The Word's Actions
So the question that I have is whether the Word of God changes us, or as a result of hearing the Word we go through change. This verse in 1 Thessalonians seems to indicate that the Word of God performs a work in you after you believe. This is the quandary that I find myself in.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NASB)
[13] For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
I do know of the verse in Psalms 119 that tells us we keep the Word in our hearts (the seat of emotions and thought), actually the idea is to memorize the Word so that you might not sin against God. The Hebrew word here is sapan which means to hide something. It is often used of hiding something to keep it secret. You can only do that if you memorize it and keep on meditating on it to keep up your knowledge of it.
Psalms 119:11 (NASB)
[11] Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
The idea is that the Word of God sanctifies things. The word for sanctified here, hagiazo, means to make holy, to reserve for God, to make opposite of common. In other words, the Word of God has power in conjunction with prayer.
1 Timothy 4:4-5 (NASB)
[4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; [5] for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
This idea can be seen in the Titus 1:9 passage which indicates that holding on to the Word of God will let the preacher both exhort the flock (believers) and to retune non-believers who would question motives behind the teaching.
Titus 1:9 (NASB)
[9] holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
It says in Hebrews 4:12 that the Word of God is living. It has the ability to pierce and reveal the deep things of the soul and spirit. It is able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart. Not sure that you know if what you are thinking of trying is in line with what God says? The apply the Word of God to it, testing it to see if it meets the absolute standard of the Word. Both soul and spirit can be involved in what pleases and displeases God [Ryrie Study Bible].
Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)
[12] For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
But again we go back to this problem that we have in the Church today, we have a group of immature believers who do not get into the Word and exercise it enough to know the difference between good and evil. So we are carried along with every wind of doctrine and idea that seems to make sense to us. That is not how God operates. He does not change and He has given us His word to reveal how we should act and think. Anything less is dishonoring to Him. We don't want to be children any more do we? We need to grow up in things of the Lord.
Hebrews 5:12-14 (NASB)
[12] For though *by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the *elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. [13] For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. [14] But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
It tells us in 1 Peter that the Word of God is living and enduring. It is a wellspring welling up inside of us, but only if we take it to our hearts. It's usefulness is only available if we exercise it to be prepared for when the Spirit of God should use it in our daily walk. Why don't we take the Word of God to ourselves? Why do we seem to not care any more?
1 Peter 1:23 (NASB)
[23] for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
Maybe the answer is found in the idea that it is one of the only weapons that we have against our adversary. He would keep us from getting powerful enough to wield the Word of God, because he knows that if we do he will get nowhere with us.
Ephesians 6:17 (NASB)
[17] And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Have we become so enamored with the way of the world that we cannot see how this has affected the Church? We have lost power because we don't follow what the Word of God says. We end up going out in what seems to be the best logical choice for the day and ignore what the Word clearly tells us. We don't know what the Word says if we don't pick it up and take it to ourselves. When will we ever learn.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NASB)
[13] For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
I do know of the verse in Psalms 119 that tells us we keep the Word in our hearts (the seat of emotions and thought), actually the idea is to memorize the Word so that you might not sin against God. The Hebrew word here is sapan which means to hide something. It is often used of hiding something to keep it secret. You can only do that if you memorize it and keep on meditating on it to keep up your knowledge of it.
Psalms 119:11 (NASB)
[11] Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
The idea is that the Word of God sanctifies things. The word for sanctified here, hagiazo, means to make holy, to reserve for God, to make opposite of common. In other words, the Word of God has power in conjunction with prayer.
1 Timothy 4:4-5 (NASB)
[4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; [5] for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
This idea can be seen in the Titus 1:9 passage which indicates that holding on to the Word of God will let the preacher both exhort the flock (believers) and to retune non-believers who would question motives behind the teaching.
Titus 1:9 (NASB)
[9] holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
It says in Hebrews 4:12 that the Word of God is living. It has the ability to pierce and reveal the deep things of the soul and spirit. It is able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart. Not sure that you know if what you are thinking of trying is in line with what God says? The apply the Word of God to it, testing it to see if it meets the absolute standard of the Word. Both soul and spirit can be involved in what pleases and displeases God [Ryrie Study Bible].
Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)
[12] For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
But again we go back to this problem that we have in the Church today, we have a group of immature believers who do not get into the Word and exercise it enough to know the difference between good and evil. So we are carried along with every wind of doctrine and idea that seems to make sense to us. That is not how God operates. He does not change and He has given us His word to reveal how we should act and think. Anything less is dishonoring to Him. We don't want to be children any more do we? We need to grow up in things of the Lord.
Hebrews 5:12-14 (NASB)
[12] For though *by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the *elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. [13] For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. [14] But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
It tells us in 1 Peter that the Word of God is living and enduring. It is a wellspring welling up inside of us, but only if we take it to our hearts. It's usefulness is only available if we exercise it to be prepared for when the Spirit of God should use it in our daily walk. Why don't we take the Word of God to ourselves? Why do we seem to not care any more?
1 Peter 1:23 (NASB)
[23] for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
Maybe the answer is found in the idea that it is one of the only weapons that we have against our adversary. He would keep us from getting powerful enough to wield the Word of God, because he knows that if we do he will get nowhere with us.
Ephesians 6:17 (NASB)
[17] And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Have we become so enamored with the way of the world that we cannot see how this has affected the Church? We have lost power because we don't follow what the Word of God says. We end up going out in what seems to be the best logical choice for the day and ignore what the Word clearly tells us. We don't know what the Word says if we don't pick it up and take it to ourselves. When will we ever learn.