“All Scripture is given by inspiration of YAHWEH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of YAHWEH may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Are you a Scripture-believing person? If the answer is “Yes”, that is good. But... stop and think for a minute: Do you believe all of the Scriptures? From the book of Matthew through the book of 2 Peter, we see “the Scriptures” mentioned 52 times. What are Yahshua and His followers referring to? Are they speaking of “the New Testament”? No. They are referring to the books preceding Matthew.

When YAHSHUA was born as a baby, not one of the “New Testament” books was written. After His death, resurrection, and ascension, we see a few of the books being written, namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. And then, little by little, other books were written, like the books of Peter, Jude, etc. We know that the majority of “New Testament” books were written by Paul, who was not even a follower of YAHSHUA when He was carrying out His mission on earth. So it took a while before he started writing all the letters that compose most of the “New Testament”, like Corinthians, Timothy, Romans, etc. Moreover, when Luke sat down to write about YAHSHUA’s time on earth, he had no idea he was writing Scripture. When Paul wrote letter after letter to the assemblies, he did not even imagine that people 2000 years later would be reading his letters as Scripture. So then, from all of this we can safely conclude that the writers of Matthew through Revelations were not referring to those books when they spoke of “the Scriptures”.

Let us look at some examples of where the words “Scripture” and “Scriptures” are used. What did the “New Testament” writers, and YAHSHUA Himself, think of the “Old Testament”? Matthew 22:29 — YAHSHUA answered and said unto them, “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of YAHWEH.” Luke 24:27 — And beginning at Moses and the prophets, YAHSHUA expounded unto them, in all the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself. Luke 24:45 — Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. John 5:39 — “Search the Scriptures......... which testify of Me (YAHSHUA).” Acts 17:2 — And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures.” Acts 17:11 — These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 18:24,28 — And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures....... mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the Scriptures that YAHSHUA was the Messiah. Acts 28:23 — And when they had appointed Paul a day, there came many to him into his lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the Kingdom of YAHWEH, persuading them concerning YAHSHUA, both out of the Law of Moses, and out of the Prophets, from morning till evening. Romans 15:4 — For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 2 Timothy 3:15 — And that from a child thou hast known the set-apart (holy) Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in YAHSHUA the Messiah. We can clearly see that YAHSHUA and His disciples upheld the Law, Prophets, Psalms, etc. A brief rundown of the previously listed verses reveals the following to us: We are to search, study, understand, and know well the “Old Testament” Scriptures, for they comfort us, reveal unto us the only begotten son of YAHWEH, and make us wise unto salvation.

Seeing all of this, why don’t we take a few minutes to familiarize ourselves with some of the basic doctrines of salvation, as found in the “Old Testament”, more properly referred to as the Tanak. ¹

1. All have sinned. Psalm 14:3 — They are all gone aside, they are together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

2. Apart from YAHWEH, and continuing in sin, we are void of peace. Isaiah 57:20-21 — But the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. “There is no peace,” saith YAHWEH, “to the wicked.”

3. Only in YAHWEH can we have peace. Numbers 6:24-26 — YAHWEH bless thee and keep thee; YAHWEH make His face shine upon thee, and be favorable unto thee; YAHWEH lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Isaiah 26:3 — Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.

4. We must repent of our sins. Ezekiel 33:11 — Say unto them, “As I live, saith YAHWEH, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die?”

5. The blood of YAHSHUA washes us and makes us clean. Leviticus 17:11 — It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Psalm 51:7,9 — Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Isaiah 53:5-6 — But He (YAHSHUA) was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and YAHWEH hath made the iniquity of us all to meet on Him.

6. In YAHWEH, our hearts are cleansed, and we become a new creature. Psalm 51:10 –- Create in me a clean heart, O YAHWEH, and renew a right spirit within me. Ezekiel 36:26 — YAHWEH says, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

7. Now we walk in obedience to YAHWEH’s Word. Ezekiel 18:21 --- YAHWEH says, “If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” Psalm 119:4 — Thou hast commanded us to keep Thy precepts diligently.

8. On this renewed heart that YAHWEH gives us, He writes His Law. Jeremiah 31:33 — “After those days,” saith YAHWEH, “I will put My Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their Almighty One, and they shall be My people.”

9. As a new creature, we do not live to please ourselves. Rather, we live to please YAHWEH. Deuteronomy 6:25 — “And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before YAHWEH our Almighty One, as He hath commanded us.”

10. As servants of YAHWEH, we have a mission to help others see the truth as well. Psalm 51:13 — Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.

11. This also means we must bring our children up in the way. Deuteronomy 6:7 — And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Proverbs 22:6 — Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.

12. We must not be ashamed of our faith in YAHWEH. 1 Kings 22:14 — And Micaiah said, “As YAHWEH liveth, what YAHWEH saith unto me, that will I speak.” Psalm 51:15 — O YAHWEH, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.

13. We must constantly look to YAHWEH in prayer. Psalm 55:17 — Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. Proverbs 3:5-6 — Trust in YAHWEH with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

14. If we remain forever steadfast unto YAHWEH, loving Him with all our hearts, and diligently obeying His voice, we shall receive the reward of eternal Life with Him. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 — I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live, that thou mayest love YAHWEH thy Almighty One, that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him; for He is thy Life, and the length of thy days.

We have seen that when YAHSHUA and His followers talked about “the Scriptures”, they were referring to the Tanak. We have also realized that they upheld these Scriptures. And moreover, we have beheld the basic doctrines of salvation, presented to us in the Tanak as clearly as they are presented in the latter portion of the Scriptures. Of a truth, All Scripture is given by inspiration of YAHWEH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of YAHWEH may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) HalleluYah!