Why
Do You Need God’s Word? It’s helpful to ponder the importance of God’s word, so we truly appreciate the blessings God gives us through His word. Jesus’ Message
To Paul At that time, Jesus told Paul the things he’d accomplish by preaching the gospel, “‘to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me’” (Acts 26:18). It
Opens Your Eyes God says, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Is. 55:8-9). God communicates His ways and His thoughts through His word. He says, “‘So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it’” (Is. 55:10-11). Paul reiterates the fact that we can’t know the mind of God, except the things revealed in His word — God revealed them through the Spirit to the apostles, who wrote them down, which God preserves in His word (1 Cor. 2:6-13). Turn
From Darkness To Light God calls us through the gospel (2 Th. 2:14). When you respond to the gospel call, you turn from darkness to light, using God’s word as a lamp to your feet that lights your path (Ps. 119:105). Turn
From The Domain of Satan to God When you respond to the gospel, God rescues you from the domain of darkness. Paul says, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). When you obey the gospel, God rescues you from darkness by transferring you into the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:14). You are no longer children of the devil, but children of God (1 Jn. 3:10). Forgiveness
of Sins Shortly before ascending to heaven, Jesus opened the apostles’ minds to understand the Scriptures. He said, “‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem’” (Lk. 24:46-47). The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). When you believe and obey the gospel, you are saved by the power of God (1 Pet 1:22; Heb. 5:9). Inheritance Because of God’s word, through which He communicates His will, you can have an inheritance with the saints. Even though you must obey God’s word, you are not saved of yourself, but it is God who saves you. Paul says of our Christian walk, “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light” (Col. 1:12). Although you obey God’s word, your salvation is a gift. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Sanctified
By Faith God’s word is truth (Jn. 17:17). Therefore, you are sanctified by God’s word, which is able to give you an “inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). Conclusion By rendering obedience to the gospel, you are saved by the power of God — “the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (Rom. 1:16; 1 Th. 2:13). |