Is it ALL Still Profitable, or Isn't It?

By Brother Michel Lankford

As it is written:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NKJV)

·       Please Notice: Paul DOES NOT say that only SOME Scriptures are profitable for doctrine but others are done away with and should be completely disregarded. Paul DOES NOT say, SOME Scriptures are profitable but others are obsolete and should be ignored. Paul SAYS just the OPPOSITE of that.

·       Please Notice: Paul also writes that ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it IS, (NOT it WAS, but it IS), profitable.

·       ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it IS profitable for DOCTRINE. (Doctrine is confirming TRUE teachings and principles about God and His Precepts).

·       ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it IS profitable for REPROOF, (Reproof is to refute and challenge error or to rebuke).

·       ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it IS profitable for CORRECTION, (Correction is to provide clear directions for improving of attitudes, manners, and behaviors).

·       ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it IS profitable for INSTRUCTION in RIGHTEOUSNESS, (Instruction in Righteousness literally to give constructive direction, to train, to discipline, to chastise, or to punish for the purpose of improving behavior).

Remember, at the time Paul wrote these words there was NO New Testament. So when Paul wrote about ALL SCRIPTURE being profitable to accomplish all of these good things and to equip the people of God for every good work, Paul was referring most particularly to the Old Testament as being profitable for all of these things. Please don’t forget that Paul wrote these words to pastor Timothy well after the death and the resurrection of the Messiah, (about 34 years after the resurrection).

So 34 years after the death and the resurrection of Messiah, Paul the apostle is writing to pastor Timothy and reminding him about the validity and the profitability of ALL SCRIPTURE.

DILEMMA: Whether they want to face up to it or not, this passage creates a huge dilemma for the modern-day Christian theologian. Modern-day Christians DESPERATELY wish to believe that Paul supposedly taught that Almighty God’s Commandments and instructions in the Old Testament were done away with at the cross. The entire basis of modern-day Christianity depends on the belief that God’s Commandments were done away with at the cross, and that Christians under Grace can now supposedly do the opposite of what God commanded us to do, because of grace through the death and resurrection of Messiah.

However, IF the modern Christian doctrine were true, then by necessity, what Paul the apostle wrote to pastor Timothy, (2 Timothy 3:16-17), would have to be FALSE.

IF God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions in the Old Testament Scriptures have in fact been done away with and made obsolete at the cross as so many modern Christian so desperately want to believe, then all of the Scriptures containing God’s Laws Commandments, and Instructions CANNOT still BE PROFITABLE, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, or to instruct us on how to be righteous. If all the Old Testament Commandments have been done away with at the cross, then they CANNOT possibly still be profitable to equip the people of God for every good work, as Paul CLEARLY said that they are. If 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is true and all of Scripture is still profitable, then by definition, it CANNOT be done away with at the cross. It cannot be made obsolete; otherwise it would not be profitable as Paul said that it is. If on the other hand God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions have indeed been abolished and have been made obsolete, then by definition,  ALL Scripture would not still be profitable, as Paul said that it is, only SOME Scriptures, not all Scripture would be profitable in that case. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 would be false doctrine by definition. We can’t have it both ways. Either all Scripture is still profitable, just like Paul said it is, or the Old Testament’s been done away with at the cross, it is not profitable anymore because it’s been made obsolete, and Paul was wrong when he wrote to Timothy.

This is just one of the many reasons why I strongly believe that the modern Christian worldview is mistaken, and I believe that we need to do our best to return to the first century understanding and application of the Scriptures.

Brother R. Michel Lankford