SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/20/2025 10:03 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-2
“Scripture Provides Instruction For Salvation”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:
2 Timothy 3:15
Message of the verse: “and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
I continue looking at the 9th chapter of John
MacArthur’s commentary on 2 Timothy. He
entitles this ninth chapter “The Work of the Word” and it covers 2 Timothy
3:15-17. He writes the following short
introduction to these verses: “No other
passage in the New Testament speaks so concisely of the nature and work of
God’s Word in salvation and sanctification.
In this text, the spiritually transforming power of divine revelation is
delineated.”
I continue in this very long section by writing that “Timothy
had the privilege of hearing the Word in the most wonderful way, that is from
his family, because from childhood, or more literally from infancy, he had been
taught and had known the sacred writings.
I can say from my history that my parents took all three of us to
church, but as I look back on that experience in our small church I can never
remember the salvation message given in that church even though I know that
there were believers worshiping there.
It was different when we had our two children as they heard the gospel
message from the time they were very young, and were both saved at a young age,
and now that they have a family of their own the same is true for their
children, our seven grandchildren. That
is the way that it is suppose to be done and that is the way it was done in
Timothy’s family.
MacArthur writes “Among Greek-speaking Jews, of which
there were many in the time of the early church, the Jewish Scriptures (our Old
Testament) were referred to as hieros
grammata (the sacred writings). It
was on those sacred writings that the faith of Lois and Eunice was built and on
which the faith and devotion of Timothy was built as well. As they became exposed to New Testament
truth, the reality of the Old Testament anticipation turned to realization.
“Timothy may not have the constitutional strength of Paul and was more easily intimidated and discouraged. But he did not lack a foundation for strength of faith or character. Paul admonished him to hold on and to stand firm, but he never had to correct Timothy for faulty doctrine or sinful living. Both as a child under his mother and grandmother and as a young man under Paul, he had been taught well and had learned will. He was qualified to take the revelation he had heard from Paul ‘in the presence of many witnesses’ and to entrust [it] to faithful men, who [would] be able to teach others also’ (2:2).”
I believe that there is nothing in the Bible that
talks about Timothy’s father. I know
that he had one Jewish parent, and it seems that it was on his mother’s side that
was the case. Well I just asked my phone
about this and what I said was correct.
I got this new update on my phone and there is a lot of AI in that
update. When I got that update it really
made my phone different, and I could not figure out how to turn it off. I told that AI character to turn my phone off
but I guess he was not smart enough to do it, but I did figure it out. I have to say that I do ask my phone a lot of
questions, especially how to spell words.
In the updated software the woman’s voice is much deeper than the one
before the update, not sure I like that.
OK back to Timothy.
Now knowing for sure that it was Timothy’s mother and
grandmother who were Jewish it was those women faith was built on the Jewish
Scriptures, the Old Testament, and it was on those sacred writings (hieros grammata) that those two women
helped build the faith and devotion of Timothy.
It was so good that Timothy had those two godly women in his young life.
MacArthur writes “This text shows that the Old Testament
clearly gives the wisdom that leads to salvation. From Genesis through Malachi, that wisdom reveals
the holiness, majesty, and lovingkindness of God and His gracious offer of
forgiveness and redemption from sin for those who trust in Him and not
themselves and seek His grace and mercy.
“The moral law was intended to set a righteous standard
which no one could keep, thus confirming every person as a sinner under God’s
judgment. Since no one could be made
righteous by the law, it rendered everyone doomed by guilt. Men were therefore in desperate need of grace
and forgiveness, which God was eager to give to those who repented and asked. The
sacrifices did not save Jews but showed that they recognized the fact that sin
demands death. Every sacrifice made
under the Old Covenant depicted the ultimate, perfect, and complete sacrifice
of the coming Savior, Jesus Christ,
“who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer
up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the
people, because this He did once
for all when He offered up Himself… 11 But when Christ appeared as
a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater
and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this
creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His
own blood, He entered the holy
place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 7:27; 9:11-12).”
Spiritual Meaning for My Life Today:
I am so glad for those verses from the book of Hebrews as they show me that
it was the Lord Jesus Christ who paid for my sins once for all, and since He
saved me over 51 years ago, I have been thankful for this wonderful truth.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
I trust that the Lord will receive glory through the illness that my
wife has, as she had to have cancer surgery three weeks ago today. Not sure
what lies ahead in her treatment, but know that the Lord gives us wisdom to
proceed with what He has for us.
5/20/2025 10:52
AM
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