THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD

 By Peter C. Cay-ohen

 

 

“In the Word of God, studied and obeyed as our guide-book, we possess a spiritual guide and instructor by which the worst forms of evil in ourselves may be brought under the discipline of God’s law. If the teachings of this Word were made the controlling influence in our lives, if mind and heart were brought under its restraining power, the evils that now exist in churches and families would find no place. Upon converted households the purest blessings would descend, and from these households an influence would go forth that would make them a power on the side of truth and righteousness.”  Review and Herald, November 10, 1904 par. 1.

 

  1. POWER OF CREATION

 

  1. By what means did God made the heavens and the earth?

 

Psalms 33: 6 “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” 7 “For he spake, and it was done…” 

Hebrews 11:3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God...”

 

  1. By what means does God uphold all that he has created?

 

Hebrews 1: 3  Christ is “upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

 

  1. Many people refuse to believe that God’s word is powerful. What did they deliberately forget?

 

2 Peter 3:5-7 “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water…But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment…”

 

Note:  Without the power of Christ’s word that is keeping and upholding all the things of creation, there would be nothing else but chaos. The waters do not rise higher on the face of the earth because of the law of gravity.  But that law of gravity was created by God through the power of his word.  When the world allowed it, the gravitational pull was changed and there was a flood.  Now the same word gives us the assurance that a worldwide flooding will not happen again: “Neither will I again smite any more every living thing, as I have done.” Gen. 8:22.  Instead of a worldwide flood, this world is reserved by the same word to a destruction by fire (2 Peter 3:9-10).

 

  1. POWER TO RECREATE SINFUL MAN

 

  1. Because of sin, all men are born with what kind of human nature? What is the condition of the human heart that all are born with?

 

Psalms 51: 5 “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

Jeremiah 17: 9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

 

  1. Is it posible to transform the filthy sinful life of man into that of purity?

 

Job 14:4 “Who can bring a clean out of an unclean?  Not one.”

Jeremiah 13:23 “Can the ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spot?  Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.”

 

Note:  Naturally it is impossible to bring a clean out of an unclean.  It is also imposible for a leopard to change his spots.

 

  1. How do we know that what is naturally impossible is possible with God?

 

Ezekiel 36:26, 27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

 

  1. What shows that king David understood the possibility for a sinful man to be transformed into a saint?

 

Psalms 51: 7-9 “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow…and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” 

 

  1. By what power will God create in sinful man a new heart and renew a right spirit within him?

 

Hebrews 4: 12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

 

Note: “The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God.”  Education, p.  126.4

 

  1. How does the Spirit of Prophecy explain the power of God’s word in “piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”?

  

“The truths of the Bible, treasured in the heart and mind and obeyed in the life, convince and convert the soul,transform the character, and comfort and uplift the heart. . . . The Word makes the proud humble, the perverse meek and contrite, the disobedient obedient. The sinful habits natural to man are interwoven with the daily practice. But the Word cuts away the fleshly lusts. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the mind. It divides the joints and marrow, cutting away the lusts of the flesh, making men willing to suffer for their Lord.” Our Father Cares, p. 129.4

 

  1. For the word of God to convince and convert the soul, transform the character, and make the disobedient obedient, what must that person do?

 

Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy…”

Romans 10: 17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

 

Note: Through reading and hearing the words of God, faith is created in the heart of man and a new life begins.  The word of God works a radical transformation in the heart and life. God’s promise that “a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you…and cause you to walk in my statutes” will then be fulfilled.

 

  1. What is the meaning of the “new heart”?

 

“When Jesus speaks of the new heart, He means the mind, the life, the whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives. What is the sign of a new heart?–a changed life. There is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride.” Youth Instructor,  Sept. 26, 1901.

 

  1. What is this experience of a change of heart otherwise called in the New Testament Scriptures?

 

John 3: 7 “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

1 John 5: 1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God…”

 

  1. How did Paul confirm the fact that it is by the word of God that the change of heart or new birth experience is accomplished?

 

1 Peter 1: 23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but… by the word of God…”

 

Note: “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made… For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” Psalms 33:6-9.  It is also by the power of his word that the new birth is accomplished. The change wrought out in the life of one who is in Christ is called a new creation. Of him Paul said “he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

 

  1. What right is given to the born-again person who by faith receives Jesus as his Lord and Saviour?

 

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power (right) to become the sons of God…”

Galatians 3: 26 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

 

  1. When a sinner becomes a child of God by faith in christ, what promise belongs to him?

 

Romans 10: 9 “That if thou… shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

John 3: 36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life…”

1 John 2: 25 “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

 

  1. POWER FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

 

  1. What role does the word of God play in our spiritual growth as born-again Christians?

 

1 Peter 2: 2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

2 Peter 3: 18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory…”

 

Note: After creating all things by his word, God is “upholding all things by the word of his power.” Hebrews 1:3. In like manner, it is by his word that we are born again and it is by the same power of the word that we are sustained in our spiritual life. As the new-born babe needs milk to sustain his life and ensure proper growth, even so the Christian needs the words of God to sustain his spiritual life and ensure a symmetrical spiritual growth.

 

  1. How much of the word of God do we need to sustain us in our spiritual life?

 

Matthew 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Deut. 8:3 “Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”

 

  1. What standard of Christian maturity does God desire the Christian to reach?

 

Ephesians 4: 12, 13 “For the perfecting of the saints…Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

Hebrew 6:1 “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection…”

 

  1. How does the Holy Scriptures help the man of God to become perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works?

 

Psalms 19: 7 -11 “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes….More to be desired are they than gold…sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.”

 

  1. “Converting the soul” –  it makes men repent “towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).
  2. “Making wise the simple” – it makes man “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15).
  3. “Rejoicing the heart” – it makes the heart glad by offering forgiveness and hope of salvation (Rom. 15:4; Jer. 15:16).
  4. “Enlightening the eyes” – “…thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding….” Psalms 119:130, 105.
  5. “Warned” against sin – “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalms 119:11.

 

  1. By studying Bible doctrines such as the law of God, what advantage over his enemies did David obtain?

 

Psalms 119:98-100 -“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies… I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the ancients…”

 

  1. Does a good understanding of the Scriptures guarantee an easy walk towards perfection without falling in sin?

 

1 John 2: 1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

 

  1. What wrong attitude is keeping many people away from the light of the Scriptures and thereby missed eternal life?

 

 John 3: 19, 20 “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

Proverbs 28: 9 “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”

 

“Those who have an opportunity to hear the truth, and yet take no pains to hear or understand it, thinking that if they do not hear, they will not be accountable, will be judged guilty before God the same as if they had heard and rejected. There will be no excuse for those who choose to go in error when they might understand what is truth.”  RH, April 25, 1893.

 

  1. Why is it that many who read and listen to the preaching of God’s word do not experience a change in their lives?

 

John 5:38 “And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.”

 

CONCLUSION:

 

  1. What is the specific condition upon which the word of God could work effectively to change the life?

 

1 Thess. 2:13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”

 

  1. How can we maximize the cleansing and life-changing power of God’s word?

 

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom …”

John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

Psalms 119:9, 11 “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”