Purpose of Scripture: Belief and Exhortation

"The purpose of Scripture is not merely to give us an authoritative list of things we must believe but also to exhort us, command us, inspire our imaginations, put songs in our hearts, question us, sanctify us, and so on" (John Frame, The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God, 78).

The purpose of Scripture is twofold: things to be believed and things to be done (the application of Scripture). The purpose of Scripture propels Christians to take their confession of faith and see what they can do (accomplish) with it; that is, "this", e.g., Thou shalt love thy neighbor!, goes "there", e.g., the homeless man at the soup kitchen.

As Luke says, "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach . . . (Acts 1:1). The Gospel of Luke was about what Jesus Christ began to do and teach, and the Book of Acts is about what Jesus Christ continued to do and teach through the Apostles and through the Church. This is the context for a Christian approach to understanding the purpose of Scripture: Scripture teaches us what Jesus Christ continues to do and teach through us. 

Meditating on Sermons

"Mediation helps us digest truth and personalize it. One sermon properly mediated upon with the assistance of the Holy Spirit will do more good than weeks of unapplied sermons" (Joel R. Beeke, The Family at Church: Listening to Sermons and Attending Prayer Meetings, 28).

Active Listening + Prayer

"As you listen to the Word of God, ask yourself, how does God want me to be different on account of this sermon? Ask what God wants you to know what you did not know before. Ask what truths you are learning that he wants you to believe. And ask how He wants you to put those truths into practice. In every sermon you hear--even those on the most basic gospel-themes--God offers you truths to believe and put into practice. Pray for grace to work at listening" (Joel R. Beeke, The Family at Church: Listening to Sermons and Attending Prayer Meetings, 20-21).

Defense and Demonstration

"As twenty-first-century evangelical Protestants, we must combine our defense of biblical inerrancy with a positive demonstration of the transforming power of God's Word" (Joel R. Beeke, The Family at Church: Listening to Sermons and Attending Prayer Meetings, 5).