A Study in Definitions

All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching,

for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness; 

so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

II Timothy 3:16-17

Today is going to be a very simple word study.  I'm going to pull words from our verse, define them from dictionary.com and then put the definitions in a working order so that we can simply understand what this verse is declaring. By the way, we are not going back to the Greek, so this is NOT a translation of this verse, just a practical paraphrase with the desire to understand what is written.  

Sound good?

Word list:

• All - the whole of (100% word)
• scripture - sacred writings of the Old or New Testament or both together
• inspired - literally God-breathed - animated by the Spirit to do something - by divine influence
• profitable - beneficial, useful
• teaching - doctrines or precepts
• reproof - to criticize or correct, especially gently (interesting, huh?)
• correction - something that is substituted for what is wrong or inaccurate
• training - the process of developing habits, thoughts or behavior by discipline and instruction
• righteousness - acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous
• adequate - fully sufficient, suitable or fit
• equipped - to furnish or provide whatever is needed for use or for any undertaking; prepare
• good - morally excellent, virtuous, righteous, pious, of high quality, excellent, right, proper, fit
• work - a task or undertaking

So let's put this all together:

The whole of the Old and New Testaments is literally brought to life by God and is beneficial for understanding doctrine, for gentle criticism,  for addressing what we have wrong or inaccurate in our lives, and for the development of virtuous and moral habits, thoughts and behavior; so that the man of God may be fully sufficient and fit, furnished with whatever is needed for him to accomplish morally excellent, virtuous, excellent, and proper undertakings.

Did that help?  Does this verse make you want to study the scriptures so that you can be fully equipped?  It almost sounds like we naturally are deficient and need the instruction of scripture to head in the right direction, doesn't it?  Hmmm....

If we truly believe the claims of this verse, my friends, we cannot sit idly by and live our lives in a mediocre fashion.  The pursuit of righteousness as imitators of Christ has been made fully possible through the combination of the gift of the complete Word of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let's not neglect such an awesome calling!