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Pasa Graphe' Theopneustos Kai Ophelimos (Greek) is one of the most often-repeated passages from the Scriptures, ie, the Bible. The passage appears in the heading of our Facebook page. But what does it say to us in our various tongues? Well, for those of us who speak English, this passage is a bold testimony from the pen of one Paul, a first-century scholar from the Isrealite tribe of Benjamin. It is also a statement steeped in the thelogy of the Biblical narratives. So, Paul wrote to a young ethnic Jew named Timotheus: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable......"
At the time Paul wrote those words, there was not yet a codex known as the "New Testament." The scrolls of papyrus on which were written the Scriptures are what we call today the "Old Testament." In its immediate and limited interpretation, Paul is saying that the messages in the Old Testament are inspired by God. That being so, who is the man who would say that the record of the flood in Noah's day was simply an allegory, and not an historical account?

Zeal

Zeal should characterize spiritual life. It’s in the Bible, Romans 12:11, NIV. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

Zeal must be based on intelligent understanding. It's in the Bible, Romans 10:2, NKJV. "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge."

Christ will make us full of zeal to do good. It's in the Bible, Titus 2:14, NKJV. "who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."

Jesus cannot use us if we are complacent. It' s in the Bible, Revelation 3:15-16, 19, NKJV. “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth....As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent"

Being zealous for God, means we take part in suffering for His sake. It's in the Bible, Psalm 69:9, NKJV. "Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me."

Zeal for God is being single-minded. It’s in the Bible, James 4:8, NKJV. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Be zealous and seek the salvation of souls in all that you do. It’s in the Bible, Ecclesiastes 11:5-6, NKJV. “As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good.”

Christian zeal is not loud and noisy, but humbly grows in faithfulness. It’s in the Bible, 2 Peter 1:5-8, NKJV. “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love"

What does zeal look like? It's in the Bible, Hebrews 11:32-40, NKJV. "And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.

"Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

"And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us."