The Complete Servant Of God
THE COMPLETE SERVANT OF GOD
2 TIMOTHY 3:14-17
Paul underlines the importance of Scripture: Scripture shows us how to live and also shows us where we go wrong.
Paul goes on from his own example to what he trusts Timothy will make of it. He is very anxious to see his protégé firmly established in the faith. He draws his attention in particular to two things, his mentors in the faith and the place of holy Scripture. Paul has already alluded to the faith of Lois and Eunice (1:5), the grandmother and mother who had been Timothy’s instructors in his earliest years. In view of what he has just said we cannot doubt but that he also includes himself under this heading. He had been the means of Timothy’s conversion and he had started him along the Christian way. As Timothy respected his predecessors in the faith, so he must take with the utmost seriousness what they told him about the way.
But Paul’s most important advice concerns Scripture. From his earliest days Timothy had known the Old Testament, and Paul speaks of Scripture as “able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (3:15). Christ is the key to all Scripture and one cannot come to salvation apart from him. But clearly Paul regards the place of the Bible as supremely significant. He goes on to speak of it as “inspired by God,” an expression which means “God-breathed,” ie it is the utterance of God. Scripture comes from God and therefore it is thoroughly reliable. It is profitable in a variety of ways. In the area of doctrine it is of value positively for teaching, negatively for reproof. It is just as useful in matters of behavior, negatively for correction, and positively for training in righteousness. Thus Paul can speak of the servant of God as “complete, equipped for every good work” (3:17). It is still the case that no servant of God can expect to be fully equipped for the service of God unless they are well grounded in the truth of the Bible.