Salvation is the Purpose of Scripture
And you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:15 (CSB)
God authored Scripture to reveal Himself and His purpose to humanity. Scripture points to humanity's grave condition due to sin and the need for a Redeemer. The Lord uses Scripture to unfold this truth and introduce humanity to the needed Redeemer, Jesus.
Scripture declares God's goodness through the work and offer of salvation. Paul told Timothy that Scripture provides the wisdom and knowledge needed for salvation. For Timothy, the Scriptures were the Old Testament text that pointed to Jesus coming as the needed Redeemer and His fulfillment of those prophecies. The Old Testament text revealed the need for a Redeemer because of the condition of sin that plagued humanity.
Scripture reveals how restoration with God occurs through faith in Jesus. Paul reminded Timothy that Scripture revealed salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Paul knew that religion, philosophy, or any attempts by humanity could not earn God's favor or bring redemption. He knew that Scripture revealed the exclusive nature of salvation through Christ but also revealed God’s goodness in making salvation known and offered.
Scripture speaks to the gift of eternal life. It tells the events of Christ’s life, providing humanity with the needed information to understand His work on the cross and His victory in the resurrection. The great thread of Scripture unfolds the promise and offering of eternal life. From creation to the fall and all the way to Christ's return, Scripture unfolds the theme and offering of salvation through Christ alone.
When you consider the Bible, do you understand the purpose of Scripture as pointing and revealing the offer of salvation? Do you ever need to be reminded about the purpose of Scripture? Paul reminded and informed Timothy of the purpose of Scripture. The world around us often desires to limit the impact of Scripture by questioning its truthfulness or relevance. When we recognize that God is the author of Scripture and that the purpose of Scripture is salvation, then we must come to the place where we know that salvation is God’s intention for humanity and that he made the needed revelation known through Scripture so that the gift of eternal life through Christ would be offered.
QUESTIONS
How would you explain Scripture’s purpose of providing wisdom for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ?
How can you use Scripture to reaffirm your salvation and to share the way to salvation with others?
