R.C. Sproul

And if there's any group of alleged scholars in 20th century America that would fit this description that Paul is giving here of deceivers and impostors, I would say it's the Jesus Seminar. In fact, I would say from an academic viewpoint that the Jesus Seminar represents, in my judgment, the lunatic fringe of biblical academics because they are utterly irresponsible and anything but sober.

And if there's any group of alleged scholars in 20th century America that would fit this description that Paul is giving here of deceivers and impostors, I would say it's the Jesus Seminar. In fact, I would say from an academic viewpoint that the Jesus Seminar represents, in my judgment, the lunatic fringe of biblical academics because they are utterly irresponsible and anything but sober.

in their treatment of the historical text and just ignore the objective evidence that has been there for centuries and the analysis of the finest minds in church history with respect to basic issues of historicity with respect to the text of Jesus.

in their treatment of the historical text and just ignore the objective evidence that has been there for centuries and the analysis of the finest minds in church history with respect to basic issues of historicity with respect to the text of Jesus.

But we need to be fully equipped in the things of God and in the teachings of Scripture to be able to resist these deceptions that we're encountering all the time. So, Paul goes on to say, in distinction from the imposters, he says now to Timothy, but you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

But we need to be fully equipped in the things of God and in the teachings of Scripture to be able to resist these deceptions that we're encountering all the time. So, Paul goes on to say, in distinction from the imposters, he says now to Timothy, but you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus." I remember when I was a little boy and there was a fellow in our community who was a couple of years older

and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus." I remember when I was a little boy and there was a fellow in our community who was a couple of years older

than I was, and he was something of a bully, and he used to make fun of me and hurt my feelings and call me names, and sometimes I'd come home crying to my mother and say, he said such and such about me, and my mother would wipe away my tears, and she had her favorite response to this. She said, when people talk like that about you, son, she said, consider the source of

than I was, and he was something of a bully, and he used to make fun of me and hurt my feelings and call me names, and sometimes I'd come home crying to my mother and say, he said such and such about me, and my mother would wipe away my tears, and she had her favorite response to this. She said, when people talk like that about you, son, she said, consider the source of

Now that little bit of sage advice that my mother gave me when I was a little boy, crying because somebody hurt my feelings by an insult, was a principle that I learned to a much more intense degree in the academic world. That part of the rules of scholarship is to track down in your research the sources for the information you have to make sure that those sources are reliable.

Now that little bit of sage advice that my mother gave me when I was a little boy, crying because somebody hurt my feelings by an insult, was a principle that I learned to a much more intense degree in the academic world. That part of the rules of scholarship is to track down in your research the sources for the information you have to make sure that those sources are reliable.

And so, you are careful to not just take everything at face value, but you analyze, you examine, you use the critical apparatus that is at your disposal to track down the real sources. And Paul is saying to Timothy, he said, continue in the things that you have learned and remember from whom you have learned them. Now, he doesn't say exactly for sure who he's referring to.

And so, you are careful to not just take everything at face value, but you analyze, you examine, you use the critical apparatus that is at your disposal to track down the real sources. And Paul is saying to Timothy, he said, continue in the things that you have learned and remember from whom you have learned them. Now, he doesn't say exactly for sure who he's referring to.

Is he referring to his family, his grandmother Eunice, whom he praises here for her nurturing of Timothy? Is he referring to himself as his mentor? Remember that you've learned these things from me? Or is Paul directing Timothy's attention to the ultimate source of those things that he has learned, namely God Himself? But obviously, the most important source

Is he referring to his family, his grandmother Eunice, whom he praises here for her nurturing of Timothy? Is he referring to himself as his mentor? Remember that you've learned these things from me? Or is Paul directing Timothy's attention to the ultimate source of those things that he has learned, namely God Himself? But obviously, the most important source

for a Christian in understanding truth is God Himself. And that's why getting in the Scriptures and being students of the Bible is so vitally important. Why? Because we believe, as the Bible maintains, that the Bible is nothing less than the Word of God.

for a Christian in understanding truth is God Himself. And that's why getting in the Scriptures and being students of the Bible is so vitally important. Why? Because we believe, as the Bible maintains, that the Bible is nothing less than the Word of God.

And if we were to grow in grace and grow in our understanding of the things of God, obviously it's of great import that we be diligent in our study of the Scriptures. And so Paul says, from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

And if we were to grow in grace and grow in our understanding of the things of God, obviously it's of great import that we be diligent in our study of the Scriptures. And so Paul says, from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.