A. Trust One Source
Trust One Source (A)
2 Timothy 3:16
Heart
People all over the world wake up in the morning and spend their days doing something. They are busy going places, talking to people and spending their hard-earned money. What will become of all their hard work? How can they be sure that they are doing what God wants them to be doing? How can people endure life when it gets difficult? In time of great need who can they really trust? Why do some only see God as a good-luck charm? Others really believe in God only when they need something from Him, like when they need to pass an examination! Maybe their parents taught them to drown all their sorrows in alcohol or to find temporary comfort in a partner for one night.
The other extreme are those who see themselves as a good people. They don’t recognize any need for God nor His help. They feel completely capable of taking care of matters and see no need for divine guidance. Their god is actually self sufficiency and materialism. They tragically believe they can buy their way to heaven, taking care of all their earthly needs with their credit card. Many, many people think that God is obligated to give them something. They want everything but the free gift of eternal life that Jesus offers. Many people are demanding and selfish. The life of self discipline and denial to which Christians are called is the last thing on their minds.
We pray that this doesn’t describe you. Fortunately, God freely offers the only eternal solution. Put your faith in His Son Jesus Christ, not the one of people’s imagination, or the one viewed as only a great teacher, or the Jesus of traditional religion. We pray you have a personal, vibrant, intimate relationship with God who has completely revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. To do this, you must trust what the Bible reveals about Jesus. The Bible is God’s Word and the only source that can be trusted wholeheartedly.
Participants in the National Bible Reading Campaign trust in the Word of God for everything we need in this world and trust in Christ by faith for the things we cannot see! The Bible is the only source on earth that we can trust. Many people claim this to be true but by their lives show complete ignorance of God’s Holiness. It is impossible to follow the Jesus of the Bible if you don’t truly know what the Bible teaches about Him. If people choose not to follow Jesus, they lack ability to stand against the evil powers and principalities of the unseen world. Satan has spiritually blinded many and they are held by him to do what he wants. These unseen powers prevent people from putting their complete trust in Christ alone.
How will you obey the Word of God if you are unaware what it tells us to do? Of course, knowledge is only part of it. Without the Holy Spirit, no one can understand how to apply Scripture. We can’t convince you of any of these truths if the Holy Spirit has not been sent from God into your life. We pray that you have been Born Again and have a hunger for knowing God in a personal, life-changing way that has caused you to thirst after righteousness.
Remember, this is the National Bible Reading Campaign, so we would be completely out of line to ignore the Bible! In the following passages we will look into the Word of God and focus our attention on what the Bible reveals. We cannot trust something with all our hearts if we don’t even know or understand what claims it makes about itself. Before we take the life challenge in the next step it is wise to begin with the source of information that we are trusting, the BIBLE. What does the Bible teach us regarding itself?
After reading the following passages of Scripture, answer true or false to each response and discuss your answers. Interact with each other and discover what is taught in Scripture.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16
Most of Scripture can be trusted. – T / F
Your grandmother is the best source of truth. – T / F
The Government is the best source of truth. – T / F
The Bible is God’s Word and is the best source of truth. – T / F
Only Bibles with a cross on the cover can be trusted. – T / F
Only a pastor or priest has authority to tell us what is wrong in our lives. – T / F
The Bible is useful for correction and can help us to live in a better way. – T / F
The Bible says that you should get drunk on religious holidays. – T / F
The Bible says that tradition is the best source of truth. – T / F
2 Timothy 3:10-13
But you know what I teach, Timothy, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith and how long I have suffered. You know my love and my patient endurance. You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra-but the Lord delivered me from all of it. Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and imposters will flourish. They will go on deceiving others, and they themselves will be deceived.
Your purpose in life is best demonstrated by how you live. – T / F
Biblical faith can bring suffering and persecution. – T / F
If you want to live a godly life all your problems will go away. – T / F
Evil people and imposters will slowly disappear. – T / F
People know when they are deceived. – T / F
Imposters will deceive others but they themselves are not deceived. – T / F
Knowing the Word of God is the best way to keep from being deceived. – T / F
2 Timothy 3:14-17
But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes from trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired of God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives, It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.
You must remain faithful to the Scripture you have been taught. – T / F
True Bible teachers want you to know the Scripture not just tell you what it means. – T / F
Children don’t need to learn the Bible. – T / F
True salvation is trusting in Jesus. – T / F
Scripture is sufficient for equipping us for the work God wants for us to do. – T / F
Only some of us need correction. – T / F
Most of Scripture is inspired of God. – T / F
2 Timothy 4:1-4
And so I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus-who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom. Preach the Word of God. Be persistent, whether time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.
Jesus will someday come and set up His Kingdom. – T / F
We don’t need to warn people about judgment. – T / F
We should tell others about the Gospel only after we have established a friendship with them. – T / F
We should correct and rebuke people with the Word of God. – T / F
We should never encourage people using the Word of God- only judge them. – T / F
A time is coming when everyone will want to hear right teaching. – T / F
People will someday seek religious teachings that allow them to continue in sin. – T / F
In the future people will follow strange myths and reject the truth. – T / F
If you continue in your tradition after you find out that you must be “born again” you really don’t believe the Bible.
2 Timothy 4:5
But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given to you.
We should keep a clear mind all the time. – T / F
We should never be afraid of suffering. – T / F
We should work at bringing others to Christ. – T / F
We can quit the ministry God gives us when we decide it is finished. – T / F
2 Peter 1:20-21
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves or because they wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God.
It is not important to understand the source of prophecy. – T / F
The prophets might have made some mistakes and can not be trusted. – T / F
The Holy Spirit spoke through these prophets. – T / F
The prophets wanted to prophesy because it made them look very spiritual in the eyes of those who they wanted to impress. – T / F
2 Peter 1:12-15
I plan to keep on reminding you of these things-even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth. Yes, I believe I should keep on reminding you of these things as long as I live. So, I work hard to make these things clear to you. I want you to remember them long after I am gone.
If you know something is true you don’t need to be reminded anymore. – T / F
We should keep reminding people to follow the truth. – T / F
We should work hard at helping people understand the truth. – T / F
As soon as the Bible teacher leaves you should just go back to your tradition. – T / F
2 Peter 1:16-19
For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendor with our own eyes. And he received honor and glory from God the Father when God’s glorious, majestic voice called down from heaven, “This is my beloved Son; I am fully pleased with him.” We ourselves heard the voice when we were with them on the holy mountain. Because of that we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. Pay close attention to what they wrote for their words are like a light shining in a dark place until the day Christ appears and His brilliant light shines in your hearts. Above all you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves or because they wanted to prophecy, it was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God.
Peter admitted that they were just making up clever stories to deceive people. – T / F
Peter didn’t believe that Jesus is going to return someday. – T / F
Peter never saw or heard anything from God. – T / F
Peter heard God say “This is my Son” in whom I am well pleased. – T / F
2 Peter 2:1-3
But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and his true way will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is on the way.
Some people will teach destructive heresies about God. – T / F
They will turn away from their Master who died for them. – T / F
People are not punished when they turn from God. – T / F
Very few people will follow these evil teachings. – T / F
Everybody that teaches about Jesus is from God. – T / F
Some people will teach about Jesus only so they can get your money. – T / F
Some people love to tell clever stories. – T / F
God loves these people, therefore will not punish them for lying. – T / F
It is possible for a person to love God and money. – T / F
You should pay for every religious service that a priest does for you. – T / F
You must pay for religious services so your priest won’t die and go to hell. – T / F
Other Passages
And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas to see if they were really teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did some of the prominent Greek woman and many men. Acts 17:11-12
Consider these questions.
- What was the difference in the people from these two cities?
- Which people are you most like, the Bereans or the people from Thessalonica?
- Why did the Bereans search the Scripture to check on Paul and Silas?
- Why did the new believers, chose to trust the Bible over God’s servants?
- What was the result of people searching the Scriptures?
- Why did the Greeks have prominent women and men believe in the teachings of Paul and Silas?
Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done.
The Word of God is full of living power. – T / F
The Word is will cut deep into our thoughts and expose our motives. – T / F
Our secrets are known to God. – T / F
We will never have to answer for the things we do in this life. – T / F
God loves you but is not interested in your everyday life. – T / F
Luke 24:44-47
Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.” Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.”
Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms all refer to Jesus. – T / F
Jesus taught about Himself from the Old Testament . – T / F
Jesus opened their minds to many Scriptures. – T / F
It was written that Jesus had to suffer. – T / F
It was written that Jesus would rise again from the dead. – T / F
Jesus gave us authority to take the message of repentance to the nations. – T / F
There might be forgiveness of sins for those who work hard enough. – T / F
Even though salvation is a gift, God still demands a payment (a bribe) for true salvation. – T / F
We may ask for Jesus to open our minds to fully understand the Scriptures. – T / F
The Bible is the Word of God and without error. – T / F
You can fully trust the Bible and yet not do what it commands. – T / F
Summary
The Bible is sufficient to teach us everything we need to know to live victoriously in Christ. It is the Word of God and shows us how we can have eternal life by trusting in Jesus Christ. False teachers will come and deceive many people but they will come to a swift and terrible end. It is important to teach the Scripture to others and lead them to a saving faith in Christ, so that they will not be deceived. In Jesus’ teaching, he points to Scripture to teach us about Himself and his death and resurrection. We must remind people that Jesus is coming back. It is our duty to teach others what Scripture says, so that they too can be saved through grace and not face God’s judgment. The Bible was not written merely to be studied. It must be obeyed.
