What are the benefits of studying the holy Bible?

Next, consider five of them. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable [1] for teaching, [2] for reproof, [3] for correction, [4] for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped [5] for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16, 17).

1. KNOWLEDGE

“All Scripture is... profitable for teaching”. This implies we lack knowledge and need to learn some things. So, we need taught. There are key things we may not know about God and his will for our lives. We can be ignorant of them. So, we need informed about them.

We all have been ignorant of God!

As a whole, we are or have been very ignorant of God and his will for our lives! For example, concerning all of mankind (including the Jews), God said, “there is none who understands” (Ro 3:11; Ps 14:2). So, God has declared to all that everyone, at some point, is or has become ignorant of His will, both Jew and Gentile, and therefore all need taught.

Ignorance of God’s will concerning Jesus Christ is a sin (Ac 17:30; Eph 4:17-19). And, “Those who do not know God... will pay the penalty of eternal destruction” (2 Thess 1:8 9). So, we must have sufficient knowledge of God to be saved.

In conclusion, the Scripture is beneficial for teaching us and giving us a clear understanding of God and his will and commandment for our lives. We need knowledge of God. There are some things that we simply do not understand about God. We need instruction.

Notes: As Paul said to the church in Corinth, “Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor 15:34). He was speaking about the lack of knowledge in some of the members of this church! In some ways, they were ignorant of God. So, just because we go to church, or just because we are a member of a church, this does not mean that we know God. For we could still be sinning concerning the knowledge of God. We could still be untaught. Even more, “the untaught... distort... the Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2 Pe 3:16). Therefore, we need taught by the Scriptures so that we will not distort, pervert, misuse, or twist them and their meaning and purpose, and by doing so be condemned by God. Indeed, in our study of the Bible, we need to be “diligent,” not lazy or neglectful, so that we will then be able to use them “accurately” (2 Tim 2:15). Indeed, we must continually renew and refresh our mind with the Scriptures so that we may even be able to “prove” or determine what actually is the will of God (Ro 12:2).

2. DISCIPLINE

“All Scripture is... profitable... for reproof”. This implies we need disciplined for some very bad thinking or behavior. Now, to reprove means to verbally discipline or reprimand (severely), to refute, to adamantly oppose, convict or prove wrong, with the idea of putting one to shame for his fault, even demanding an explanation. So, we need reproved by the Scripture because we can do reprehensible things!

We all have done bad things!

Jesus said, “No one is good except God alone” (Mk 10:18). So, we are all somewhat bad. We are all sinners (Ro 3:23). We are essentially bad or evil. We are not good, like God! Likewise, Jesus broadly charged people (including His very own disciples) with “being evil,” even the leading religious men of His day (Mt 7:11; 12:34). So, the Scripture is beneficial for reproving us. Now, if we are not doing good, but evil, and God has declared “there is none who does good” (Ro 3:12), we then need to be reproved by the Bible for discipline. We all need disciplined. We all have not done good. We all have done bad things. For we can be undisciplined!

Now, Judges have been know to reprove criminals for their crimes. For example, in front of the whole court, a judge will denounce and reprove someone who has broken a very grievous part of the law of the land, especially if one shows no remorse or repentance for his behavior. A judge will even declare to a person that his actions were evil or bad. So, men understand this concept of reproof for discipline. For clearly, mankind has a history and a reputation for doing reprehensible things. Therefore, men need reproved. Likewise, when we do bad things, we need reproved by the Scriptures.

Notes: (a) Even Paul reproved his fellow apostle, Peter, a Jew, for acting badly and evil toward Gentile Christians (Ga 2:11-14). (b) Even Peter reproved Simon, a new Christian, for acting evil about one of the gifts of God (Ac 8:20). (c) Reproof can give wisdom (Pr 29:15). We are foolish. We need wisdom. (d) We need to be reproved to be saved (READ Pr 10:17; 15:10; 15:31). “Reproofs for discipline are the way of life” (Pr 6:23). (e) Likewise, a father reproves his son in whom he delights (Pr 3:12). I myself have and will reprove my own children, and they very well know it! (f) Even the Lord himself reproves for “discipline” everyone whom he “loves” and “receives” (He 12:5, 6). So, even if God delights in you, be prepared to receive some serious reproof from the Lord. It should prove, test, convince or convict you of the evidence, the truth, concerning your bad nature, and therefore cause you to be disciplined and change for the better. This is what reproof is supposed to accomplish.

3. CORRECTION

“All Scripture is... profitable... for correction”. This implies we are wrong, inaccurate, mistaken, or in error. So, we are in need of correction. We all must accept correction from the Bible.

We can be greatly mistaken!

For example, concerning even many of the most basic subjects in the Scriptures (such as marriage, adultery, the resurrection, heaven, and other things), Jesus told certain leading religious men that they were “mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures” (Mt 22:29). Again, He told them that they were “greatly mistaken” (Mk 12:27).

So, we can see that even leaders can be not a little mistaken about certain Bible subjects, even very important basic ones. These leaders had incorrect conclusions, impressions, or “takeaways” from the Scripture. And we can be “carried away by the error of unprincipled men” (2 Pe 3:17). For there is a “spirit of error” (1 Jn 4:6), meaning religious error.

So, the Scriptures are beneficial for correction. We all need corrected by the Bible, especially our leaders. For they can lead or mislead many, not only themselves!

4. RIGHTEOUSNESS

“All Scripture is... profitable... for training in righteousness”. This implies that we are unrighteous. Now, righteousness is the quality, state, or condition of being right or in the right, specifically in the sight of God. We all may not yet possess this quality in the measure in which we ought, so we need some training in righteousness.

We all have been unrighteous!

For example, concerning the whole world, God said, “There is none righteous, not even one” (Ro 3:10). So, God has declared that we all have not been righteous. We have not been in the condition of being right or in the right. And, “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 Jn 5:17). So, according to God, we all have sinned in some form of unrighteousness. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Ro 3:23).

Therefore, the Scripture is beneficial for training us in righteousness, to teach us how not to sin! For the unrighteous (those who continue in sin) will not be saved (1 Cor 6:9; Re 21:7, 8). So, to be saved, not condemned by God, we need “training in righteousness” from the “Scripture”. We need educated by the Scriptures to develop and form our thoughts and actions or behavior to be right in the sight of God.

5. GOODNESS

“All Scripture is... profitable... for every good work,” that is, “that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work”. This implies that we are ill equipped to do good.

So, we need the Scriptures to outfit us to be good and do good. Indeed, since we all have lacked Godly knowledge, discipline, Scriptural accuracy, and sinned in unrighteousness, we have been improperly trained to do good sufficiently. Because we all have not been good (in our character), we all have not done good in our actions. We have not done adequately good, or good in a satisfactory way.

Every one has not done good!

For example, concerning the whole world, God said, “there is none who does good, there is not even one” “together they have become useless” (Ro 3:12; Ps 14:3). Even more, the prophet said that our “righteous deeds” can still be “filthy” because of our “iniquities,” our sin (Isa 64:6). This is like conducting an event to raise money for charity, but getting intoxicated while doing so! This is not holy or good. The intoxication defiles the good work, as do other sins of like condemnable or reprovable nature. “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Tim 2:21). We must clean up our act so that any good work or deed we do is not defiled by our own sin!

So, the Scriptures can prepare us, making us “adequate, equipped for every good work,” especially in the sense of personal purity and character. It can change our bad, unholy, sensual nature and character to be like God’s good, holy, spiritual nature and character.

The benefits lead to goodness

Notice in our passage (2 Tim 3:16, 17) that the benefits of studying the Bible lead to one final thing, goodness, doing good. God wants us to do good (Eph 2:10; He 10:24). For God is good and does good. Now, consider how knowledge (that is, informing or teaching someone) can lead to reproof (his being disciplined by the Lord). Reproof can lead to correction (his overcoming his mistakes or deceptions). Correction can lead to righteousness (the condition of him being declared or found right, not wrong, in the sight of God, or not being condemned by him). Finally, righteousness can lead to a good outcome, goodness, that is good works or workings, not bad, defiled, or evil workings.

Notes: For how can a person be properly and fittingly reproved and disciplined if he does not yet know over what he needs reproved? He first needs informed or taught about it. He needs to know something. And how can one be corrected unless he is first reproved for his wrong? A correction of ones mistakes may not occur without reproof. And how can a person be in a condition of righteousness before the Lord unless he is first corrected of his errors? And how can one satisfactorily be and do good unless he is first in the condition of being declared righteous in God’s eyes or judgment?

Conclusion

When we study the Bible, there are at least five key benefits which God wants us to receive. So, in this course on the Bible, let us seek to receive them. Let us expect to be taught some key knowledge about God, reproved for any evil deeds we may be committing against his will, corrected from errors of interpreting his holy Scripture, trained in righteousness to cease from practicing unrighteousness (sin), and therefore be better equipped for good works, especially in our own personal character and nature.