At Gods Words Podcast

II Timothy 3:16
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God….”

   The word “Scripture” in the above passage is another name for the book that today we call Bible. In other words, the name that the book that we are speaking about gives to itself is “Scripture”. The name “Bible” is of later origin. As long as it is clear that Scripture and Bible are synonyms, we can use both of these terms interchangeably.

   Thus what the above verse tells us is that all the Bible was given by inspiration of God. The phrase “by inspiration of God” is actually one word in the Greek text, the word “theopneustos”. This word is composed by the word “theos” that means God and the word “pneustos” that means breathed. Therefore, when the Bible says that it is “theopneustos” what it means is that it is “God-breathed” which in turn means that it came out of the breath of God and consequently it is God’s product. Hence: Author of the Bible is God who breathed it or produced it.

The old covenant was between God and man. It was about what man did, first.

1. And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field…But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee (Deuteronomy 28:1-3, 15).
   1. This shows us the rules of the old contract between God and man.
   2. “If thou” is always about our performance.
2. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2:10).
   1. Under the law, the people had to keep more than six hundred requirements. Breaking even one meant God had to withhold His blessings and instead dispense the curses.
3. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree (Galatians 3:13).
   1. Under the law, God punished the people for their wrongdoing. This is no longer true under the covenant of grace; Jesus took away the curse.

The new covenant is between God and Jesus. It is about what Jesus already did.

There were two ministries operating in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. One of them was Jesus fulfilling all of the law, because no one else could; the second was Jesus giving the people a preview of the new covenant that was to come.

We must be careful when we read the direct words that Jesus spoke. Much of the time, He was talking specifically to people who were under the law.

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:16, 17).

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (Acts 16:30, 31).

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses(Mark 11:25, 26).

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:14, 15).

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye (Colossians 3:13).

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17, 18).

The requirements for salvation under the covenant of the law changed when the covenant of grace was established.

Before Jesus’ death, God’s forgiveness was conditional. It hinged on man’s forgiveness, first. After His death, forgiveness is now offered to us first, as a gift.

We are the beneficiaries of the covenant of grace. We receive the benefits by faith.
1.) Under the law, mankind had to work to love God. Under grace, we are empowered to love because of what Jesus did.

a.  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these(Mark 12:30, 31).
b. We love him, because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

2.) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 8:12).

a. We can say that we love God, but it is important for us to believe that He loves us, even when we do not do right.

b. Mercy is when we do not receive the bad that we deserve.

3.) Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:9, 10).

a. The law is no longer valid for those people who have been born again and are the righteousness of God. It is only valid for people who have not come to the end of themselves.