" so to speak. But when I start digging into this verse and looking at the original words used in Scripture, and then comparing them to other places that the same Greek word is used, I find that this is one of those places that I think a better word could have been used in this translation (Holman Christian Standard as well as NIV). The only other place in the New Testament that the same Greek word (elegchos) is used is in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence (elegchos) of things not seen."
In light of this view of the word, could it be that Paul is telling Timothy (and us), that another very profitable use for Scripture is as solid evidence of all the things that Christians are telling people as God's truth. That the Scripture itself (through the power of the Holy Spirit) is capable of convicting others of the truths that God has conveyed through its words.
So rather than being a reiteration of the next use of "correction" (and maybe we'll be surprised by that study as well!), we have another unique and profitable use of Scripture...it is God's evidence given to us in order to convince others. If there is any rebuking going on, it is a rebuking of any other belief in a showing of the authenticity of God's truth as exhibited through His Word.
I like this positive aspect of the use of Scripture much better than my first interpretation. I fully understand that there is a time to gently correct those who we are journeying alongside in our walks of faith, but I would rather dwell tonight on the fact that God has given us a wonderful tool that we can use, sitting side-by-side with one who is ready to explore, in bringing His evidence to them and allowing their hearts to be convicted.
A wonderful example of just such a situation is given to us in Acts 8:30-36, where Philip uses Scripture as evidence to bring about conviction...
"When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you're reading?" How can I," he said, "unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so He does not open His mouth. In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. The eunuch replied to Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about-himself or another person?" So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture. As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, there's water! What would keep me from being baptized?""
And, as a matter of fact, sometimes I need the Holy Spirit to once again convict me that I have God's truth...and you know how He does that? By nudging me to open my Bible, read it's words, and washing over me with a fresh testimony of His evidence that my faith is secure. Thank You God for Your Word ---help us to use it in every way You have purposed it for, and always to Your glory!
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