All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Tim. 3:16-17

Meditation 

In The Magician's Nephew, the first book in C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, the Christ-like figure, Aslan the lion, creates the world. Lewis describes this creation as being accomplished through Aslan's song and breath.

The Lion opened his mouth, but no sound came from it; he was breathing out, a long, warm breath; it seemed to sway all the beasts as the wind sways a line of trees.

Lewis's depiction of breath as a creative, life-giving force is profound and echoes throughout the Bible. Scripture consistently presents breath as a fundamental element of creation. It creates life (Genesis 2:7). It resurrects the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-14). It regenerates through the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-22). When something is "God-breathed" is to be inherently living and powerful.

This is why it is significant that in 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul describes Scripture as "God-breathed." The Bible is not merely useful; it is a life-giving, creative, and supernaturally regenerative force for those who meditate on it.

The error lies in approaching 2 Timothy 3 with an exclusively utilitarian mindset, treating the Bible like a spiritual Swiss Army knife. While the Bible is useful—it is not a cold, dead, or inanimate object. A purely mechanical moralistic view often leads people to misuse and weaponize its words.

Paul's declaration, "All Scripture is God-breathed," means God's word is alive. We don't control it; it controls us. Just as a rider masters a wild horse, the Bible can master the wildest parts of us. The power to "teach, rebuke, correct, and train" resides in the Bible itself, not in its readers. Plus its corrections typically begin with us, not others.

The Bible is not just a tool, a guidebook, or an instruction manual; it is a paradox. It is both an intimate love letter and a force of supernatural power. The love letter reminds us of God's unwavering affection even when we were unlovable. The supernatural power crucifies our flesh so that we may be conformed to the image of Christ. Don't seek to use its power. Let its power use you.         

Question for Reflection

Do you use the Bible or do you allow the Bible to use you? What does it look like for scripture to correct you first before you seek to correct others?

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

Romans 1:18-23

Meditation 

Every Christian should be familiar with two key theological terms: special revelation and general revelation. Special revelation refers to the more specific truths about God that are made known through supernatural means (the Bible). General revelation refers to the broader truths about God that can be understood simply by observing nature.

In Romans 1, the Apostle Paul discusses general revelation and emphasizes two main points. First, Paul states that general revelation clearly reveals much about God's character, declaring that "God has made it plain to them." This means it is relatively easy to learn about God simply by observing the world around us. Creation speaks volumes about its Creator.

Paul's second point is that general revelation makes us accountable for judgment. He states that this is "so that people are without excuse." Essentially, general revelation reveals enough about morality that we have a responsibility to live well.

Wrapping up his discussion of general revelation, Paul notes that despite the natural revelation of God, people foolishly chose to worship created things (including humans and animals) rather than the Creator.

You might be thinking, “Why is this important? I don't worship animals or people, so this doesn't apply to me.” That is incorrect. As Tim Keller states in his book Counterfeit Gods:

“When most people think of “idols” they have in mind literal statues—or the next pop star anointed by Simon Cowell. Yet while traditional idol worship still occurs in many places of the world, internal idol worship, within the heart, is universal…  the human heart takes good things like a successful career, love, material possessions, even family, and turns them into ultimate things. Our hearts deify them as the center of our lives, because, we think, they can get us significance and security, safety and fulfillment, if we attain them.”

We are all guilty in one way or another of worshiping created things over the creator. We all commit idolatry. But glory be to God that despite our failings, those in Christ Jesus have forgiveness when we worship the wrong things. Use general revelation to worship God alone, not the things he has made. 

Question for Reflection

What do you overvalue in creation and accidentally or subconsciously end up worshipping? Has God given you any relationships or things for your good that you have become more attached to than Him?

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Hebrews 1:1-3

Meditation 

Yesterday we talked about general revelation. Today let’s talk about special revelation. We defined special revelation as more specific truths about God that are made known through supernatural means. 

What is beautiful about special revelation is what the author of Hebrews shares. To begin, God gave us the prophets. Their special revelation points us to many things (hope for the future, Christ, the new heaven and earth, etc.). They lived in a hard time among situations that seemed hopeless. Yet their transmission of God’s promise kept the Israelites of the Old Testament moving forward through slavery, the desert, wars, political division, captivity, famine, and a whole list of other unspeakable tragedies. The prophets reminded God’s people that they were not forgotten or forsaken. They were still seen, loved and treasured.

Next the author of Hebrews shares that the greatest expression of special revelation is found in Christ’s life, teachings, miracles and resurrection. Part of the special revelation of Jesus is that he perfectly represents God to the world because he is God. If you are ever confused about God, look at Jesus. This is exclusive and unique to Christianity. God came to us through becoming a man. All other world religions require humans to reach out to God through acts of worship, obedience, service, works, ceremonies, etc. The main story line of Christianity is God reaching down to us. So when it comes to God, our picture of him is not fuzzy because the special revelation we have in Christ provides clarity.

The special revelation found in the Bible (the prophets, Jesus, Paul, Peter, etc.) today reminds us that we are not alone. No matter how we feel (enslaved, lost in the desert, in conflict, etc.) we are not forgotten nor forsaken. As Hebrews reminds us, Christ sustains “all things by his powerful word” and when we mess up we don’t give up because Christ has “provided purification for sins”. 

Question for Reflection

What’s something hard in your life that you are currently going through? How does the special revelation of the prophets and Christ address it and provide hope?

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
John 16:13

Meditation 

The doctrine of Illumination is that doctrine that describes the work of the Holy Spirit in helping the believer to understand God’s Word. It is the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit by which He opens the minds and hearts of believers so they can rightly grasp the truth, significance, and implications of Scripture. Only those who believe in Christ and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit can fully grasp the depths of the Bible. Nonbelievers can understand God’s word to a certain degree, but sooner or later they hit a wall in their understanding. They simply cannot understand scripture the way a Christ follower can.

In John 16, Jesus talks about how the Holy Spirit illuminates. Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as a “Spirit of Truth”. We live in an age filled with lies. Lies have always been prevalent in history from the Garden of Eden until now. But what makes our age unique is the speed at which lies now spread because of the internet, social media and the use of AI. While the lies of our current age are powerful, a believer armed with the Holy Spirit and God’s Word is greater than the lies of our world. 

Jesus goes on to talk about how the Holy Spirit “will guide you into all the truth”. Another challenge with the times we live in is that much of the world is complex and nuanced. In an age that requires self-control and surgical responses to hard issues, the greatest gifts that all Christians need are the gifts of wisdom and discernment. We cannot join the reactivity of our age. Rather we must be a non-anxious presence. We must not overreact, making things worse. However, we also must not underreact to the degree to which we disengage and fail to act. This tightrope requires the Holy Spirit and the Bible.

Finally, the Holy Spirit “will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” The Spirit listens to the words of God and Jesus and uses them to reframe the future. Despite “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6-13), the Spirit reassures us that “the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” The doctrine of Illumination ultimately leads to hope even when our future looks difficult. 

Question for Reflection
What complex situation are you currently navigating in which the Holy Spirit can give you wisdom and discernment based on scripture? How can you anchor yourself in the Bible to become a non-anxious presence for those you encounter daily?

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:20-21

Meditation 

Every text of the Bible has two authors: God and man. This doctrine of Christian theology is known as the doctrine of dual authorship. It teaches two things. First, God is the ultimate and divine author of all Scripture. Second, it teaches that human writers are genuine, intentional authors who wrote using their own vocabulary, style, personality, historical situation, etc. Both levels of authorship are fully real and operative. Scripture is simultaneously the Word of God and the words of men. God speaks through human authors without overriding or negating their humanity.

Some might view this concept of dual authorship as a weakness. They would argue that religious text must come exclusively from God through direct revelation so the transmission is not convoluted by the thoughts, context, and the words of man.

There are many arguments to push back against these objections, but let me just offer one I believe has the greatest application to your day-to-day living. The partnership expressed in dual authorship reflects an interest in relationship. It is God using human authors to meet other people (like you and me) with where we are. God used people in the Bible from different backgrounds (from kings to fishermen), different places (Africa, the Middle East, Europe) and at different times (roughly 1440 B.C. to 110 A.D.). This is all so the Bible comes to us today as a book for everyone. The Bible is partly human because God wants to speak and love humans today . Its dual authorship is useful for midwestern single moms, African shepherds, Silicon Valley coders, and people from every nation, tribe and tongue. It's divine in its message, but human in its accessibility.  

Are you broken? So were some of the authors of the Bible. Have you failed? Many authors of scripture blew it. Are you in awe of creation? The Bible includes people who saw God in creation and worshipped him because of it. The Bible is both human and divine because it serves as a bridge between God’s goodness and humanity’s struggles. It is proof that we serve a God who is both close and intimate.

Question for Reflection

In reading the Bible and seeing some of its authors or characters show their humanness, how does it make the Bible seem more relevant to your life and your situations?