The Authority of God’s Word

Let’s talk about the authority of God’s Word. 

 2 Timothy 3:16…16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

God himself really wrote the Bible through men. That’s why it never contradicts itself. It took thousands of years to write and when you compare the writings of each book it is as if the writers were in a room together comparing notes! 

2 Peter 1:20-21…20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

So if God wrote it, we can’t take it upon ourselves to go rogue and interpret the scriptures the way we want them to read. We must take them as they are even if they step on our toes!

Revelation 22:18-20…18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

This is a very serious matter! No one can add to the Word or take away from it. As we already said, there is no pick and choose option. There are serious consequences to not obeying the Word. I don’t know about you, I want to do as the Word says, exactly as it says so that I can be in right standing with the Lord. 

I would like to note: As human beings, we are prone to see what we can get away with. Oftentimes, we make a mistake and when we don’t see fire fall from heaven to correct us, we think “hmmm that must have been ok to do!” Jesus is a gentleman, He will allow you to continue in your sin especially if you aren’t seeking a relationship with Him. However, if we make a mistake and are doing our best to read the Word and talk to Him consistently He will direct us to do the right thing. He will call you to repentance and get you back on track.

Deuteronomy 4:2…Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

2 Timothy 2:15…15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We are studying the Word now in order to be approved by God Himself. I’ve had people say the Old Testament isn’t relevant anymore but I beg to differ! When reading the Old Testament you soon learn the personality of God. You see what He likes and what He doesn’t like. You see what makes Him happy and what displeases Him. When reading the New Testament we see His love for us causing us to want to please Him in every way. We also see His devine plan for humanity. We must be molded and formed into His will and way and lose ourselves in the process. Then we can know how to rightly divide the Word of truth. 

The Books Matthew, Mark, Luke and John Tells us of the birth, Life, Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Acts is the only book in the bible which tells us Verbatim what the Apostle’s answer was to the question “What must we do to be saved?”.  The New Testament church was born in the book of Acts.

The Epistles Romans thru Jude are Letters written either to the churches or a saint in the church instructing them on how to live after receiving the Holy Ghost. In other words, how to stay saved.

Revelation is the book of Prophecy (Written in symbolic form)

Galations 1:6-9…6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

It is vitally important to get into the Word! Read it! Know it! Study it! Eat it! Sleep it! Obey it! This is critical so we will know the truth! There are people that don’t know all of the truth maybe because of tradition “That’s how my Grandma and Grandpa did it”. The story of the Christmas ham goes as follows: The young lady for years cut the ends of the ham off because that’s what momma did. She called her momma one day and says why did you cut the ham that way. The mother responded, “I had to make it fit in my pan!” Her short pan inadvertently caused a tradition. We can’t take someone’s word for it! We need to search the scriptures and see for ourselves! 

In our world, we have respect for the clergy, no matter the religion, and it is easy to put our confidence in their words. Our hearts want to trust their walk with God but truthfully, we must not take their word it! We have to see for ourselves what the Bible says, especially when it comes to salvation! When we stand in judgement, before God, we won’t be able to say “I didn’t know!” All of us have instant access to the Word through our phones, tablets, etc. This is a life or death situation for all of us!

Colossians 2:8-10…6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power

The scripture above is warning us to beware. Here is a more clear interpretation of that scripture: 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. 

In other words, be careful who you let speak into your life. Be sure you know they are preaching ALL of the truth! How would you know? Because you are in a relationship with Jesus and reading the Word. I really cannot stress to you how important this is! Where you spend eternity depends on it! As a side note, don’t ignore the signs that you need to make a change! If you choose to continue on your path even after the Lord has revealed the truth to you, you are in danger of a strong delusion! I’m not being hard on you but it is my duty to tell you the truth! God will allow you to believe a lie and be damned! 

2 Thessalonians 2: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

James 1:21-22…21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Be ye a doer of the Word! Obey it! The Word which is Jesus Christ is the only thing that will save you! The Word is your ticket to heaven! Don’t Gamble on your salvation! 

2 Timothy 4:1-4…I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;4 And they shall tu rn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

We live in the time of the world rejecting truth. What used to be right is now wrong. What used to be good is now evil! Our world is literally upside down. We must come out from among them (the world) and be separated! God intends for us to be a lighthouse. How can we show someone else the way if we don’t look different? Lighthouses look different than houses. We are to be a light in a dark world. Light changes everything around it. Light can’t be light if it is darkness! You need Jesus in order to become that light! Think about that! It is imperative that we be different! 

2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

John 12:48…48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

So if we reject the Word of God and refuse to receive that Word then we are already condemned. By the words in this scripture alone it shows us that we have a choice! We can be obedient to the words of Jesus Christ and choose life! 

2Thessalonians 1:7-9…7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Romans 2:8-9…8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentiles. 

Theses scriptures are the ones we don’t want to read. It’s hard to hear! But how would you feel if nobody told you? If you found out I knew our whole friendship and never told you. How would you feel about that? These words aren’t mine they are straight from the Word! Go look them up! There are three ways that we could be lost (not be saved). 

1.     We could never hear the Apostles Gospel, we could never hear the salvation message and it would be hidden to us. We would be lost.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The gospel is hid to the lost. The god (little g says this means Satan) of this world blinded the minds of those that believe not. How does he blind us? He sends distractions that take our attention away from seeing the true light. The voices in our world tell us church isn’t cool, talking to Jesus is nothing more than having a conversation with yourself and it makes you crazy! Let’s give you drugs to keep the anxiety and depression at bay because you don’t need to know Jesus can fix it in an instant. The voices also say “Jesus would never heal you, save you, touch you because you aren’t good enough. We are distracted by the lack of time. We have way too much to do to take the time to read the word or pray. On and on the list could go! 

2.     We could be deceived by a false prophet, into believing something other than what the apostles preached. 

This is why it is so important to get into the Word, pray and ask God to help us find someone that will tell you the truth. 

3.   Finally, After hearing what we are to do, WE DO NOTHING! 

This is rejecting the truth! This is refusal to receive!

I will not reject the truth! I will receive the Word into my life! I will embrace the Word of God! I want to live it! Breathe it! I will to let it make me into a vessel of honor, worthy to be handled by the master potter! 

(to be continued)

Pray: Change me, Lord to be what you want me to be! I will do want you want me to do! I will go where you want me to go! Make me in your image!