2 Tim 3:10-17 Questions 9-11

9. a. Paul lists 5 ways in which "God-breathed" Scripture is useful to us (3:15-16). Explain each in your own words.

• giving "wisdom that leads us to salvation" - this is to teach us truth about why we need to be saved and how were are to be saved. It leads us to faith in Christ to justify, sanctify and glorify us.
  
• teaching - to tell us positive spiritual truth/doctrine. It guides and educates us about the character and requirements of God.
  
• rebuking - to test or convict us of negative spiritual error(c.f. Heb 11:1 'conviction'). Scripture
  
• correcting - (found only here in the NT) to stop us from sin and to restore us to a right state.
  
• training in righteousness - to lead us to godly behaviour. This is also a summary statement of how we become Christlike.
  

b. What is the ultimate goal of using Scripture for these purposes? (3:17)

" that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." The phrase "man of God" has a technical meaning and is found also in 1 Tim 6:11.  (c.f. Dt 33:1, 1 Sam 9:6, Ps 90:1), indicating that Paul is probably thinking specifically of Timothy and Christian teachers here. It is an affirmation of Timothy's authority in contrast to the false teachers. "Completeness" = "fittedness", having a special aptitude for a particular use. The implication is of readiness, preparation

"every good work" probably refers in the first instance to all Timothy's pastoral responsibilities and challenges. But it would also mean that we all are prepared by Scripture to do all the human effort that comes to our hand from God.

There is a teaching of the sufficiency of Scripture to tell us all we need to know. Why then do we read human books? Isn't it wrong to read and watch fictional books and movies?

Human books are worthwhile insofar as they are founded on Scripture and teach what the Spirit has taught others as to how Scripture is to be applied in specific situations and times. Even non-Christian books and movies can teach us about God and human nature in ways that increase the understanding of truth. People as images of God (and part of general revelation) show us a great deal of what God is like. What we engage our minds with can have mixtures of neutral, godless and godly values. So we should be careful about what we are entertained with. 

10.  Does anything Paul says about himself or Scripture encourage you in your current situation? If so, what encourages you?

11. What implications, if any, does 3:10-17 have for your teaching, way of life, purpose, faith or character?

• We are encouraged because Paul shared not only positive things that happened in his life with Timothy, but all the difficult things as well. And yet the Lord 'rescued' him.  
• We are encouraged to do the right thing when we look at examples in Scripture of those who have done the right thing under more difficult circumstances.
• The passage teaches us to look beyond our own salvation and to reach out to others for 'every good work'.
• Scripture teaches to be intentional in the time we have on this earth, because eternity is coming.
  

 12. Why does Paul stress the importance of Scripture in the context of warnings about misleading, immoral teachers?

Scripture is the infallible standard by which the behaviour and teaching of these individuals is judged. They do not base their lives on Scripture, but Timothy is to do so. Paul encourages Timothy to continue in the truths of Scripture that he has had since childhood.