All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness, so that the person belonging to God may be capable, fully equipped for every good deed.  2 Timothy 3:16-17, TLV

Scriptures Fully Equip.   Paul writes to his “spiritual” son, Timothy for the last time. Soon Paul will be martyred and he wants to leave Timothy prepared to carry on the Good News and to disciple others. The apostle’s instructions in today’s verse are our instructions: utilize all of Scriptures — Genesis through to the Revelation.

… and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to make you wise, leading to salvation through trusting in Messiah Yeshua. (vs. 15, TLV)

From the time Timothy was a child, his mother and grandmother (1 Timothy 1:5) raised the young man in the “nurture and admonition” of the LORD (Ephesians 6:4).

Yet, prior to trusting in Messiah Yeshua, Lois and Eunice had no access to the Gospels or Epistles or the Revelation. What did they have? The TANAKH (the Torah, Prophets, and Writings) — what is sometimes called, the “Old Testament.” Or, as Paul said, “the sacred writings.”

What about us?

We have spoken about living a balanced life of faith (Psalm 19) — both wonder and the Law. Here Paul delves even further into the instructional part of that balanced life. Yeshua was the Word made flesh (John 1:14). He came not only to atone for our sins to redeem and make us His Father’s children, but He modeled how to walk out the TANAKH in faith and deed.

Our lesson is to simply — not easily — remember that Scriptures begin in Genesis, and because of the canonization of the apostles’ and disciples’ writings they end in the Revelation. In other words, a balanced approach to instruction is to include in our life all of Scriptures. It is only then that we can be fully equipped.

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