1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,
“All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you.
2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The foundation upon which our maturity can be built is the Word of God. The seed that grows and bears the fruit of love is the word of God. The seed (sperma) by which we are born again is the word of God.
The Word of God is Powerful for:
Proof of God’s Plan
Predictive proof of the prophecies concerning the Messiah, the past, and the end of the world.
Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.
God’s Name and His Word are above all things.
Predictive Prophecies of Gensis, Exodus, Joshua, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Jesus, Paul
We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:18-21
God spoke the Word of prophecy. The words of the prophets are God’s word-God’s words. Therefore, there is no place for private interpretation. I’ve heard many people debate the issue of interpretation, and have seen some students come through the doors of the Bible college who reject the understanding of Scripture which has stood the test of time, embracing strange doctrines clearly contrary to the historic Christian faith. The Bible is to be understood in community. The Holy Spirit works out the work of interpretation through the Body of Christ. It is not a matter for private individuals to work out on their own. There may be many levels of meaning to Scripture. The wealth of God’s word is endless. Yet, the old saying continues to ring true, “If it’s true it not new. If it’s new, it’s not true.
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Hebrews 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. John 1:1
Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s word. This means He is the communication of God to humanity. He is the means by which God expresses who He is.
Paradigms for Ideals/Identity
Our stories-those we are told and we tell our children, define who we are. Ravi Zacharias
“life is like a grammar lesson. Sometimes we find the past-perfect and the perfect-tense”. (anon)
This may be true, that we superimpose in our imaginations some form of perfection on the past, longing winsomely for the “good old days” that may never have been all that good. But we also can learn great lessons from the past, and, particularly, from the great people of the Bible who set standards of what we should and shouldn’t do. In each we can see various ways of responding to the Word of God.
Adam Ignored the Word of God and, as a result, plunged the human race into sin
Abraham Listened to the word of the Lord, leaving his parents, and the traditions of his ancestors, to obey that calling placed on him by the Most High. As a result, all people of the world are blessed.
David in spite of his obvious weaknesses and failings, became one of the greatest kings of ancient history, and through this imperfect vessel “the Holy Spirit spoke”, according to the New Testament (Acts 1:16; 4:25; 2 Samuel 23:2). Therefore, The Word of God actually came through David.
Nehemiah In obedience to the Word of the Lord, and the prophecies of Jeremiah, worked to restore the city of Jerusalem and the temple of God.
Daniel Following the dictates of the Law of God chose simple food, prayed regularly every day, and, as a result, pronounced prophecies, all of which have either come true or are soon to come true in our future.
Elijah Though he was a man like us (James 5), with weaknesses and fears, prayed that it would not rain, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years, he called down fire from heaven, defeated the lies of false prophets, and heard the still, small voice of the Lord directing him.
Jesus The greatest by far of all heroes of ancient stories-God in the flesh, sacrificing Himself, serving the lowly, proclaiming righteousness, teaching love.
Where can find better stories that inspire us and tell us what is best about being human, and how we can find in our relationship with God the transformation of our lives from droll, mundane mere existence, to an adventure of faith? The Word of God is powerful to provide us with the Paradigms which define who we are and all we are capable of becoming.
Progress in Love
Our character, our nature, is to pursue our comfort and gratification. God’s character is to love. Through His Word, working within our hearts, growing like a seed planted within us, He transforms us from the inside out. Studying, meditating on, and memorizing God’s word is a way of consuming His DNA. His nature and character become infused into our own. He begins a Magnificent Mutation of our fallen form, and transmutes us into the very form of His Son, Jesus Christ.
For,
“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.”
John Huss
Huss was born to peasant parents in
