Rev. Walter J. Cummins has, over the years, sent out many letters, which he has entitled "Dear Beloved of God." His newest letters are reprinted here with his permission. Along with these, there may also be letters written by Daniel J. Bader or others. Each letter will be preceded by the author's name and the date.

Sunday, January 8, 2012


Dear Beloved of God
by Walter J. Cummins, Scripture Consulting
January 2012

For the Consideration of What the Scriptures Say
God bless you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ.
In this study, we are going to consider what the Word of God considers to be profitable. Some of these verses are cited from the Authorized King James Version (AKJV) and others from the Working Translation (WT) in A Journey through the Acts and Epistles.[1] The word “profitable” and its related word-forms are underlined for emphasis in the verses cited in this study.

Things That Are Profitable

II Timothy 3:16-17 (WT):
All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching [what was taught], for reproof, for correction, for the instruction that is in justness,
so that the man of God may be equipped, fully equipped for every good work.
All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable. The words in the Scriptures that were originally revealed by God are God’s words, and they are profitable words. They are profitable for teaching, which is used here to refer to what was taught, doctrine, or right teaching that brings about right believing. It is also profitable for reproof when someone is not believing what is right, as well as for correction, that is, to help a person get back to right believing. The Scriptures are profitable for the proper instruction in justness, or righteousness, so that people may know and believe what is just, or righteous. The Scriptures are profitable for those purposes to the extent that the man of God may be fully equipped for every good work. When that fully equipped man of God teaches those same Scriptures to others, then those other people may likewise be fully equipped for every good work.
The profitable Scriptures are the basis for fully equipping someone for every good work. Other words spoken or written may be profitable for some things, and they may equip someone to do certain things, but the God-breathed Scriptures are profitable to the extent that a person may be fully equipped for every good work.
Titus 3:8 (WT):
The Word is faithful, and I desire that you strongly affirm these things to the end that those who have believed in God may think carefully about maintaining good works. These things are good and profitable for the people.
Titus 3:8 begins by saying that the Word is faithful. All Scripture is God-breathed. It is God’s Word, and God’s Word is faithful, and hence reliable. All of those God-breathed words in God’s faithful Word are profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, for instruction in justness so that the man of God may be fully equipped for every good work.
According to Titus 3:8, strongly affirming what is set forth in God’s faithful Word to the end that those who have believed in God may think carefully about maintaining good works is profitable for the people. The profitable Scriptures are the basis for fully equipping a person for every good work. There may be other kinds of works, but the good works mentioned in these passages from the Scriptures are the result of teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in justness from the God-breathed Scriptures, so that a person may be fully equipped for every good work.
I Timothy 4:7-9 (WT):
Avoid profane and old-woman myths, and exercise yourself unto godliness,
for bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise [what was promised] of present life and of that which is to come.
The Word is faithful and worthy of all acceptance.
Bodily exercise is profitable for a little. It is helpful to an individual. However, godliness is profitable for all things – the present life and the future. The Scripture, God’s Word, is the basis for fully equipping a person for every good work so that he may exercise himself unto godliness and do what is profitable.
Let us also look at a passage in II Timothy 2, beginning with verse 14.
II Timothy 2:14 (WT):
Remind others of these things, testifying before /the lord {Or/ God}.[2] Do not get involved in unprofitable word battles to the overthrow of those who listen.
Getting involved in word battles would be unprofitable. On the other hand, all Scripture is profitable to the extent that a person may be fully equipped for every good work. Involvement with unprofitable word battles overthrows others who are listening instead of being a profit to them. Rather than getting involved with unprofitable word battles, the very next verse tells us what is to be done.
Verse 15 (WT):
Be diligent to present yourself approved unto God, an unashamed worker, rightly dividing the Word of truth.
Rather than being involved with unprofitable matters, a person ought to put forth a diligent effort to present himself approved unto God by rightly dividing the Word of truth, the Word of God written in the Scriptures. Rightly dividing the Word of truth is profitable. As a person rightly divides God’s Word of truth, he does not need to be ashamed of his work. It is a good work that is a profit to himself and to other people.
Verses 16-18 (WT):
Avoid profane useless discussions, for they will advance ungodliness even more,
and their word will eat away as gangrene does. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
who have deviated from the truth saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they overthrow the believing of some people.
Godliness is profitable for all things, as we have read. However, useless discussions advance ungodliness, according to verse 16. Hymenaeus and Philetus had “deviated from the truth.” Wrongly dividing God’s Word of truth would be a deviation from the truth, like the things spoken by Hymenaeus and Philetus. Rather than profiting people, such deviations from the truth overthrow the believing of other people. Such deviations from the truth lead to wrong believing rather than right believing. Profane useless discussions and word battles are unprofitable, whereas, all Scripture rightly divided is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in justness so that a person may be fully equipped for every good and profitable work.
Verses 19-21 (WT):
Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The lord knows those who are his own, and let every one who names the name of the lord withdraw from injustice.”
In a large house, there are not only gold and silver utensils but also wooden utensils and ceramics. Some of them are for honor, and some for dishonor.
So if anyone cleanses himself from these [deviations from the truth], then he will be a utensil for honor, sanctified, very useful to the master, ready for every good work.
Avoiding unprofitable word battles, profane useless discussions, and deviations from the truth, a person will be like a utensil of honor ready for every good work. The good works referred to in these Scriptures are the result of the profitable Scriptures rightly divided.
Verses 22-23 (WT):
Flee from youthful cravings, and pursue justness, believing, love, peace with those who call upon the lord out of a clean heart.
Avoid foolish and uneducated controversies, knowing that they give birth to fights.
Foolish and uneducated controversies are to be avoided. They are unprofitable.
Verses 24-26 (WT):
The servant of the lord should not fight but should be gentle toward all, skillful in teaching, able to endure evil,
with meekness educating those who oppose themselves. Perhaps God will give them repentance unto the knowledge [acknowledgement] of the truth,
and they will become sober again from the trap of the slandering devil, even those who have been captured by him for his will.
The servant of the lord, that is, the one who serves in the body of Christ to help others, should not fight or get involved with foolish and uneducated controversies, unprofitable word battles, or profane, useless discussions. He should be “gentle toward all.”
According to verse 24, a servant of the lord should also be “skillful in teaching.” All Scripture is profitable for teaching, and the servant of the lord is to be skillful in teaching those profitable Scriptures. To do so, he needs to rightly divide the Word of truth so that he is an unashamed worker. By rightly dividing God’s Word and teaching it to others, they too may profit. With meekness, he is to educate those who oppose themselves so that God may bring them deliverance. That would certainly be profitable to them.
Word battles, profane useless discussions, and foolish and uneducated controversies are unprofitable. Rightly dividing the Word of truth to show oneself approved unto God and teaching it to others is profitable.
Let us look at another passage that speaks about profit.
I Corinthians 12:7-11 (WT):
However, the manifestation of the spirit is given to each person for profit.
(For example, for one profit a word of wisdom is given by the spirit; for another, a word of knowledge by the same spirit;
for another, believing by the same spirit; for another, gifts of healings by the /same {Or/one}[3] spirit;
for another, operations of miracles; for another, prophecy; for another, discernings of spirits; for another, kinds of tongues; for another, interpretation of tongues.)
The one and the same spirit energizes all these [manifestations], distributing to each person individually even as he wills.
The manifestations of holy spirit are for profit. A person who is born from above with the gift of holy spirit from God (Who is the Holy Spirit) has the ability to manifest that spirit in nine different ways. These nine manifestations listed in verses 8-10 are all from the same spirit, and they are all for profit.
All Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, instruction in justness so that the man of God may be fully equipped for every good work. In addition, he has holy spirit with nine ways to manifest that spirit for profit. Having these two resources, a servant of the lord has two great means for teaching and doing what is profitable for the benefit of others.
In the Church, the body of Christ, there are those who serve in various capacities for the profit of other people. We need to further recognize that all who are born of God have the ability to profit others by the manifestation of holy spirit as well as by the God-breathed Scriptures that they have learned. All are capable of doing what is profitable. Some of the instructions in the epistles to Timothy and Titus were specifically regarding those who served. However, all who are born of God may learn the Scriptures and learn to manifest holy spirit so that what they do and teach may be a profit to themselves and to others.
I Corinthians 13:1-3 (WT):
If I speak in the tongues of men and of [divine] messengers but do not have love, then I have become a sounding brass gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have prophecy and I know all the mysteries and all the knowledge and if I have all the believing so as to remove mountains but do not have love, then I am nothing.
If I give all my goods to feed others and if I give my body to be burned but do not have love, then it profits me nothing.
The love of God spoken of in this passage from I Corinthians is necessary for the manifestations of holy spirit to be of the greatest profit.
I Corinthians 14:1-6 (WT):
Pursue the [right kind of] love. Be zealous of spiritual matters, and moreover that you may prophesy.
In fact, he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, because no one understands what he hears himself speaking. By the spirit, he is speaking mysteries.
However, he who prophesies speaks to men edification and encouragement and comfort.
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
Now I want you all to speak in tongues, and moreover that you would prophesy, for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues except and unless he interprets so that the church may receive edifying.
As a matter of fact, brothers, if I come to you [in the church] speaking in tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge or by prophesying or by doctrine [what was taught]?
This passage explains the profitable use of the manifestations of holy spirit in the local gathering of the church. Speaking in tongues is profitable to an individual in that it edifies him. However, speaking in tongues without interpretation in the church would not be profitable to the others present. Speaking in tongues with interpretation as well as prophecy would be profitable in the church in that it would edify the others present. A born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is to pursue the love of God spoken of in this passage, and the manifestations with the love of God are profitable.
I Corinthians 10:23-24 (WT):
All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.
Let no one seek for that which is [profitable and edifying] to himself but to the other.
In this administration of the grace of God, all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable and edifying to other people.
Verses 31-33 (WT):
So whether you eat or drink or do anything, do everything to the glory of God.
Become inoffensive to Judeans and to Greeks [Gentiles] and to the Church of God,
even as I also am pleasing to all people in all things by not seeking my own profit but the profit of many, that they may be saved [delivered].
The apostle Paul did not seek his own profit but the profit of many so that they could be saved. Likewise, other born-again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are to seek what is profitable and edifying to others. All Scripture is profitable. The manifestation of holy spirit with the love of God is profitable. The resulting good works and godliness are profitable, and a person ought to seek what is profitable and edifying to others.
Hebrews 4:2 (AKJV):
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
The gospel does not profit people when it is not mixed with faith, that is, when they do not believe the gospel. All Scripture is profitable, but it does not profit those who do not believe it. Teaching and heralding the Scriptures and manifesting holy spirit with the love of God would be profitable, and it gives others the opportunity to profit if they choose to believe God’s Word.
Ephesians 3:8-11 (WT):
To me, who am less than the least of all holy [sanctified] ones, was this grace given to proclaim the gospel regarding the untraceable riches of Christ to the Gentiles
and to enlighten all people regarding what is the administration of the mystery (which has been hidden from the ages in God, Who created all things)
so that through the Church the multifarious wisdom of God could now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm
in accordance with the purpose of the ages, which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God had the apostle Paul to proclaim the gospel of God regarding the untraceable riches of Christ to the Gentiles and to enlighten all people regarding the administration of the mystery, which is also called “the administration of the grace of God” in Ephesians 3:2. Paul’s proclaiming that gospel of God made known God’s purpose of the ages, which God accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. The proclaiming of the gospel as it is recorded in the Scriptures, rightly divided, by servants of the lord skillful in teaching also makes known God’s purpose of the ages, which He accomplished in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures make known God and His Son Jesus Christ. When someone teaches those Scriptures accurately, rightly divided, then the Scriptures make known God and His purpose of the ages, which He accomplished in His Son Jesus Christ our lord, so that other people may believe and profit.

Examples for Our Learning

The Scriptures today include that which God had Paul to write to the Church. Before Jesus Christ accomplished what was necessary for mankind’s redemption and salvation, people in previous ages could only know what God had revealed to them, including what was written in His Word in those previous times. They could learn those Scriptures that had been revealed to them, and they could profit from those Scriptures as long as they learned them and rightly divided them. Let us look at some of those Scriptures that were written in the previous ages.
Proverbs 4:1-4 (AKJV):
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
These were instructions to the children of Israel. A young person was to listen to the instruction of his father. His father taught him the law of Moses from the Scriptures. It was “good doctrine” for the children of Israel. The father had been taught the same Scriptures by his father, and he was teaching his children to retain those words and to keep the commandments.
Verses 20-23 (AKJV):
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
The person of Israel was to keep the words of God’s Word in his own heart. He was to keep his own heart with diligence. What he put into his own heart determined his issues of life.
Likewise, in the administration of the grace of God today, each person has to learn God’s Word for himself or herself. Someone else may teach them, but they have to decide whether or not they want to keep God’s Word in their own hearts.
Proverbs 3:1-6 (AKJV):
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
The children of Israel were to keep God’s commandments of the law given to Moses for them. They were to write mercy and truth on the table of their hearts. They were to trust in the Lord God with all their hearts, rather than leaning on their own understanding.
Psalm 1:1-2 (AKJV):
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
The people of Israel were to meditate in God’s Word day and night. Learning God’s Word was not the result of a one-time reading of or listening to the Scriptures. It involved daily learning and meditating on the things they learned.
Leviticus 10:8-11 (AKJV):
And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
Aaron was of the tribe of Levi, and he and his descendants were chosen by God to be the priests under the law of Moses. They made the offerings and sacrifices to God on behalf of the children of Israel. However, another important responsibility that they had was to “teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” The priests were to teach God’s Word to the others of Israel.
Deuteronomy 31:9-13 (AKJV):
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel.
And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,
When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:
And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
Moses wrote the law and delivered it to the priests. Thus they had written copies of the law from which to teach the children of Israel. In addition to their daily learning and meditation of those Scriptures, the children of Israel were to have the opportunity to hear the entire law read every seven years during the feast of tabernacles. The priests were commanded to read the written Scriptures to them on that sabbatical occasion so that the people could hear and learn and so that they might fear, or reverence, the Lord God.
Let us look at an occasion when the priests read the Scriptures to the people of Israel.
Nehemiah 8:1-8 (AKJV):
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Ezra, the priest, and the others with him read the book of the law to the people of Israel. They read it distinctly. The Hebrew word rendered “distinctly” in verse 8 is a verb that means “to make clear or distinct.” A related noun means “an exact statement.” Whatever they did when they read the Scriptures, they made it clear or distinct. It was not an unclear or indistinct or un-exact reading of the Scriptures cluttered with private interpretation and other information. When they read it, they made it clear or distinct.
In addition, verse 8 says that they “gave the sense” so that the people listening could understand what was written. They gave the sense; they did not add sense or nonsense. They helped the people to understand what was written in the verse and context. If the older Hebrew language of the Old Testament had become difficult for people to understand, then they might have given the sense in their currently understood language, which was Aramaic. They taught the Scriptures, rightly divided, so that the people could understand the Scriptures. Then the Scriptures made known God and His will to them.
Verse 18 (AKJV):
Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
Ezra, the priest, and the others with him read the Scriptures every day of the seven day feast. When they read it, they read it distinctly, clearly, exactly, and they gave the sense so that the people listening could understand what was written.

Profitable Learning in the Administration of the Grace of God

Let us return again to the Scriptures pertaining to the Church in the administration of the grace of God, the administration of the mystery.
Acts 2:1-4 (WT):
Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they [the twelve apostles] were all together with unity of purpose.
Then suddenly a sound from heaven as of a rushing, forceful breath came and filled the whole house where they were sitting,
and there appeared tongues as of fire, which were distributed to them, and it sat upon each one of them.
Then they were all filled with holy spirit, and they began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them [the words] to speak out.
On the day of Pentecost, people were filled with holy spirit for the first time. They manifested it by speaking in tongues as God gave them the words to speak out. In addition to speaking in tongues, they also had the ability to manifest holy spirit in eight other ways, as we read in I Corinthians 12.
In the administration of the grace of God, people may be filled with holy spirit and manifest it. All nine manifestations of holy spirit are for profit. We have also seen that the manifestations of holy spirit are of the greatest profit with the love of God.
Let us look carefully at what Peter spoke to the others who were present on the day of Pentecost.
Verses 14-21 (WT):
Then Peter, standing up with the eleven apostles, raised his voice and spoke out to them: “Gentlemen, Judeans, and all of you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known unto you, and listen carefully to my words.
“Certainly, these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day [about 9 a.m.].
“However, this is that which has been spoken by the prophet Joel:
“Joel 2:28-32: ‘And it will be in the last days, says God, I shall pour out of My spirit on all flesh [kinds of people], and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your elders will dream dreams,
“ ‘and even on My male and My female servants I shall pour out of My spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
“ ‘I shall also give forth wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below: blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
“ ‘The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and illustrious Day of the Lord comes,
“ ‘and it will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved [delivered].’[4]
We should note that Peter began with a record from the book of Joel, which was part of the God-breathed and profitable Scriptures. It was something profitable for teaching on that occasion. It spoke of God’s promise to pour out spirit on people and that they were to manifest that spirit. We shall see that Peter then went on to cause them to understand that record from the Scriptures regarding God’s promise to pour out His spirit on people to the end that they would manifest it.
Verses 22-31 (WT):
“Gentlemen, Israelites, listen to these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man from God attested to you by means of miracles and wonders and signs that God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,
“you did away with, having by lawless hand crucified this one who was delivered over according to the determinate deliberation and foreknowledge of God.
“However, God resurrected him, loosing the birth pangs of death because it was not possible that he should be held by it [death].
“In fact, David says concerning him: Psalm 16:8-11: ‘I kept the Lord always in my view, because He is at my right side so that I should not be shaken.
“ ‘Therefore, my heart was made glad, and my tongue rejoiced exceedingly. Moreover, my flesh will also camp in hope,
“ ‘because You will not leave my soul in the state of death, neither will You allow Your devout one to see corruption.
“ ‘You made known to me the ways of life. You will fill me with gladness by Your countenance.’
“Gentlemen, brothers, permit me to speak openly to you concerning the patriarch David, that he died and was buried, and his tomb is with us until this day.
“Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn by an oath to him that Psalm 132:11: ‘from the fruit of his loins one would sit upon his throne,’
“he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ in that he was not left in the state of death nor did his flesh see corruption.
After speaking of what had happened recently in Jerusalem, Peter went again to the Scriptures, citing the records from Psalm 16:8-11 and Psalm 132:11 regarding God’s promises to David. Those promises related to the Christ who was to sit on David’s throne. David died and was buried, but the Christ was not left in the state of death, and his flesh did not see corruption, as God had promised. Peter read the Scriptures distinctly and gave the sense to the people, thus causing them to understand the Scriptures. Then he talked further of what had happened recently in Jerusalem.
Verses 32-33 (WT):
“God resurrected this Jesus, of which we are all witnesses.
“Therefore, having been lifted up [into heaven] to the right side of God and having received the promise of the holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out this, which you see and hear.
Verse 33 tells us that Jesus Christ’s accomplishments made available the promise of the holy spirit and its manifestations. That was the promise from the book of Joel with which Peter had begun. Peter reasoned with them from the Scriptures. He allowed the Scriptures to teach them. He quoted the Scriptures accurately and gave the sense so that they could understand the Scriptures regarding what had become available on that Day of Pentecost.
Verses 34-36 (WT):
“Moreover, David has not ascended into the heavens, but he himself says, Psalm 110:1: ‘The Lord said to my lord, Sit on my right side
“ ‘until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.’
“Therefore, let all of the house of Israel know with certainty that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both lord and Christ.”
Having talked to the people at Jerusalem regarding Jesus, whom God had raised from the dead and who was lifted up to the right side of God, Peter also cited Psalm 110:1, which spoke of the lord who was to sit on God’s right side. Then putting all of the records together, the conclusion stated in verse 36 was that God made this Jesus, whom they had crucified, both lord and Christ.
Verses 37-41 (WT):
Now when they heard this, they were pierced in the heart, and they said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, “Gentlemen, brothers, what should we do?”
Peter said to them: “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, every one of you, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift from the Holy Spirit.
“Certainly, the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, whomever our Lord God will call to Himself.”
With many other words, he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved [delivered] from this crooked generation.”
So then, those who accepted his word were baptized [in the name of Jesus Christ], and there were added to them in that day about 3000 souls.
Peter’s word was from the profitable God-breathed words of the Scriptures, and when he spoke, he also manifested the newly given gift of holy spirit for the profit of the others present. Those who believed those profitable words also received the gift of holy spirit in manifestation on that day. Peter spoke the Scriptures and manifested holy spirit, and there was great profit on that day.
Acts 17:1-3 (WT):
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Judeans.
As Paul was accustomed to doing, he entered [the synagogue] with them, and for three Sabbaths, he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
opening up and setting before them that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead and that “the Christ is this Jesus whom I preach to you.”
When Paul went to Thessalonica, he reasoned with the people in the synagogue from the Scriptures. The record does not say that he reasoned with them from his experiences or from his feelings, or from his intellect. He did not get involved with unprofitable word battles or profane, useless discussions or foolish and uneducated controversies. He reasoned with them from the Scriptures, opening up and setting before them from the Scriptures that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead. He showed them from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ who had fulfilled those things that God had promised and declared in the Scriptures. He caused them to understand the Scriptures, just as Peter had done on the Day of Pentecost.
I Thessalonians 2:13 (WT):
For this reason, we also thank God constantly, because when you received the Word of God that you heard from us, you did not accept it as the word of men but, as it truly is, the Word of God, which also works in you who believe.
The Thessalonians received what Paul taught from the Scriptures as the Word of God. They did not consider the Scriptures to be the word of men, nor did they accept the word of men. They accepted the Scriptures that Paul taught to them as it truly is, the Word of God. All of those Scriptures are profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in justness so that a person could be fully equipped for all good works.
I Thessalonians 1:1-5 (WT):
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you.
We give thanks to God continually for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers,
constantly remembering your work of the [right way of] believing and your hard labor of the [right manner of] love and your patience of the [right] hope in our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father.
We do this knowing, brothers, beloved by God, His choosing of you
(because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and in holy spirit and complete certainty), just as you know what manner of men we became among you for your sake.
The gospel came to the Thessalonians in word, but it also came in power, and in holy spirit in manifestation and complete certainty. These things were profitable to the Thessalonians so that they could come to a realization, recognition, and acceptance of what God planned and what Jesus Christ accomplished.
Verses 6-8 (WT):
You also became imitators of us and of the lord, having received the Word in much affliction but with joy from the Holy Spirit.
Thus you became a model for all those who believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
In fact, from you, the Word of the Lord sounded out not only in Macedonia and Achaia but in every place your believing with regard to God has spread abroad, so that there is no need for us to say anything about it.
Paul had taught the profitable Scriptures to the Thessalonians. They, in turn, received what Paul taught as it is in truth the Word of God. They became imitators of Paul and his associates, and then, having done so, they became models, or examples, for others to imitate. Others heard the Word of God from them and believed the same Word of God.
When people hear the Scriptures taught rightly divided, then they too can believe those profitable Scriptures, which declare God’s purpose of the ages, which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Acts 17:10-12 (WT):
and the brothers immediately sent away both Paul and Silas by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Judeans.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so.
Therefore, many of them did believe, including not a few of the honorable Greek women and men.
We have seen that Paul taught from the Scriptures. When he taught the people at Berea, they received what Paul taught from the profitable Scriptures with all eagerness, and they examined the profitable Scriptures daily. Like the children of Israel were instructed to learn and to meditate day and night on the Scriptures, so these in the synagogue at Berea examined the Scriptures daily. They searched the Scriptures. They did not search their social standards, nor their former experiences in life, nor their feelings, nor their intellectual understanding of various matters that might lead to word battles, useless discussions, and other controversies. They examined the Scriptures. They did not privately interpret the Scriptures. They read, searched, and examined what was written in God’s Word, the Scriptures.
We too ought to receive the Word of God from the Scriptures with all eagerness and believe it. We ought to search and examine the Scriptures with detailed accuracy, rightly dividing them. All Scripture is profitable.
We ought to be willing to live by the new spirit nature in all of its totality with the love of God, seeking what is profitable to all.
And then, we ought to be able to communicate the Word of God, the Scriptures, in an easily understandable form so that even children may learn.
Like Ezra, we ought to make it clear and distinct and give the sense so that others may understand the Scriptures, the Word of God. We ought to teach the Scriptures, not our experiences, feelings, intellect, unprofitable word battles, useless discussions, and foolish uneducated controversies. Let the God-breathed Scriptures teach, reprove, correct, and instruct others in justness or righteousness.
It is interesting that we have two eyes and two ears, but only one mouth. Having four body parts for learning the Scriptures and only one part for sharing it with others gives us an advantage for learning the profitable Scriptures before we speak. Then, when we have a mouthful of truth, we have something to say.
The Word of God makes known God and His Son Jesus Christ. When the taught word makes known the written Word of God accurately, then the written Word of God can make known God and His Son Jesus Christ to others for their profit, edification, teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in justness or righteousness.
The accurate, rightly divided Scriptures are more proficiently effective in teaching, reproving, correcting, and instructing in justness or righteousness than we could ever be by our intellect, experiences, feelings, word battles, useless discussions, and uneducated controversies.
All Scripture is profitable, and the manifestations of holy spirit are for profit. With those two resources, we have what we need to be fully equipped in order to profitably serve and help others to grow in their knowledge and appreciation of God and His wonderful Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Love in Christ,
Walter J. Cummins


[1] A Journey through the Acts and Epistles. Copyright Ó 2006 by Walter J. Cummins. All rights reserved.
[2] The word “God” is an alternate reading according to some critical Greek texts.
[3] The word “one” is an alternate reading according to some critical Greek texts.
[4] Boldface print is used in the Working Translation to mark quotations from other records in the Scriptures.
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