Well, tonight I would invite you to turn with me to a couple of different places in the New Testament, as well in the back of the Psalter Hymnal, to the Belgian Confession, Article 7. You'll find the beginning of that on the bottom of page 71 in the back of the Psalter Hymnal. Article 7 of the Belgian Confession. We want to consider tonight as our text, along with that confessional reference, in 2 Timothy 3, verses 15-17. We will read there verses 10-17 of 2 Timothy 3. But first, also before that, we read the parable that we find recorded in Luke 16, verses 19-31. A parable in which we are taught that the standard by which all men will be judged is the Word of God and nothing other than the Word of God. So beginning with Luke 16 at verse 19 through the end of the chapter as we give our attention to the reading of the Word of God. There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire. But Abraham replied, Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed so that those who want to go from here to you cannot nor can anyone cross over from there to us. He answered, Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father's house, For I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment. Abraham replied, They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them. No, Father Abraham, he said, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. He said to him, If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead. And turning over to 2 Timothy 3, beginning at verse 10, the previous verses are talking about, as the caption reads in my Bible, the godlessness in the last days. And picking it up at verse 10, Paul says to Timothy, You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecution, sufferings, What kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra? The persecutions I endured, yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters 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. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Dear people of God, Article 7 of the Belgian Confession is the climax of the confession's consideration of the doctrine of the Word of God and of God's revelation. Article 2, you may recall, talked about God's general revelation of Himself in Scripture or in creation, which leaves man without excuse for knowing God. But then that article quickly adds what we call special revelation. Article 2, the end of it, He makes Himself more clearly and fully known to us by His holy and divine Word. That is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life to His glory and our salvation. He makes Himself more clearly and fully known to us in His divine Word. And then in Articles 3-6, the Confession talks about the inscripturated or written Word of God, inspired by God, and gives a defense of the 66 books of the canon. Boys and girls, we call this the canon of Scripture. And the Confession gives a defense of the 66 books of our canon of Scripture as being that which regulates, is the foundation of, and confirms our faith as Article 5 says. In other words, as canon, boys and girls, canon means ruler or measuring stick as canon means that the Bible as we know it as canon the Bible with the Holy Spirit which the Holy Spirit witnesses to our hearts that it's true and it's complete this canon of Scripture is our rule for faith and practice. And then article 7 picks up on this once again when it says in the first sentence we believe that those holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God and that whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein. But now we must also confess that sometimes we, along with many others, we often want more, don't we? Sometimes the Word of God as we have it here just doesn't seem to be enough and we want more than what God has given to us in the Bible, maybe depending upon the situation we are facing. Sometimes how we would like to have that flash of lightning or a neon sign from heaven or an audible voice in order to know God's will, to make things a little more clear to us. But we stand in the tradition of the Reformation that taught the truth of Scripture. That the Bible is all that we will ever need as the Holy Spirit illumines our hearts to understand His Word. Again, if you have the Psalter hymnal open, follow along as I read this article. The caption underneath the article number says, "...of sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to be the only rule of faith." Again, we believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God. And that whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein. For since the whole manner of worship which God requires of us is written in them at large, it is unlawful for anyone, though an apostle, to teach otherwise than we are now taught in the Holy Scriptures, nay, though it were an angel from heaven, as the Apostle Paul says. For since it is forbidden to add unto or take away anything from the Word of God, it does thereby evidently appear that the doctrine thereof is most perfect and complete in all respects. Neither may we consider any writings of men, however holy these men may have been, of equal value with those divine Scriptures, nor ought we to consider custom, or the great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times and persons, or councils, decrees, or statutes, as of equal value with the truth of God, since the truth is above all. For all men are of themselves liars and more vain than vanity itself. Therefore, we reject with all our hearts whatsoever does not agree with this infallible rule as the apostles have taught us, saying, Prove the spirits, whether they are of God. Likewise, if anyone cometh unto you and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house. Beloved, that's the teaching of Scripture as we see from 2 Timothy 3, verses 15-17, which teaches us about the perfect place of the Word of God. And its perfect place is that it is the believer's only rule for faith and practice. Or as Article 7 points out, the Scriptures are sufficient, complete, and clear in terms of what we need to believe to be saved and what we are to do in worshiping the God who has saved us. The Word of God holds a perfect place for the believer because of its excellence, because of its usefulness and because of its sufficiency. First of all, the excellence of the Word of God, that which makes it powerful and true and trustworthy, is that as Paul says, it is God-breathed. And that's why we can say with confidence that the Bible is the Word of God. It doesn't become the Word of God as the Holy Spirit applies it to our hearts as we come to understand it, but it is the Word of God. He breathed it. He inspired it. As Peter says, for prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Now, of course, inspiration is definitely somewhat of a mystery to us. Yet we believe that God gave His Word through man, guided and influenced by the Holy Spirit in such a way that what they wrote is what God intended for them to write. And it is without error. It is without mistake. It is totally and completely reliable and trustworthy. And the Word God has given to His church is His history of revelation and history of redemption. And the excellence of the Word of God is that God makes Himself known to us, Himself, and His Word, as Article 7 says, fully contains the will of God. He makes Himself known to us His character, as we have considered with some of His attributes, as well, His will. God breathed that which we need. And our greatest need is to know Him. And of course, all people have this need because you can only know what life means and what life is about and our purpose for being here when you know God and you listen to Him. Jesus said that salvation means to know God. In Hosea 6, verse 6, we read, For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Beloved, God takes delight in those that know Him. And we can only know Him through His Word as He reveals Himself, as He gives it to us. For example, a mechanic can know a car engine backwards and forwards. He can know how it runs. He can know what makes it run. He can know the purpose for each part. He can know this by instruction and by experience and by working with engines. We might say the same thing is true with a pet like a dog. For example, we know how our dog, Rosie, will react in certain situations. For example, if a stranger comes walking into the backyard because we have studied her and observed her and we see what she does. But with people it's different, isn't it? You can only know another person insofar as that person allows you to know them. In fact, sometimes we describe people by saying it's hard to get to know them. It's difficult. You see, they control what they let you know about them. God controls what He reveals about Himself and what we can know about Him. And through His breathed out Word written and recorded for you and me, He makes Himself known to His believers. He takes us into His confidence. He tells us about Himself and He makes us co-workers in His kingdom. You see, every person knows, as Romans 1 says, every single person knows that there is a God and that somehow we are all accountable to Him. Even the one who rejects Him the most knows this. But to know Him really, to have a true knowledge of Him, of this One who created out of nothing, to know this God of salvation is what the heart of the Bible, God's special revelation, is all about. And along with telling us about Himself and again His attributes as we have considered, He tells us again about His history of revelation and His history of redemption, which includes the creation, the fall, sin, the need for salvation, as well as of the Savior. And it's all true. It's all reliable because God breathed it. Which means that the perfect place of the Word of God is that it is excellent, but also in the second place, it is useful. Again, as Article 7 states, those holy scriptures fully contain the will of God. And that God-breathed will of God, as Paul says, is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Beloved, the church of Jesus Christ has always had to do badly with imposters, with wolves in sheep's clothing, with those who were and are not only deceived themselves, but they also try to deceive others. Paul speaks of those to Timothy in verse 13. And you may remember from our study of 1 John some time ago that John warned of Antichrists who deny the truth of God the Father and they deny the truth of God the Son. And John calls believers to test the teachings of men, to discern false prophets from true prophets. False prophets, false teachers teach things that are contrary to the Word of God. Boys and girls, they teach things that go against what God has said. While the teaching of true prophets, true ministers, true Bible teachers, true Christian parents has its foundation only in the Word of God. Paul says the Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. That's the ultimate use of God's Word, and we'll talk about that more in a moment with our third point. But for the child of God, for the one who enjoys that salvation by grace through faith, the one who has been made wise unto salvation by the grace of God, the Holy Scriptures are useful and profitable for all that is necessary in the Christian life. The Word of God is useful for teaching, Paul says. There's no better, no more faithful source for teaching God's truth than the Bible. Sometimes when we want to emphasize something that has been said as reliable, we say that it comes straight from the horse's mouth. God's Word is as sure as the God who spoke it. The God described in Article 1, who is most perfect. It can be trusted because it's infallible. It is without error. And that's why we place, beloved, that's why we place such a high value or importance on teaching the truth of Scripture from the pulpit in Sunday school and catechism classes, in our upcoming Vacation Bible School program, in our various Bible studies, in the Christian school classrooms, and in our homes. I think I've mentioned to you before that on the wall above my computer screen I have a framed picture with the words bring only the Word of God. Something I cherish, a gift that was given to me when I was ordained. Taken from 2 Timothy 4 verse 2 where Paul says or exhorts Timothy to preach the Word. Be ready in season and out of season. Bring only the Word of God. And now, of course, the Bible doesn't teach us the skills of being a carpenter or a doctor or a mechanic or an accountant. We have teachers that teach us those things. We learn these things from books that have been prepared. Yet the Bible does speak to all of life with regard to how a Christian is to carry himself or herself in any profession of life, whether as a carpenter or a doctor or a mechanic or an accountant. And therefore, all of our teaching, beloved, must be wrapped in the garments of the Word of God. And that's why we take Christian education so seriously. Because to teach without the wrapping of the Word of God is to not teach the truth. That's why we cherish that so much. Those who are then taught the truth of God's Word at times then need to be rebuked, don't they, when they fall into sin and error. And God Himself, through His inspired Word, calls you and me to account. Then He says, examine your ways against the standard I have set, against what I have said. And if your ways and my standard, if they differ at all, then you, not me, he says, but you are in error and you must come into conformity with what I have said. And therefore, beloved, if you are in the habit of calling in sick to your employer when you are not sick, God's Word says you shall not bear false witness. You shall not lie. Neither shall you steal from your employer. His Word says the same thing to you if you are in the habit of gossiping. Again, bearing false witness and stealing from another's reputation. Boys and girls and young people, if you are in the habit of copying a fellow student's assignment in school or cheating on a test, the Word of God says to you as well, you shall not steal your neighbor's answers. If you are in the habit of charging your customers for work that you did not do, God's Word says, you shall use just weights and measures. Again, you shall not steal. If you are tempted or are dating one who does not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Word says, do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Paul says in 1 Timothy 5, verse 20, those whose sin are to be rebuked publicly so that the others may take warning. And God's Word is then also useful for correcting. Those who are rebuked with the Word of God are also to be corrected with the Word of God, which leads us in that which is proper and right. 2 Timothy 2, verse 25, there we read, Those who oppose Him, He must gently instruct in the hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth. You see, we know that it's not enough to teach and warn against that which is wrong. That's only half of it. God's people must be guided in that which is right, that they might walk in that way which is pleasing to God. Again, He is the one who tells us how to live and walk before Him. And it begins with the thoughts of the born-again heart. As Paul says in Philippians 4, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you and this of course leads into the truth that all scripture is useful for training in righteousness and the idea here includes the training of a child just as Timothy was trained already as a young boy and that's the promise that we as parents make at the baptisms of our children As God's promise is signified and sealed to our children through the sprinkling with water, we promise that with God's help we will teach them in the truths of Scripture. That they might come to know and by God's grace come to accept and live in God's righteous ways. The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our paths. And through His Word, God teaches believers how to use His Word as a lamp and as a light. And those who profess to know God must then also demonstrate with their lives that they reflect what God says He wants to see. God says in Isaiah 66, verse 2, of the one who humbles himself in the sight of the Lord, He says, this is the one I esteem, he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. We are to tremble with holy respect before the word of God. Because it is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. And in article 7, the believer gives expression to why and how God's word is useful when it says, For since it is forbidden to add unto or take away anything from the Word of God, it does thereby evidently appear that the doctrine thereof is most perfect and complete in all respects. And in His perfect and complete Word, God tells us. And He teaches us about His great love for us. That He rescued us from the bondage of sin and brings us into that wonderful relationship with Himself as His adopted children for the sake of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Some people write down their memoirs. They sell it. We buy it. We read it. God has written of Himself. God has written of His love for you and me. He tells us about Himself, of His care, welfare, safety, health, eternal welfare of His people. We wouldn't and we couldn't know it without the Bible. Beloved, do you tremble at God's Word? Do you see it and understand it as the Word of God? Do you hear it as thus saith the Lord? You see, true rest and peace for our hearts is that the Word of God is truth. It cannot be broken and that His Word is the only sure hope by which to anchor your life. Our real anchor of hope is in God Himself whose revelation centers in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Why is this true? Because then of the sufficiency of the Word of God. We said a few moments ago that the ultimate youthfulness of God's Word, as Paul says, is that the Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. And our confession then also points out the sufficiency of the Word of God for salvation when it says whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein. The Word of God answers our greatest need, which is for salvation. John writes of the miraculous signs that Jesus performed on this earth when he said, but these are written, he says, not everything has been recorded, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Beloved, all that we need to know for salvation, including our sin and unrighteousness, including the wrath of God against sin, including the coming and work of Jesus Christ, including eternal life, is only completely and sufficiently recorded and taught in the God-breathed Holy Scriptures. Nothing else is needed. Nothing else can be added. And in fact, anything that contradicts the Word of God must be outright rejected. That's why the author of the Belgian Confession included 1 John 4, verse 1. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. And 2 John, verse 10, is clear about what our relationship should be with those who teach that which is contrary to the Word of God. if anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. That means we are not to become intimately involved with those who reject the doctrine recorded in Scripture. Those who reject the Word of God. It doesn't mean we don't try to speak with them. It doesn't mean we don't try to share the Gospel with them. But we are not to become intimate with them. We know that this confession was developed during the time of the Reformation against the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, which taught that Scripture plus tradition and the declarations of the church were necessary for faith and life for salvation. They said that the foundation of Scripture is the church. They said the church determines the Word of God, but the Reformers rightly said that the foundation of the church is the Word of God. Now there are many writings of men which are helpful for us in this life to encourage us in the faith. I've got a study, and so does Pastor Donovan, full of these books. But each one must be tested against the Word of God. Even our confessions, our three forms of unity, and our creeds are to be tested against the Word of God. And if they are found to contradict each other at any point, The confessions, not Scripture, but the confessions must be changed because the Word of God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our faith is based on and has no other proof than Scripture. But notice, Paul makes it clear that one is only made wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. In other words, if we don't believe the truth and goodness of the Word of God, if we don't believe that which is sufficiently taught therein, then the truth will not do us any good. The sad truth is there will be many in hell who knew the teaching of Scripture. Maybe even better than us. But they did not believe it. Instead, they rejected it. Without the Holy Spirit's gift of faith, one will not believe even if one came back from the dead, as the parable teaches us. Even if a respected man like Ronald Reagan or a popular figure like Elvis Presley, I don't know where their souls are at. I'm just using them as examples to understand. But even if people like them came back from the dead to warn people, apart from the truth of the Word of God applied to one's heart and believed by faith, that one would not become wise unto salvation. And again, as the parable instructs us, But the standard by which you and I and all men will be judged will be the Word of God and only the Word of God and nothing but the Word of God. But for those who enjoy that gift of faith and the assurance of salvation both now and forevermore, they enjoy the teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness that God's Word gives for the purpose of making the man of God thoroughly equipped for every good work. You see, all that God requires of us, He makes us able to accomplish. Beloved, the Word of God, as Article 5 says, is the foundation of our faith as the Holy Spirit takes His own Word and He applies it to our born-again hearts. And the Word of God regulates our faith. That means that the Word of God does not simply give us good suggestions or advice, But it is the norm or the standard by which our faith is practiced. Boys and girls, it's the measuring stick by which we measure our lives. And this is especially true in our worship of God, in our worship of the One who has saved us. For the whole manner of worship which God requires of us is written in them at large. And that means that we strive to worship and include in our worship that which God says is pleasing to Him. There's no place for man-made gimmicks and ideas because there's not one thing that can make our worship more pleasing to God than to worship Him in spirit and in truth as He has commanded us. And the Word of God regulates the entirety of the believer's life, whether it's sports or relationships or decisions at work. You see, the Bible speaks to all of it. Paul says that even our every thought is to be taken captive in obedience to Jesus Christ. And then as the believer feeds on the truth of the Word of God, his faith is confirmed. He is strengthened in his conviction of the truth. And he's disciplined in his character by the double-edged sword of the truth so that he might walk in that way which is pleasing to the Lord. Congregation, the light of God's Word lays our hearts wide open and bare. And we are confronted with our sin and our need for salvation. And we are brought to an understanding and saving knowledge of the gift of Jesus Christ. And we are given the assurance that we are not cast out and away from Him. And that our God alone for the sake of Jesus gives us strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. That's all included in the sufficiency of the Word of God. And those who have been graciously made wise in the salvation then reflect this in their attitude toward the Bible. Do you tremble at the Word of God? You see, it's reflected in how serious we take our personal devotions. Boys and girls and young people, it's reflected in how we prepare for catechism and Sunday school class. Do you prepare honestly? Do you come to class prepared? So that you're not embarrassed that you have not prepared. It's reflected in if we participate and in how we participate in Bible studies. It's reflected again in if and how we teach our children from a Christian perspective. It's reflected in our desire to hear it preached. Or if we have that desire. We must be students of the Word of God. Hebrews 1 verse 2 says that in these last days God has spoken to us by His Son. In the former days, by signs and wonders and through His prophets, in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son. And we today are the recipients of the blessing of God's inscripturated Word, the witness to Jesus Christ by the apostles. We are not going to get anything more than what God has graciously given to us. We don't need it. And you can't take away from the perfection of Scripture. And you can't add to the perfection of Scripture. And those who try are in danger of hellfire. Unfortunately, let me just add that even in our day, though, we have to be careful in what versions of Scripture we purchase and choose to read. Because there are many versions out there that have been distorted from the original Greek and Hebrew. And therefore, when you're searching for a copy of the Word of God to purchase for your children, for yourself, for a gift, if you're not sure, talk to someone who can give you godly advice and good advice on which version of Scripture is accurate and beneficial. You see, without the Word of God, there is no true knowledge of salvation. And that's why we are called to take the Word of God to the ends of the earth because how can people believe in that which they have never heard? Well, they can't. If I'm not mistaken, the Bible is still the all-time best-selling book. Wouldn't it be wonderful if it was also the all-time best-read and believed book? Beloved, you have the Word of God for Jesus' sake. Believe it. Live by it. For it is the only sufficient light on the road to eternity. Amen. Shall we pray? Father, we thank You for the precious treasure that You have given to us in Your holy, inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word. We thank You for giving to us Your Holy Spirit who takes His Word and applies it to our hearts and lives that we might know You, that we might know our Lord Jesus Christ, that we might have that assurance of salvation so rich and so free. Father, may we hold Your Word, the Bible, in such high regard and high esteem that we tremble at the Word of God, that we recognize, Thus saith the Lord. And it is your voice recorded on the pages of Holy Scripture. Father, bless our hearts and lives through your Spirit, with your Word. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.