All Scripture

Let us not forget an important truth within the message of the mystery of Paul’s writings.  2 Timothy 3: 16-17 states, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  

Here is the great rub.  All Scripture is profitable to us, but not all Scripture is meant for us to make a direct application to our lives.  For instance when I study the Law, I see how holy God is, how sinful I am, how high God’s standard is, and how easy it is to fail.  However, I don’t all of a sudden decide to obey the Jewish dietary restrictions or to keep the Sabbath holy. 

When I study Matthew and realize that, “If my eye offends me, I should pluck it out. (Matt. 18:9)”  Or that, “God will not forgive me, if I don’t forgive others. (Matt 6: 15)”  I can feel like a hopeless failure.  I will never measure up the standards in the Old or New Testaments. 

Many look at the Bible and get discouraged and confused because these passages seem impossible to live by and seem opposite to the experience they have had with God.  Most of us are drawn to God because He is love and light and offers rest and peace.  However, then we study the Bible and realize that something is just not right.  So, while we learn much from Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures, look to Paul’s writings for application. 

Do these verses resonate with your spirit? 

Eph. 2:4-9, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 2:5 even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! 2:6 and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 2:7 to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 2:9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Rom. 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Rom 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

I Cor. 15:1-4, “Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you – unless you believed in vain. 15:3 For I passed on to you as of first importance  what I also received – that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 15:4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised  on the third day according to the scriptures.”

2 Cor. 5:18-21, “And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 5:19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. 5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” 5:21 God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.”

Eph 4:1-6, “I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 4:3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Hang your hat on these verses and promises.  Learn and apply Paul’s writings, he was the apostle of the mystery, sent to the Gentiles.  Learn from all Scripture, apply these Scriptures and see if things get a little less confusing.