By listening and following God’s Word, we image and display God’s character and glory, much like a king’s ambassadors.

A healthy church increasingly reflects God’s character as it has been revealed in God’s Word.

God created the world and humankind to display the glory of Who He Is. Adam, Eve and the chosen people of Israel failed to reflect God’s character. God then sent His Son to display or literally “image” His holy, loving character and to remove the wrath of God against the sins of the world. In Christ, God came to display God; and in Christ, God came to save.

Now the church, which has been granted the life of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, is called to display the character and glory of God to all the universe, testifying in word and action to His great wisdom and work of salvation.

The Church In the World

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also: that in the last days perilous times shall come. 3:5 having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. From such turn away.

Paul paints a clear picture of a problem before he provides a solution. He says he is living in the last days, as we are. The New Testament dominantly expresses last times or last hour as the entire period between Christ’s first coming as a babe in a manager and His second coming.

Today, much of church has become the presentation, and no concern about content. There may be a mad rush of enthusiasm, but where is the kind of power that makes people so transformed, so aligned with the character of God that those around them say, “Yes, yes, we see here the power of the Spirit of God in their lives, and we see it is good, and we need that.”

Our Guide For Reflecting God’s Character

Follow the scripture and teach others to do so. Paul gave instructions through the scripture to enable us to reflect God’s character. Teach people the truth, for there will be many who start out right, but go off to the left.

2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit you the same to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 4:10a For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed unto Thessalonica…

The World Will Get Worse

2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

As Christians, we should always be horrified by evil, but never surprised by it. This verse says each generation of evil will be worse than the previous.

One big challenge we face today is a redefinition of tolerance and intolerance. Today, tolerance is being described as the position that “refuses to say any-body is wrong.“ However, the very essence of tolerance is you have to disagree with someone before you can speak of tolerating them. Scripture says clearly that evil and the evil acts of people are wrong.

We Must Hold Up Scripture as The Guide

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is he who does not walk in the state of mind which the ungodly cherish, much less that he should associate with the vicious life of sinners, or even delight in the company of those who scoff at religion. 1:2 Instead, in the law of God he takes delight, and thinks about God’s law all the time.

This type of person has their mind being shaped by God’s thoughts. You’re not what you think you are, but what you think, you are. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

Scripture is God’s Authority

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

All Scripture is God-breathed. Paul is directly speaking of the Old Testament, not any other old religious writings. The New Testament that Paul was living out would later be recognized and set apart as God’s Word. There has always been a challenge to the truth of God’s Word.

Paul focuses much less on the mode of inspiration and much more on the product of inspiration. The particular vocabulary of different human authors God chose may be very different from those of another author, (just like the differences in each of us), but it is still God-breathed.

God-breathed Scripture Changes Lives

2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped for all good works.

Because this is God’s Word, God’s self-disclosure, and because it is truth, the Bible is necessary for correcting, transforming, rebuking, instructing the church (people) in righteousness.

God is disclosed to us through His own self-breathed Word all over again, every time the Bible is opened or spoken.

God’s Word, Scripture is our Authority not our own opinions or others’ various views.