Man's Basic Spiritual Problem

Whether we have an idea about who God is or none at all, when it comes to knowing Him, not only as the Creator but also as our Heavenly Father, we must go by what His Word says and nothing else.

We cannot say we want to know God or worship God, or that we want to stand for God -- and then go by man's word on how to do that.  We cannot go by man's word even if that man is behind a pulpit, is on television, or acts sincere -- unless that man is saying what the Word of God says.

Very few people believe that the Word of God is accurate, that it is God-breathed 1, that it says what it means and means what it says.  Man is therefore in a constant dilemma in his quest for truth because he will not go to the Word of God as the truth.

Many top religious schools have taught that the Bible, which is the revealed Word and Will of God, is fallible; that it contains errors, myths, and is not truth.  It is no wonder that there is so much spiritual sterility in "organized Christianity".  This is religion, not true Christianity, and there is no power in religion.

The primary burden of responsibility is on those of us who have been taught the accuracy of the Word of God.  It is our job to teach the Word so that others may hear and have the opportunity to believe.  No one can go beyond what they are taught.

Nonetheless, man's basic spiritual problem is the integrity of the Word.  Man does not believe it is the Word of God, so man therefore does not approach it as such and therefore does not believe it and reap the benefits.

What is God's opinion of the Word of God?

God magnified His Word above all His name!  If that is God's opinion, how can we have any less of an opinion?  The mind-set that we have when we approach the Word of God determines how well we put that Word to use in our lives. If we think that the Word is hit and miss, full of errors and myths, is outdated, no longer relevant, then we will not have power for abundant living. When Jesus Christ prayed for his apostles and disciples, he acknowledged that His Father's Word was truth:

The Word of God is that spiritual, mental food required by man so that he may renew his mind and thereby manifest the more abundant life.  Just as our physical bodies are benefited by the best quality food available, when we go to the Word of God, rightly divide it 2 and carry it out with believing action, we will see God's blessings in our lives.

If someone today reads a passage of scripture from the Old Testament addressed to Israel yet carries it out as though it was addressed to them, they are wrongly dividing the Word of God.  We are alive today in the administration of Grace -- Judean and Gentile both have equal access to God, and Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law (Romans 3:28, 29).

For example, if I read from the Old Testament that I am to sacrifice an animal to atone for my sins and I carry it out, I am wrongly dividing the Word because I am alive in the administration of Grace, and it says in Romans 3:24 that I am "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus", and therefore my sins are washed away.  I am mis-applying the Word of God.

When the Word of God says in I Corinthians 14:5 "I would that ye all spake with tongues", but someone says that speaking in tongues died with the apostles (chapter and verse please!) and so we fail to speak in tongues, we are wrongly dividing the Word of God and will not have the truth, and thus no blessing or power.

There are two tremendous words that help describe the integrity of the Word of God:  inerrant and inherent.

One cannot separate God from His Word, just as your word cannot be separated from you (much like the phrase "a man is as good as his word").  That is the "inherent Word".  His Word is His Will.  What He has promised, He will fulfill.

Also, God does not lie.  His Word has no mistakes; it is purer than pure.  This is the "inerrant Word".

Men and women will stake their finances, their health, their perceptions of world events and so forth upon the word of man.  If their broker says a stock will go up but it goes down they just accept it.  When the pesticide DDT was first released people were told it could be put on one's food with no ill affects, yet it turned out to be so toxic it was banned.  Man's word is not inerrent, without error.  You never quite know when to trust man's word.

When the apostle Paul spoke God's Word to the people in the city of Thessalonica, they believed that he was speaking the truth of God's Word to them.  And because they believed and acted on the Word of God spoken, they received the blessings that follow believing.

When Jesus Christ spoke the Word to the man with a withered hand in Mark 3 commanding him to stretch it forth, the man could have simply ignored Jesus Christ's words but he didn't.  He believed that what Jesus spoke was the Word and Will of God, he then acted with believing and received his healing!

What we think of the Word of God determines how we approach it.  If we think it is as full of error as man's word, why bother?  But if we dare to believe that it is the God-breathed Word, that it is the truth, then we will try it, believe it, and receive the blessings.

We can not allow anyone, not even our best friend, our spouse, ourselves, to talk us out of the Word of God.  It alone stands par excellence.  It alone gives answers to this life and is the key to eternal life.  It alone allows us to walk in harmony with our Heavenly Father.  It alone brings lasting healing, peace, love, and joy to us, our families, and others.

[1] Please see II Timothy 3:16.  "God breathed" is the single Greek work, theopneustos, or more literally, "God breathed".  This is the figure of speech condescensio, or, attibuting human characteristics to God.  Figures of speech are used in the Word of God for emphasis.

[2] Please see II Timothy 2:15.

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