The Word of
God
God chose to reveal His will to mankind and
His Word is recorded for us in scripture. Contained within
God’s Word are numerous statements that help us to learn about
it. God’s Word establishes itself as being complete, preserved
and authoritative in our Christian lives. The purpose of this
lesson is to examine what God’s Word teaches about itself so we
can have faith and confidence in it as our guide for living on
earth and our instructions for getting home to live with our God
and Father in Heaven forever.
The Word of God is inspired.
2 Peter 1:20-21, “knowing this first of
all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own
interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will
of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the
Holy Spirit.” (ESV). The Word of God was never left to the
interpretation of men. Neither did it originate in the minds of
men. The Holy Spirit made sure the Word of God was recorded
accurately. We can take comfort in the fact that the written
word of God was revealed to men under the direct supervision and
guidance of the Holy Spirit. This applies to both Old and New
Testament scripture. We know this from the teachings of Jesus
to His disciples. In John 14:26, Jesus said, “But the
Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all
that I have said to you.” (ESV) The New Testament
scriptures are no less inspired than the old.
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, 17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
every good work.”
·
“All Scripture”
This means all
scripture, both what was written and what would be written.
Scripture is inspired no matter when it was written.
·
is given by inspiration of God”
Means “God Breathed” or, directly from the mouth of God.
·
“and is profitable for doctrine”
body of Teaching
·
“for correction”
To guide us out of
any error and into the light.
·
“for instruction in righteousness”
Contains instructions for living right.
·
“ that the man of God may be complete”
Lacking nothing
·
“, thoroughly equipped for every good work”
Nothing is lacking that we need to know to live the
Christian life. No work we can do is left out. God’s word
completely equips us for everything we need to know and do. We
will never fall short of His expectations by using His written
Word to guide us.
The
Word of God is Jesus Christ
Hebrews 1:1-2
God, who at various times and in various ways
spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in
these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has
appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the
worlds;
Things have changed in the way God's will is
delivered to mankind from the old testament times.
John 1:1-2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
Jesus Christ IS the Word of God
The Role of The Holy Spirit
John
14:25-27
"These things I have spoken to you while being present
with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things,
and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to
you."" (NKJV).
The Holy
Spirit was sent to teach and remind the apostles of the
things Jesus said and taught while He was on earth.
The Holy Spirit did not reveal new revelation. The
Holy Spirit's role in delivering the Word of God was to
guide the apostles and those upon whom the apostles laid
hands in the things Jesus said. When these inspired
men wrote letters, the Holy Spirit was there to guide them
and make sure what was written was in fact the authentic
words of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit never delivered, confirmed nor revealed
anything that was not directly spoken by Jesus Christ.
The Word of God is the source of all
Truth
In John 17:14-19, Jesus said in a prayer to
God, “I have given them Your word; and the
world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as
I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take
them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the
evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the
world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the
world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they
also may be sanctified by the truth.” (NKJV)
·
“I have given them Your word”
In a
prayer to God on behalf of His disciples, Jesus stated that He
had given them God’s Word. In John 12:49-50,
Jesus said, “For I have not spoken on My own authority; but
the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and
what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is
everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the
Father has told Me, so I speak." (NKJV) The Word given by
Jesus originated from God the Father.
·
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is
truth. God’s Word can sanctify His disciples and by
extension all who hear or read it.
·
that they also may be sanctified by the
truth. God’s word is both true and can sanctify.
Sanctify means to set aside for service. God’s Word sets the
believer apart from the World and consecrates him to holiness.
God’s Word does not force this on anyone. To be sanctified,
God’s Word must be heard, comprehended, believed and obeyed.
2 Peter 1:2-3. “Grace and peace be
multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain
to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who
called us by glory and virtue...” (NKJV) At
the time Peter wrote this epistle, everything required to be
saved and to live the Christian life had been delivered to
mankind. Nothing was lacking.
The Word is Complete
Jude 3-4, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you
concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write
to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which
was once for all delivered to the saints.” (NKJV).
Jude
was warning his readership of apostates coming to lead the
Christians away from God with damnable heresies. Concerning the
faith that had been once delivered, he used a Greek word with a
very specific meaning. The Greek word from which “once for
all” is derived from is “hapax”. This word carries the
meaning of perpetual validity without the need for repetition.
“The faith” refers to the Christian belief system and
includes everything pertaining to the Christian life. In Paul’s
2nd letter to Timothy in chapter 3, verse 17, he referred to the
scriptures being able to make a Christian complete by thoroughly
furnishing Him. 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, 17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
every good work.” (NKJV)
The Word of God, delivered in its’
entirety, once for all time has been recorded for us in
scripture. The written Word is God’s truth, written and
preserved for us in scripture.
Gods ’Word is Eternal
The Psalmist wrote in Psalms 119:89, “Forever,
O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.” Isaiah 40:8, “The
grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands
forever." (NKJV) Peter quoted Isaiah in 1 Peter 1:23-25, “having
been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible,
through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24
because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the
flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls
away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is
the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” (NKJV)
We have God’s assurance His Word is pure and right and
preserved for us. He is in charge of its preservation and we
can be absolutely confident we can use it to order and commit
our lives in accordance with what it says.
God’s Word is Living
Hebrews 4:12-13, “For the word of God is
living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight,
but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we
must give account.” (NKJV) This is in reference to Jesus
Christ as the Word of God. We see this also in John chapter 1
where it speaks as Christ being the Word of God. The Scriptures
are a written record of what Jesus said and taught. The written
record of God’s Word is a divine extension of Jesus Christ.
When we read and heed scripture, we are reading and heeding
Jesus Christ Himself.
God’s Word Must Not Be Altered
·
Do Not Add To God’s Word
o
Deuteronomy 4:2, “You shall not add to the
word which I command you, nor take from it, that you
may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command
you.” (NKJV)
o
Deuteronomy 12:32, “Whatever I command you,
be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor
take away from it.” (NKJV).
o
1 Corinthians 4:6, “Now these things, brethren,
I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your
sakes; that in us ye might learn not (to go) beyond the things
which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one
against the other.” (ASV)
o
2 John 9-11, “Anyone who goes too far
and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God;
the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and
the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this
teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give
him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting
participates in his evil deeds.” (NASU)
o
Revelation 22:18, “ For I testify to everyone
who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds
to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are
written in this book; “ (NKJV)
o
If something cannot be found in God’s Word, it
came from the mind of man.
·
Do Not Take Away From God’s Word
o
Deuteronomy 4:2, “You shall not add to the word
which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the
commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”
(NKJV)
o
Deuteronomy 12:32, “Whatever I command you,
be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take
away from it.” (NKJV).
o
Matthew 5:19, “Whoever therefore breaks one of
the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be
called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and
teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
(NKJV)
o
Revelation 22:19-20, “and if anyone takes away
from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away
his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the
things which are written in this book.” (NKJV).
· The Teachings Of Men Invalidate Our Faith
o
Galatians 1:6-9
“ I marvel that you are turning
away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to
a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some
who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone
preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received,
let him be accursed. (NKJV)
o
Matthew 15:8-9, “8 "These people draw near to
Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their
heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching
as doctrines the commandments of men.'" (NKJV)
o
Colossians 2:22-23, “which all concern things
which perish with the using — according to the commandments and
doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of
wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of
the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the
flesh.” (NKJV)
o
Romans 10:2-3, “For I bear them record that
they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For
they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (KJV)
o
Colossians 3:17, “And
whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
(NKJV) That which is found in God’s Word must have come from
God’s mind. Anything more or less than what God said must
be from man's mind and, therefore, should be rejected. Seek
God’s Word for the authority to do whatever you do.
The fact that the teachings of men
invalidates our faith has some necessary implications.
The statements within God's Word imply a source for God's
will that does not originate with men, or come from the mind
of men. There is only one source for this information
in existence. God's written word. 2 Timothy 3:16
states that all scripture is inspired. Meaning it
originated with and came from the mind of God.
We will be judged by
God’s Word
· John
12:48, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My
words, has that which judges him — the word that I have
spoken will judge him in the last day.” (NKJV).
Believing in Jesus must include believing in His
teachings and His Commandments. Faith in Jesus implies
faith in His Words, which include instructions for
living. Hebrews 5:9, “And having been perfected, He
became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey
Him” (NKJV)
Conclusion
We do not need to look any further than
God’s Word for instructions on a godly life. It is eternal,
divinely inspired, divinely recorded and divinely preserved. We
need nothing more than His Word. We should reject anything not
found in God’s Word. We should not leave anything out of God’s
Word. No creed other than God’s Word. No doctrine other than
God’s Word. Nothing more, nothing less and nothing else than
God’s Word. Seek the Truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
truth of God’s Word.
God’s Word: Read it, Learn It and Live it.
Prepared by David Hersey
The church of Christ at Granby, MO
Located at
516 East Pine St.
P.O. Box 664
Granby, Mo. 64844
(417) 472-7109
For more lessons and Sermons please visit
https://granbychurchofchrist.org/
https://granbychurchofchrist.com/
