The Believer And God's Word

“The Believer and God’s Word”

Text: Ephesians 6:10-20.

Intro:

This morning we want to focus on verse 17 of our passage and in particular the latter part of the verse which exhorts us to -

“…take …the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

The word of God is one of the spiritual weapons that the Christian has at his disposal to assistant him “to stand against the wiles of the devil”

Unfortunately, it is one of the most neglected spiritual weapons in the Christian’s arsenal.

Evidence of this can be seen all over American each Sunday Morning when families are getting ready to church

There is a house wide search for the Bible that was laid down the previous Sunday and never picked up the entire week.

The Holy Bible is used for everything but its intended purpose.

It is used as a coaster for a coffee cup.

It is used for a door stop.

It is used as a dust collector.

It is used as a place to stick mementos in.

We often forget that through the centuries men have died and been tortured because of their stand for the Word of God.

How precious it was to them.

And how precious it should be to us.

This morning I want speak awhile on “The Believer and God’s Word”

Before we begin – I want to clarify what we mean here at Evangelical Baptist Church when we speak of the Word of God.

We mean the AV 1611, King James Bible.

We make no apologizes for it.

We not only use it but also believe that AV 1611 King James Bible is God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible, preserved words.

1. You are born again by the Word of God – 1 Peter 1:23

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

The word of God is:

“Incorruptible” – free from error, not subject to decay.

“which liveth”

The word of God is alive.

Heb. 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Any other book is but the words of man and they are dead words.

“abideth for ever”

The word of God dwells for ever.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 119:89

“For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

The word of God has always existed.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:35

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Read 1 Peter 1:24-25

v. 24 – “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:”

Verse 24 tells us both the body of flesh and glory of man is temporary and very fragile.

The Apostle Peter illustrates this by comparing the flesh of man with the grass and the glory of man as the flower of grass.

The point Peter is making is that both man’s life and whatever glory he achieves is short lived.

All the great speeches man has made.

All the great achievements and advancements that man has accomplished will soon falleth away.

Soon forgotten.

v. 25 – “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

In contrast the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

It will never fade away.

It will last for ever.

It will never be forgotten.

So, in verses 24 and 25 we have a contrast between the frailty of man, man’s word, and man’s glory with the word of the Lord which endures, is everlasting.

Remember, everything emanating from man comes short of the glory of God.

Verse 23, tells us that the word of God is medium of the new birth.

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

Remember it takes an incorruptible medium as it took an incorruptible Saviour with incorruptible (or sinless) blood to save you.

Faith in the shed blood of Christ is what saves your soul.

When you believe on Christ then you are born again by the Word.

So, any other words are corruptible.

The Book of Mormons

The Koran

The New World Translation – JW

The writings of Mary Baker Eddy

v. 25 – “…And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

“gospel” – death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

Your faith in the gospel is what saves your soul.

The gospel is included in the incorruptible word of God.