 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
-52-
God Hath Spoken
Its Power
Notice what Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12 says. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The Word of God is profitable to men because it is powerful; but in what sense?
It Produces Faith
In Romans chapter 10, note verse 17: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Humanly speaking, faith is the direct result of our attendance upon the Word of God. The Scriptures produce faith. What happens, then, in a society when there is very little of God's Word being preached? It is obvious that there is correspondingly very little true faith. And how does a person come to faith if God does not bring His Word to bear upon him?
How is a person to believe if he does not hear? How can he place his confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ if the person of Christ is not preached? "How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" (Romans 10:14).
"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Preachers in this generation have tried to do away with the work of the Holy Spirit. They have substituted psychology in place of God's Spirit. In the pew, people commonly attempt to fool a preacher, or a church, by making a false profession. They may in fact be baptized, and join the church, and do all manner of good works. They may even go into the ministry. Yet, they may be as lost as the vilest sinner imaginable.
The Word of God produces faith. God is pleased to bless His Word, not our thoughts, and not illustrations from the Reader's Digest. It is His Word, and that alone, that He has promised will not return unto Him void. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (II Tim. 4:2).
It Regenerates
Consider I Peter chapter 1, verse 23. "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." The Word of God abides forever. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
The Word of God is powerful because it effects the new birth. We are not born again of corruptible seed. Any birth produced by corruptible seed will eventually result in death. It is on account of the fact that our body is the product of corruptible seed that we will awake one morning and find that we have died. In like manner, if salvation, or the new birth of our soul, was the result of corruptible seed, we could awake one day and find that we had lost our salvation. As it is, we are born again "...by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever." Consequently, the new birth, whereby at conversion a person becomes a new creation (II Cor. 5:17), is as sure as the Word of God "which liveth and abideth for ever."
It Protects and Preserves
Consider as well Psalm 119, and note a familiar, but a wonderful portion: verse 1. "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD." The Word of God protects from sin. Oh, how happy are the undefiled! It is not the filthy who are happy, but the undefiled who are walking, who are keeping up and maintaining their walk, in the law of the Lord. They are the happy ones, and not them who will not walk in the law of the Lord. It is not the people who live for this world who are the truly happy ones. Such people walk by sight, and not by faith; they live for themselves, and not for the Lord; for earth, and not for Heaven. They are a law unto themselves.
Its Necessity
It Is Life-Giving
Turn to Matthew chapter 4, which is just before the Sermon On The Mount. This is the scene of the great temptation of Christ. "But he [Jesus] answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (vs. 4). Here is the manner by which a man may live: he will live by "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The Word of God is therefore necessary.
If the Word of God is absolutely essential if men would live, why do we not preach and pray that our young people would go forth into the gospel ministry? that some would go forth beyond the seas to preach the Gospel of God where it has not been proclaimed? "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The preaching of the Word of God is absolutely essential.