IS GOD'S WORD TRUE?

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5 ESV)

People have often asked me "Do you really believe the Bible is true?" Or, they might say, "I think the Bible is a bunch of stories that were for back then and have no relevance for today."

Unlike many people today I grew in a Christian background. Both of my grandparents and parents were Christians. We were raised with the Bible as a central part of our lives and were taught the infallibility of God's Word. To be honest, I have never doubted it's veracity or relevance in my life - I have always accepted it as God's Holy Word.

Here are some things that I have found over the years concerning God's Word.

1- The word of God is CONSISTENT

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:22-25 ESV)

I know all of us who have kids might not have been as consistent in our words. Kids know our weaknesses. “No” sometimes changes to, “ok, go ahead”. They can either look at you with those sad eyes or they wear you down but consistently bugging you. But God’s word is consistent. It is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. His word never changes.

Now some people would have you to believe that His word changes, after all this is the 21st century. What was written 2000 years ago does not apply to today’s world, but God’s word is consistent, it never changes.

2- The word of God is CONTAGIOUS

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7 ESV)

Then we read that the word spead to the Gentiles.

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. (Acts 11:1 ESV)

All through the beginning of the church we read about the spreading of the word of God.

I knew a man in jail who asked for a Gideon Bible …He said the paper is very fine and perfect for rolling his cigarettes. The Gideon gave him the Bible on the condition that he before using the pages that he read them front and back. The man proceeded to smoke his way through Matthew, Mark, Luke and a then came to John and stopped when he read chapter 3:16 – and he gave his heart to the Lord

When I hear the word contagious I think about the spreading of something.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17 ESV)

3- The word of God CONFIRMS

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:19-21 ESV)

Here we find the mother of Jesus and His brothers coming to see Him but they were unable to because of the crowd. Someone informed Him that He had company and Jesus declared that His true family was those who hear and do the word of God.

If you want to confirm your relationship with the Lord then you need to ask yourself; Do I hear and do the word of God?

4- The word of God CONQUERS

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, (Ephesians 6:17 ESV)

This is what is known as the Bible as one part of the “Armor of God”. And the Bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God. The other parts of the armor are “Gird you waist with truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness, shod your feet with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation”. All of the other parts are made for protection or defense. The only one that is made for offence is the sword of the Spirit or the word of God. 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)

Once again we see the reference of the word of God as a sword. This tells me that we by ourselves are not capable of fighting against the “Wiles of the devil”. 

Remember the example Jesus left us with when He was tempted in the wilderness. Each time Satan tried to tempt Him to sin, each time Jesus responded with the word of God, “It is written”. So if Jesus used the word to conquer Satan then we can to.

5- The word of God CONDEMNS

If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. (John 12:47, 48 ESV)

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17 ESV)

Think what it would be like if we didn’t have “The word of God”. It gives us direction. It tells us how to raise our families, how to be a good husband or how to be a good wife. It tells us how to do every thing we do. But as the verse we just read it tells us, our faith comes from hearing the word of God.
It is the word of God that tells us that we are sinners. 

But, just as it brings condemnation - it also gives us the solution. 

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 ESV)
So, what are you going to do with God's Word today? Are you going to read it and hide it in your heart or are you going to ignore it and what it has to say? For me, I made that choice a long time ago and can say without a shadow of a doubt - God's Word is true and has been proven over and over in my life.