“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16

Why We Read The Words

Profitable – What is the purpose of exercise?  Why do you go through the endurance of running, the pain of weight lifting or the disciple of working out?  It’s not always fun.  It’s not always convenient.  So why do it?  The answer is obvious.  Exercise improves health, quality of life and attitude.  Exercise is good for you.

In order to understand the purpose of God-breathed language, we need to take a look at 1 Timothy 4:8 where Paul uses exactly the same Greek word for “profitable”.  As soon as you see the use in 1 Timothy, you will know what God-breathed language is all about.  Paul says, “bodily exercise is profitable”.  Exercise makes you stronger, healthier and happier.  That is exactly what God-breathed language is supposed to do.

Can you maintain your physical health and not exercise at all?  No!  Think of the deterioration that occurs when someone is bed-ridden.  The body was designed to move.  And you were designed to enter into the exercise of God-breathed language engagement.  It’s not just information.  You can get information from any book.  God-breathed language is about encounter.  These words demand response, not review.  They present purpose, not proposals.  If you come to these words without an attitude of engagement, you will never understand them.  You can go as many times as you want to the gym, but if you just stand in front of the machines and look at them, nothing will happen.  You have to engage:  push, pull and stretch to get results.

Why do we read the God-breathed words?  Because we want teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness.  If you don’t want those things, don’t bother to engage.  But if this is what you want in your life, don’t imagine it will happen by keeping the book on the shelf or carrying it with you to church.  If God-breathed language requires diligent exercise in order to accomplish its purposes, then you will have to engage it often, deeply and with an open heart.  Just like working out, these words demand commitment.   However, there’s one big difference.  The God-breathed encounter has eternal results.

Profitable.  For your benefit.  Is that how you come to God’s word?  Are you really ready to be taught, reproved, corrected and trained?