Sinclair B. Ferguson

The Greek word he uses there means useful, profitable in that sense.

Paul uses it very rarely, but interestingly always in the pastoral letters, the letters he wrote to the pastors Timothy and Titus.

And here he's telling Timothy, and through Timothy ourselves, something very important.

If something has a specific use, then we need to understand what that use is.

So what's the Word of God for?

What's it useful for?

What does it accomplish?

Well, Paul says several things, doctrine or teaching, reproof or convicting us of our faults, correction, and then for child training and righteousness.

And Paul says when that is accomplished by the Word, we'll be competent Christians equipped to serve the Lord in any and every situation.

So God's Word teaches us doctrine.

I hardly need to emphasize that again because it's really emphasized in everything that has the Ligonier name on it, isn't it?

Every message, every article in Table Talk, every conference, every question and answer session, every podcast, everything.

is rooted in the notion that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds through the teaching of Scripture.

Scripture works and God changes us through its teaching.

But then Paul adds a second word.

The word of God has another use, reproof.

In other words, if we're going to be healthy Christians, we're going to need God's treatment of our lives, some spiritual surgery perhaps, dealing with the malignancies in our lives.

So God's word is like a surgeon's scalpel.

whether he holds it in his hand or operates it by some providential means.

And that's the kind of healing that causes pain before it brings cure.