The Word of God has many functions (Pt. 3)
Jun 06 in The Word
I love the Bible because they are real stories of real people who made real mistakes and to whom we can relate to – also being imperfect. From every account we find that we are not alone, finding within its pages hope, direction and courage for the future. Through each life we learn of a good God who is faithful and can be trusted. He is a covenant keeping God, He is bound by His Word and we can hold Him to His Word.
What else do we learn about His Word?
6 – His Word brings into being that which was not; something out of nothing.
Genesis 1: 3-27 He spoke and it came into being. Then God said, “Let there be… ; and it was so.”
John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
Ezekiel 37 “Son of man, can these bones live?” “Prophesy upon these bones and say unto them, ‘O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.”
God gives us His Word for our circumstances. ‘Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God’ Romans 10:17.
7 – His Word teaches us hidden things/mysteries (Wisdom, truth, knowledge) that pertain to life.
“To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 13:11
“At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants …” Matthew 11:25
“Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.” Jeremiah 33:3
“I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name” Isaiah 45:3
8 – Reading the Word Teaches us to recognize error from the truth.
There is a story about a man, a specialist in distinguishing counterfeit money. When questioned about the method he used and whether he spent hours studying all the different types of counterfeits his reply was ‘NO’. His way of determining a false note was by studying the real one so well that when a false one came along he would recognize it instantly.
We will not be able to measure something against the Word of God unless we KNOW the Word of God. When we know the Word we will recognize error. Satan does not come in a red suit with horns and a tail, he disguises himself as an angel of light, his name is Lucifer which means: ‘bearer of light’ 2 Corinthians 11:14.
We do not become mature overnight, we grow as we grow in the Word, having our senses trained to be able to distinguish truth from error; for deception comes in subtly and if we are not grounded we won’t recognize it.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
It is so important that we ask the Lord – where do I not know truth? Where am I deceived?
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Jeremiah 31:33