Sermon C: 21 Pent: 2 Tim 3:15

For the 21st Sunday after Pentecost the three assigned readings are Genesis 32:22-30 (Jacob wrestling with God); 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 (Scripture profitable for doctrine) and Luke 18:1-8 (Parable of Unjust Judge). While we are sorely tempted to write about the Parable of the Unjust Judge, that was a recent L&G hour on AM 850 KFUO. In fact, the entire 16 hours of “Renaming Parables” is now available by CD at a cost of $40.00 by emailing me at lawgospel@lawgospel.com with your address. The text chosen to illustrate is 2 Timothy 3:15, “And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

There are two ways to interpret/apply every passage in the Bible. One is wrong; the other is correct. The wrong way is to examine it from a Living Under The Law point of view; the correct way is from a Living Under The Gospel perspective. The question before us is whether a person comes to faith by believing the Bible or by believing in Christ Jesus. The answer makes a big difference in evangelism.

If a person comes to faith by believing the Bible, then it is important to help the hearer understand that the Bible is truthful in all that it reveals. There are actually those who imagine that people do not come to faith because they have a low view of the historical accuracy of the holy Scriptures. To offset this view, they practice a form of apologetics (defense) of the Bible that looks to evidence to convince the skeptic that the Bible is correct.

There are a number of avenues followed including demonstrating how creationism is superior to evolution from a scientific point of view; that the only reasonable explanation for an empty tomb is that Jesus rose from the dead and so forth. We are not opposed to writing and defending the Bible’s history in regard to creation and the resurrection of Jesus Christ so that believers can be helped. However, we do not agree that such an appproach is proper with unbelievers.

It is incorrect to suggest that people are saved by believing the historical accounts as found in the Bible. For is it not true that though the devils know that Jesus was born of a virgin, died under Pontius Pilate, bodily rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, they still have eternal hell as their destiny? What saves is not agreement with the historical events of the Bible but trust in the gracious promises of the Gospel in regard to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The problem is that such promises cannot possibly be discovered by natural knowledge of God or by our experience. Apart from the revelation of the Holy Scriptures–which is even needed for Adam and Eve in their state of innocence–one simply knows neither the will of God nor His plan for our salvation.

What Paul is writing to Timothy is the fact that through the Bible Timothy has come to know about how Christ Jesus has saved him. It is NOT that the Bible provides wisdom as to what Timothy is to do or even decide to believe in order to be saved (Theologian of Glory) but that the Bible reveals both Law and Gospel accurately with the conclusion that though there is nothing Timothy can do to save himself, God has stepped in and gets all the credit in saving him

The Bible is indeed the source of our knowledge of how God has saved us; belief in the Bible is not the basis or the cause or the reason for our salvation. Such faith is simply like a garden hose which receives the saving Water of Life; namely, Jesus Christ Himself. Thus, we are not saved by more Bible knowledge; we are saved by grace through faith on account of Jesus Christ. It is indeed a Law and Gospel distinction.