Welcome To The Arena Of Indubitable Truth! Topic:Elucidating The Testaments (B)

Welcome To The Arena Of Indubitable Truth!

Topic:  Elucidating The Testaments (B) by Chukwuemeka C. Asiegbu

A
continuation from the last episode!

Text Of Interest: 

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
                                                                                                                           Jn 16:12-13(KJV)

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1Cor 2:13(KJV)

Case Study Text:

“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, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 

                                                                                                                  2Tim 3:16-17 (KJV)

This shows that for one to really understand the Scriptures and their purposes he or she has to look at them through the eyes of the New Testament. From the verse aforementioned, and that is 2 Tim 3:16-17, the source or how the Scriptures came about and the reason why they are written are vividly detailed out. It clearly states that the Scriptures are given by inspiration of God; the Greek word translated inspiration of God is theopneustos, which means divinely breathed in. Notice that it says all not some; the term “All Scripture” in Greek means Pas Graphe, which means all the holy or sacred writing. That is to say “All the holy writings are given by the divinely breathe of God” as confirmed by Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 2:21.

It went on to explain to us the purposes or the profits which are three of four of the things listed. Firstly it talks about doctrine; the Greek word translated doctrine is didaskalia which could mean instruction (information), learning and teaching. This implies that all the Scriptures are useful spiritual tools to teach believers and other people spiritual things only. That is to say that, believers can only learn anything about God and all things concerning God from the Scriptures. The Scriptures therefore, stand as the only legal and spiritual documents that should be used to instill knowledge of God in the believers.As a result, any thought(s) or ideology that should permeate the minds and soul realm of the believer must be in lines with the dictums of the Scriptures. If not such should be seen as false or delusion and should not be condone among the believers. From the doctrines the believers are going to be profiting in the areas of reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.

So what is reproof? The Greek translated reproof is elegchos meaning conviction or evidence. That is to say that the doctrines drawn from the Scriptures are capable of convicting or having the evidence to proof that one’s believe on a particular thing is wrong and should be made right. This shows that one can only align oneself to the stand of the Scriptures as regards to belief and situations in life, if one’s experience is not in line with what the Scriptures says he or she has to throw his or her experience away and get along with what the Scriptures says. Now, this is why it is very important for a believer to always study the Scriptures and be able to rightly dividing the word of truth, 2 Tim 2:15. This helps a believer to be able to draw a borderline between that doctrine which is false and that which is true, and as a matter of fact take his or her stand.

Also, let’s look at the word correction, the Greek word translated correction is epanorthosis, and it could mean the following: a straightening up again, rectification or reformation. This implies that the teachings from the Scriptures are used to straighten the life of the believers. This suggests that a believer’s lifestyle should be a thing sourced out of the teachings of the Scriptures, he or she should not display a contrary life that does not depict what the Scriptures say. The Scriptures should be seen written all over the believer, 2 Cor 3:2. And this is the very essential aim of teaching the Scriptures to the believers.

Then let’s see what the meaning of the term instruction in righteousness is – here the Greek word translated instruction is paideia which implies tutorage, education or training, it can also be used in a disciplinary form. And the Greek word translated righteousness is dikaiosune which means equity as in character and justification as regards to a Christians setting. This shows that the doctrines dispense from the Scriptures can be used to educate the believer how to live rightly in the public and religious settings as suggested in 1Tim 3:15 and 2 Tim 3:17.

So while studying the Scriptures, these are things a believer should be targeting from the pages of the Scriptures, that he or she from the doctrines be reproved, corrected and instructed in righteous living. And when such is received, he or she will definitely be equipped in doing good works.

To be continued….

Till I come your way again, keep on basking in the Arena of Indubitable Truth!

Chukwuemeka C. Asiegbu