Category Archives: Apologetics

FAITH OR DELUSION?

Apologetics, ,

We humans are incomplete in ourselves. We are not self-sufficient and self-sustaining. We need someone or something greater than ourselves upon which to lean for meaning, purpose, and support. Babies need mothers; children need parents; adults need a higher power to guide and sustain us through life. In whoever or whatever we choose to trust will either meet our needs or fail us when we call for help.

Faith and its opposite, unbelief based on a delusion, has both a broad and a narrow base. What do I mean?

Let’s first examine the concept of faith. What is faith? Faith is confidence in the reality and reliability of a person or object, i.e., anyone or anything that can do what it says it can do and what we expect it to do.

The object of our faith must be real. It must exist even if it is unseen. If what we believe in and trust does not exist, faith is not faith. If we choose to repudiate what is real in favour of what cannot be proven to be real, we are deluded. If faith has no legitimate object in which to trust, it cannot be real faith. It is a delusion.

Legitimate faith, then, is the broad base upon which we function, our confidence in a person or thing that is able to sustain us in the context of everyday life. This faith forms the basis of our spiritual experience. The object of our faith must have both the  authority and power to perform as expected. This object, then, in whom we trust, is a god to us, one who has real authority and power.

The narrow base of faith is the trust we exercise in the one with whom we can communicate when we need help. We call on His name and He responds with intervention and action. We speak to Him and He speaks to us. This communication is not a figment of our imagination. What He says and does can transform our thinking and behaviour.

Hebrews 11:6 NLT
[6] “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Those who want to interact with God (or a god) must be convinced that He is real and that He responds to those who communicate with Him.

Delusion, on the other hand, is based on someone or something that only exists in human imagination. People have, since the fall of the first man from faith to delusion, created gods in their own image to evade the true God and their accountability to Him.

David concluded…

Psalms 14:1 NLT
[1] “Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!”

The reason for and purpose of their delusion is to make their own rules to accommodate their sinful desires and to escape accountability to the God who (they know) created and owns everyone.

Psalms 24:1 NLT
[1]”The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”

Despite man’s every attempt to escape from God, in the end, He really does exist, and He will call all people to account for their thoughts and actions.

How do we know that God is real and, therefore, our faith is faith, not a delusion? Since God’s existence cannot be proven scientifically, those who believe in Him base their argument from signs that are real.

The Bible gives us several signs that point to the existence of God. These are not scientific “proofs”, only clues that point us to His existence and, consequently, our faith in a legitimate object. Only when we are convinced that what the Bible says about Him is true can we bridge the gap between Himself and us by the gossamer thread of faith.

At least four clues have no explanation outside of a real God.

1. The natural world.
There is evidence of both design and unity in diversity in the natural world. Ecosystems everywhere point to the actions of a designer with their evidence of interaction and delicate balance that sustains their continuity. When humans interfere, this balance and continuity break down.

The Bible recognises that the human body is a miracle of intricate design…

Psalms 139:13-14 NLT
[13] “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. [14] Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

Despite the theory of evolution, if we remove or try to change a single function in the intricacy of a human body, that part will be dysfunctional. How, then, can every detail of the body function efficiently when it is, supposedly, evolving and in the process of change?

The universe and the natural world are a cosmos of splendour and beauty which suggest the work of a supreme artist…

Psalms 19:1-4 NLT
[1]”The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. [2] Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. [3] They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. [4] Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.”

So powerful and so glorious is this created universe that Paul declared…

Romans 1:20 NLT
[20]”For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

2. Miracles point to the intervention of a Divine Being.
Miracles are events that either speed up or cut across natural functions. Outside of the Biblical narrative, humans have experienced miracles that have no natural explanation. There can be no other conclusion than that a Being greater than man has intervened.

3. The evidence of prophecy.
People try to predict the future but mostly in such vague terms that fulfilment is difficult to recognise. Only God Himself claimed to be able to foretell the future in such detail that no one could doubt its origin.

“The Bible is the only known religious document with historically verifiable prophecies that have consistently been fulfilled…

…That the Bible has dozens of prophecies that can be verified by historians as having been accurately fulfilled is very strong proof that God is its Author…

…The Old Testament prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah in great detail. According to the Old Testament, the Messiah would:

be a descendant of Abraham (Gen. 12:3; Gen. 22:18)
be from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10)
be a descendant of David (2 Sam. 7:12 and 13)… (and many more)…

…Jesus Christ fulfilled all these prophecies and even more. With such amazing accuracy about the first coming of the Lord, why would any reasonable person doubt the prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled? And why would any reasonable person doubt that Jesus Christ was the man the Old Testament prophecies referred to? The fact that the Bible has been accurate in its prophecy time after time should make it easy to believe God is its Author, and that its prophecies concerning the return of Jesus Christ, the battle of Armageddon, the coming Judgment of all people, and saved people’s living forever, are all true.”

(Source : https://stfi.org)

4. Personal experience
The Apostle Paul experienced a personal transformation so radical that there can be no other explanation than that a divine encounter stopped him in his tracks and turned him around. He told his own story…

Acts of the Apostles 26:9-10, 12-18 NLT
[9] “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. [10] Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death…
[12] “One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. [13] About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. [14] We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’ [15] “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. [16] Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. [17] And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles [18] to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’ “

Could anyone invent a story like this and spend the rest of his life following through on his invention, including the hardships he endured,  on a delusion? Millions of people throughout the generations can testify to transformation when they believed in Jesus.

Faith in this God and the experiences of His love and care that faith makes possible, has provided enough evidence that this God, the God of the Bible, is real. He exists, and faith in Him is not a delusion.

What of the many gods people have invented to replace the one true God in their experience? Characteristically, all other gods resemble humans and glorify the worst of human nature. They are mostly evil, unpredictable, vengeful, and malevolent in their attitude toward their devotees. They demand to be appeased and call forth fear in the hearts of their “worshippers”.

Who are these gods that demand obeisance? The Apostle Paul identifies them as demons masquerading as gods.

1 Corinthians 10:19-21 NLT
[19] “What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? [20] No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. [21] You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too.”

Sacrifices and rituals offered to false gods are really offered to demons. Thus, “faith” in these gods is not faith but a delusion since they do not exist. Any religion based on gods created in the image of humans is a delusion.

People who are lured away from the worship of the one true God presented to us in the Bible by false teachings, also follow the doctrines of demons.

1 Timothy 4:1 NLT
[1]”Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.”

Satan will do whatever it takes to deceive people into worshipping him, even when he is disduisedcas a god. When humans refuse to acknowledge and worship the only true God, they will fall for any delusion that lures them towards eternal death.

Isaiah 45:18 NLT
[18]” For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other.”

1 Timothy 2:5 NLT
[5]”There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.”

Thus we must conclude that God is real, that faith in Him is real, and that all other “faiths” are false. Every follower of a false god or gods is deceived and destined for eternal judgment. This truth cannot be classified as “hate speech” since it points to reality and offers hope to those who embrace this God as real. This is the only “love speech” that calls people away from delusion to the truth that offers them eternal life.

John 3:18-19 NLT
[18]  “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. [19] And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.”

THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS

Apologetics, ,

1 Timothy 3:16 NIV
[16] “Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” Hu

First, a Bible “mystery” is different from all other mysteries.

Meta defines a mystery like this…

Definition
1. “Something unexplained or unknown”: A mystery is an event, situation, or phenomenon that cannot be fully understood or explained, often due to a lack of information or evidence.
2. “Enigmatic or puzzling”: Mysteries often involve enigmatic or puzzling elements that challenge our understanding or interpretation.
3. “Intriguing or thought-provoking”: Mysteries can be intriguing or thought-provoking, inspiring curiosity and encouraging exploration or investigation.”

These definitions are inadequate and incomplete to explain Biblical mysteries.

“A “mystery” in the New Testament is something that had at one time been hidden but is now revealed to God’s people.” (gotquestions.com – article: What is the mystery of God referred to in the Bible?)

“The apostle Paul used the word mystery 21 times in his Epistles. In each case, the “mystery” involved a wonderful declaration of spiritual truth, revealed by God through divine inspiration. A mystery is that “which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 3:5). (gotquestions.Com – article… What is the mystery of God referred to in the Bible?)

Revelation of the mystery of godliness answers the question, “How can a holy God accept and have fellowship with sinful people?”

God has a way for sinful humans to approach Him and be acceptable to Him that was hidden from the beginning of time but has now been revealed.

“The Bible tells us that the mystery of God is Jesus Christ: “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2–3). (gotquestions.com article… What is the mystery of God referred to in the Bible?)

Who JESUS is and what He did He do that is the key to our understanding of the reason God has freely forgiven our sin and accepted us into His family as His beloved sons and daughters?

Let’s examine, step by step, wha Paul said about the mystery referred to in this passage of Scripture…

1 Timothy 3:16 NIV
[16] “… He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.”

“He appeared in the flesh… “

Despite all the objections to the historical reality of Jesus, there is enough secular evidence to authenticate the Bible’s witness that Jesus is a real person who was born in Bethlehem and died by crucifixion in Jerusalem, not a mythical figure of someone’s imagination.

However, He was more than a mere human.

Jesus claimed to have been pre-existent before He was sent by the Father.

John 3:13 NIV
[13] “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.”

John 16:28 NIV
[28] “I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

How did Jesus prove that what He said was true? He affirmed in His human life everything that the prophets wrote about Him before it happened…

Luke 18:31-33 NIV
[31] Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. [32] He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; [33] they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

…and He was and did everything they prophesied.

Luke 24:6-8 NIV
[6] “He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: [7] ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” [8] Then they remembered his words.”

Luke 24:25-27 NIV
[25]” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” [27] And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”

So, how was the truth of Jesus’ claims about Himself vindicated?

… was vindicated by the Spirit…

Romans 1:4 NIV
[4] and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Jesus could not raise Himself from the dead. Death could not hold Him only if He spoke the truth. The resurrection of Jesus has been attacked and tested by unbelievers who have had to reach the conclusion that it is impossible to disprove the resurrection. (Frank Morrison – “Who Moved the Stone?”)

… was seen by angels…

Why is it important to for Paul to  testify that angels saw Jesus after His resurrection? Angels were the messengers who told the women  who came to the tomb that Jesus was alive. How did they know? Who would believe their testimony if the were not eyewitnesses?

The angels were the ones who sat in the tomb in the very spot where the body of Jesus had been lying. His body was gone. He had risen. They had seen Him.

… was preached among the nations…

Jesus gave His disciples the commission to take the good news of salvation to all the nations of the world. Poised to leave them to return to the Father, He instructed them…

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
[18] “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you… ”

…and promised that He would always be with them.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

In the first generation after His return to heaven, the apostles, and especially Paul, despite massive resistance and persecution, took the gospel to the known world. Since then, the message of Jesus has been preached and believed throughout the generations and on every continent on earth.

Mark 16:20 NIV
[20] “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.”

… was believed on in the world…

There is no need to verify the power of the gospel to impact the lives of every person who has believed the message. Since faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the message of Jesus, the Bible has been translated into most languages on earth. Through the internet, every person who has a cellphone has access to a free copy of the Scriptures in some language they can understand and read.

… was taken up in glory.”

Acts 1:8-9 NIV
[8]” But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” [9] After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”

As much as the disciples were witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection, they also saw Him return to heaven. His ascension was a visible event so that they could testify to the world that they saw Him go.

Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised, the apostles interpreted and wrote the Scriptures that give us understanding of all the events surrounding Jesus’ life and death on earth.

Mark 16:19 NIV
[19]  “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.”

Paul gave his readers a resume of the all that Jesus accomplished by His life, death, and resurrection as the solid ground for believing and receiving a new life. Jesus is the “mystery of godliness” revealed, the only way to be freed from the sin that condemns us, and to live new lives of trust and obedience to Jesus through the power if the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Romans 5:1-2 NLT
[1] “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. [2] Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.”

GOD’S WORD – A PERSON

Apologetics, ,

There are so many things we can learn from God’s Word about His Word and what His Word does and reveals that it would take a lifetime and more to discover every facet. To cut a very long story short, let’s examine just one more claim that wraps up every part of this book’s remarkable nature and its power to transform lives as a divine/human book.

The Bible has been described as “the manifestation of God in another form”. If this is true, then we must realise that God and His Word are inseparable. He is both who He is and what He says.

However, even more amazing is that this Book, this Word came here as a person, God’s Word living as a human on this earth.

This truth can be, for us, just a philosophical idea or a life-changing reality, depending on how we receive it. If we regard what John wrote about the Word being a Person as an application of the Greek philosophical idea of the “logos” rather than God speaking to us by His Son, we will miss the whole point of what John was saying.

Again, let the Bible speak for itself.

Genesis 1:1 NIV
[1] “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Hidden in this Hebrew sentence are the latters “aleph tov”, the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Although untranslatable, Jesus revealed their significance in the last chapter of Revelation.

Revelation 22:13 NIV
[13] “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

“He (the Word) was with God in the beginning.”

Genesis 1:3 NIV
[3] “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

John unpacks Jesus’ role in creation…

John 1:1-3 NIV
[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.”

… and in the world…

John 1:4-5 NIV
[4] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Can you see how, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John understood that the Jesus who came from the Father is God and that He was the agent through whom creation happened and through whom God speaks.

Our limited human minds grapple with this revelation but, like all God’s truth, we must receive it by faith or reject it according to our attitude to revealed truth.

Point one, then…Jesus is God in human form and He is the one who partnered with the Father to create the universe, God’s spoken word through whom the universe came into being.

Point two, Jesus is the incarnation of God’s final message to the world. Throughout the history of Israel under the Old Covenant, God spoke to His people through His prophets. However, His message was completed in the life and death of His own Son.

Hebrews 1:1, 3 NIV
[1] “In the past God spoke to our ancestors 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 also 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.”

Jesus not only spoke God’s Word, He came as the God’s Word itself. In other words, what Jesus did and said was not in His personal capacity as God in human form but rather as God’s Word doing and speaking. He could nevar speak or act outside of His unity with the Father because He was the Father’s voice to the world.

Consider His words…

John 12:47-50 NIV
[47] “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. [48] There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. [49] For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. [50] I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Jesus, the Word, is the standard by which God will judge humanity.

Whatever Jesus said was the Father speaking! It’s that simple! Hence, as a man, Jesus had all authority because He was God’s message to earth.

Jesus told His disciples clearly that His life, as the embodiment of the Torah, God’s instructions to His people, was not to do away with His law but to fulfil every detail in the way the Father intended.

Matthew 5:17-18 NIV
[17] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

It was only because Jesus lived in perfect obedience to the whole law, fulfilling every detail, that He could be the perfect sacrifice to atone for all humanity’s failure to achieve God’s perfect standard of righteousness.

In view of all we have considered concerning the Bible and what it has to say about itself, those who refuse to take it at face value and believe what is written must carry the burden and the consequences of their unbelief. Those who put their faith in what is written and live by its instructions will experience all the benefits and blessing of what God has promised because God has spoken His final Word in Jesus and has nothing more to say. To reject the Bible, then, is to reject Jesus because He is the Word in human form.

GOD’S WORD – INERRANT, INFALLIBLE, AND ETERNAL

Apologetics, ,

We must not ignore the Bible’s claims that it is inerrant, infallible, and eternal. However, we must remember that, when we refer to the Bible as perfect, we are speaking of its perfection in its original text. As much as we trust most translations, only the original can be considered to be faultless.

  1. Scripture claims to be pure, that is, unmixed with anything that is not true.

Psalms 12:6 NIV
[6] “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.”

Proverbs 30:5-6 NIV
[5] “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. [6] Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”

There are serious consequences for those who add, subtract, or alter God’s Word in any way. For example…

Revelation 22:18-19 NLT
[18]” And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. [19] And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.”

Since God and His Word are one and, since Jesus is the embodiment of God’s Word, it stands to reason that the Bible is without fault.

  1. The Word of God is eternal. Again the Bible speaks for itself…

Psalms 119:89 NIV
[89]”Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”

Matthew 24:35 NLT
[35] “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”

Jess Himself is the guarantor of all God’s promises.

2 Corinthians 1:19-20 NLT
[19] “For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. [20] For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.”

  1. The third in this trio of guarantees is that God’s Word is infallible. What God promised, He did. What God threatened, He did. When God made promises yet to be fulfilled, we can be sure that He will keep his Word. Unlike humans whose promises are often, as my mother used to say, “…Like pie crusts, made to be broken,” God cannot lie and He does not speak lightly or make extravagant promises He cannot keep.

The angel Gabriel, bringing God’s message of the child she was to bear, assured Mary…

Luke 1:37 NLT
[37] For the word of God will never fail.”

We can be sure of every word God has spoken, even those words of judgment coming on those who refuse to believe His Word, those who trouble His people, and those who defy Him by their wickedness.

Psalms 37:9-10 NLT
[9] “For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. [10] Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.”

2 Thessalonians 1:5-9 NLT
[5] “And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. [6] In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you. [7] And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, [8] in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. [9] They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.”

Although we are not to rejoice over the downfall of the wicked, God has given us the reassurance that He will take revenge on those who have caused us pain and harm. We can safely leave all judgment to Him because His Word will never fail.

Romans 12:19 NLT
[19] “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.”

Most encouraging for us is the truth that God’s infallible Word will be the standard by which He judges.

John 12:48-49 NLT
[48]”But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. [49] I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.”

Who Jesus is, then, God’s Word sent to us to reveal the Father by His life…

John 1:14 NLT
[14]” So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

… Is the final standard by which God will vindicate or judge all people.

John 12:46-48 NIV
[46]” I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. [47] If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. [48] There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.”

After Israel’s tortuous journey through a treacherous wilderness from Egypt to the Promised Land, the Bible gives us this comforting conclusion…

Joshua 21:45 NLT
[45] “Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.”

And again…

Joshua 23:14-16 NLT
[14] “Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed! [15] But as surely as the Lord your God has given you the good things he promised, he will also bring disaster on you if you disobey him. He will completely destroy you from this good land he has given you. [16] If you break the covenant of the Lord your God by worshiping and serving other gods, his anger will burn against you, and you will quickly vanish from the good land he has given you.”

As impossible as many of God’s prophecies and promises seem to be, since God is God, nothing is impossible for Him.

GOD’S WORD – ITS POWER – 2

Apologetics, ,

Although the topic of the power of God’s Word is too big to deal with adequately here, I would like to summarise by examining four aspects that impact us.

  1. The power to scrutinise

Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV
[12] “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. [13] Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

We have only briefly touched on this point, so let me enlarge on it a little.

Imagine reading a murder mystery which describes in detail the thoughts and motives of the murderer. Does what this person thinks impact us in any way? Are we motivated to kill because we read this book or does this story prompt us to react in horror to what the murderer had done? In the main, reading fiction leaves us unmoved. It’s just a story.

Even biographies of prominent characters cannot change us. We might admire their courage, be impressed by their achievements, or even disgusted by bad behaviour but…we carry on with our lives as they are. Who they are and what they did doesn’t affect what is inside us.

Stories of fiction have no power to impact us. No one, for example, unless they already have plans to kill, would be influenced to go out and commit the same terrible deed. We choose our genres for entertainment, enlightenment perhaps, Information, education, or whatever purpose we have in mind but, in the end, everything we read does not dig deep into the core of our being as do the words of Scripture…

…yet, in an inexplicable way, the Bible opens up what is in the depth of our hearts and moves us towards a response. We identify closely with passages in the Word that tell us what’s wrong inside and that appeal to us for action. We do what is tells us and discover its power to change us.

How does this happen? Consider these words of David…

Psalms 19:12-14 NLT
[12] “How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. [13] Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. [14] May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Here we have the secret to the power of the Word to scrutinise us…the partnership of God the Holy Spirit and the Word. It’s the Spirit who uses the words of the Word of God to expose what is in us.

Jesus said…

John 6:63 NLT
[63]”The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

We enter into this partnership with God when we, in honesty, pray the prayer of David, on the strength of God’s perfect knowledge…

Psalms 139:23, 24 NLT
[23]”Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
[24] Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

  1. The power to save
    God’s Word not only has the power to reveal what is in our hearts, it also has the power to save us from the devastation and destruction that sin does in us.

Why do we need saving? Every human is born with the capacity to self-destruct. Left to ourselves, our old human nature with its bent towards stubborn rebellion and disobedience, will take us to eternal separation from God, called hell.

We all have an unpayable debt to God and for that we must die unless God intervenes to rescue us. He did, by sending His Son to pay our debt. The Bible not only reveals what He did, it also works the miracle of new birth in our hearts. When we learn of God’s salvation through Jesus, believe the truth of what He has done, and receive His forgiveness of our sin by faith, that Word does a miracle in our hearts, giving us a brand new start by transforming us into new people.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
[17] “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

God’s Word is a seed that grows in us to produce a new person.

1 Peter 1:23 NIV
[23] “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

How does this happen? Paul tells us…

Romans 10:17 NIV
[17] “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

So, by faith in the message about Jesus, which we receive through hearing or reading the Bible, our sin is forgiven, we are reconciled to God, we start a new life of trust and obedience to Jesus, and we are on a new path to the Father in heaven.

  1. The power to settle
    God’s Word has the power to settle us. What do I mean?

Before we believe in Jesus and become new people, we are unsettled inside… restless, insecure, anxious, and afraid. We have nothing to hold onto that steadies us through difficult times. Our lives make no sense, have no meaning or purpose, and we feel like tiny vessels on a very stormy sea. We don’t know where we came from and we don’t know where we are going.

Everything changes when we return to our Creator. Our union with Jesus gives us direction, meaning, and purpose, and answers the questions no one in the world can answer. The Bible is the truth about God and us, and our place and purpose in the world. Without the truth it provides, we have no authoritative source to guide us and keep us on track to our destination. Again, it’s David who provides an insight into this aspect of Scripture.

Psalms 119:105 NLT
[105] “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

No other book than the Bible can give us clear directions on how to live. When we follow God’s instructions, He confirms His truth by the peace in our hearts.

Psalms 19:9-11 NLT
[9] “Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. [10] They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. [11] They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.”

4.The power to sanctify

The fourth great work of God’s Word relates to the deep-cleaning that it does inside us. The Bible calls it “sanctification”. To sanctify means “to make sacred” or “to set apart from sin to God”.

Jesus prayed…

John 17:17 NIV
[17] “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

Our natural bent towards self-gratification remains in us despite our new lives in Christ. The discipline and training we experience as believers in Jesus is to subdue our old nature by learning to follow Jesus and to be led by His Spirit in us. Again, through the partnership of the Holy Spirit and the Word, we learn to do what is right by saying no to our sinful desires and trusting the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to obey Him.

Romans 8:12-14 NLT
[12] “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. [13] For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

This great work of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit continues throughout our lives. As long as we are in these human bodies, we will be tempted and we will occasionally fall into sin but, said John, we will no longer practise sin as a way of life. Why?

1 John 3:9 NLT
[9] “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life (seed) is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.”

We have already learned that we are born again by the seed of God’s Word. This “seed” is now in us, growing and producing the new life of God in us.

These four great functions of God’s Word do a deep work of exposing our sin, and changing and cleansing us on the inside so that we are aceptable to God, righteous before Him, members of His forever family and being changed into the image of Jesus.

God does all this work inside us through His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. Our role is to follow His leading, believe and obey His Word, and rest in the work He is doing in us to perfect us for our eternal life with Him.

Philippians 2:12-13 NIV
[12] “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”