In 2 Timothy 3:16, we are told that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. Christians who believe in the inspiration of Scripture would say that all Scripture is equally inspired, but can we say that all Scripture is equally profitable? How is a book like Leviticus profitable for a New Testament Christian? It’s a very challenging book to read and understand. If we cannot understand most of it, how can we glean application for our lives? How can a study of difficult passages and books like Leviticus help us grow in our Christian walk? These questions, and more, are asked and answered today on the Straight Truth Podcast. Join in on the conversation and hear what Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell share about the profitability of reading, meditating, and studying all Scripture, including those difficult sections that seem unprofitable to us.

Dr. Caldwell says that sometimes we read the Bible having too much of a man-centered approach. Before jumping ahead and asking how does this apply to me, we might want to first ask what does this teach me about God. If we start with this thought in our minds when we read difficult sections of Scripture and challenging books like Leviticus, then, we might be surprised by how profitable all Scripture really is. 

So, let’s consider the book of Leviticus. Leviticus has context. It was meant to operate in the life of the nation of Israel; it had very specific purposes from a national point of view. It was not only purposeful but practical as well. The book of Leviticus reveals God’s attention to detail. There are things that God addresses in it that we wouldn’t even think to address. An example, Dr. Caldwell reminds us of is the specifics and details that are given for the tabernacle. We read of details and specifics in how it’s made, set up, broken down, furniture/article arrangement, orderliness, and even matters of worship. So then, as we think about application, it’s a good reminder that God cares about the little things of our lives, not just the big ones.

It is also a good reminder that what we think of as necessary for our lives often underestimates what is necessary for our lives. We can often read something one day and don’t see how it informs and impacts us. But sometime later down the road, we often discover how that truth we read back there now proves to be a learned truth that is a very specific help to us. Scripture, says Dr. Caldwell, has no throwaway lines; it contains nothing that isn’t helpful. We want to remember this as we read the Scriptures. So, even when, from our vantage point, we can’t see how something we read or learn about will be helpful to us, we can recognize and know, that God knows better than we do what will be beneficial and helpful for us.

How does asking ourselves, what does this text say about God help us in our Christian walk? Dr. Caldwell says there is no greater need on the part of the creature than to know his or her Creator. No greater knowledge has been given to us by our Creator than the knowledge of Himself. There is no higher calling, no higher privilege, and no more life-transforming, eternally significant issue than knowing God. It’s only as we know our Creator that we have a knowledge of ourselves (self-knowledge) that is in any way trustworthy. To shut ourselves off from the knowledge of God and then to try to understand ourselves is folly!

As the One who created us, it is God who gives us life and sustains our very life and breath; God knows us. He knows every part and portion. He knows our hearts, every single, itty bitty detail of the human makeup or psyche; our thoughts, desires, intentions, motives, etc. His Word conveys all these things and more about us and takes all of it into account as it addresses us. It gives us information about ourselves we would never arrive at on our own. Knowing God opens the door to a more accurate view of our lives; this is what we all need.

Dr. Caldwell has shared some things that help us to better understand the importance of books like Leviticus and even other difficult passages of Scripture. In light of this, how much time then should we spend on them? Can we just read through them quickly, gaining what we can as we go along, or should we spend more time on them? Dr. Caldwell shares that we need to do the hard work. He doesn’t deny that there are weightier matters in the Law than others and says that not every contour of Scripture is equal in terms of how it is going to affect our lives. But as 2 Timothy 3:16 says, all Scripture is profitable. We need all of it, which means all of it deserves our attention. God has given us this book we will not exhaust in a lifetime of studying and learning. Wherever we have deficiencies in our knowledge and understanding, we want to run to the Scriptures and grow in them.