Two Premises Worth Considering (Part A) 2 Tim. 3:16,17 & 2 Pet. 1:3
The book, Coping, by brother Steven
Lloyd is a great tool when one considers
how to handle the problems of this
life. What makes this book great are the two
premises this book is written upon. These
premises are based on truths found in the word
of God. For this week’s article as well as my
next article, we are going to consider these two
premises.
Premise #1: 2 Timothy 3:16,17
“The Bible is the Word of God” (Coping,
Lloyd). Paul would write to young Timothy
saying, “All scripture is inspired by God…”
Today we recognize that “scripture” includes
66 books. There are 39 books in the Old
Testament and 27 books in the New Testament.
As time has gone on, chapters and verses have
been added by men to help us navigate through
all of these books. In total, there are 1,189
chapters, 31,103 verses, and 807,361 words
found in the Bible. As you look at the Bible,
we must understand that every book, chapter,
verse, and word are inspired by God. The Bible has about 40 human authors, and it was written
over a 1,500-2,000 year period. However,
there is no way mankind could construct this
perfect literary masterpiece without the divine
inspiration of God through the Holy Spirit.
(2 Peter 1:20,21)
Why is this premise so important concerning
coping with our problems? When we are seeking
help for our problems, most of us have a desire
to take those problems to someone who is
qualified to help us with them. If I struggle with
eating the right foods, I would go to a dietitian.
If my animal is hurt or sick, I would take them
to a veterinarian. If I struggle with strength and
endurance, I would go to a gym coach. What
about our mental, spiritual, and emotional
problems? Friends, there is none more qualified
to help us than God. So, understanding that the
Bible is God’s Word is essential for us to get
help and to “cope” with our problems. For my
next article, we’ll look at the other premise that
brother Steven Lloyd sets forth. I love you all
and hope you have a wonderful week!
-Bryce Mayfield