The Nugget:
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
My Comment:
The Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Can a person come to genuine saving faith in Christ by reading the Bible alone? The answer according to this text of Scripture is a resounding Yes. This is possible even for a child. Now that rankles many that believe salvation can only be had by joining their one true church and participating in its sacraments. It is about time members of any of these one true churches start reading the Bible for themselves. If they would do so, and believe what they read in the Bible, that could lead to a genuine salvation experience. They ought to take a careful look at what is not taught in the Bible, particularly the New Testament, that is very much emphasized by their one true church. When Paul wrote these words to Timothy, the time Paul was speaking of–when Timothy was but a child–was surely before the New Testament as we now have it was fully written. Therefore, it is highly likely that Paul is saying a person can come to saving faith by getting to know the Old Testament, which is able to make a person wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Since Paul wrote these words to Timothy, the Apostle John wrote the Gospel of John, which expressly declares it was written so that its readers might believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that believing, might have life through His name (John 20:31).
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on pages 1413-1414 for 2 Timothy 3:15.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1434 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 2 Timothy 3:15.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
2 Timothy 3:15. from. 2 T *+1:5. Ge 17:7. +*18:19. 41:38, 46. Ex 10:2. 12:26, 27. 13:8, 14-16. Dt *4:9, 10. *6:6, 7, 9, 20-25. *11:19. 31:13. 32:46, 47. Jsh 24:15. 1 S 1:27, 28. 2:11, 18, 19, 26. 3:1. 17:33, 37. 1 K 18:12. 2 K 10:1. 11:12, 21. 1 Ch 27:32. 2 Ch 24:1, 2. +*26:4. *34:1-3. Jb +*1:5. Ps 34:11. *71:5, 17. 74:20. **78:1-8. 103:13. 105:8, 9. +*119:9, 33, 105. Pr 1:7. 4:7. *8:17. 9:10. 13:24. *17:10. **22:6. 23:13, 14. 30:17. 31:1. Ec *12:1, 13. Is 10:19. +*28:9, 10. +*38:19. 49:23. Zc 8:5. Mt 11:16-18. Lk 1:15. *2:40, 49. Jn 7:14, 15. 21:15. Ep +*6:4. child. Gr. brephos (S#1025g, Lk 18:15), an infant (properly unborn) literally or figuratively (Strong). T#1071, T#1110. 2 T **1:5. Nu 3:15. Dt 31:12. 1 S 1:27, 28. Ps 34:11. Pr 31:28. SS 8:2. Mt 19:14, 15. Mk 10:14. Lk +*18:15 (*S#1025g, infants). Ac **16:1, 2. Ep *6:4n. 1 T 5::10. known. Gr. oida, Jn 8:55n. T#1065. Dt **17:19. 31:12. Pr 18:15. Mk +**12:24. 2 T +*2:15. the holy. Gr. hieros (S#2413g, only here and 1 C 9:13), sacred (Strong). Dt **17:19. Da *10:21. Mt +21:42. *22:29. Lk +*24:27, 32, 44, 45. Jn +*5:24, 39, 46. 15:3. Ac 3:18, 24. 10:43. +*17:2. Ro 1:2. *10:17. +**15:4. *16:26. 1 C +*15:3, 4. Col 1:5, 6. *3:16. 1 Th 1:5. **2:13. Ja *1:18. 1 P *1:23. 2 P **1:20, 21. 3:16. scriptures. Gr. gramma (S#1121g, Lk 16:6). Ps 147:19. Pr 4:4. Is **+8:20n. Je 8:9. Lk +*16:29. Ac 8:28. +**17:11. Ro 2:18. 3:2. Ga 3:8. Col 3:16. which are able. Gr. dunamai (S#1410g, Mt 3:9). Ps *19:7. +*119:99. Da 9:2. Jn +**5:39, 40. Ac +*10:43. *13:29, 38, 39. 1 Th **+2:13. Ja **+1:21. 1 P 1:10-12. 1 J **5:11, 12. Re 19:10. wise. Gr. sophizō (S#4679g, only here and 2 P 1:16), to render wise; in a sinister acceptation, to form “sophisms,” that is, continue plausible error (Strong). T#1023. Dt *4:6. Ps +*19:7. 49:3. 111:10. +*119:24, 98, 99, 130. Pr 1:2. 2:7. 14:8. 22:20. 28:26. Da +*11:33. +*12:3. Lk 11:36. Jn +**5:39. Ro 16:19. 1 C 1:30. Col 2:3. Ja 1:21. unto salvation. Jn **20:30, 31. Ro +*1:16. Ph *2:12, 13n. 2 Th 2:13. 1 T 1:15. 1 P *1:8-11. through faith. Ro 3:22. 4:5. **10:17. He **11:6. 1 P 1:5. which is in. Jn **14:6. Ac **4:12. Ep 1:13. 1 T +1:14. Christ Jesus. Ac +19:4.
2 tim 3.15 and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wies unto salvation through faith which is
in christ jesus.
encouraging cross refs.
1. 2 tim 1.5 when i call to remembrance the unfeigned faith
that is in the thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother lois,
and thy mother eunice; and i am persuaded that in thee also,
2. psm 71.17 o god, thou hast taught me from my youth: and
hitherto have i declared thy wondrous works.
3. pro 8.17 i love them that love me; and those that seek me
early shall find me.
4. dan 10.21 but i will she thee that which is noted in the scripture
of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things but
michael your prince.
5. matt 10.29 jesus answered and said unto them, ye do err, not knowing
the scriptures, nor the power of god.
6. lk 24.27 and beginning at moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto
them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
7. lk 24. 32 and they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us,
while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to the scriptures?
8. lk 24.45 then opended he their understanding, that they might underdstand
the scriptures,
9. ac 17.2 and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and 3 sabbaths days
reasoned with them out of the scriptures.
10. rom 1.2 (which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
11. rom 16.26 but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets,
according to the commandment of the everlasting god, made known to all nations
for the obedience of faith:
12. 1 co 15.3-4 for i delivered unto you first of all that which i also received, how that
christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
13. 1 co 15.4 and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according
to the scriptures:
14. 2 pe 1.20-21 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any
private interpretation.
15 .2 pe 1.21 for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men
of god spake as they were moved by the holy spirit.
16. psm 19.8 the statues of the lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment
of the lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
17. psm 19.7 the law of the lord is perfect, restoring the soul: the testimony of the
lord is sure, making wise the simple.
18. jn 5.39 search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they
are they which testify of me.
19. ac 10.43 to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever
believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
20.ac 13.38 be it known unto you there, men brethren, that through this man is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
21. ac 13.39 and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which
ye could not be justified by the law of moses.
22. 1 pe 1.11 searching what, or what manner of time the spirit of christ which was
in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of christ, and the
glory that should follow.
23. 1 jn 5.11-12 and this is the record, that god hath given to us eternal life, and this
life is in his son.
24. 1 jn 5.12 he that hath the son hath life; and he that hath not the son of god hath
not life.
25. rev 19.10 and i fell at his feet to worship him. and he said unto me, see thou do
it not: i am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of jesus
is the spirit of prophecy.