16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Prov. 30:5).
‘The Scripture cannot be broken’ (John 10:35).
” Inerrant” simply means “without error,” or “true” in the sense that we normally speak of true sentences, true doctrines, true accounts, true principles. Were God to speak to us in person,” directly,” none of us would dare to charge him with error. Errors arise from ignorance or deceit; and our God is neither ignorant, nor is he a deceiver. Similarly, we dare not charge his written Word with error.” – John Frame
“The church has historically acknowledged that Scripture in its original manuscripts and properly interpreted is completely true and without any error in everything that it affirms, whether that has to do with doctrine, moral conduct, or matters of history, cosmology, geography, and the like.”- Gregg Allison, (Historical Theology p. 99)
“The purity of Scripture lies in the fact that it stands complete in itself, without either deceit or error: ‘The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times’ (Ps. 12:6).” — William Perkins (1558-1602, the “father of English Puritanism”): (The Art of Prophesying, p. 10).
Because God’s Word, the Bible, is inerrant, the Apostle Paul wrote it is therefore profitable and beneficial. For what? The Scriptures are profitable for teaching, reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
What then is the purpose of the Scriptures profitability? What impact does this have upon the believer in Christ? Paul wrote “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
The man of God (θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος; theou anthrpos) refers to the human being who solely belongs to God. This is a believer in Christ. While the term can technically be used for an official preacher of divine truth (I Tim. 6:11), in this context it includes all followers of Jesus Christ.
“The man of God (1 Tim. 6:11) is the believer. Every believer, viewed as belonging to God, and as invested with the threefold office of prophet, priest, and king, is here given this title.” [1]
The phrase may be complete (ἄρτιος ᾖ; artios e) means to presently and potentially exist as qualified and proficient. This is coupled with the word equipped (ἐξηρτισμένος; exertismenos) meaning to be completely adequately furnished in the past with evidence of this equipping continuing in the present.
The active completeness, along with the passive equipping, is for every good work (πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν; pan ergon agathon). The Scriptures provide the believer in Christ with everything needed to accomplish God’s work in a godly way.
“To function properly in this threefold office the believer must become equipped (note the emphasis of the original; literally, “… that equipped may be the man of God”); yes, once for all thoroughly equipped (cf. Luke 6:40) “for every good work” (1 Tim. 5:10; 2 Tim. 2:21; Titus 3:1). Paul (and the Holy Spirit speaking through him) is not satisfied until the Word of God has fully accomplished its mission, and the believer has reached “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:12, 13). The ideal to be realized is glorious, indeed! The power to reach it is from God. Hence, let Timothy remain steadfast. Let him abide in the true doctrine, applying it whenever opportunity presents itself.” [2]
One author concludes, “The Scriptures are sufficient to equip us for a life of faith and service. The contents demonstrate God’s intention to restore the broken relationship between Himself and sinful humanity through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior through the regenerating work of the Spirit, applying the reconcilling work of Jesus Christ . No additional writings are necessary for this good news to be understood, nor are any other writings required to equip us for a life of faith.”
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 303.
[2] Ibid., 303–304.
