Trusted Sources, Part 1

I appreciate my parents teaching me about God when I was young. Although I had to study, confirm, and internalize those things for myself in order to form my own faith, I appreciate that “head start” on the truth, which I have learned to appreciate even more over time. (On the other hand, I have also heard claims from people whose lives don’t seem to line up with where I want to be, and so I tend to be skeptical of their statements.)

In the first century, the church leader named Timothy (to whom two books of the Bible are addressed) had a similar benefit as I did, in that his mom and grandma were believers. Conversely, his dad doesn’t appear to have been, at least at first. It seems that Timothy was raised either Jewish or Christian (or perhaps a combination of both, if his maternal relatives chose to follow Jesus during Timothy’s upbringing). However, the apostle Paul served a key role in helping Timothy to learn and grow in his faith. Without taking anything away from what Timothy’s family provided, Paul was part of those who taught him.

Let’s read a couple of verses from one of Paul’s letters to Timothy.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/2ti.3.14-15.NIV

I like that Timothy wasn’t just choosing to follow Jesus because Paul’s teaching was charismatic or popular. Paul’s life did reflect the joy of following Jesus, but it also reflected the suffering that came with it.

Timothy wasn’t just choosing to follow Jesus because it made more intellectual sense than the alternatives. Even though Christianity is logically consistent and it makes sense (once you learn enough about it), the first-century Roman Empire was filled with smart people who made a case for all sorts of diverse philosophies.

Instead, Timothy knew and trusted those who had taught him the truth, including his grandma, his mom, Paul, and probably others who had learned the truth about God. Timothy had seen their lives as a testimony to the difference that following the truth made in them. He knew the Scriptures and how they had described the nature of God and His promises that were perfectly fulfilled in Jesus, confirming that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah – the Christ of God.

So, how about us, if we have found the truth from God? As we consider passing along the legacy of God’s truth to others, have we earned their trust of what we tell them, by living out what we teach (or at least admitting when we mess up), and testifying when God’s way has produced blessings beyond our own abilities? Have we taught others in our life about the Bible (both the Old and New Testaments), so that they can spot the truth for themselves, even among the noisy lies of the world? Have we instilled wisdom in those we care about, rather than just knowledge?

And, as we consider receiving a legacy of the truth from others (since this can be a lifelong process), are we equipped to know whose words we can generally believe and whose behavior is usually righteous, versus those whose words and actions we should carefully evaluate before accepting either? Are we continuing to read and think about the Bible, so that we gain not only knowledge and facts, but also the wisdom to know when, where, and how to use that knowledge for God’s purposes?

If not, today is a great day to start! Know how to find truth, and then – once you’ve learned it – pass it along to those who still need it.

From Sunday School lesson prepared for April 6, 2025

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