The Word Of God
All sixty-six books of the Bible are inspired of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Inspiration means "God breathed". God directed the writing of the Bible. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "God who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the Fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son." As we read in 2 Peter 1:21, "For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke at they were moved by the Holy Spirit." Man’s will did not enter into God’s word. 1 Corinthians 2:13 says, "These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches." The Bible is literally the word of God.
God does not intend for His inspired word to be changed by man. We read in Revelation 22:18-19, "If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book, and if anyone takes from the word of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life." Either way whether one adds to or takes away from God’s word, he will be eternally lost.
Just as we eat 3 meals a day to sustain our physical bodies, we must also study God’s word regularly to sustain our souls. Our study of God’s word needs to include both Bible classes, preaching, and personal Bible study. If we don’t we are in danger of losing our souls. God says in Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." Satan does not want us to read and study our Bibles. Satan knows that we become weak and vulnerable when we fail to study. Our strongest defense against Satan is a shield of faith. Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." The more we study the word of God the stronger our faith will be.
But what happens when we fail to study God’s word and become spiritually starved? 2 Peter 3:16 says that those who are "untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the scriptures." We cannot understand God’s word unless we study it. To keep from wandering around in spiritual darkness, let’s study God’s word. Psalms 119:105 says "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path".
1 Peter 1:23 says, "the word of God lives and abides forever." The word of God will follow us into eternity. God’s word is the authority and standard by which all people will be judged on Judgment Day. Jesus says in 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." God has given us everything we need to know so we can please Him and go to Heaven. 2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness."
Jesus says in John 8:32, "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." What is truth? Jesus says in His prayer to God in John 17:17, "Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth." Only the truth that is found in God’s word can make us free from sin so we can be saved. God wants all people to be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4 says God, "desires all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." Before one can be saved one must first come to a knowledge of God’s truth.
Even though the world may neglect God’s word, we must not neglect to study and follow it so we can to go to heaven. Hebrews 2:3 says, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" There is no escape if one neglects to obey God’s word. The vast majority of people are neglecting their salvation and will be eternally lost. Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." There are only going to be few who go to heaven. If a person misses heaven he will only have himself to blame. In order to go to heaven one must first obey the gospel.
- To obey the gospel we must believe in Christ and in His word. Jesus says in John 8:24, "for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins". We must believe God’s word and do whatever it says, in the way it says, and for the reason it says.
- Also we must repent. Repentance is a change of mind, which results in a change of actions. Jesus says in Luke 13:3, "unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
- Then we must confess our belief in Christ. Jesus says in Matthew 10:32, "whoever confesses Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father in heaven."
- We must then be baptized for the remission of sins so we can be saved. Acts 2:38 says to, "Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins." Jesus says in Mark 16:16, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved". Much of the denominational world laughs at God’s word when it says that baptism is for the remission of sins and that baptism is necessary for one to be saved. But only those who are saved according to God’s instructions will go to heaven. There will be no unsaved people in heaven.
If you haven’t obeyed the Lord in baptism, you need to give serious thought concerning your eternal salvation. Satan wants you to put off your obedience, but please don’t. Or as a child of God, have you become negligent concerning your great salvation? 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."