The Word of God

 

 

Heb.4.12 For the word of God is quick (zao: is alive), and powerful (full of power), and sharper than any two-edged 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.    13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Rev.1.16 And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shining in his strength.

Rev.2.12 And to the angel of the church of Pergamos write; These things saith He which has the sharp sword with two edges;

Jn.1.1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.    2 The same was in the beginning with God.    3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.    4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.    5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

14 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.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

 

It is universally accepted by the called, that the Word of God made flesh, is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.

 The Word of God;

Heb.13.8 Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

The Word of God is Truth: and truth is always and forever true (see study on 'Truth'). Truth is pure, holy, exact, precise, one hundred percent true, always and forever. Truth is living and full of power, piercing to exactly differentiating between the soul and the spirit; between the joints of the body, and the marrow in the bones. It is always and forever, precisely, exactly and absolutely true.

 

  What is definately not understood, is that there can not be differing opinions of truth. The truth can not be gainsaid.

 

People certainly do have differing opinions of the Word of God; this shows that they do not understand, for the Word of God is always and forever exact and unchanging, and cannot be gainsaid. Different, diverse and divisive doctrines have come about because man has studied the Word of God through intellectual and academic endeavor; and in so doing has taken one edge of the Sword of the Lord, and has concocted many and varing and seperating denominational doctrines; and has published thousands of differing versions of the bible; all the while ignoring the other edge of the sword, which seems to the natural mind sometimes paradoxial, but in truth fits perfectly, and clarifies, verifies and establishes the truth.

The truth of the Word of God can not be discerned except the two edges of the sword are considered; and, in reality, the Truth is revealed by the Holy Spirit of truth unto those, who, with honest and humble hearts, try to live as the Word decrees.

 

 The huge problem of theology is that diverse doctrines are concocted from one edge of the sword of the Lord, while ignoring the other edge. Both edges of the sword; the full council of scripture, must be taken into consideration to arrive at the Truth.

 

The truth cannot be arrived at by interlectual study of scripture, but is revealed, by the Holy Spirit of Truth, unto those who are living, and also those who, from honest hearts, are trying to live, according to the Word, in Spirit and in truth.

 

Jn.8.31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue (Gk.meno: abide, remain, dwell) in my word, then are you my disciples indeed (in the doing of it);    32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

(Free from all deception, sin, bondage, the world, the flesh. Progressivly, as we come to know more and more of the truth, we are made free.)

Jn.16.13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.    14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

The many called, who will not be chosen, have been deceived into believing that If they believe the scriptures, and confess the scriptures, they then have approppriated all of those truths into their lives. They do not consider the  other edge of the sword which tells us that we are to do the will of God.

Matthew7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

If we think we believe His word, and do not do what His word tells us, then we have deceived ourselves and do not really believe it.

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say.

If we do not obey the Lord, He is not our Lord.

John15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his  friends.    14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

 

 

 

Some examples of the two-edged sword.

Is.43.1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Lu.12.4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.    5 But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yes, I say unto you, Fear him.  (see study on: 'Fear of the Lord')

In Isaiah 43.1, the Lord is telling Israel not to fear.  

In Luke 12 4, Jesus is telling His friends (those who do whatsoever He commands), to fear God. 

 

Romans 4.2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God.

James 2.21 Was not Abraham justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar.

In Romans, Paul speaks of the works of the law; through which no man can be justified.

James is speaking of the works of faith, without which no man can be justified.

To the many deceived, all works are "legalism", and they repeat the false doctrine, "Saved by grace alone, through faith alone". We are not saved by grace alone, but by grace through faith; and we are not saved by faith alone, but by faith with works of faith; which is obedience to God's word.

 

 Acts 2.21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Phil.2.12 Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Paul, in Philippians 2:12, qualifies Luke's statement in Acts 2:21: If we are not obedient to the Lord, then He is not our Lord, and we will not be saved. 

Hebrew 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;    9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Not unto all them that believe in Him; but unto all them that believe in Him, and obey Him. To believe, in the greek means to have faith(Gk. Pisteuo; to have faith); and to have living, saving faith, is to obey Him.

 

 Ro.10.9 That If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. 10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Mt.16.24 Then said Jesus unto his disiples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.    25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Lu.14.33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.

If we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, and then do not deny ourselves, nor take up our cross, nor lose our life in the world, nor forsake all that we have, we cannot be His disciples, and he is not our Lord; our confession is false, we have taken His name in vain, and we will not be saved.

Likewise, if we do not, forsake all that we have, and die to our worldly ways, then we do not really believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead, and is fully able to raise us up in new life. If we really believe in our heart, and not only in our head, that God raised Him from the dead, we would walk away from our old worldly life and posessions, and trust in Him with all of our heart to renew us, to provide all our needs, and lead us in His will and His time, and His way.

 

Jn.3.14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:    15 That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal fife.    16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

Mt.24.13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

2Cor.7.1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.

2Pet.3.14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found in him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Heb.12.14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. (see study on; 'Holiness').

 

If we think that we believe in Him, and then do not obey Him, we have deceived ourselves. Living faith is obeying God's Word: do not be deceived into thinking that faith is only believing God's Word (that is blind or dead faith); living saving faith is doing God's word. If we do not believe God's Word enough to obey it, our faith is dead and we are in unbelief. It must be understood that believing in Him, means having faith in Him; and to have living, saving faith in Him we must obey Him; to obey Him we must love Him; to love Him is to obey Him.

 

Rom.3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Rom.3.25 Whom God has set forth to be a propituation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;    26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.    27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? No; but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

I must be understood that justification is by grace through faith: and not by grace alone.

Gal.3.24 Wherefore the law was our school master to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.     25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under the school master.    26 For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

We are no longer under the law, is referring to the law of commandments contained in ordinances, abolished on the cross. It is not speaking of the commandments, which are in force until all is fulfilled. (see teaching on: 'Law & Commandments).

 

 Col.2.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:    17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Ex.31.12 And the Lord spoke unto moses, saying,     13 Speak thou unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the Lord that does sanctify you.    14 You shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever does any work therin, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.    15 Six days  may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever does any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.    16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.    17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.    18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon the mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. (see study on: 'the Sabbath'.)

Many will ignore the commandment spoken by the mouth of God and writen to the children of Israel, the people of God; written in stone by the finger of God, establishing the observance of seventh day; the sabbath day as an holy day, a sign, throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant, forever: and mistakenly think that Col.2.16 speaks of the abolition of the observance of the commanded sabbath day; rather than the holy convocation days during the feasts.

 

Eph.2.4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,    5 Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;)     6 And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph.1.1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Jesus Christ:

The common misunderstanding of these scriptures is that the many called who will not be chosen, are taught that they just have to "believe" to receive; and do not consider that Paul has written this epistle to the Ephesian saints; to the faithful in Christ Jesus; the chosen in Him; who will be holy and without blame before Him in love. Those who in truth are resting in Him, who have ceased from all their own works, and are therefore seated with Him.

This is also the common misunderstanding of Paul's epistle to the Roman church, those called to be saints, whose faith was spoken of throughout the whole world.

 Scripture is not to be just "believed" as true by those with blind or dead faith, (see study on: 'Faith toward God' in 'First Principles'); but is to be obeyed through living, saving faith. 

It must be seen from these examples, that one edge of the two-edged sword is not sufficient to understand the truth of the Word of God.

Much of the deception that is taught by many, to many, stems from misunderstanding the Word of God.

Many have been, and are being taught to "just believe" what is written in the Word of God, when they are considering only some of the scriptures, while ignoring others; repeating the mantra, "God said it, I believe it, therefore I have it."

They are relying for the eternal salvation of their soul on dead and blind faith, not understanding that living faith is obedience to the Word: not understanding that if we truely believe in Him, we will obey Him; and that salvation depends also on receiving the love of the truth. If we understand, we will work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.(see study on: 'How are we saved').

 

2Th.2.10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

 

Mt.22.14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

1Pet.1.2 Elect (chosen) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you. and peace, be multiplied.

 

Mt.11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mt.11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls.

Many are deceived into believing that they have been given that rest, because they have come to the Lord Jesus.

They ignore the qualifying truth that we must take His yoke upon us; tie ourselves to Him; go where and when He leads us; and learn of, or from Him, that we might find that rest unto our souls.

Isaiah 30:15a For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:

Isaiah 30:15b and ye would not.

Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 

 

1Jn.3.9 Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin because he is born of God. 

1Jn.1.5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.    6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:    7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.      8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.    9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.    10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

These two edges of the sword are hard to be understood, but the truth of them is found in Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.    2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak throught he flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:    4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.    5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.    6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.    7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.    8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.    9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.    10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.    11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.    12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.    13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.    14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

It is those, baptized into the Holy Spirit, who live in the Spirit, who mortify (put to death) the deeds of the flesh, and who cease from the deeds of the flesh, who are led by and follow the Holy Spirit of God, in Spirit and in truth, who cannot sin.

Until we have attained this holiness, we have God's goodness and long-suffering toward us to thank, for His mercy, which is new every morning, and endures forever. 

Heb.4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

1John1:7 If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another (God with us and us with God), and the blood of Jesus Chirist his Son cleanseth us from all sin.    8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.    9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

 

1Jn2.21c no lie is of the truth.

 

Lies usually contain a measure of truth, but truth never contains any lie.

 

Acts 15.24 Forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, You must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment.

Luke in Acts15:24 speaks of keeping the law of ordinances, the levitical law that was abolished on the cross, and not of the commandments. (see study on: 'Law & Commandments).

1Jn.5.2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.   For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grevious.

1Jn.2.3 And hereby we do know that we know Him, If we keep His commandments.

Mt.5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill.    18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Heb.10:16 For this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;    17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

 

Do not be deceived.

We are not saved by grace alone,

but by grace through faith.

We are not saved by faith alone;

faith being alone is dead;

living faith must have works: obedience to God.

Not works of the law, not works of ministry, not good works, not works of self righteousness,

But obedience unto the Lord.

If we do not obey the Lord, He is not our Lord, and we will not be saved.

Do not be deceived by the many who teach salvation through grace alone, through "believing" alone, through blind or dead faith.

Many pamphlets have been compiled, by false teachers, listing all the promises of God; and many of the called are taught that they have only to believe and confess these words to receive them; this is not so. 

For example: 'You are chosen'.

Eph.1.4 According as he has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

This is written to the saints and to the faithful in Christ Jesus (Eph.1.1). It is not written to the many with blind or dead faith, who have been deceived into believing that they are saints. It is written to the saints and to those with living faith who are abiding in Christ Jesus who are being sanctified fully by the God of Peace, unto the holiness of saints.

 

1Thess.1.4 Knowing brethren beloved, your election of God.

Verse 3 tells us that this is written to workers of faith and labourers of love and those who wait with patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, who live openly in the sight of God and our Father. It is not written to the many with blind or dead faith who are taught that all they have to do to receive it, is to believe it.

1Pet.2.9a But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a pecular people;

This is written to the Elect (1Pet.1:2), and not to those many who are called but not chosen. 

Mt.20.16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Mt.22.14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

 

Another example; 'you are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.'

Eph.2:6 And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Only those saints and faithful in Christ Jesus who are resting in Him and have ceased from all their own works are seated in heavenly places in Christ jesus.

Another example; 'You are free from condemnation'.

Rom.8:1 There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

(If your Bible omits 'who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit', see Rom.8:1 in the study on 'Different Bibles' on this website).

It can be clearly seen from Jesus discourse in John 15:1-8, that those in Him, that bear no fruit, are taken away by the Father; cast forth as a branch, and withered, and gathered, and cast into the fire, and are burned.

And Paul, speaking of the naturtal olive tree in Rom.11:19 Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in,    20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear:    21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.     21 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off. 

 

Another example; 'you have the mind of Christ.'

1Cor.2:16b But we have the mind of Christ.

Phil.2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Yes, indeed, we have access to the mind of Christ, BUT, many continue to use their own minds, and their own understanding or misunderstanding of doctrine, and therefore do not access the mind of Christ. 

The Lord does not force His mind upon us, but allows us to rely upon His mind, if we choose. To manifest the mind of Christ we must be still, we must still our own mind and understanding, and wait upon the Lord; we must cease from following our own understanding, and acknowledge that the Lord is with us in everything we do, and trust in Him to direct our paths; we must follow Him. When we forget that He is with us, and in us, and that we have the mind of Christ, and we go back to following our own understanding, He is following us, for He never leaves  us; He is waiting upon us to remember His presence, and to walk with and follow Him. We can do all things through Christ Jesus, which strengthens us (Phil.4:13).

To trust in the Lord with all of our heart is to walk in the Light; to live in His presence, to abide in Him; to remain in constant awareness of His ever-presence, to wait upon the Lord and renew our strength, to dwell in, to remain in, to live in the secret place of the Most High, to cease from all our own works, denying self, dying to our life in the world, and living the resurrected life of Christ in us; in Spirit and in Truth.

We must not deceive ourselves into believing that we are already doing this; we must actually do it, in Spirit and in Truth.

 

I pray that we will be numbered among those chosen; who are found worthy, in holiness, and without blame, before Him in love, at His appearance; in Christ Jesus.

in Jesus wonderful name. Amen! Amen?

Fear God, love God, obey God, thank God, praise God, worship God, walk with God;

in Spirit and in Truth.

Follow only the Lord.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Please do not leave out scriptures that do not seem to fit with your doctrine: adjust your doctrine to align with the full council of scripture.