What difference does Bible prophecy really make in the life of the average believer?  Does it really matter what you believe about the end times?  Imagine what would happen if the angel Gabriel showed up at your bedside tonight and informed you in no uncertain terms that Jesus was going to return by the end of the month.  Do you think your life would change? 

Prophecy brings encouragement in troubling times. (Chapter 1) 

Prophecy brings enlightenment to confused minds. (Chapter 2) 

Prophecy brings exhortation to unruly lives.  (Chapter 3)   

Don’t be Shaken 1

Crazy things are happening in our world. 

If you know the Bible, you know where we are going. 

1.  The Purpose of Persecution 3-4

There is a purpose for persecution and trials. 

The purpose of trials is for your “faith to grow exceedingly.

2.  The Punishment for Persecution 5-10

Persecution is a sign that judgment is coming on the persecutor. 

Persecution is an indication of our reward! 

3.  The Prayer in Persecution 11-12

Paul’s prayer is that we would be counted worthy of this calling! 

Don’t Be Troubled 2

Understanding prophecy brings hope.

Prophecy is God’s blueprint of the future.

1.  Be Strong, because God’s got this. 1-2

2.  Be Knowledgeable, because God has explained this. 3-12

3.  Be Hopeful, because God’s got everything under control! 13-17

Paul set out to correct them prophetic misconceptions. 

Some people said that Jesus had already come, not true.

Four major coming prophetic events. 

1.  The Falling Away, or the Great Apostasy.  2:3 “ 

2. The Restrainer will be removed.  2:6-7. 

3. The Antichrist will be revealed.  2:8. 

4.  There will be a Worldwide deception.  2:8-12. 

“God did not appoint us to wrath.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Don’t Be Disorderly 3

Some Christians are not living up to expectations. 

Biblical prophecy is meant to correct bad behavior, not encourage it! 

1. Reach out.  Win them to Christ.  1-2

2. Grow Up.  Obey God no matter what happens.  3-4

3.  Behave well; live right for Christ.  5-15

Prophecy doesn’t lead to disorderly or unruly lives! 

Be ready: for you do not know when your Lord is coming. Matt. 24:42

Let not your hearts be troubled. I will come again. John 14:1-3

The end of all things is at hand; be self-controlled. 1 Peter 4:7

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  

Here’s the thing:  you don’t need the angel Gabriel to visit you tonight, you already have been given a message from God to be ready, if you will take it to heart.  What do you need to do to get ready for Jesus return?

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The Pew Research Center shows that 39% of the people in the United States believe in the second coming of Jesus and that it will occur in their lifetime.[i]  But does it really make any difference?

What difference does Bible prophecy really make in the life of the average believer?  Does it really matter what you believe about the end times or about the timing of Christ’s return?  You’ve heard of Pre-Trib, Post-Trib and Mid-Trib.  But have you ever heard of Pan-Trib?  You know, it will all pan out in the end! 

Maybe you are like the woman who complained to the preacher that she was not a fan of messages on Bible prophecy.  Her reason was that she was tired of the speculation, the confusing prophetic models and the sensationalism of modern prophecy teachers. What she wanted was a Bible message that helped her live her Christian life in a more authentic way. She felt that when Jesus returns, He will return and there is nothing that can be done about that. Meanwhile, she had to live her Christian life in the “real” world. Bible prophecy to her lacked substance and was simply out of touch with “real life.”

Imagine what would happen if the angel Gabriel showed up at your bedside tonight and informed you in no uncertain terms that Jesus was going to return by the end of the month.  If the Archangel genuinely showed up with that message, do you think some things would change for you?  Do you think you’d be a little more enthusiastic or energized about your faith? Would you pray a little more?  Read your Bible more faithfully?  Do you think you might tell a few of your friends and loved ones about Jesus and the soon coming of Christ?   Would you change your behavior?  Do you think you would have a problem with sin for the rest of the month? 

So what you are saying is that Bible Prophecy does make a difference, if you take it to heart.  If you knew for certain that Jesus was coming again soon, and we do, you’d live differently. 

C.S.Lewis once noted, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire… left their mark on Earth precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this world. Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.”[ii]

And the Book of 2 Thessalonians is all about answering the question, should we care about Bible prophecy?  The answer is yes.  And we want to ask the question this way:  What do you need to do to get ready for Jesus return?

According to the Book of 2 Thessalonians, a good understanding of the future brings encouragement in troubling times (chapter 1).  It brings enlightenment to confused minds (chapter 2).  It brings exhortation to unruly lives.  (chapter 3).  In other words, How we understand the prophetic future makes a big difference in the way we respond to our present trials our future hopes and our daily lifestyles. 

Get Ready!  For chapter 1.

Don’t be Shaken 1

If you want some prophetic encouragement for your present troubles, here it is. 

Everywhere I go people are talking about the crazy things that are happening in our world.  We’ve lived through the pandemic, when churches were empty and freedoms were curtailed.  We watched our cities burn to the march of Black Lives Matter and Antifa.  We’ve gone through one crazy presidential election and this one looks to be a duezy.  Our schools are teaching critical race theory, and allowing males to call themselves women and compete in women’s sports.  We live in a time of radical change.  This is not your Grandmother’s America. 

And people want to know, where is this all going?   If you know the Bible, you know where we are going.  In times of turmoil, there’s little that is as comforting as the promise of Bible Prophecy that Jesus is coming soon. You don’t have to be afraid of the future if you know the future God has planned for you. 

The key verse of chapter one is 2 Thessalonians 1:4;  “We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.”

And chapter one could be outlined in three points:

1.  The Purpose of Persecution 3-4

2.  The Punishment for Persecution 5-10

3.  The Prayer in Persecution 11-12

Did you know that there is a purpose for persecution and trials?  It may seem like your trials are purposeless, but that is not so.  Verse 3 tells us that the purpose of trials is for your “faith to grow exceedingly, and for your love to abound towards each other!”  If you let God do his perfect work in you, you will grow in faith, love and hope.

And here’s where prophecy becomes encouraging:  even though persecution is downright despicable, prophetically, persecution is a sign of things to come!  Verse 5 says that persecution is a clear evidence that the righteous judgment is coming on the persecutor.  They don’t know it, but they are building a case against themselves that God will use to prosecute and punish them for in the future! 

But, that’s not all.  Persecution is an indication that you are counted worthy of the kingdom of God!  The Devil wouldn’t trouble you, if you weren’t a child of the kingdom.

So Paul’s prayer is that we would be counted worthy of this calling!  That the name of Christ would be glorified in us. 

Don’t be shaken by persecution.  Instead remember that there is a coming day of judgment on the world, and a reward coming for those who believe.  Prophecy helps us endure tribulation. 

Get Ready!  For chapter 2.

Don’t Be Troubled 2

Do you need some enlightenment about prophecy?  You’ve come to the right place;  Because chapter 2 is meant to enlighten you about the future. 

Some Christians shy away from prophecy because they believe it is too confusing.  But let me tell you, Understanding prophecy allows us to live in hope regardless of the chaos that may be exploding in our culture. Most of us have questions about the prophetic events found in the Bible. Prophecy can be baffling at times, but it is necessary if we are to understand the events that are to come.

When you study prophecy, you get God’s blueprint of what’s going to happen in the future. It’s like you have a heads up on what’s going on. The news media has no idea that it is just reporting the future as God planned it.

Chapter two could be outlined in three points:

1.  Be Strong, because God’s got this. 1-2

2.  Be Knowledgeable, because God has explained this. 3-12

3.  Be Hopeful, because God’s got everything under control! 13-17

The key verse of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 is verse 2.  “Do not be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the Day of Christ had already come.”

There were serious questions about prophetic events in the early church, and Paul set out to correct them.  Some people were reporting that end times events had already happened, and that Jesus had already come, and they said that the church had missed his coming!  Paul said, “not a chance!”  That’s not the way prophecy works.  The day of Christ’s return has not yet come.

That’s why we need to be knowledgeable.  The Word of God, interpreted in its normal, literal sense, will lead you to a clear understanding of prophecy.  Taking God’s Word in its simplest and plainest sense will keep you from fanciful and fatalistic views of the future. 

Chapter 2 is the heart of this book.  And it explains four major coming prophetic events that every Christian need to understand. 

#1  The Falling Away, or the Great Apostasy.  2:3 “The Day of Christ’s coming will not come unless the falling away comes first.  One of the things you should be looking for is the great apostasy.  It will happen before Jesus comes. 

#2 The Restrainer will be removed.  2:6-7.  When the Holy Spirit removes his restraining influence from the earth, that will signal the beginning of the end. 

#3 The Antichrist will be revealed.  2:8.  Once the restrainer is removed, the Antichrist will be revealed.  He may even be alive right now, but we don’t know who he is.  When will we know?  Once the Holy Spirit’s restraining presence has been removed from this earth. 

#4.  Worldwide deception.  2:8-12.  We have already seen how easy it is to brainwash an entire world.  Just have the government and the news media spread their propaganda day and night, and it will be done.  There is coming a time when right will be wrong and wrong will be celebrated.  Seems like that’s already happening.  But that delusion will be even more pronounced once the Antichrist comes. 

Despite all the trouble that is coming, we were chosen for salvation in Christ Jesus.  That’s how the chapter ends, and that’s why prophecy is so powerful.  In fact 1 Thessalonians 5:9 says, “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Praise God.  Are you ready?  Prophecy prepares us for the future!  If you are not ready, you better Get Ready!  For chapter 3.

Don’t Be Disorderly 3

Some Christians are not living up to expectations.  In fact, some of us live sloppy or undisciplined lives.  We know the Bible.  We know the biblical principles that apply, but like the Children of Israel under the judges, everyone did what was right in his own eyes and chaos resulted. 

Biblical prophecy is meant to correct bad behavior, not encourage it!  If you can just get a hold of the prophetic truth that Jesus is coming back and his reward is with him, if you can just believe it, it will change your behavior.  Prophecy exhorts us with some of the most practical applications to live right!

The key verse of chapter 3 is verse 11.  “We hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.” 

Jesus is coming soon, so you better straighten up and fly right.

Chapter three can be outlined in three sections.  #1 Reach out.  Win them to Christ.  Paul asks for prayer that despite persecution, that God’s Word would triumph.  #2 Grow Up.  That despite persecution that they would obey God rather than man.  #3  Behave Well, live right of Christ. 

Here’s what you need to understand about this.  Many misguided folks have twisted prophetic truth and started their own churches, cults and followings.  Some have camped out on hillsides waiting for His return.  Others have sold everything that they own, because they thought they knew when Jesus was going to return. 

But this book on Prophecy, says don’t do that, instead do this!  12-13, “Now those who are misguided we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.  And as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.”

Prophecy doesn’t lead to disorderly or unruly lives!  It leads us to live faithfully and honorably in a Christ like manner.  Prophecy is a key ingredient in bringing God’s people into a genuine walk with the Lord. 

Let me share a few verses about how prophecy should change the way we live. 

“Therefore be ready: for you do not know when your Lord is coming.” (Matt. 24:42–44.)

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:1-3

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. Luke 21:34-36

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my reward is with me, to repay each one for what he has done” Revelation 22:12

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7

Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:3).

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Here’s the thing:  you don’t need the angel Gabriel to visit you tonight, you already have been given a message from God to BE READY!  If you will take it to heart.

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[i] https://www.ihopkc.org/resources/blog/how-understanding-the-end-times-can-change-your-life/

[ii] https://paulbenware.com/biblical-prophecy-an-essential-element-in-living-a-genuine-and-useful-christian-life/

Part 1

Today we are talking about our enemy the Devil!  He is known as Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, the Evil One, the Father of Lies, the Angel of Light, the Dragon, the Deceiver, the Ruler of this World and the god of this age – these are among his many names. 

And our difficult question of the day is this; “Why did God create the Devil when he knew he would lead a rebellion against him, and why create him in the first place?  Why not just destroy him rather than let him spread misery? 

The Bible opens not with the beginning of evil, but with the sudden appearance of unexplained evil. Man is created innocent, and the serpent appears out of nowhere. The serpent is deceitful and opposed to the God of creation. That is where the Bible begins.  No explanation is offered at that point for how Satan became evil.

Someone put it this way:  If God is so wise, why did He create the devil, and if He is so strong, why doesn’t He simply get rid of him?  These are the questions we will attempt to answer.  Significantly, God did not create an evil Satan. God created a good angel, who used his free will to reject God and become evil.

But first I think we need to establish whether or not there is a Devil.  Most of the world today pictures the devil as a mythical two-horned, fork-tailed impish creature, dressed in red flannel underwear, busily pitching coal into the furnaces of hell! He is often the butt of stand-up comedians, via “the devil made me do it” jokes!^[i]

Scripture, however, describes him as a roaring lion devouring the unsuspecting.

George Banna’s research, shows that almost half of evangelicals in the United States deny (or doubt) the existence of Satan, seeing him as only a symbol of all that is evil.^[ii]

The Bible, however, takes him very seriously.  The devil is mentioned in seven Old Testament books – Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Job (12 times), Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.  He is found in 19 New Testament books and is referred to by every New Testament writer.  He is referred to by our Lord Jesus Christ some 15 times.^[iii]

We should not think of the devil as a myth, a representation, a symbol, a figure of speech or an idea, but rather a personal being who is our mortal enemy.  This disciple of doubt seems to thrive best when he is either underestimated, ignored or denied.

It is eye-opening to realize that there is scarcely a culture, tribe, or society in this world that does not have some concept or fear of an invisible evil spirit. Witch doctors, shrunken heads, voodoo dolls, and totem poles all give dramatic evidence of this universal fear. Only eternity will reveal how many millions of human beings have been cruelly slaughtered upon grisly, blood soaked altars to appease some invisible evil power. One may well ask where this fear came from and of whom are they afraid.^[iv]  If there isn’t a Devil, why is there a nearly universal fear of him?  If there isn’t a devil, where does evil come from? 

Let us begin our journey today by looking at the fall of Satan as recorded in Isaiah 14:12-15. 

Can an “ideal” being be tempted?

 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.  Isaiah 14:12-15

This passage is known as the 5 “I wills’” of Satan, and explains the reason for his fall from grace.   There are 5 ambitions that Lucifer had in his heart to accomplish:

• I will ascend into heaven.  …to assault and take over God’s domain & kingdom.
• I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.  His desire to sit on the throne and be absolute ruler.
• I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north.  His desire to be worshiped, followed and idolized by all the angels.
• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.  Clouds represent God’s glory.  This is his desire to be number one and to be glorious.
• I will be like the Most High.  This is Satan’s desire to replace the almighty God with himself!

These are 5 things Satan wanted.  You might even say he coveted them.  So perhaps covetousness was the first sin.  He wanted power, position, worship and adoration.  He wanted to take God’s position!

It doesn’t really matter what he wanted, what matters is the question, “could he covet, and did he?”  Being created as an ideal or perfect being does not mean that Satan had everything there was to have; it means he was in every way without physical, mental, or spiritual need.  He didn’t “need” anything to complete himself. 

However, he was created with the ability to reason that there was more he could have; he was created with a desire to be able to want it; and he did have the freedom to be able to go and try to get it.  He must have come to the place where he thought he could take God’s glory from Him!

SATAN WAS ABLE NOT TO SIN, HUMANS ARE NOT ABLE TO NOT SIN.  (I know it’s bad grammar, but it illustrates the point).  Satan sinned because despite his nature he wanted to sin.  Humans sin because we are compelled by our nature to sin. 

As an example, there are a lot of things I could do if I wanted to.  I could eat dirt, but I have no interest in it!  I am not compelled by my nature to eat dirt.  But what if I came to the conclusion that mud pie had something to offer me that my food could not!  What if I thought that God was wrongfully withholding mud pie from me?  I could eat it if I wanted to, because even though I have no inborn compulsion to eat it, I have the ability to do so.  And that is what Satan did.

Satan carefully planned and he actually thought that he could become God by deposing God.  But, so sorry, It just can’t be done because God is almighty.  These statements reveal Satan’s sin, his rebellion, his self-exaltation, and his all-encompassing pride and arrogance.

Why didn’t God just Destroy Satan?

I want you to know that God did not just sit idly by while Satan carried out his master plan of attack.  God did not destroy Satan, because, like humans, angels are eternal beings.  Snuffing Satan out of existence is not an option.  But, God did do something drastic in response to Satan’s sin.  Three severe judgments were passed on to Satan – Here’s how God judged him:

His Fall:  (12) He has fallen from his position in Heaven.  He was kicked out of his position as arch angel and could no longer live in heaven. 

His Grounding:  (12) He was cut down to the earth.  He was stripped of his heavenly position and cast down to the earth.  God did not immediately imprison him, but instead allowed him to walk to and fro on the earth tempting another one of God’s creatures: humans.  We will talk about why he did that in a moment.

His End:  (15) He will be imprisoned in the bottomless pit, and eventually, he will be cast into the lake of fire. 

Satan’s path is always a downward path.  What can we gather from this to help us answer our question?  “Why didn’t God immediately destroy Satan?”  So much pain and suffering could have been avoided if he had just stopped him before Adam sinned!

Here’s the answer:  God allowed Satan to become the tempter because it was within His sovereign plan. Ephesians 1:11 says that, “God works all things after the counsel of His own will.”  God even uses evil for His good purposes (Ge 50:20; Prov 16:4).  This is somehow part of God’s all-wise plan. 

If God had chosen to end Satan immediately with a show of superior force, there would be a danger that everyone else would follow out of fear rather than love.  What God wants are people who love and serve Him voluntarily, not merely because they are afraid of Him.

And I might suggest that reason for it is that God desires worshipers who will voluntarily love and worship him in Spirit and truth, despite the scandalous pull of sin and Satan.  A world without freedom is not a good world at all!  As long as God offers freedom to his creation, the free moral agents (angels and men) would possess the ability to do good or evil. So the question is not about Satan’s existence, it is more about the presence of freedom.

Couldn’t God have reached the same goal without Satan?  Yes, I suppose so.  But if you really want to test the loyalty and love of an individual, put temptation in front of him!  Then you will see just how trustworthy and pure his heart is.  Satan is one of the trials in life that are placed in your life to test you and to try humanity, to see which ones will go to the dark side, and which ones will cry to the Savior, and hold fast to Jesus. 

Here’s another reason; if God had destroyed Satan immediately, how would anyone really know God’s way was best? No one had dared to try an alternative. God gave Satan a chance to demonstrate his alternative system. That’s why he was given an opportunity to make his pitch to Adam and Eve. This planet has become a testing ground where the character of Satan and the nature of his kingdom are contrasted with the character of God and the nature of His kingdom.

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[i] https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=will_know

[ii] https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=will_know

[iii] https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=will_know

[iv] https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=will_know

Have you ever run across a very thorny question that you just could not find an answer to?  Most of us have numerous questions that puzzle us.  How would you answer questions like:

• Is there a God?
• Did God really create the universe?
• Why did God allow Satan to sin?
• Why did God create Satan if he knew he was going to rebel?
• Is the Trinity in the Bible?
• Why don’t Christians Worship on the Sabbath?
• If Jesus is God, why did he say, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”
• Why is it so hard to accept myself?
• Will God save me from my sin?
• Are women inferior to men?
• Does the Bible support Slavery? 

We humans demand answers.  That’s why we send our children to school.  School is supposed to teach us the answers to life’s elementary problems.  But that is never enough, so we send them to college or University.  There they are exposed to some very smart people who claim to have the answers.  But do they really?

It seems like the answers are never enough.  So we turn to talk radio, magazines, books, television, news reports, and pastors and churches. 

Life has questions, we need answers.  The truth of the matter is that you will never know the answer to every question!  Some answers we will never know.  But there are some really important questions you should really ponder, study out, and find the answer to.  And it’s not just answers we need.  Every person needs to figure out where to go to get their questions answered.  Every one of us needs a framework that guides our life that we can depend upon for answers when life doesn’t make sense. 

So my question is this:  Where do you go when you need answers.  I guess it depends on the question.  If you have a math question, don’t come to me… go to your math teacher.  If you have a car repair question, I can break them, but I don’t know how to fix them; go to a mechanic.  If you want a few facts and opinions, it seems like a lot of our questions can be answered by Google.

But I want to suggest to you that neither your professors, talk show hosts, nor Google is able to adequately answer the big questions of life in a consistent and satisfying manner.  For the big questions of life; The Bible has the answer. 

The Bible Has the Answer

“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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I believe that.  I’ve lived my life following one simple rule:  The Bible has the answer!  God knows everything, and He has revealed the important things in THE Book! 

I want to break down this verse into three thoughts, to help you understand what the Bible says about itself.  The first one is this:

 1.  The Bible came from God.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”  We Christians believe that God knows everything.  He is all knowing.  We also believe that God is unerring.  God is all wise and has never made a mistake.  So when God reveals something in His Word I always treat it as truth.  Whenever the Bible gives an answer it is the correct answer.  So far in my life, this has never steered me wrong.  I have found that no matter what I study, no matter what history or archaeology unearths, no matter what new discoveries are out there, the Bible has always been able to stand the test of time, and it comes out the winner!  I have learned to trust it because it has always proven trustworthy!  If you are a Christian, your framework for looking at life is through the grid of the Bible.  Since God’s Word is true, I live my life by it. 

2.  The Bible answers life’s questions.

According to 2 Timothy 3:16, The Bible has four areas of application.  #1 Doctrine.  Doctrine is simply a collection of information or truth that the Bible teaches.  For example there is the doctrine of heaven, the doctrine of sin, the doctrine of the trinity, and so on.  #2 Reproof.  God gave the Bible in such a way that it examines and critiques my behavior and my beliefs.  When my thoughts differ from the Bible, guess which one is right?  #3 Correction.  The bible tells me when I’m wrong, but it also tells me how to get it right.  That’s good news!  Reproof keeps us from falling into error and correction leads us on the right path.  #4  Instruction in righteousness.  This goes beyond fixing errors and setting me on the right path.  The Bible is filled with wisdom and truth.  Follow it to be wise!  We can live best possible life if we follow its instructions. 

3.  The Bible’s answers are sufficient for a successful life.

Verse 17 tells us that the Bible is adequate to make us into the kind of people we should be!  “That the man of God may be complete!”  God’s Word is what we need to make us into stable men and women!  Ignore it at your own risk!  It is also able to equip us to help others! 

We go to the Bible because the Bible has the answers that we need!   

 The Bible gives us everything we need

It is at this point, that I want to interject an important point.  The Bible does not tell us everything!   While it accurately addresses many scientific realities, it is not a Science textbook. While it contains many principles about health and medicine, it is not a medical reference book.  It has pages upon pages of recorded history, but is not primarily a history book.

The Bible does not tell us everything about every subject, but The Bible is unerringly true in every subject it covers.  When the Bible speaks it is authoritative. 

God’s Word never promises to answer every human question, but it does promise to be the basis of truth for understanding all things.  We can be thankful that God has all the answers.  But we have to remember that God doesn’t always reveal all the answers.  The Bible does not address every area of life; rather, its revealed words serve as our authoritative source in every aspect it does address, and its principles apply to everything!

To help us understand this, I’ve created a handy little chart to illustrate the kinds of answers the Bible Gives:

On the left side I’m calling this the “personal judgment” side.  This asks the question, “How much does God expect us to use our own judgment and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Let’s remember that God did create us in His image, and he created us to be able to make decisions.  He also gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us at times when we don’t know what to do.  It is up to us to use personal judgment in some things.

 On the right side, is the biblical revelation side.  There are some issues in the Bible that are cut and dried, black and white.  There is so much information is revealed in God’s word about some subjects that we leave 100% of it up to the Bible.  God has revealed a lot about some things and little or nothing about others. 

 Trivial things.  Let’s say you get up in the morning and want to know what color of socks to wear.  What chapter and verse has that information?  Or let’s say that you wake up, but don’t want to take a step outside God’s will.  Where in the Bible will you find the information about the exact placement of your foot on your bedroom floor, and the next one, and the next one?  You won’t find that anywhere in the Bible!  There is nothing specific revealed, so God expects you to use your own judgment. 

So should you leave God out of those little decisions?  Not at all.  We make these decisions with the understanding that God made us in His image, and that we were made to make decisions.  In fact the Bible has something to say about that!  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your steps!”  (Proverbs 3:5-6)  So the Bible even has something to say about this.  In trivial things TRUST him!

 Personal Guidance.  Let’s say you want to get married.  On what page of the Bible does it reference that Dennis is supposed to marry Susan? It’s not in there!  And where does it tell you which career path to take, or whether or not to go to college or into the military?  It doesn’t.  So what should we do?  In cases of personal guidance we should Seek God’s will in prayer.  “Ask and it shall be given you…”  (Matthew 7:7)  Seek the principles that are revealed in God’s word.  You can always find a principle that relates to marriage like this one; “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.”  (1 Corinthians 7:39)

 Historical – Scientific Issues.  The Bible doesn’t pretend to be a history book of every civilization, but we have discovered that when it does give a historical reference, it is unerringly accurate.  The Bible is not a science textbook, but where God’s Word does speak it is definitive.  It is not mistaken.  We will eventually come to understand that history and science clearly back up God’s revealed word. 

 Ethical Concerns.  There are a number of ethical questions that are not discussed in the Bible, and some which are not discussed in the New Testament:  Should we clone people?  Should we edit the genes of our baby?  Should we vaccinate our children?  Should we trust AI?  Is Abortion ever OK?  While some of these may not have a precise scriptural command, there is much biblical information we can apply to our situation.  Some of these principles are clearer than others, like the command that says, “Thou Shalt Not Murder.”  (Exodus 20:13).  If that doesn’t relate to the taking of life in the womb, I don’t know what does! 

 Revealed Truth.  When God gives clear revelation, our responsibility is to live in obedience.  God has spoken, and clearly told us how to live.  The Apostle Peter put it this way:

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

 The Bible is all we need to equip us for life.  In the Bible alone, God has given humankind all things that are necessary for the proper understanding of who God is, who we are, how God has acted in the past, what’s going to happen in the future, and what God expects from us.  The Bible gives us everything we need to live well and to be godly. 

The Bible does have the answer, but it may not be the answer you were hoping for.  And some answers are not as easy to find as you were hoping for.  It takes work to find the truth, but God’s Word always makes us wiser than without it!

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;  The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;  The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.  (Psalm 19:7-11)

If you’ve got a question, God’s got the answer, even if I can’t answer that!