Confidence in the Word of God

As the world moves further away from the principles of the word of God, and many in religion are seeking guidance and direction from other sources, we need to be reminded of the power of the word of God. The Hebrew writer said, “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). In writing to the saints in Rome, Paul spoke of his confidence in the gospel: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

In spite of these reminders of the power in God’s word, many view simple Bible study and plain Bible teaching as being foolish. Paul spoke of this attitude in his letter to the church in Corinth: “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

People often think that the word of God is not enough. Attempts are made to make preaching more “relevant.” Truth is compromised as sensitive and offensive subjects are either ignored or quickly passed over. Teaching is still done from the word of God, but it is not “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Human philosophy and opinion are interwoven with Scripture so that the casual listener cannot distinguish between the two. The result is “a different gospel,” which Paul said “is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7).

The word of God reveals the will of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-13). As Christians who are trusting in God, we must not let our confidence be shaken from following that which the world sees as foolish. It all comes down to whether we are going to trust the wisdom of God or the wisdom of men. Paul described the grossly unbalanced comparison between the two in his letter to Corinth: “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

The comparison between the ways and thinking of God and man is also made in the book of Isaiah: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9). No matter how wise we may be in our own eyes, our wisdom is nothing compared to the wisdom of God.

The Lord went on through the prophet Isaiah to connect this thought – that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than man’s – with the power of God’s word: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). The word of God is always going to accomplish what God intends. In this passage it is said to provide “seed to the sower and bread to the eater.

Jesus compared the word of God to seed in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:5-8). In this parable, He spoke of four different soils in which the seed was sown – each representing a different kind of heart. Those with an “honest and good heart” would “bear fruit with perseverance” (Luke 8:15). Peter wrote, “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). James said that “in humility” we are to “receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). The word of God will provide seed to the sower. This means that the word of God contains the gospel message. The preaching of it will bring about salvation (Romans 1:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:14).

The word of God is also compared with bread (Isaiah 55:10). Bread is that which is able to sustain us. In other passage, the word of God is also compared with food. Peter spoke of “the pure milk of the word” that was able to cause one to “grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). The Hebrew writer referred to certain portions of God’s word as “solid food” (Hebrews 5:14). The word of God can sustain us in our spiritual lives and cause us to grow. Paul told the Ephesian elders, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).

All of those who are Christians have been saved as a result of hearing the gospel. All edification and spiritual growth comes as a result of the study and teaching of God’s word. As many abandon the word of God, claiming that it is outdated, irrelevant, and foolish, we must “hold fast the pattern of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13). Let us have the same confidence in the word of God as the apostle Paul, so that we may boldly say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel” (Romans 1:16).


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