2 Peter and 2 Timothy have the form of a "farewell address." In them the warning against apostasy through false teachers is connected with the exhortation to abide by the Scriptures. It is noteworthy, although not amazing, that exactly in these farewell addresses both Peter and Paul stress this need to abide by the Scriptures as the inspired Word of God. In both, namely in 2 Peter 1:20, 21 and 2 Timothy 3:16, we find the well-known proof texts for the doctrine of the infallibility of the Scriptures.

Now I do not ask your attention for this famous 2 Timothy 3:16, but for verse 15. We must begin with verse 14, because here the sentence starts. Paul writes:

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it (14) and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (15).

With the words "But as for you" the apostle places Timothy over against the apostate who may have an outward appearance of religion, but never come to the true knowledge of the truth and to a genuine life out of faith. Over against them, Paul exhorts Timothy to "continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed."

In this abiding by what he has learned Timothy can be helped by acknowledging and keeping in mind two things: in the first place by keeping in mind from whom he learned it, namely, from his grandmother and mother, as well as from the apostle Paul; and in the second place, by keeping in mind the fact that it is from his early childhood that he has "been acquainted with the sacred writings." It is on these words in the first place that I will focus the attention of the reader.

Then, the apostle says about these sacred writings that they are able to make Timothy wise for salvation. This is the second element in verse 15 that I would like to discuss. In the third place, I ask your attention for the fact that Paul connects this becoming wise through the Scriptures with faith in Christ Jesus.

From Early Childhood⤒🔗

From early childhood Timothy knew the sacred writings. I translate "early childhood." Paul uses here the same word for child that we find in Luke 1 for the unborn John, jumping up in the womb of his mother Elizabeth when she is greeted by Mary, and in Luke 2 for the newborn child Jesus about whom the angel speaks and whom the shepherds go and visit. In Luke 18, Luke uses the word for the little infants that are brought to the Lord Jesus in order that He might touch them. The word indicates the unborn child or the child that is still very young.

It is clear, then, that the apostle reminds his spiritual child and fellow-worker, one of the heirs of his mantle, so to speak, of the fact that from early childhood he was taught in the Scriptures. From 2 Timothy 1:5 we know that first of all his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice had taught him the "sacred writings."

With the translation "sacred writings" the RSV tries to do justice to the Greek text, which does not have the word that is usually employed for Scripture. The Greek text uses a word that can mean the letters that compose a word; or an epistle, a letter, a piece of writing. In this text the word is synonymous with Scripture. This expression, "holy writings," fits beautifully with the childhood of Timothy. In those days a Jewish child began his official school training at the synagogue school at the age of five or six. First the letters of the (Hebrew) alphabet were learned. All instruction, also in writing and reading, was done with the use of the Biblical text, starting with the text of Leviticus with its many repetitions.

Through the teaching in the "holy writings" by his grandmother and mother, Timothy had become acquainted with the Scriptures at a very early age, and gradually his knowledge had increased. The result was that Timothy knew them thoroughly.

This Scripture passage is filled with instruction and guidance also for today. In the first place, they urge also today's parents and grandparents, mothers and grandmothers, but no less fathers and grandfathers, to begin with the instruction of their children in the knowledge of the Scriptures at an early age; and to do this steadfastly and continuously, so that these covenant children become thoroughly acquainted with God's holy Word. Of course, in order to be able to do this, such Christian parents must have been trained themselves. Only then will they be able to train their children.

There is another aspect. It is exactly that excellent instruction in the knowledge of the Scriptures which, through the grace of God, formed his mind and thinking, and prepared him for the task of being a fellow-worker with the apostle Paul in the service of the gospel, in the building and preservation of the church of Christ in those days. It prepared him for the calling to continue the work for Christ and His church after the "departure" (death) of Paul.

The training in the knowledge of the Scriptures for future fathers and mothers, also for future elders and deacons and ministers should begin at an early age, at home. Parents should make their children aware of this; elders and at family visits, ministers on the pulpit and in the catechism room should point these things out. The same counts for teachers in the class room.

Education in the Scriptures is so intensely important. And it is so intensely important that this starts as early as possible in the homes. It is covenantal education with a purpose that teaches children that their lives have a great and glorious goal; build solid Christian homes as building blocks for solid congregations through the generations. When we say church, we say covenant; when we say covenant, we say generations. The church of Christ needs well-trained boys and girls, future fathers and mothers, who are thoroughly acquainted with the "holy writings," future ministers, elders and deacons as well, who, in turn, are able to educate a next generation of church builders.

This is the more urgent when we consider the contrast in this chapter between Paul and Timothy and the apostate. Paul speaks in the context of the struggle of the church, which is his own struggle, to stand up to false teachings and to refute them. Proper education of children in the church from an early age means, under the blessing of the Holy Spirit, spiritually strong churches. It means that a generation grows up that will be useful for Christ, for His work of preserving and building His church.

Scripture Makes Wise unto Salvation←⤒🔗

Why is thorough knowledge of the sacred writings of Scripture so important? Paul says that these writings are able to make us wise unto salvation. The Greek says literally that they can make wise. Wisdom, in the Bible, is strongly practical. A wise man builds his own life and that of others. A fool breaks life down. Wisdom is insight. A wise man knows what is right and what is wrong. He receives this wisdom from the lord, from His Word. Wisdom is rooted in the fear of the lord. Wisdom is insight in the Word of God.

When Paul speaks here about a being made wise unto or for salvation he means a having insight in what salvation practically means. It is wisdom that makes one know what it means to live the life of one who is saved. This salvation is not only a matter of eternal life later after death, although it is that as well. No, this salvation begins here on earth in this life. Salvation means that one is rescued from the spiritual death of being a slave of Satan, of unbelief and sin. Salvation is that as a believer, one commits his life to the lord and His service. Salvation is to live a new life as a child and servant of God.

Being made wise for salvation is the opposite of living according to the picture which the apostle drew in the first part of this chapter. Paul said that in the last days people will be,

lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, and so on.

Such people do not know or understand God's Word. They do not know what is right and wrong in the eyes of God. They do not want to know either. They have no idea of what it means to live a saved life in obedience of faith. They do not live a holy life, because they do not know what a holy life is, and do not want to know. They do not live in the Christian hope, for they live for themselves, for this world. Thus they also do not keep in mind the future salvation as it still has to be fulfilled in glory. They are, therefore, not church builders, but church breakers in the last days. Useless for the cause of Christ.

Over against them, Timothy has to struggle in faith and with his knowledge of the Scriptures to preserve the congregation for Christ. Knowledge of the holy writings is indispensable, indeed. Also in the New Testament dispensation lack of knowledge leads to perdition.

Through Faith in Christ Jesus←⤒🔗

There is a third very important aspect. How and when is it possible that knowledge of the holy Scriptures can make wise unto salvation? Paul says: the instruction in the Scriptures was able to make Timothy wise and can make others wise ''through faith in Christ Jesus." This is the same message as we have it from the mouth of Christ in John 5:39. There the Lord speaks to the Jews:

You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life. Christ does not deny that in the Scriptures is eternal life. Only, He added, and it is they [these Scriptures] that bear witness to Me.

It is clear, then, that knowledge of the Scriptures must be accompanied by faith in Christ Jesus. He is the contents of the Scriptures. There must be faith in Christ Jesus. It is of Him that the Scriptures speak. Knowledge of holy Writ without faith in Christ misses salvation. All the knowledge of the Scriptures is futile if it is not at the same time faith in Christ. Knowledge of the Scriptures in itself, for the sake of knowledge, does not benefit. It is as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13: even if I understood all mysteries and knowledge, but had no love (which flows from faith in Christ), I would be nothing. I can build up an enormous amount of knowledge of the Bible and of the Confession, but if this in not borne by faith in Christ Jesus, this knowledge is lost.

Just as the Old Testament says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom, so we can now, in the New Testament dispensation, say: faith in Christ is the beginning of all wisdom.

It is the calling of the church, its members and its office-bearers and leaders, "to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered for the saints" (Jude: 3). For that struggle, knowledge of, and insight into, the Scriptures is a necessity. What is written has to lead and guide us. What is written is the norm, and it is about Christ Jesus. We have what is written summarized in our confessional creeds to help us to abide by the Scriptures, that is, by the faith in Christ Jesus.

If we contend for the faith, and thus for the preservation and gathering of the church of Christ, without a living faith in Christ, without living in the fellowship of faith with Christ, our contending will degenerate into carnal fighting and destroys rather than that it builds up and preserves.

But when it is through faith in Christ, in His fellowship, driven by His Holy Spirit in love, that we become wise and see what it means to live a saved life, our contending for the faith will meet opposition, but also receive God's blessing.

Faith in Christ Jesus is faith that He died for our sins and rose for our life. It is faith that Christ Himself, through His regenerating Holy Spirit, binds us to Him and to His cause, His church, with thankful loving dedication and obedient commitment. Let us then build up our knowledge of the sacred writings, and let us build up the knowledge of our children from their early childhood, that we and our children may be wise and understanding and skilled in living saved lives through faith in Christ Jesus. Let us so struggle for the preservation and further gathering of the church of Jesus Christ in this world, so that we show His peace bringing light in a dark world filled with stress through sinful selfishness.