How Does God's Word Work?
HOW DOES GOD’S WORD WORK?
This post will look at how God’s word works in our lives. The main ideas here are taken from the book ‘Reflections of a Discerning Christian’ by Nelson Thomas. I have also added a few of my own points after meditating on the same verses.
Psalm 19:7 - The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
Reforms
Our constant exposure to God’s Word transforms our thought process and even our words and deeds. There is power in the reading, hearing, and study of God’s word. It changes us for the better - converts the soul. It revives us.
The word of God is perfect. The knowledge that it gives is true and perfect. In 2 Peter 1:3, we see that the Word of God gives us all things that pertain to life and godliness.
Makes us wise
The Word of God makes us wise by being able to understand ourselves, as well as understand God and His ways. The Word of God is sure, meaning that it is reliable and certain.
James 1:22-25 - But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Deuteronomy 29:29 - “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Psalm 19:8 - The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
Makes us joyful
There is unspeakable spiritual joy in the heart of a believer from knowing God’s word. We are joyful because we know that God’s Word is right - morally, practically, and universally. It is so because it comes from God who is holy, true, and always right. We are also joyful because the Word of God is pure and comes from God who is pure.
Enlightens us
This means getting light for our daily path. Since the Word of God is both right and pure always, we never need to worry that it will lead us astray. God’s word will never lead us to sin and if we think it is doing so, that is evidence that the Scripture has been twisted, as seen in 2 Peter 3:16.
2 Peter 3:16 - as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
Psalm 19:11 - Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.
Warns us
The Word of God acts as a sign post, warning of danger ahead. God’s word gives instructions or warning that wealth or pleasures do not give. The Word of God warns us of:
The sins we are susceptible to
The dangers we cannot see
The dangers we cannot appreciate
The dangers that are in the future
Unfortunately, these warnings are often rejected. But God tells us that keeping His word reaps a great reward. Not only do we receive a reward from God for being obedient, we will be living a life that is pleasing to God that He has designed for us to live.
Luke 24:27 - And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Reveals Christ to us
The Word of God leads us to Christ for salvation and sanctification. Christ started teaching His disciples about what was written about the Messiah from the time of Moses. This shows us that Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It also shows us that the purpose of Scripture, no matter which portion, is intended to reveal Christ to the reader.
What was said of the Messiah in the Old Testament:
The Seed of the Woman, whose heel was bruised
The High Priest after the order of Melchizedek
The One who wrestled with Jacob
The Passover Lamb
The Prophet greater than Moses
The ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer
The Son of David who was a King greater than David
The Suffering of the Messiah in Psalm 22
The Lover of Song of Solomon
The Savior described in the prophets
The Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53
The Princely Messiah who would establish a never-ending kingdom in the book of Daniel
Romans 8:29 - For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The Word of God helps us grow in the knowledge of Christ and be conformed to Him. God adopts us into His family for the purpose of making us like Christ.
Acts 20:32 - “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Establishes and edifies us
The more we intake God’s Word, the greater our spiritual edification and growth
The Word of God brings us to our inheritance through sanctification. This inheritance is the kingdom of God. It means eternal life, joy, and riches of the glory of God. Sanctification means that we have been saved and our hearts changed to draw closer to God.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Profitable to perfect us
God not only divinely inspired the men who wrote the books of the Bible, but also inspired the words that were written. There is no other book like the Bible in its continuity, consistency, honesty, circulation, survival, influence, and life-changing power.
The Word of God shows us the right path, warns us when we go wrong, and brings us back through correction. It tells us how to live in true righteousness.
The reading of the Bible leads us to all the wisdom that we need. It makes us complete and transforms us.