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Friday, January 04, 2008

The Holy Scriptures, by Wimer

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." -- 2 Timothy 3:15

Timothy ' s mother, being a Jewess, would have trained him up early in the knowledge of the scriptures. By the revelation of God’s Spirit, he was enabled by God’s grace, to not only understand them, but see in them the very person and glory of Christ, and was drawn to Him in submission to that righteous obedience that Christ worked out at the cross on his behalf. From there, God continued to bless and teach him that the Scripture is ALL about Him as God’s Son, the Savior, and Sinless Substitute. But, why does Paul refer to God’s Word as ‘holy scriptures?’

First, it is to distinguish them from all other men’s writings and commentaries. Only the writings (scriptures) in their original form are without error, pure, unblemished, and therefore HOLY- Psalm 119:140 (pure as gold that has been refined and found pure).

Second, because the author of them is the HOLY Spirit of God designed to reveal the HOLY character of God and how He is the just justifier of those that Christ has redeemed. Christ died, the JUST for the unjust. Beware of any doctrine that makes Christ sinful, with a corrupt nature, in the name of Substitution. It is contrary to the very nature of holiness, as is any doctrine that makes the sinner holy by any other way than that imputed by God in Christ’s obedience unto death, Galatians 2:16-18.

Third, the subject of the scriptures is HOLY, both in the Law and the Gospel. That is why they condemn sin and self-righteousness in any shape, form or manner (the Law), but also reveal the HOLY and just way that God has dealt with sin, and declared sinners righteous exclusively in the death of His Son- (the Gospel)! Romans 3:19-25.

Fourth, they command obedience and submission to God’s righteousness imputed in Christ, whereby all whom He saved by His obedience unto death at the cross have been once for all declared HOLY, and therefore saints, not in themselves, but Him! Romans 10:3, 4, 1 Corinthians 1:2.

Bless the holy God for the Holy Scriptures that He has inspired, kept, and continues to reveal, by His Holy Spirit, to His elect whom He has declared holy by the imputed righteousness of His Son. It’s ALL about His holiness!
-- Ken Wimer, Shreveport Grace Church bulletin, August 19, 2007

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