Putting these verses more simply we could say :

`All Scripture is inspired by God and is good for teaching, for conviction, for correcting errors and learning

what is right; so that the man of God may be completely ready for doing good works'.

The `man of God' is the saved person who wants to serve God, and the Scriptures prepare him for that service of

good works. Through the Scriptures God speaks to us.

Summing up this section, we may say as believers:

God is our Father and we His children.

We should speak to Him (in prayer) as we would our earthly father.

All our prayers should be asked in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We should read His word, the Bible, for by it He speaks to us.

By reading the Bible He prepares us to serve Him.

When we are saved we begin a new life. This new life is to be spent serving God by good works. We must

be clear about this; we are not saved by good works, but having been saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we

should then serve God by good works. Read Ephesians 2:8-10 and notice these words :

`By grace are ye saved through faith ... not of works ... we are ... created in Christ Jesus unto (or for) good

works'.

Notice the difference here:

We are saved `by grace', `through faith (in the Lord Jesus)'.

We are saved `for good works'.

God always intended that we should live good lives and do good works, but these come after our belief in the

Lord Jesus Christ. So we may now say this, that the second thing which salvation means for us now, is that we

should serve God by good works. We are saved to serve Him.

When we grow older and more mature, God may call us to serve Him in one particular way, but we do not

have to wait for this day to come, for we can serve Him now. This can best be done by the kind of life we lead.

Here are some points to notice about this service for God, which are found in the Scriptures. Remember that

the Scriptures prepare the believer for good works.

Read 1 John 4:7-11 and notice especially verse 11:

`Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another'.

God's great love was shown to us when He gave His Son, the Lord Jesus, to bare our sins. God's love was

shown by giving. We may serve God by loving those around us - by giving our love to them. This will include

being kind and helpful, but especially does it mean forgetting about ourselves and thinking of others. Read

Philippians 2:4 :

`Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others'.

We should not simply think about our own things, but also look to see if we may be of help to others. This was

how the Lord Jesus Christ thought; He was concerned about us, and so we should be concerned about others

also. We should follow His example and love others. Love includes all the service we may do for Him.

Read Ephesians 4:32 :

`Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven

Again we are to follow an example, this time of God's forgiveness in Christ. He has forgiven us all our sins

against Himself, and so ought we to forgive those who hurt us. This may not be easy sometimes, for people can