Loving God, Loving People
We hear advice everywhere. Friends have opinions, familiar traditions feel comfortable, and a confident voice can be persuasive. Some advice is helpful. Yet when we ask what God wants us to believe and how He wants us to live, we need more than a popular opinion.
That is why we keep returning to the Bible.
In 2 Timothy 3:14–17, Paul encourages Timothy to continue in what he has learned. He reminds him that the sacred writings can lead him to salvation through faith in Christ. Paul then explains that Scripture comes from God and is useful for teaching, exposing error, correcting our course, and training us in righteous living.
Notice the purpose: God’s servant is to be equipped for good work. Bible study should help us know Christ and become people who are ready to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:14–17)
When Paul and Silas taught in Berea, their hearers welcomed the message and searched the Scriptures to test it. Their example encourages both an open mind and careful examination.
We should bring that same spirit to a sermon, a conversation, an online article, and even this website. A useful question is, “Does the passage, read in its setting, support what is being taught?” (Acts 17:10–12)
Letting God’s Word guide us may mean changing a habit or reconsidering an idea we have held for years. It also means being patient when someone has questions. We can take God’s teaching seriously while treating people with kindness.
Our aim is to know the truth and live by it. Being able to win an argument is no substitute for letting Scripture correct our own lives.
This week, choose one passage to read slowly. Ask what it teaches about God, what it asks of you, and what you need to change. If you have questions, bring them to Bible class. Learning together helps us listen more carefully and grow.