Author of Scripture

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Paul’s words to Timothy here offer practical advice for godly living.

From an early age, Timothy had learned the truth found in the Scriptures. And here Paul encourages him to continue to read, learn from, and trust in God’s Word, which helps every believer focus on living God’s way for full, meaningful life. God’s Word can be trusted because it is not the mere words of imperfect human beings; it is the truth of the eternal God himself.

When we confess, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in the Holy Spirit,” we affirm that the Holy Spirit worked in and through the people who wrote down the words of Scripture to reveal God’s design and purpose for us. Paul describes the Spirit’s work as “God-breathed.” Just as the Holy Spirit breathed life into the first human being (Genesis 2:7), so the Holy Spirit breathed into the work of the Bible’s human authors, making the Scriptures full of life and giving all that we need for faithful living.

Do you want to know how to live for God today? Look no further than the inspired and infallible words of the Bible. The Holy Spirit gave it to us so that we can glorify God and serve him.

Holy Spirit, author of the Scriptures and provider of new life, breathe into our hearts today, that we may glorify God and serve him in the world. Amen.