Have you ever struggled to believe that the Bible is true? What is it about this book which is over 2000 years old? Why do so many people argue about it, study it, read it or avoid it? Let’s have a look at a verse, which blew my mind as I focused on its heartbeat.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

„All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.“

As this verse says, all scripture is God-breathed (translated from the Greek, inspired by God). If you are wondering how this can happen, this is a whole other topic. This is about the Holy Spirit. I don’t want to talk about the Holy Spirit in this blog post. Maybe another time. Assuming it is okay for you to talk about this another time or that you already believe in the Holy Spirit, I want to focus on the following:

This verse tells us that all Scripture is useful for different circumstances. For teaching, rebuking, correcting and training and all in righteousness. Let’s read that far. All these circumstances sound exciting but in real life they might be exhausting, challenging and tiring, if you are the one who is being taught, corrected or rebuked. They can also challenge us if we have to rebuke someone for example. We are often confronted with the following questions:

• How can I say it to him/her?
• Should I tell him/her?
• Am I allowed to?
• What if the person doesn’t like me anymore when I tell him/her?

1 Corinthians 16:14 gives us the answer:

“Let all that you do be done in love.”

For all of these questions, ask yourself: “Is the thing I want to tell, based on the love* for him or her? (*love in this verse: in greek = agape, which stands also for good-will, not a sexual love). If you can truly say this, go for it. Before, let’s have a look at the other parts of this verse.

Why should we even correct, teach, rebuke and train; “…so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Isn’t this amazing? When I read this verse I first thought, that this God-breathed truth is for God’s good and only He takes advantage out of it. I know that He loves me, but these methods seemed to be selfish. In the second part of the verse it shows what it is really about.

It is about us being thoroughly equipped – for every good work.

Let’s be encouraged by love-based correction, teaching and training. Even when it is hard to listen to it, turn around, change things or views, it serves the bigger purpose. Let’s read the Bible, the book which is God-breathed, inspired, with an understanding that God loves us and wants best for us and His Kingdom.

One last question for you to meditate on: Why does this verse say “the servant” and not child or person? Does this speak to you? Can you identify yourself with a servant?