ALIGN WITH GOD’S WORD

“The word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” – Hebrews 4:2b           

The Profit of Divine Rest comes as we ALIGN WITH GOD’S WORD by Faith: “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Heb.4:2). Knowing God’s word has great value, but the greatest value comes in not only knowing but believing and keeping God’s word – aligning with His Word by faith. The Word itself is the generator of faith: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom.10:17). Faith then produces Obedience. The evidence or proof of Faith is obedience. Jesus says: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jh.14:15). Those who truly believe obey God’s Word (Jam.2: 14-26).

There is no use coming to God’s Word with preconceived ideas, thinking one knows what God says and what He means; or depending on what others say about His Word as the absolute correct way to interpret the Bible. The Pharisees in the time of Jesus knew the Scriptures; they were teachers of God’s laws, but had so made null and void what God really said! They knew what God really said, but they explained away all the strong demands God made on every hearer of the Word. So it is today! Many are making excuses and allowances for one sin after another, contrary to God’s Word. Some have gone so far astray from it, they have succeeded in removing some of the old standards and substituted easier ways to please the flesh.

We are not called to merely study what man says about the Word of God, but what God Himself says. It is on His Word each of us will stand before the Judgement Bar of God and be judged by what His Word says, not by what some compromising backslidden teacher or ignorant person says (Rom.14: 10-12; 2Cor.5:10). The Pharisees told the people they didn’t have to obey the Word of God exactly like it was written, but Jesus queried why they had made God’s Word null and void by their traditions, when it was not okay with God: “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men – the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do….All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mk.7: 7-9).

God does not want us to come before His Word trying to make it teach what we believe, which may be flawed. He wants us to come with open minds, hungry to know the pure unadulterated Word that has power to perform all that He says! If we’ll adopt the posture to always lay aside what we have been taught and see for ourselves what God really says about any subject we study, we’ll discover riches in His Word that we never thought were there. When we truly encounter His Word, faith will spring up in our hearts with power. We’ll become doers of the Word and not deceived hearers (Jam.1: 22-25).

To own a Bible is a great responsibility – to whom much has been given, much is required: “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Lk.12:48b). The Scriptures must not merely be owned, but known; not merely known, but believed; and not merely believed, but obeyed.