II Timothy 3
The Apostle Paul gave important instructions to Timothy in 1 and 2 Timothy. Most Bible scholars agree that 2 Timothy seems to be Pauls final writing and bears the marks of a man who knows he will soon pass from this life into the Lords presence. As Paul prepares Timothy for his pastoral ministry, he tells him that all of the Scriptures have been inspired of God and that they are useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (3:16). We see from this that the goal of learning the Scriptures is to know and understand and then to put them into practice in our lives.
This is why we say that the Scriptures are our final authority for faith and practice. We probably have all known some believers who were excellent scholars of Bible knowledge but poor examples of a gracious Christian lifestyle. Likewise, it is possible to be a wonderful loving Christian, with poor or no Bible knowledge and become susceptible to serious doctrinal error. A good balance in our lives of knowing the Word and doing the Word is actually what God has always asked of his people. The people of Israel were told to know to do and we should do the same.
As we have studied together with the topic of Dispensational theology, we must keep in mind the relevance it has to our daily walk, testimony, worship, and fellowship. No theology exists in a vacuum but rather is a means to an end, to draw us closer to our Lord and to live for him. Today we are part of the community of faith that continues to pass on the truth of Scripture and its application.
Lets consider how Dispensational theology can be used for this purpose in our lives. God has called us to be good stewards of the resources he has blessed us with, including the opportunity we have to study and grow in our knowledge of the word and to allow our lives to show that a correct theology can lead to correct living.
Scripture references – cited properly
