The Importance of the Word in Our Lives

John 1:1-5, 14

Prayer

What is the Word?

It is God’s revealed truth to us concerning the unfolding of His redemptive plan through the ages to bring about glory to Himself.

Three Truths To Consider Concerning The Word

Truth Number 1

I. The Word is Powerful - Rom 10:13-15

A. The proclamation of the Word precedes salvation

-v. 13-15 - Here Paul is speaking of the Gospel being proclaimed resulting in the salvation of souls. He lays out a logical progression. The lost can’t call out to God if they don’t believe. And they can’t believe on someone they have never heard of. And they can’t hear without someone proclaiming the word to them. And how will there be proclamation if proclaimers are not sent. And what is it that they are proclaiming? Verse 15 tells us that it is the glorious “gospel of peace.” Literally they are proclaiming God’s revealed truth to us concerning the unfolding of His redemptive plan through the ages to bring about glory to Himself. That is what they are proclaiming and it is only through this proclamation that salvation comes.

-2Tim 3:15 - Here we find Paul recounting the testimony of Timothy. Timothy was saved as a result of the Word in his life.

-Romans 1:16 - The Gospel is what brings about salvation in a heart.

-The Rich Man and Lazarus - Luke 16:27-31

-The Power of the Word in salvation can be seen through changed lives. ILL: John Newton

B. The proclamation of the Word is necessary for sanctification

What is sanctification? It is the process by which we are conformed, changed into the image of Christ. God has given us three tools in this age to bring about sanctification in our lives. We won’t take time to develop all three this morning, but He has given us His Spirit, His Church and His Word. The Spirit was sent to dwell within believers once Christ’s live on earth was complete help guide us unto all truth. The Church was birthed so that through the systematic teaching of truth, true fellowship centered on the truth and service because of the truth we would help one another in the process of sanctification. The Word was written so that we would know that glory of God and that through filling our lives with His truth we might be conformed to the image of His Son. So, the proclamation of the Word is necessary for our sanctification.

-Col 2:6-7 - We are commanded here to live our

Christian lives in the same manner that we were saved. Our salvation came through the hearing of the Word and so will our sanctification.

-John 17:17 - In the context here, it seems as though

Christ is speaking of His followers. In verses 8 & 9 He says…Here Christ asks God the Father to sanctify His followers and how is this sanctification going to occur? It is through the truth of the Word. As followers of Christ if we are going to be sanctified it will be through a life submersed in the Truth of the Word.

Truth Number 2

II. The Word is Profitable - 2Tim 3:15-17

A. Why is it profitable?

i. It is God breathed, the very words of God - v.16

-The word translated inspiration literally means

“God breathed”. The Word is God’s revelation to us of Himself. The Word is what God gave us to know Him. It is the mind of God displayed to mankind. It is immanently profitable because it is through the Word that we come to know the God who desires to be know and have relationship with us.

B. What is it profitable for? - v.16

i. Teaching

-The word doctrine refers to teaching, specifically the teaching of Christ and the Apostles.

-Psalm 119:97-105 - We often think of Psalm 119 as a chapter that emphasizes the importance of the Word, but I think we really miss the point if that is all we see it as. Psalm 119 is a display of a life that has been thoroughly saturated by the teaching of the Word and has had a great impact.

ii. Reproof

-This is rebuke. This is the negative side of the

third thought that we see, which is correction. As we see God through the lens of His Word we will be confronted with wrong in our lives. As we see the greatness and glory of God as He unfolds His redemptive plan, it will make plan to us the areas of our short coming. What did Job do when he saw the greatness and glory of God. In Job 42:5-6 he said...That is the affect that seeing the greatness and glory of God through his Word should have on us. That we would be rebuked by our sinfulness and be driven to repentance. We must come to the Word with an open heart so that it can change us, so that we can be used of God.

iii. Correction

-The positive side of reproof is correction. This emphasizes that the Word will show us what we should be doing. This is a restoration of something to its proper condition. The Word is a help to get us back on our feet after we fall. We see this in Psalm 119:9-11

iv. Training in Right Living

-We live in an ever-changing world. The are so

many things that we face today that believers 50, 25 and even 10 years ago didn’t face. Should we just run and hid? What do we do? We must go to the Word, for is will show us how to live a discerning life. What does it mean to be discerning? Discernment is the ability to know right from wrong. The Bible is sufficient to guide us into how we should live our lives in every way, in every issue that we face. There are many things that the Bible makes very clear. These are black and white areas of Biblical truth. We are not to murder, we are not to worship any other God’s, we are to glorify God with our lives, we are to tell others of the gospel. But, what about areas that the Bible does not speak to directly? These are the areas of personal preference. We must go to God Word and seek principles which will guide us to make wise choices. I would encourage you to look at Romans 14 & 15 as an example Paul gives us concerning matters of personal preference.

C. What is its profitable result? - v.17

i. Mature Believers

ii. Equipped Believers

The Word is profitable for teaching, rebuke, correction and

training in righteous living. When was the last time the Word had any of these affects on your life? Is it your (my) practice to come to the Word with open hearts, desiring to have the Word work in our lives?

Truth Number 3

III. The Word is to be Handled with Precision - 2Tim 2:14-15

A. Interpreting the Word takes diligence

-Study -

B. Improper handling of the Word brings shame

-v. 17-18

C. Interpreting the Word takes a commitment to the Truth

-rightly dividing the truth