My wife and I drove more than 1200 miles from Florida to Killeen, Texas to see the Total Eclipse.

Our GPS was indispensable.

The route to Killeen followed some “back roads” that we had never been on before. Many of them were poorly marked.

I said a number of times, “I’d feel better if there was a sign that marked the miles until this route would get us to Killeen.”

But until we got within a few miles of Killeen, there was no such sign. No sign confirming that we were on the route that was leading us to Killeen.

Still, we placed our faith in our GPS, faithfully following the route and directions it gave us.

There were also times when I said: “In the future, I’ll bring an actual old-fashioned map.” Following such a paper map feels less like you’re lost, driving into the “Twilight Zone”.

Nevertheless, I had to admit that there is one great advantage of a GPS: the GPS is updated in real time to choose the route based on current conditions. In real time, the GPS updates itself to take into account such changes as the location of accidents, construction delays, and other types of traffic jams.

I thought about the best ways for us to discern the directions and routes that our life should take.

The Bible is the good old-fashioned paper map.

As the Apostle Paul wrote Timothy:

“The Holy Scriptures . . . are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

But how can we update “in real time” the Bible’s “route” and “directions” for our lives?

How did the Apostle Paul update “in real time” the Bible’s “route” and “directions” for his life?

Since Paul believed that all Scripture was God-breathed and useful for equipping him for every good work, I believe that the first place he looked for guidance was the Bible.

Throughout his Epistles and the Book of Acts, we can see Paul’s reliance on the Bible as his GPS.

Within days after his conversion from being a persecutor of the Way of Jesus into  being a believer in the Way of Jesus, Paul “baffled” his opponents “by proving [from the Scriptures] that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 9:22).

Paul continued baffling his opponents for many years.

At the end of the Book of Acts, Paul spoke “from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.” (Acts 28:23-24).

In addition to the plain text of the Scriptures, Paul sought the input of wise followers of the Way of Jesus.

For example, in his letter to the churches in Galatia, Paul mentioned that he, Silas and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to meet with James (the brother of Jesus), Peter and John. (Galatians 2:1-10).

Paul “presented to them the gospel that [he] preach[ed] among the non-Jews. [Paul] wanted to be sure [he] was not running and had not been running [his] race in vain” (Galatians 2:2).

After their discussions, these leaders (who were “esteemed as pillars” of the Church Universal) gave Paul the “right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to [Paul]”. (Galatians 2:9) (See the chapter “James, Peter and John Fellowship with Paul” in my book Lighting the World, at pages 73-82).

Paul also participated in discussions at the Universal Church Council held at Jerusalem and described in Luke Chapter 15. This Council discussed the meaning and application of Scriptures to non-Jewish followers of the Way of Jesus.

James relied on a paraphrase of the Prophet Amos which foretold that God would intervene in history “so that the rest of [Humanity] may seek the Lord, even all the [non-Jews] who bear my name.” (Acts 15:16-18; quoting the Septuagint version of the Scriptures; note b to Acts 15:16-17). (See the chapter “A Church Council Encourages Non-Jews To Turn to God” in my book Lighting the World, at pages 83-90).

There was discussion about the facts and circumstances surrounding this decision by non-Jews to follow the Way of Jesus—an updating of the “GPS” to account for updated facts and circumstances.

“After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: ‘Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the [non-Jews] might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us [Jews]. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:7-9; emphasis added).

“The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the [non-Jews] through them.” (Acts 15:12).

In his Epistles, we can see that Paul was basing his guidance to churches based on all of the facts and circumstances as he understood them (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 2 Corinthians 13:1).

He wrote to the churches in Galatia because he had heard that there were teachers among them who were teaching a “different gospel—which is really no gospel at all.” (Galatians 1:6-7). For example, they were “observing special days and months and seasons and years.” (Galatians 4:10). They were being circumcised. (Galatians 5:3-4).

They were putting their faith in the Law of Moses, instead of putting their faith in Jesus. (Galatians 5:3-4). They were putting their faith in the Law of Moses, instead of eagerly awaiting through the Spirit by faith “the righteousness for which we hope.” (Galatians 5:5).

Paul updated the GPS to account for these updated facts and circumstances now that faith in Jesus was fulfilling the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17).  As a result of faith in Jesus, the GPS was updated so that: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:6).

On this updated GPS, faith expressing itself through love counts more than differences in religion and nationality, wealth and power, or sex and gender.

Why?

Because “in Christ Jesus [we] are all children of God through faith . . . . There is neither Jew nor [non-Jew], neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for [we] are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26-28).

How will we know that this updated GPS is following the Way of Jesus by showing that “[t]he only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6)?

Our updated GPS will “not make it difficult for those who are turning to God.” (Acts 15:19).

The Way of Jesus shown on our updated GPS will produce the fruit of the Spirit of the LORD: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22; Matthew 7:20).

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

How do the Holy Scriptures make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus? Why?

How is all Scripture God-breathed? Why?

How is all Scripture useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work? Why?

If other people understand and apply Scriptures differently than you do, how do you reconcile your differences? Why?

READ MORE

For related ideas, please read my blog “Timothy: A Good Teacher”.

For related ideas, please read the following Appendices in my book The Promised Land, at pages 153-194: “How To Apply the Word of God Authoritatively”, “How To Apply the Bible to Specific Matters”, “The Accuracy and Reliability of the Bible”, “The Spirit in Which To Study and Apply the Bible”, “Thoughts About the First Eleven Chapters of Genesis”, and “Tax Law Concepts Regarding Adam, Eve, Etc.”.

For related ideas, please read the chapter “James, Peter and John Fellowship with Paul” in my book Lighting the World, at pages 73-82.

Keep in mind that in the time of Paul and Timothy, the Holy Scriptures were what we today call the Hebrew Scriptures and the Old Testament. The writings in our New Testament were only in the process of being told as oral teachings, written as Gospels, and Epistles, and recognized as “canonical” (Luke 1:1-4; 2 Timothy 4:11-13; 2 Peter 1:15).

Nevertheless, today we recognize that these Christian Scriptures are as God-breathed and as authoritative as the Hebrew Scriptures, meaning that our New Testament is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).