The Cure

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:12-15

Notice how Paul moves from the theme of deterioration of faith and moral collapse to the one remedy and cure for the believer, an adherence to the written Word of God. As Paul outlines it here, the defense of a Christian in a day of moral decline is a thorough acquaintanceship with the written Scriptures, while any defection from faith which may occur is made possible only by an abandonment of these writings, in attitude, at least, if not in act.

The Word of God has been under attack for many centuries. Like an ancient castle, it has withstood many assaults. Up to and through the 17th century, these attacks were primarily outward. That is, they were an assault from without by men who tried to destroy the Scriptures by rather direct methods. History is full of accounts of book burnings and even the murder of translators of the Word of God. But these outward attacks against the Bible utterly failed. In the 18th century, a new approach was made by the enemies of Scripture. Instead of sending soldiers to attack the castle, the enemies of the Bible sent workmen — carpenters, bricklayers and masons — who came offering to remodel the whole structure. They said, in effect, This is a good, strong building. It simply needs a bit of renovation here and there. They began to rearrange the structure of the castle of God's Word. They drained the moat, tore down the wall, removed the doors, and when they were through, everything was quite different from before. There was no longer any castle there and no longer any defense for those who would seek a refuge.

As to any permanent or lasting effect on the church as a whole, this attack from those who stand in pulpits and those who sit in theological chairs in seminaries will fail and has utterly failed. For Jesus said, I will build my church, and the gates of hades will not overcome it (Matthew 16:18b). No force will really overthrow the Word of God; we never need to fear that. But as far as individuals are concerned, it is possible for these attacks against the Scripture to upset their faith, and it is this that Paul warns about as he writes to his son in the faith from his prison in Rome.

Father, help me to stand firm in my faith that your Word is the one remedy and cure for my life. Amen.