When you go to build a house, you don’t just start constructing how you picture it in your mind. You would sit down with an architect and share what you envision your house to look like and what you would want on the inside. You would go into great details of all the things you want and don’t want to be included. Some are key areas like the size of the home or how many rooms and bathrooms that are needed; but then you also tell them of the small details that you want included such as a specific style tub or shower, shelves and all the amenities. Then the architect will sit down and show you what it would look like and if it would be possible to do. There may be some things that he will have to change because of codes that are required for you and your family's safety.
It is through God’s divine guidance that He shows us the path that He has for each individual's life. This guidance comes from being discipled. This can be as a child and your parents teaching you the “rights and wrongs” for your actions and behavior. Or it comes from a teacher or counselor helping you learn skills for as you grow and use in life.
As Christians, we get guidance from our pastors and evangelists that bring a word from God to strengthen, encourage, correct or rebuke us. But each of us should have a close relationship with a leader or mentor that is discipling us.
Paul wrote letters to Timothy and Titus as their mentor to strengthen them as leaders. This is what discipleship is about.
This is evident when Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter three verses 16 & 17 that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
You know that the Word of God is inspired or God breathed and that it is useful for the training and edification of the saints. So how does each person apply this in their individual life?
There are 4 points that Paul shared with Timothy in those verses that I am going to share. Two of them are on beliefs, what we should or shouldn’t believe. The other two are on behavior, what each of us should or shouldn’t do.
The first is Teaching. These are instructions through God’s Word. God reveals His Word through His Spirit to us. 1 Corinthians Ch. 2 verses 12 through 13 says “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
As you read and study God’s Word, the Holy Spirit will teach and guide you to understand what you believe. Even Jesus told His disciples in John chapter 6 verse 64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” It isn’t about pushing personal convictions onto others, but sharing what God’s Word says how each Christian should believe.
David said in Psalms 71 verse 17, “O God, You have taught me from my youth, And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.” David held onto those beliefs that God revealed to him as a young man in the fields that helped as he later became a mighty warrior and king of Israel.
Colossians chapter 3 verse 16 says, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” God’s Word will teach and instruct you as you grow in wisdom in those areas of your life that God is wanting to use you in.
The second area is rebuking. This is when God through the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sinful actions. This comes in many different ways, such as conviction while you are reading the Bible. Maybe you felt conviction while a pastor, teacher or evangelist was sharing a message or lesson that God had given them to speak. Or maybe it was simply the Holy Spirit convicting your heart when you were doing something whether or not you knew it was a sin.
Paul instructed Timothy to not be deceived. In 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 14, “And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Eve was deceived by Satan because Adam didn’t do what God wanted him to do in leading his family and marriage. A leader or mentor must take the time to instruct those they are leading on what God’s Word says to help them watch for the attacks from the enemy and how to use God’s Word to fight against him.
Paul would even tell the church on Corinth in 1 Corinthian 15 verse 33 of not being deceived that “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
Each of us must develop discipline in our actions and beliefs. Proverbs 15 verse 32 says “He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.” As you begin to understand God’s Word, it will reveal those false beliefs that were picked up from your old sinful nature.
It is that sinful nature that Paul spoke of in Romans 8 verse 5, “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” And in chapter 7 verse 5 he said, “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.”
In 1 John chapter 2 verse 16 it says, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” It is that sinful nature of man that wants to rebel and go against what we know God truly wants each of us to believe.
Titus 3 verse 3 says, “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice, and envy, hateful hating one another.”
When you allow the Holy Spirit to rebuke or bring conviction, it brings a change in your life, beliefs, actions, manners and behavior.
The third area is Correction. This is a revealing of bad behavior that comes from conviction of those sinful actions.
Solomon wrote many Proverbs on correcting wrongful behavior and what you should not do.
Proverbs 15 verse 32 says, “He who neglects discipline despises Himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.’’ When you are truly repentant of your past deeds, you listen to what God is telling you and you begin to gain an understanding of what the Father is teaching His child.
Proverbs 10 verse 17 says, “He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.” There are those just as Jesus said that followed Him yet some didn’t believe or ignored His teachings to change.
Proverbs 3 verses 11 and 12 say, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof. For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” As a parent, correction should come out of love and not anger. This is to help teach the child that there are consequences for bad behavior, but the correction is in love to help them grow and learn from those mistakes and actions.
Even in Proverbs 19 verse 20, Solomon said, “Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.” When you receive godly counsel and allow it to bring correction and freedom, it will bring a change in your life for God’s glory.
Finally there is righteous training. This is developing the right behavior of what God wants you to do and act.
Romans 7 verse 6 says, “ But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”
Peter wrote in 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 16, “and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”
There will be those that come against you when their lives are convicted by the righteous behavior you lead. There are times that it isn’t about condemning others for their actions and behavior, but to simply live a holy and righteous life before them as an example in love and not in pride.
Paul would encourage Timothy and Titus to Godly behavior. 1 Timothy 4 verse 12 he said, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example to those who believe.”
In Titus 2 verse 1, he said, “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.”
We must also display Godly behavior in times of trials. In 1 Peter 1 verse 15 says, “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.”
Peter also said in 1 Peter 3 verse 17, “For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.” There will be those times that the enemy will test and tempt you to see if you will hold to the righteous life God has called you to live. Satan will do whatever he can to destroy your testimony.
We are then to imitate Christ in our behavior. Ephesians 5 verses 1 and 2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Paul would also tell those in the church in Corinth, in 1 Corinthians 11 verse 1, “ Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”
Finally we see that the writer of Hebrews said, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the Word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”
As a child of God we must look to those that walk in a Godly and righteous manner that is in accordance with God's Word and follow them. It is then that your life will then mirror what God has for you.
In conclusion, I want to go back to those verses in 2 Timothy chapter 3, but this time as you read it, insert your personal name, where it says “man of God”.
It would sound like this” All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training righteousness, so that Ryan Hare, may be complete, equipped for every good work.
