The Authority of the Word of God When the cop says, "Pull over" - why do it? When Mom said, "Stop putting hot sauce on your little brother's gumbo", why stop? If you sit down comfortably in a dentist's char, in spite of all those wicked looking instruments, what allows you to relax? In each case, the answer is authority. You ought to be very comfortable trusting your life to the Word of God. What has more authority? You don't need to think further about it, if there is no authority in this world, or in the "world beyond". But if there is, we do need to consider it. Is the Word of God authoritative? If there is a God, and He is creator, it seems that it would be! Let's assume that God is real, and that He has sent his word to us. What does it say about Him and His word? "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." - Gen 1:3 That's power! It also means that He is the architect, and generates all there is, by his word. Did the Apostle's agree? Lets take a look: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." - Heb 11:3 Things that are true last, lies fade away, and the corruptness underneath is revealed. Thus truth has authority. That's the way it would be in an ideal world, in a court of law. "Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?". God cannot do otherwise. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." - John 17:17 The Word of God is Truth, The is powerful, and has authority, It can change things. It concludes all things in comparison with itself. It can separate a person from sin, and darkness. "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." - John 4:23 True Worship is worship which is rooted in, empowered or enlivened by, reflective of, and conforming to TRUTH. God's Word is TRUE, but His Spirit is One with His Word.. The Spirit and Word work toward the same thing, and today a true worshipper is one who surrenders to the Holy Spirit, while abiding in the definition of the WORD. This is the Apostolic experience of PENTECOST! "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1 Are you aware that Jesus Christ is the expression, or word of God, written in flesh? Want to know God? Look at Jesus! His mind is conveyed to us in the BIble! "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." - John 1:14 There's the record. God expressed himself in the flesh. Hebrews 1:3 says: "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" "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." - John 12:48 Friend, is there some very serious reason why YOUR authority should be counted greater than the WORD of GOD ? I hope, not for God's word is the measure by which all things will be finally evaluated (i.e. judged) "... For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." - Ps 119:89 Consider who God is... Whether you and I agree or not, he cannot change. He constitutes perfection. The WORD preceded all things that were made. As John wrote: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." ... think about it, the WORD is powerful because it IS God. When God expresses Himself, he REVEALS Himself. Awsome, huh ? "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:12-15 What books are to be opened ? Look back at John 12:48.. Among the books will be the revealed words of Jesus and His Apostles, who, by the way, are the only means by which we receive the words of Jesus Christ. "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" - 2 Timothy 3:12-16 There are deceivers and deceptions. Thats a fact.. How can we escape the pitfalls of spiritual deception? The Holy scriptures. They are reliable. They were given so that we could have a stable reference point. "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 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." - 2 Peter 1:20-21 The words "moved on" in the above scriptures as tranlated from greek impress us with the idea of a ship moved by the wind in its full sails. God was and is very much interested in us receiving the WORD which is SPIRIT and LIFE. Thus the word is much more than writings of holy men. It is motivated by the urge of God to communicate with us, looking to save us! "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."- 2 Peter 3:15-18 If the unstable wrestle with the scriptures and are destroyed, it is clear where stability comes from, and what the promise of accepting their authority is! "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: 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. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." - Revelation 22:18-20 Elsewhere Paul makes it clear...There will come a time when all that has not found a place of stability and truth, will be eliminated: " In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" - 2 Thesselonians 1:8 The only way to know and love God is by taking a place in submission to His word! Vengance here is not emotional. It is simply the consequence of rejecting life. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15 If we are approved of God, it is because of compliance and agreement with His all-powerful Word! Let me mention that the Bible refers to Jesus Christ as "Faithful and True:. What a friend! More Bible Study Lessons