The Sufficiency Of The Word Of God

Since this is my first post of the new year, I thought it would be good to look at the power of the Word of God. It is after all why I write. If I did not believe that God’s Word had power to accomplish, then there would be no reason for or point in my writing. The Word of God produces faith as it is heard and received (Rom. 10:17). Since the Word of God precedes all response on our part, it makes God the initiator and cause of everything of eternal worth. The Word of God is also able to build us up and Give us a rich inheritance (Acts 20:32).
The prophet Jeremiah gives a very interesting description of God’s Word in Jeremiah 23:28-29, “The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

This portion of Scripture is dealing with specifically with the difference between true and false prophecy, but it can be extrapolated to show the difference between God’s Word in general and the words of all others. The first thing it mentions is that we should speak God’s Word faithfully if we have it. We must not dilute or adulterate it, but give it as close as we can to how it came to us. Next it encouraged Jeremiah with the ultimate triumph of God’s Word. He was surrounded by false prophets with a message opposite to what God had spoken to him. God said, “What is the chaff to the wheat?” The chaff may be with the wheat for a time, but when the winnowing comes it is removed by the wind, because it has no solid true substance. The wheat however remains. God’s Word, his true Word, has substance and it will remain no matter the circumstance. The chaff of man’s ideas, hopes and dreams will be swept away sooner or later.

Not only is God’s Word stable in all circumstances, but it alters circumstances, in the same way that fire alters that which it touches and like the hammer that breaks the rock. When there is opposition to God’s Word, the Word will remain and the opposition will not. Either it will change or it will break.

This leads to the next thought contained in Scripture which is our response to God’s Word. Paul rejoiced because the Thessalonians had received God’s Word as God’s Word, not as man’s word (1 Thess. 2:13). God’s Word works effectively for our good when we receive it as His Word and obey it, any other response produces a curse in our life. Noah believed and received God’s Word and obeyed it, thus he was raised in the ark by the same water that drowned those who did not believe. They had taken Noah’s preaching as the words of man and perished because of it.

We are further told to in James, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” We need to submit to the Word of God when it comes. Mankind is proud and does not desire to admit our need of help. God’s Word is directly opposed to this and it works to our good when we acknowledge that God knows best and receive whatever He says, even though it might be against what we would naturally think. It mentions “engrafted” in this verse. That carries an interesting thought, a graft is a branch that is foreign to the tree in which it is placed and produces fruit from its parent. However it is nurtured by the tree into which it is grafted. God’s Word is foreign to us and contrary to our nature, but when we receive it and give it a place in our hearts it grows and produces His fruit – the fruit of the Spirit, Praise God!