Must Reading

Daily Devotions with Pastor Chuck

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From Paul’s letter to Timothy we read,

“All Scripture is God-breathed, and profitable . . . . .” (II Timothy 3:16 – NASB)

The Bible is “breathed” out by God into written words, the Holy Spirit moving men along to pen the words of holy Scripture (II Peter 1:19-21). And these written oracles are “profitable” to all of mankind and especially to the disciple of Christ. They are, must reading!

Part of this “profit” is found in the Old Testament. Sometimes we neglect this book of ages, but let me show you why that should never be the case. To the Jewish and Gentile believers in Corinth the apostle Paul wrote of the value of the Old Testament Scriptures,

“For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate . . . and all drank . . . Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.” (I Corinthians 10:1-5 – NASB)

You say, “Well I know about that already, I’ve heard that story so many times! Why should I go back to the old book and read it again?” Take note: do not “be unaware.” For regarding “our fathers” Paul writes, “with most of them God was not well-pleased,” and because of that, “they were laid low in the wilderness.” In other words, they were destroyed (cf. Numbers 14:29). Note what the Holy Spirit tells us regarding all of this,

“Now these things happened as examples for us . . . (I Corinthians 10:6 – NASB)

That’s right! The “things” that “happened” to “our fathers” who “were all under the” glory “cloud were “examples for us.” They are must reading for we who are in Christ. Why?

“. . . that we should not crave evil things as they also craved . . . that we should not . . . be idolaters, as some of them were . . . Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did . . . Nor, let us try the Lord, as some of the did . . . Nor grumble as some of them did . . .” (I Corinthians 10: 6-10 – NASB)

The Old Testament record was written for us, and it has a holy purpose, a sanctifying purpose . . .

“Now these thing happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (I Corinthians 10:11 – NASB)

Again, the point! The “things” that “happened to them” serve as “examples” to us. Sometimes they instruct us in what we should do, and sometimes they instruct us in what we shouldn’t do. All divinely imparted, the Old Testament record was “written for our instruction;” it is must reading for the disciple of Christ who seeks to do what is “well-pleasing” to God.

And lest we forget . . . .

” . . . the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 3:15 – NASB)

Ah yes . . . . the Old Testament, “the sacred writings” that Paul had and knew and used, were, and are, “able to give” one “the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Brethren, the old book is must reading!

Have a good day . . . and as you walk be in the Word of God; the whole Word, from Old to New. Receive the instruction divinely imparted to us for our sanctification.