Training in Righteousness

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”(2Ti. 3:16-17). Can anyone on earth dispute the uniqueness of the Bible? They may not like it, and they may not follow it, but they simply cannot dispute its influence. The Bible is unlike any other book ever written or that will ever be written.

It is not just a collection of myths thrown together, albeit with some forethought, and it certainly is not a spiritual self-help manual. Don’t get me wrong, it is absolutely a spiritual guide, but it is also so much more than that. According to Paul, “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” It’s not just a book written by men; it is literally the inspired words of God, penned by carefully chosen men to introduce the Almighty to His Creation. And those sacred words include factual history, urgent warnings, abundant encouragement, countless blessings, and the ultimate hope, all wrapped in unfathomable love.

Paul wrote this letter to a young preacher named Timothy to remind him that the Scriptures are not only inspired by God but also ‘profitable.” They serve a divine purpose. They are useful and active, impacting the lives of those who listen and respond to them in an eternal way - shaping souls for godliness, equipping hearts for service, and preparing faithful, obedient hearts for eternity.

Paul describes four ways Scripture works in the lives of people. They are “teaching,” “reproof,” “correction,” and “training in righteousness”. Together, they serve as the ultimate guide to life. Scripture teaches us what is true, reproves (rebukes) us when we stray. It corrects our errant ways and thoughts. And it also trains us over time to walk in righteousness. That word “training” speaks volumes. It reminds us that righteousness doesn’t happen instantly. It’s not downloaded like an app or learned with a single hearing. It’s a learned, practiced, and applied process. And like with any form of training, it requires discipline, consistency, and humility.

We live in a time when people are reluctant to be corrected. Many want to be encouraged, but few want to be trained. Yet, the Bible calls us to something deeper. It doesn’t just want to make us feel better; rather, it wants to make us whole - “complete, equipped for every good work.” That’s the ultimate purpose of the most important book ever written, because that leads to salvation. God doesn’t just want informed Christians; He wants transformed ones. He wants people who are prepared to live out their faith in a world that’s often challenging, dark, and confusing.

So what does the practice of today’s selection look like? It looks like the believer who opens the Word each morning, not out of obligation, but from a desire to learn. It looks like the mother who applies patience from Proverbs in the midst of a hard day with her children. It looks like the young man who resists temptation because he’s written God’s Word in his heart. It looks like the mature in age who, even after decades of faithfulness, still humbly submit to the voice of God as found in the words of the Bible.

2Ti. 3:16-17 doesn’t promise perfection; it promises progress. It means leaning on God’s Word every day, allowing it to shape how we think, speak, and act. It means not skipping over the verses that convict us but letting them do their work because God’s correction is a sign of His love: “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives’” (Heb. 12:5-6).

If we truly want to grow, we must return to the source of morality, ethics, and righteous guidance. Bible study is not about checking off a box or collecting trivia points. It’s about meeting God in His Word and allowing that encounter to transform us. It’s about being honest with ourselves and letting the Scripture reprove and correct us when needed. Then, it’s about committing to the steady discipline of walking in God’s ways, even when the world urges us to turn back. The reward is too great not to listen to and apply the “breathed out” Word of God.