The Blessed Word

By Jim Croft

What is the Bible? It is the inspired Word of God without error in its’ original manuscripts. It is the Word of God and the revelation of His character, His will and His eternal purposes expressed in written language. Any written language is limited in its ability to convey the fullness of the aforementioned. Therefore, it is essential that all who approach the Bible have a relationship with its author, the Holy Spirit. The confines of human language are obliterated by the Spirit’s abilities to empower and expand the vistas of revelation that inhabit every single word in the Holy Scriptures. Without the assistance of the Spirit, it can be a dry and perplexing book.

Psalms 119 is perhaps the greatest commentary on the Word of God contained in a single chapter of the Scriptures. This psalm makes reference to different aspects of the Word of God such as; His commandments, testimonies, precepts, statutes, judgments, and His ways.

The following is a descriptive list of these various types of readings within the Bible.

• His Law - The entire Bible. Our single most complete earthly resource for revelations concerning God’s nature and His heart for everything that He has created. These are categorized as God’s commandments, testimonies, precepts, statutes, judgments, and ways
• Commandments - The body of God’s laws from which the Holy Spirit dictates specific obligations for righteous behavior for the generations of all cultures. His commandments are not necessarily the same for all nations. They can vary in their application and timing. For example, Sabbath keeping was an absolute for Jews of antiquity who lived under the Law of Moses. Such is a matter of personal conscience for contemporary Christians. Monogamous marriage relationships are an absolute in cultures where Christianity has been thoroughly established. However, this ideal can be destructive when presumptuously applied too quickly in societies where polygamy is common. Many children of second wives have been embittered against Christianity because unwise missionaries forced their fathers to divorce their mothers.
• Statutes - A ruling designed to accentuate the faithfulness of God’s mercy or wrath. For example; God told Joshua that the curse of death would come upon the firstborn and last born of anyone that attempted to rebuild ancient Jericho on its original site. He gave the sign of the rainbow after the flood of Noah’s day as a sign that He would never again destroy the whole earth through flooding.
• Precepts - Distilled principles from God’s word that help insure successful lives, love, wisdom, diligence, thrift and so forth.
• Judgments - God’s penalties and rewards for behavior.
• Testimonies - Accounts of God’s merciful actions on behalf of those who love Him.
• Ways - God’s predictable responses to our circumstances based upon His nature as it is presented in the Bible. Abraham knew the ways of God. When Abraham was told of God’s plans to destroy Sodom, he reminded God that it was not His way to destroy the righteous with the wicked.

Things God’s Word Will Do

It will save your soul. James 1:21

It will keep you from sin. Psa 119:11

It will make you wise about your salvation. 2Ti 3:15

It will acquaint you with the works of the Son of God prior to His appearance as Jesus of Nazareth. His pre-incarnate appearances are called Christophanies. He as the Wisdom of God was by the Father’s side as a skilled craftsmen in the creation of all things (Prov. 8:22-31). It was He who appeared to Abraham and shared a meal and who wrestled with Jacob throughout the night. It was He who performed feats of power for Samson’s parents.

It will equip you for the good works to which you are called. 2Ti 3:16-17

It will set you apart and show you the path to your inheritance among God’s choice servants. Acts 20:32

It will give you a new heritage without the limitations of your genetic family line. Psa 199:111, Pro 3:8

It will heal your body. Pro 4:21-23

It will give you encouragement and hope. Rom 15:4

It will help you understand the benefit from affliction. Psa 119:67, 71-71, 75

It will show you how to agree with God so your prayer life will be productive. Rom 10:5-10

It will help you discern your motivations. Heb 4:12

It will give you a successful life and guarantee that all that you do will prosper. Jos 1:8

It will enable you to discern how to respond to contemporary issues. The Word of the Lord is right concerning all things. Psa 119:128

It will encourage you to assist the poor on a temporary basis. Also, it wisely instills caution about attempting to finance endless welfare for those who are under a curse for slothfulness and disobedience to God’s laws.

It will guide you in your choice of political candidates. 1Sa 8

It will help you shape your attitudes toward the environment and the unborn. Lev 19:9-14

My prayer is that you will give yourself to regular sessions of reading, meditating upon and memorizing His Word.