Today’s verse says: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”.
Many verses in the Bible tells us what the Word of God is: it is life and “Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12); it is food for our soul that the devil always tries to undermine: “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty” (Jeremiah 15:16); it is there to avoid us continue walking in darkness: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105); it can give life to all situations that are dead in our lives: “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you–they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63); it is a mirror that reflects who we truly are: “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:23-24)
My brother, my sister, what is the Word of God for you? it saddened me profoundly when I see people reacting to the Word that reproofs them, corrects them or trains them to live in God’s righteousness. It is so sad. Let’s learn to open the Bible to understand that God does not mean to harm us when He wants us not to do things that the pagans do. Every household, every organisation, every country has its rules and we are willing to accept them without feeling reproved, corrected or forced to train to accept them. When it comes to church of Christ or the Word, many believers think they can do whatever they want. It really saddens me. Last week I heard of a church I know, where two members rebelled and changed the name of the church and took control of the church… OH, LORD HAVE MERCY OF US!
My friend, what is the Word of God to you? If you want to hear only things that make you “feel good”, then you really take the Lord for Santa Claus who one day will graciously bring you solutions! The Word of God is there to teach us to become a bit more like Christ every day, abandoning our selfish attitudes and sins…. God’s grace is free and unmerited, but God’s eyes are open and He can graciously choose to give us His grace or not. Similarly, we should do not think that being called Christians makes us Christians before Jesus. Only those who follow His principles are called by that name in the Bible… We need to face the truth about ourselves! Muslims follow their Quran almost to the letter as if it were the truth, Hindus follow their Buddha as if they were the true God… why do many Christians refuse to follow Christ, the true and living God who is the Word made flesh? Because they refuse to die to self so that the Holy Spirit can transform them from within. But when their life falls in the problems associated with their selfish choices that God was asking them to give up to avoid their suffering, they blame God or their pastor, the church, and they wander from churches to churches, their faith becomes doubtful, etc… This is normal: no one can refuse to give in to Christ or give up Christ to return to the camp of the devil and not expect to be whipped by his demons for trying to leave the world in the first place… My friend, if you are one of those who reject the Word of God when you hear something it asks you to change, I pray that the Spirit who convicts us of our sins helps you to make a new resolution for the coming year: accept the Word of God to teach you, rebuke you, correct you and shape you to live according to God’s justice. Then you will be able to full enjoy His grace. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.