The Bible is one of the greatest gifts of God to the Christians, revealing God and His plan for mankind. It must be the constant guide and companion to all believers. Let us study more about the Word of God and its role in the life of a Christian.
1. Characteristics of the Word of God
a. It is pure: “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart” (Ps. 19:8).
b. It is perfect: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul” (Ps. 19:7).
c. It is living and active: “For the word of God is loving and powerful, and sharper than any Two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
d. It is sure: “The works of His hands are verity and justice. All his precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness” (Ps. 111:7, 8).
e. It is restraining: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11).
f. It is truth: “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.” “The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Ps. 119:142, 160).
g. It is enduring: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Is. 40:8).
h. It is effectual: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Is. 55:11).
i. It sanctifies: “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26).
j. It is inspired: “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21).
2. The Functions of Scriptures in the Life of a Christian
a. It regenerates: “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures” (Jam. 1:18).
b. It convicts: “And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law” (Neh. 8:9).
c. It corrects: “Concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept myself from the paths of the destroyer” (Ps. 17:4).
d. It cleanses: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Ps. 119:9).
e. It produces faith: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
f. It heals: “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Ps. 107:20).
g. It makes free: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
h. It illuminates: “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (Ps. 119:130).
i. It nourishes: “If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed” (1 Tim. 4:6).
j. It makes wise and equips: “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17).
k. It directs: “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me” (Ps. 119:133).
1. It makes one complete: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17).
m. It teaches: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).
3. The Responses of Christians to the Word of God
a. Stand in awe of it: “Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word” (Ps. 119:161).
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b. Receive it: “Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God” (Acts 11:1).
c. Search it: “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
d. Obey it: “Likewise you wives, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the et conduct of their wives” (1 Pet. 3:1)
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e. Tremble at it: “For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist, says the Lord. But on this one will I look; on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word. (Is. 66:2, 5).
f. Do it: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror” (James 1:22, 23).
g. Teach it: “And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them” (Acts 18:11).
h. Handle it accurately: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
i. Suffer for it: “I, John, both our brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9).
j. Preach it: “So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans” (Acts 8:25).
k. Speak faithfully: “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? Says the Lord” (Jer. 23:28).
1. Memorise it: “Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, and layup His word in your heart” (Job 22:22).
m. Meditate it: “This Book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Josh. 1:8).
n. Long for it “Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me in your righteousness” (Ps. 119:40).
o. Delight in it: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His low he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2).
p. Love it: “I hate the double – minded, but I love Your law” (Ps.119:113).
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4. Ways to Read and Meditate on the Word of God
