No Purpose for Scripture

In talking about how our friendship with the world causes us to become enemies of God, James said, “Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us’ (James 4:5.) Yes, the Scripture said it and with purpose but unless we make application in our lives we make the scripture of no purpose to us.

Scripture came from God. “All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17.) Anyone wanting to know what good works are need only look at Scripture for therein has God revealed what is pleasing to Him. The Almighty has given unto us everything we need to become the people we should be.

But we can’t pick and choose the parts of Scripture we want and leave the rest undone. This is James’ point. To do so is to make the Scriptures of no purpose to us and we know God did not say anything useless. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4.) Everything God has revealed in Scripture is for man to live by and nothing is to be left out. Scripture is to be “correctly applied” in our lives (2 Timothy 2:15.) Certainly there is much to look at making Bible study all the more important.

What does the Scripture say about congregations having elders? Are we making the Bible have no purpose in this? What about baptism - Jesus said do it (Mark 16:16.) Do folks just want to rip that verse out of the Bible as though Jesus didn’t say it? Does judging others make you happy and do you wish Matthew 7:1 wasn’t in the Bible? Jesus said to worship God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24.) Do you like the spirit part but not the truth? Or maybe the truth part and not the spirit? Do we make Colossians 3:9 of no purpose by the lies we tell?

The point is that it is very easy for folks to make the Scripture of no purpose because they refuse to listen to every word from God in favor of only those parts of the Bible that please or suit them. It will be very sad to hear God say one day, “Did you think I didn’t mean that verse in the Bible about…..”