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New International Version, is a very weak translation at best. So I will use the Holman Christian Standard Bible to quote your verse:
2 Timothy 3:15 (HCSB)
[SUP]15 [/SUP] and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
EVERYBODY should KNOW that Nobody is Born Again at natural Child Birth, which the only exception is John the Baptist.
It is a decision you make after you have been taught the bible, sometimes for YEARS. I personally did not become Born Again until the Age of 29, and I was raised in a Church my whole life prior to that.
No one has GOD's LOVE poured into their hearts prior to being Born Again.
No one has the Holy Spirit in they hearts prior to being Born Again.
No one has Spiritual Gifts prior to being Born Again.
No one has genuine AGAPE Love in their hearts before being Born Again.
It is nearly impossible to Please GOD without being Born Again.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS, ARE REALLY NOT. ONLY THE SAVED ARE BORN AGAIN, AND THAT HAPPENS THE INSTANT YOU EXERCISE SAVING FAITH, AS THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS YOU.
ALL OTHERS ARE THE "MANY" in Mat. 7:22-23
SO YES, the Scriptures are able to give you wisdom for SALVATION.
Romans 10:17 (HCSB)
[SUP]17 [/SUP] So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
John 3:5-7 (HCSB)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
[SUP]6 [/SUP] Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
[SUP]7 [/SUP] Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again.
ARE YOU BORN AGAIN, and how do you know?
If you have not read my Testimony, you may want to read it now, it is #57991 on page 2900 on this Tread.
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what i say?
1 John 1:5-10 WALKING IN THE LIGHT This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we CLAIM to have fellowship with him YET WALK IN THE DARKNESS, we lie and do not live by the truth. But IF WE WALK in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. IF WE CLAIM to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. IF WE CLAIM we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
WHY WOULD OUR LORD JESUS BUILD HIS CHURCH(matthew 16:18) IF IT’S MEMBERS WOULD JUST SAY AND CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE FAITH BUT WON’T DO WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO DO FOR FEAR OF BEING CALLED A WORKS SALVATIONIST?
IF THE CHURCH IS THE BODY,(eph 5:23) AND JUST AS THE BODY WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD SO FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.( james 2:26) IN THE SAME WAY A TREE WITHOUT FRUIT IS CUT DOWN AND BURNED.(Luke 6:43-45,john 15:6,mat 3:10)
ISN’T HE THE HEAD OF THAT ONE BODY (THE CHURCH)(ephesians 5:23)
SINCE WHEN DID THE BODY CONTROL THE HEAD OR MAKE THE HEAD DO WHAT THE BODY WANTS OR FOR THE LORD TO BECOME ITS SERVANT?
AREN”T THE BELIEVERS WHO ARE PART OF THAT ONE BODY SUPPOSED TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND?
ARE WE SUPPOSED TO JUST HAVE FAITH ALONE EXPECTING TO BE SERVED BY GOD HERE ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN?( IF ALLOWED TO ENTER THAT PLACE)
IF EVEN OUR LORD JESUS BECAME A SERVANT, SHOULDN’T WE BE LIKE HIM, TO WALK AS HE DID ( 1 john 2:6) AND BE CONSIDERED AS GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS? (1 john 2:5-6,matthew 25:14-30)
Ephesians 4:11-13 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, TO PREPARE GOD’S PEOPLE FOR WORKS OF SERVICE, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
IF WE REALLY ARE A PART OF CHRIST BEING A MEMBER OF HIS BODY, THEN WE ARE EXPECTED TO DO HIS WORKS AS WE ARE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
IT IS HIS BODY (THE CHURCH) WHOM HE WILL SAVE AND THEY ARE THOSE WHO THROUGH FAITH DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER AND ARE WORKERS AND SERVANTS OF GOD AND ARE THEREFORE SONS OF GOD.
John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Romans 8:14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Mark 7:6-13 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you HYPOCRITES; as it is written: “‘These people HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; THEIR TEACHINGS ARE BUT RULES TAUGHT BY MEN.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” And he said to them: “YOU HAVE A FINE WAY OF SETTING ASIDE THE COMMANDS OF GOD in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), then YOU NO LONGER LET HIM DO ANYTHING for his father or mother. Thus YOU NULLIFY THE WORD OF GOD by your tradition that you have handed down. And YOU DO MANY THINGS LIKE THAT.”
Therefore:
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN HAS DIED IN HIS SINFUL NATURE AND RAISED AGAIN WITH JESUS TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.(Romans 8:4)
AM I BORN AGAIN?
….God looks at the heart and if I would just CLAIM to be born again yet DO NOT DO WHAT HE SAYS and STILL WALKS IN THE DARKNESS...I WOULD BE A LIAR.