The Word, the power to save

By WAYNE STEWART

Sit through any church service and a lot is said about, “the word.”

Now to be sure, “the word” can mean many different things. Put a capital “W” in front of it and you get another name for Jesus Christ, as can be found in John 1:1, but mostly when we see “the word” written in the Bible it concerns the revelation of God to his people — which of course had its ultimate manifestation in Jesus Christ and his finished work upon the cross of Calvary.

From the time of Moses to the apostle John on the isle of Patmos, God chose to bless the generations with the spoken word.

A preacher once said, “God could have chosen to bless us with golden jelly beans laid by pigeons, but instead God chose to bless us with the word, and aren’t we the better for it?”

The simple answer to the posit is, yes, because it is through the word of God, something Christians call the Holy Bible, we can actually learn about God and his plan for mankind and his path for our salvation.

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it — not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it — they will be blessed in what they do.” — James 1:21-25

James, the half-brother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ makes it known the “word” planted in you can save you.

Notice the word “planted.”  A person can read the Bible all day long, but unless the Holy Spirit plants it in the reader’s heart then the word will never take root, but on the other hand the Holy Spirit can urge a person toward the word, but until they read and receive the word there is no seed to plant.

In other words, the word of God, when combined with the Spirit of God, is a believer’s source of life.

“The Word of God is a living seed containing within itself God’s own life, which, when it is received into our hearts, springs up within us and ‘brings forth fruit after its kind;’” R.A. Torrey wrote, “for Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God, is the living germ hidden in his written word… Of no other book could such things as these be said. Hence we say, the Word of God is the instrument in His hand to work in us and for us regeneration and salvation.”

Through the word God has not only revealed himself to us, but has involved us in his work.

This should be wonderful news to any believer, but especially to those who are lost and trying to find some truth in this world. Sadly, though, there aren’t enough Christians out there willing to turn off the TV and open the word of God and experience the life that is within it for all who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you — they are full of the Spirit and life.” — John 6:63

In Ephesians 6:10-17 Paul tells the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God in order for believers to take a stand against Satan. Paul sums up his analogy by saying, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

We know the word of God points us to our salvation, which is faith in Jesus Christ, but the word of God also protects us from the evils of Satan, and also acts as an offensive weapon against the enemies of God. Try as it might, the world cannot overcome the word of God, though many rail at its teachings, they only roar because in their hardened hearts they know the Bible contains the words of truth.

When a believer is immersed in the word of God, the body may be destroyed, but there is nothing Satan can muster that will separate the believer from their destiny with Christ.

No other words, but the Word of God, can give, or even promise life. The word of God is the believer’s sustenance in a time of drought and dearth. The word of God, the Holy Bible, to borrow the words of Dave Hunt, is God’s love letter to mankind.

So, instead of using God’s holy words as a paper weight, or as a dust collector on a shelf, open the pages and look inside limitlessness of a God who wants you to come to him through His son, Jesus Christ. Read the words, because there is no other conclusion to be made.