Jesusā (2 Tim. 3:14-15). Clearly, we are talking about saving faith: āsalvation through faithā, to re-quote the apostle. Now this faith cannot be confined to the mind, confined to mere assent. True enough, in this passage there is much talk of āknowingā and ālearningā, and that is essential. But notice Paulās closing words. Why did Paul say that the Scriptures, which Timothy had known, were able to make Timothy wise for salvation? Wise? Wisdom is far more than mere head-knowledge. Many men are knowledgeable, but far from wise. How much more so when talking of spiritual wisdom. āThe fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdomā (Ps. 111:10). The fact is, Timothy had needed something more than scriptural knowledge, something more than head-knowledge of the facts of Scripture, if he was to be saved. He needed wisdom, heart-wisdom. Indeed, notice how the apostle put it in the first letter to Timothy: āGod... desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truthā. The saved are āthose who know and believe the truthā (1 Tim. 2:3-4; 4:3). āKnow and believeā, I stress; that is, āknow kai believeā ā āknow even believeā. |