Profit

 When we think of the word, “profit,” we think perhaps of making money on something. During my senior year at Washington Bible College, I worked at the Christian Book and Bible Store in Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia. It was run by a couple who were members of the church we were attending. The couple were book keepers by profession, but had opened up the store a number of years before I came on the scene. They explained that if you bought 5 books, you needed to sell 3 of them to pay for the books, the fourth book would be to pay for the upkeep of the store and the fifth book would be profit. Ted and Harriet just loved books and getting them out into the hands of people to read them. They also loved the Word of God and selling Bibles was one way to get the word out. A lady once came in and said that she wanted to purchase a red Bible. Harriet replied, “Every Bible should be read.” Second Timothy 3;16-17 says, “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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 

           This is a classic passage in reference to God's Word and contains several things worth mentioning. The word “inspiration” is unique and only occurs in this passage. It is a combination of two Greek words and turns out to actually be, “God Breathed.” The passage then goes on to say that all scripture is “profitable.” It then goes on to say how it is profitable in the lives of believers and list four different categories, doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction. When we think of “profit” we normally think of money made on a deal. We purchase something for a dollar and sell it for two dollars, hence we have made a dollar in profit. The Scriptures are not speaking of monetary gain but something that is profitable to the spiritual life of the believer. This is why it is important to go through the Scriptures and meditate on each and every passage. There is spiritual profit in all of them. There may be that time when you look at a certain passage and wonder how it could be profitable in your life. If you dig enough on every verse you will find how it is profitable in one of the four areas mentioned in Second Timothy 3:16. In one of my ministries, there was one woman who would ask me every morning for a gem from the Word of God. I had to be prepared when I walked into the dining room each morning to have a special gem from the Word of God. They are there, but gems are those things that you need to dig for beneath the surface. It is true that some of them are right on the top and easy to see, but others are just a tad below the surface. One might consider what the word “changed” means in Second Corinthians 3:18 or the meaning of the word “earnest” in Ephesians 1:18, or the different words for “love” that are used in the discussion between Peter and the Lord Jesus Christ in John 21. We soon find that the definitions and structure of the Word of God are indeed profitable for our lives. Don't neglect the Scriptures and your personal involvement in them. You need to hear, read, study, meditate and memorize the Word of God. Soon, you will see just how they can be profitable to you also. Praise God for giving us His Word.