If you open your Bibles at 2 Timothy chapter 3. Our text for this evening is the verses 16 and 17. I'd like to, if I can, over the next three weeks, just to concentrate on these two verses. First of all, we'll see what the Bible has for us. The next thing, we'll see what the Bible has to say about God. and the next thing we see what the Bible has to say about the Lord Jesus Christ. So if we just read these two verses first of all. It says all scripture is given by the inspiration of God is proof profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be perfectly thoroughly furnished for all good works. So that's our text for the next few weeks. I'm sure you can read over it as you prepare yourselves for Bible studies over the next few weeks. And I'm sure you can add more to it than I will get out of it. But we're looking at how we perceive the Bible today. We have to ask the question again. There's always a question, I know. When we read the Bible, do we get any real benefit from reading and studying of God's Word? Remember, it is God's Word we're talking about. This has been God's breath. Like He breathed into man, so He has breathed into man to write these words down. It would seem that many who engage in reading the Bible have no spiritual profit. for all the effort they put into reading it. We can say that because there's no evidence of the fruit that comes from them or what they produce. People take up the reading of the Bible for many different reasons. Some people take up the study of scripture with the same enthusiasm and pleasure as they would get out of studying history, or even geography, so that it might increase their knowledge, and that they might discover something through their efforts. Reading the Bible, but there's no spiritual joy to be had It's just as if you are reading a science book or any other book for that matter We may well increase his knowledge and most likely his pride Others may take up the Word of God just to say I've read the Bible Some may take up the reading to obtain a general acquaintance of the contents of the Bible for educational reasons, for the study reasons. Others to satisfy their sense of curiosity as they might do with any other book on their shelf. People belonging to a particular denomination would search the Bible for proof texts that can support all the doctrines that they would hold. Others do the same for the purpose to be able to argue successfully with those who would differ from them. But in all these reasons for reading the Bible, there doesn't seem to be any thought of God Almighty. There's no real desire for spiritual edification, and therefore there's no real benefit to one's soul. As we look at the passage of Scripture here in 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17, we see quite clearly how profiting from the Word of God consists. For we read all Scripture, all Scripture. That means from the beginning of the Bible to the end. All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God. It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfectly, thoroughly furnished for all the good works. What it does not say is that the holy scriptures are given to us for our own intellectual gratification. But it is to furnish us, that's what it says at the end of the verse, it is to furnish us for all good works. And it does this by teaching us, reproving us, and correcting us. Let us look, first of all, how the Word of God, when applied to us, what it does. Say, take for example, sin. How does the Word of God convict us, revealing our depravity? and exposing our vileness and all our wickedness. A man may well live a life that's irreproachable. His dealings with others may also be faultless. That means you just can't find any fault in him. But when the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to his heart and his conscience, Then his eyes are opened to sin, and it's made to see his relation and his attitude to God, and it causes him to cry out, woe unto me, for I am undone. It is in that way that each truly saved soul is brought to realize the great need he has for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. They that are whole need not physicians, but they that are sick, says the Lord in Luke 5 and verse 31. You see, it's not until the Spirit applies the word through divine power that the individual is made to feel that he is sick, that he is sick unto death, for it tells us the wages of sin are death. When such conviction of sin brings home to them our poor state in which a human being stands in the experience, usually then leads to a humbling and a repentance and to conversion. The point is that we should not restrict the initial experience, that means the initial experience when we first were converted, but it should be each time that God blesses our word to our hearts. We should be made to feel how far short we come to the high standards of Almighty God. This is what we read in 1 Peter 115, be ye holy in all manners of conversion. When we read the Bible, of the failure that different ones throughout the Bible had. Surely it must make us feel and realize just how much we are like them. We do fail. We fail often. On the other hand, when we read the perfect life that the Lord Jesus Christ lived, does it not make us feel how terribly unlike him that we are? We see also that one profited spiritually when he has great sorrow over his sin. When we read the Word of God, it tells us that the stony ground here in Matthew 13, 20 and 21, he heareth the word and an eyes with joy receives it, yet has he no roots in himself. But when we read of those who were convicted, under the preaching of Peter, it is recorded that they were prickled in their very heart. Acts 2 verses 37. But has anything changed? Many today will listen to a lovely sermon, they'll even address on some doctrine, or given by some good elegant speaker, but there's not much depth to it, and there's not much application to the conscience of the one that's hearing. It may well be received with appreciation, even by the congregation, But the thing is, there's no humbling of oneself before the throne of Almighty God. No one was brought into a closer walk with God through it. Should it not, instead, that the faithful minister of the Lord should be teaching in such a way that would bring the truth of scripture, so that it would expose to the hearer to perceive that what a failure, even as the best of God's people are. You may well despise the message or even the messenger, but be thankful for the message which will make them mourn before God and cry out, O wretched man that I am. We must ask ourselves then, is it the same for us in our private reading of the Bible? Is that our private reading? Do we have this feeling for sin? It is when the Holy Spirit applies it in such a way that we are made to feel our own shortfalls and failures. It is then that we are really blessed. This is what was written in Jeremiah 31 and verse 19. After that I was instructed, I smote my thigh, I was ashamed, yet even confounded. So does the reading and the study of God's word produce a broken heart that leads you to humbling yourself before Almighty God. Does it convict you of your sin in such a way that you're brought to repentance before him? Exodus 12 and verse 8, the parcel lamb had to be eaten. What was it eaten with? It was eaten with bitter herbs. So it would be for us when we feed also on the word of God. The Holy Spirit will make it bitter before it becomes sweet to taste. Is it not the same with all things? There must be a mourning before comfort. Matthew 5, 6. And there must be a humbling before exalting. 1 Peter 5, verse 6. So when the word of God leads us to confess a confession of our sins, we spiritually profit by it. 2nd Timothy 3 16 the scriptures are profitable for reproof a soul that is honest with the self will of course acknowledge all of it is false on the other hand the cardinal soul it is written in john 3 20 for everyone that loveth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deeds should be reproved Our renewing heart will cry out, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Every time we are quickened by the word of God, we will feel that there's a great fresh revealing to us, revealing to us of our transgressions before Almighty God. He that covers his sin shall not prosper. But whosoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28 verse 13. You see there will be no spiritual prosperity or fruitlessness. Psalm 1 verse 3, whatever we, that could be the wrong reference, but whatever we conceal within us, all of our guilty secrets, it's only when we own up before the mighty throne of God and every detail of our wrongdoing, shall we be able to joyfully, to enjoy the mercy of God before us. We must confess all at the throne of Christ. We mustn't leave anything out. There will never be any real peace for our conscience. There'll be no rest for our heart when we remain in us on confessed sins. the biggest remedy or the best remedy for sin or for wrongdoing. I'm sure you all know what sin and wrongdoing is. We all know what right and wrong is. And so when we do wrong, what we should do is get down on our knees, confess it before God right away, and don't let it fester. Relief only comes when we unburden ourselves before God through the Lord Jesus Christ himself. David said in Psalm 33 verses 3 and 4, when I kept silent, my bones whacked old through the roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, my moisture turned into drought of the summer. But then David goes on to say in Psalm 32, I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and my iniquities have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgivest the iniquities of my sin. If David had to do it, that mighty man of God, surely then we must do the same. We can also benefit spiritually when the word of God gives us a real dislike and hatred for our sin. Psalm 97 verse 10, ye that love the Lord hate evil. None of us can love the Lord without hating what God himself hates and we all know what God hates. He hates sin. We should do all we can to avoid it And we must turn away from it and refuse to continue in it. Remember what Jesus said to the women? He said, go and sin no more. One of the best tests to apply for those that you meet who confess conversion is what their attitude towards sin is. Ask them that first and see what they say. It will give you a good idea just where they stand. There should be a great loathing against and indeed against all things that are unholy. And we especially thankful when the word of God then reproves us. David had this experience. Psalm 119 verse 104. Though through thy precepts I get understanding, and I hate every false way. We notice that David not only hates some or even many, but it says every false way. And goes on to say in the same Psalm, verse 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way. The very opposite is said of the wicked concerning the Word of God in Psalm 50 and verse 17. Proverbs 8, 13 tells us that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. The godly fear comes through the reading of the Word of God. So the Christian then must have a great hate and a loathing against all sin, not some sin, all sin. In Deuteronomy 17, 18, till sin be hated, it cannot be mortified. When there's a great hating for your sin, it will lead for us to turn away from it. 2 Timothy 2.19 Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. The more we read the word of God to find out just what is pleasing and what is not pleasing to the Lord, the more we discover what the will of God is. The more our hearts will desire to be right with Him, the more our ways will be conformed to Him. His ways and theirs will be walking in the truth. We read at the end of 2 Corinthians chapter 6, some precious promises that are given to those who separate themselves from unbelievers. verse 16 and 18. And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? Remember, if you're a Christian, you're a temple of God. For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their God. and they shall be my people therefore he says come out from among them and be ye separated said the lord and touch not the unclean things and i will receive thee and will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters said almighty god And continues on in chapter 7 and verse 1, having therefore these promises, Dearly Beloved, let us cleanse ourself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. John 15, 3, Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Is the reading and the studying of God's Word producing a cleansing of our ways? Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his ways? The answer to that question is, of course, by taking heed thereto according to thy Word. It is more than simply reading. It's believing, or even memorizing, but it's a personal application to the Word of God, to our own selves. That's the way the Christian is brought into a practical separation from evil. For sin has not only to be confessed, it also has to be forsaken. Proverbs 20, 8, verse 13. The Holy Scripture are given not only for purpose of revealing our sinfulness and the many ways in which we come short of the glory of God, Romans 3, 23, but the word of God also teaches us how to obtain deliverance from sin, how to keep from displeasing God. Psalm 119 and verse 11. This word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. The Bible also says in Job 22 and verse 22, Here, of course, in Job, he is talking about the commandments and about their warnings and about their exhortations. We need to memorize them. We need to meditate over them. and we need to put them into practice. Unless we do that, we might as well do nothing. It has to be seen how we're living and how we're keeping them. If we had, for an example, a plot of land, and we did not want to be overgrown with weeds, well, what would we do? We would plant good seed in it. The only way to come out of evil is with good. So the more the Christian dwells in us, sorry, so the more Christ dwells in us, the less room there will be to exercise sin in our hearts. You see, if we're filled up with the things of Christ, if we're filled up with the knowledge of Christ and the way we must do and the things we must do, then there's going to be no room in ourselves for sin. When it comes to the Word of God, if we only have lips and tongues only to make a matter of talk, we will soon lose it and it will be gone. It will be like the parable of the sower. It will soon, the seed that was on the surface, what happened to it? It was picked up by the fowls of the air. Therefore, when it comes to the Word of God, we have to hide it deeply within us. We are not just to hear it, we are not just to think about it, but we have to let it sink down deep into us. Then it will become dear to us. and it will push all our lusts and all our sins aside. Psalm 37 and verse 31, the law of God is in my heart, none of his steps shall slide. Do you see, as long as God's truth is active within us, stirring up the conscience and is really loved by us, we shall be kept from falling. Joseph was tempted by Potiphar's wife Remember what he said? How then can I do this wicked thing and sin against God? Genesis 39 verse 9 you see the Word of God was in his heart and therefore had a prevailing power even then over his lusts Not one of us knew when we might be tempted. Remember the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted. What did he do when he was retempted? He quoted scripture. Therefore, it's necessary for us to prepare against temptation. Temptation, I'm afraid, comes to everyone. When we store up God's word in our heart, we will be ready to stand against them. We will also benefit from God's Word when we cause us to do the opposite of sin. Sin is a transgression of the law, 1 John 3, 4. In other words, sin is rebellious against God. It is determined to have its own way. Now, the opposite of sinning against God, what do you think it is? It's submission to God. To practice the opposite of sin, then, is to walk in the way of obedience. This is one of the main reasons why the scripture was given to us, to make known to us the way which are pleasing to God. Scripture are profitable not only for reproof and correction, but also for instruction in righteousness. We must ask ourselves, are all our ways and works regulated by the Word of God? That simply means, as all the decisions, as all the things we do, do we do them by the Word of God? Do we go to God first? Do we pray to God about them? That's what our lives should be, regulated by the Word of God. This is what our Lord requires of us. James 1.22 says clearly, Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, saving yourselves. This is how we are to show our gratitude and our affection for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He said there in John 14, 15, if you love me, keep my commandment. That's a sure way of finding out if we really love the Savior, we will keep his words. This is something we may not be able to do ourselves because, of course, we'll need God's help. But even a godly man like David prayed, make me go to in the path of thy commandments against Psalm 119 and verse 35. We need God's help because the blindness of our minds and the weaknesses of our heart. David asked for the pass of thy commandments. Not a self-chosen course, that means we're not to choose ourselves what we should do, but we should define what we should do, what is marked out by God for all the children of God to follow. So we will be doing the opposite of what sin would have us do. In closing, I must ask, has the study of the Bible been any spiritual benefit to you? Have you found that through it you are thoroughly furnished unto all good works, and that it teaches us reproof and correction and gives us a greater desire to seek after the things that please God. You see, we must have God's word and we must have it in our hearts. We must trust God that When we sit down to read our Bible, we pray first, pray for God to open his message for us, pray for God to help us understand. There's many things in the Bible that we don't understand, but we can pray for God to help us understand what the Bible is saying to our own individual selves. And it's that way when we go to read our Bibles and study our Bibles, The Holy Spirit will apply them to us and we will indeed, as the Bible says, be thoroughly equipped to stand up against evil. Thank you.