Scripture: “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” – 2 Timothy 3:15
Examination of Chapter: Paul is writing to Timothy, a young pastor, whom he has mentored. He warns him about the carnality of man by listing the characteristics of those whose lives are ungodly and deceptive in nature. He goes on to remind Timothy that hard times and persecutions will come in the life of anyone who follows Christ, but that if he continues to follow God’s Word, he will be victorious in his life of service to the Lord.
Application: Ever since I was a child, I have loved to read. Sadly for many years, reading for fun faded into the background. It became more of a necessity during college and the years afterward. Recently, a friend invited me to join her online book club, and I have rediscovered the joys of reading for pleasure. I have to admit sometimes I now get so wrapped up in a novel, my household chores suffer! But I’m finding that healthy balance, and I enjoy sitting down at the end of the day and reading a few chapters as I wind down from the day’s activities.
One thing I sometimes do that is a holdover from when I was much younger is skip to the last chapter to see who the heroine marries, who the villain is, or if the resolution was one for which I had hoped. I don’t do that with every book I read, but sometimes the stories are drawn out, and I just have to know!! Once I’ve done that, I go back to reading the novel with a lot less tension in my body, and I sink back into the story.
One book that I have continued to read again and again over the years is the Bible. It is rich with tales of kings and queens, wars, ethical and moral situations, and fascinating individuals. The Bible is filled with pages of stories that are captivating and thought-provoking. One story is about a family that survives a catastrophic flood, another is about a little shepherd boy who defeats an enemy that no army dares face, while a third tells about a man whose life changes after being swallowed by a whale! Talk about exciting!
Written over several thousand years by many different men, its consistency remains due to its true sole author… God. It begins in the book of Genesis with God’s creation failing to obey His one command, which impacted all of humanity, and it culminates with a wedding and the long-awaited establishment of a glorious eternal kingdom ruled by Christ Himself. In between those two events, the Bible provides guidelines, rules, and explicit rewards and consequences for one’s actions in life. Most importantly, the Bible explains exactly how a person can have a personal relationship with the author and live with Him forever in that divine kingdom!
Spoiler alert! It’s really simple to obtain eternal life. The Bible tells us in Romans 10:13 states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Then in Acts 16:31, it is again written, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” God gave us His Word for one reason and one reason only. He wanted to reconcile us to Himself. John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, He became the promised Saviour of the world offering eternal life in heaven to anyone who chooses to accept His free gift of salvation!
So, did I skip to the ending of this book? Of course, I did! Once I accepted Christ as my Saviour, I had to know the end of the story! The end of the Bible is the culmination of the most wonderful love story of all time! In its last pages, the conquering King comes for His intended bride, and they finally have their “happily ever after”! What a great ending!!
The Bible truly is a wonderful book, and it has the most wonderful ending, but in reality, that’s just the beginning for anyone who chooses to read it and apply it to their lives! Why not start reading today?
Meditation:
- At the end of your life’s story, how will you be certain that you will have the same “happily ever after” that Christians have?
- If you don’t know the answer to the above question, please send me a comment, and I’ll be happy to share with you the way to everlasting life in heaven with Jesus.