Receiving God's Word
by Clennie C. Johns, Jr.
Intro. The ignorance of God's Word, so typical of contemporary man, is both alarming and appalling. It is ironic that, in a country where Bibles are available at a nominal amount of money, so few people seem willing to pay the price of diligent study in order to obtain a knowledge of God's Word.
The lack of faith in the Bible as a revelation of God's will to man, even on the part of people who claim to be religious, is an unfortunate problem. However, man's salvation from sin, his ultimate deliverance into heaven, his knowledge of how to live the Christian life are all dependent on man's knowledge of God's Word. The Apostle Peter emphasized the nature and power of God's Word in 1 Peter 1:22-25.
I. THE NATURE OF GOD'S WORD STRESSED.
A. The Word of God is the word of truth. (1 Peter 1:22).
1. Pilate's question, asked centuries ago, is still a pertinent question: "What
is truth?"
2. As surely as scientific truth, such as the law of gravity, exists, so religious
truth exists.
a. Laws of nature impressed on the created universe originated with the
same God whose law for man's salvation and happiness has been
expressed, or revealed in Scripture.
3. Our Lord declared, "Ye shall know the truth..." (John 8:32).
4. Same Savior said, "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth"
(John 17:17)
5. People are often confused about the plan of God for man's salvation
because they look for the truth on this vital topic in human testimonials, or
in the theologies of man.
a. Religious truth is found in the Bible. The men who wrote the Bible were
guided by the Holy Spirit..."into all truth"(John 16:13).
b. Sir Isaac Newton, astronomer and scientist, said, "We account the
Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure
marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatever."
B. Peter identified God's Word as "seed."-(1 Peter 1:23).
1. The change whereby one ceases to serve sin and becomes a servant of God,
a child of God, or a Christian, is of such a nature that the Lord would speak
of this significant change as a "new birth" (John 3:2-5).
2. Those who have any knowledge of human reproduction know that "seed" is
necessary for a birth.
a. We were all born physically of corruptible seed; we are born again of
incorruptible seed. What is that "seed"? It is the Word of God!
Without God's Word, the new birth would be as impossible as a human
physical birth without seed.
3. If you believe i nthe necessity of the new birth, and as surely as you
respect the teaching of Christ, you believe in being born again (John 3:3-5).
4. Precious people, believing that you can be saved without believing and
obeying the commands of God's Word, comes as the result of accepting
human opinion and false doctrine.
C. Third thing inspired Apostle Peter says about the Bible is this: It is "the Word
of God."(1 Peter 1:23).
1. If more people believed this fact, they would have a profound respect for
God's Word.
2. Who is the author of the Bible? Apostle Paul affirmed that the Scriptures
are "God-breathed."(2 Tim. 3:16-17). He said, "All scripture is given by
inspiration of God.."
a. The word, in the original translated "inspired of God," is found only in
the New Testament in this passage, 2 Tim. 3:16-17.
b. The Scripture, the Bible, is God-breathed.
c. Are not the product human thought; they came from Divine Revelation.
Indeed God is the author of the Bible; it is the "word of God"!--(1 Peter
1:23).
D. In the fourth place, God's Word is an enduring, abiding word. Peter said,
"The word of the Lord endureth forever." (1 Peter 1:25). In this context the
apostle employed three terms to set forth the permanent nature of God's
Word: Liveth, Abideth, and Endureth (1 Peter 1:23,25).
1. Isn't it tragic that some good people have been led to believe that God's
Word is, as something called, "a dead letter."
a. Note Hebrews 4:12-- "..quick and powerfult..."
b. One version-- "..alive and powerful..."
2. Barclay: For the Word of God is instinct with life; it is effective; it is
sharper than a two-edged sword, it pierces through to the very division of
soul and spirit.
3. See Hebrews 4:12- "Joints and marrow.." -- It scrutinizes the desires and
intentions of the heart.
4. God's Word is an abiding word. There have been various efforts made
either to destroy or to discredit the Bible.
a. Matt. 24:35- "Heaven and earth will pass saw...but not the word."
b. Taken out of secular classroom, and it has been neglected in the home.
c. Rejected as the standard in the realm of morals. (ethics...)
d. Repudiated as a revelation of God's Will for man.
e. Burned, banned, despised and decreed-- but the Word of God survives!
5. God's Word is an enduring word. Though frequently attacked by enemies
and often neglected by friends, the Word of the Lord endures!
a. The enduring nature of God's Word (1 Pet. 1:24-25) is put in contrast
with the temporal nature of flesh and with the transient quality of man's
glory.
E. Having studied these basic characteristics of God's Word, namely-- the fact
that it is truth, the seed which produces the new birth, the Word that has
been authored by Almighty God, and the Word that Abides, let us now turn our
attention to potential blessings you and I may receive from that word.
II. GOD'S WORD BLESSES MEN!!!
A. We may, through God's Word, receive purification of the soul. Man's soul is
defiled by sin. Sin fills the conscience with guilt. Sin pollutes the heart.
B. However, man's soul can be purified by God's Word because in God's truth
men can learn what God has done that they might be saved from sin. A
gracious, merciful, lovingly heavenly Father in His great wisdom has
provided a means whereby men may be saved from sin.
1. A price had to be paid for sin. Jesus paid that price.
a. Heb. 2:9-- "He by the grace of God tasted death for every man."
C. Precious people, when you sincerely believe that Jesus Christ is you way of
salvation, when you honestly acknowledge the reality of sin in your life,
when you face the sad fact that you are a sinner, then when in penitence you
turn your will away from selfish, sinful living toward God, you are then ready
to be baptized in water, as was the Ethiopian about whom we read in Acts 8
for the remission, or forgiveness of your sins.
1. Penitent Saul was instructed by Ananias in Acts 22:16.
2. The soul is purified when sins are washed away. Sins are washed away
when the penitent believers are baptized. These facts and commands are
revealed in the word of truth(Acts 2:38)
D. But please keep in mind: You must obey the truth (See 1 Peter 1:22).
1. Unless and until you are willing to obey the truth, the cleansing from sin
will not be your precious possession.
E. Our Saviour concluded the sermon on the mount with an emphasis on
obedience to His Word.
1. The one who heard and did what the Lord commanded He likened unto a
wise man who built his house on a rock.
2. The one who heard but did not do what the Lord commanded, Jesus
likened unto a foolish man who built his house upon sand(i.e. Where's the
wisdom of constructed a building on a shifting foundation?)
3. The difference between wisdom and folly is demonstrated by obedience.
4. ASK: Why do you suppose we are instructed to "Obey from the heart that
form of doctrine which has been once-and-for-all delivered unto the"
saints?