By: John Mitchell
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Notice that the first part of this scripture verse states that all scripture is from God, and states the purposes for the scriptures. Then the second part of the scripture verse states who receives what the scripture has to offer. A man of God, is who receives what the scripture has to offer. All the scriptures in the Bible, are for everyone, but everyone is not able to receive what the scriptures offer. Romans 8:28 is a good example of this. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” All things do not work together for good, for everyone. All things work together for good, for those who love God, and are the called according to His purpose. The people who love God are the people who obey the commandments of God. John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” We are all called by God to live our lives according to His will for us. If we are members of the body of Christ, living our lives according to God’s will for us, then we are the called according to God’s purpose for us. HOW WE ARE LIVING OUR LIFE, IS WHAT DECIDES IF WE RECEIVE WHAT THE SCRIPTURE HAS TO OFFER TO US. If we are living our life according to our own will for ourself, then we are telling God that we want our will done in our life. We are saying to God that we don’t want His will done in our life. We all have a God given free will to decide how we want to live our life. God will not force His will on us. We are not robots controlled by God. We are free to choose our will, or God’s will, for us. So, about Romans 8:28. If we are living our life our way, then God will not force His way on us. We are on our own, when the problems of life confront us, without any help from God. Bad things happen to all of us. When those bad things happen, do you want to be on your own to try to overcome the problems of life, or do you want God to be helping you to overcome the problems of life? John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” How wonderful it is that if you are a member of the body of Christ, faithfully following God’s plan of salvation, then it doesn’t matter how bad your tribulation is, God can bring good out of it. Whenever I think about Romans 8:28, I think about Genesis 50:20. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, and terrible things that happened to Joseph. Joseph was faithful to God for thirteen years, and then God caused a great amount of good to come from the thirteen years of hardship. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph said to his brothers, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” So many scriptures tell us what God has done for us, and what we need to do to be able to receive what God has done for you. Or, like in Romans 8:28, they say, this is what God will do for you, if you will remain faithful and obedient to God. God wants salvation for everyone. God will not force salvation on us if we are not willing to do what we need to do, to be able to receive salvation. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God is, “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” We know that everyone does not come to repentance, so everyone does not receive salvation. God has already done all He needs do, for us to have salvation. Jesus suffered our punishment for us, for our sins. To receive our salvation that has already been paid for, we have to repent of our sins, and be baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, and follow the rest of God’s plan of salvation for us. Since our sins, cost Jesus His life, it doesn’t seem unreasonable that God would expect us to not keep on sinning anymore, after we have been baptized for the remission of our sins. If we will just do our part, we can receive what God is offering to us, through His scriptures. Following the way that you think is best way to salvation won’t save you. Following the way someone else thinks is the best way for you to receive salvation won’t save you. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Rightly dividing the word of God is so important. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) We can wrongly take a scripture out of its intended context. To wrongly divide a part of scripture, is to remove it from the scriptures that are before it, and after it. Those surrounding scriptures explain the truth of the gospel, that God wants us to be able to understand. A scripture taken out of context can totally change the original meaning of the scripture. To teach it that way would be teaching false doctrine. When we rightly divide a scripture, in the context of the scriptures original intent of what God meant for it to say to us, then it is the doctrine of the truth of the gospel of God to us from His inspired scriptures. A scripture taken out of context is not the inspired word of God. It is lying about God’s inspired word so that a person can teach false doctrine and wrongly claim that it is the truth of God. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angle of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”