Thy Word Is Truth

INTRODUCTION

  1. Getting to KNOW God, is 1st to know ABOUT Him, and then to use that knowledge to KNOW, understand, comprehend, trust, - this comes from prayer and meditation coupled with obedience of life.

  2. We want to know about God's word -

  3. We see God in at least two ways throughout the Bible -

    1. He is the absoluute king, the monarch of monarchs, Lord of Lords, king of kings, etc. He RULES the whole of creation for he is the creator -.

    2. SECOND - He SPEAKS! - uttering his will that it may be accomplished.

  4. His word does at least two things:

    1. It established / determins the environment of his subjects -

    2. It establishes a personal link between God and his subjects -.

  5. God's 'torah' - (we translate as 'law', but is really instruction in its fullest sense)

    1. LAW - commands, prohibitions with sanctions attached

    2. PROMISE - both favorable and unfavorable, conditional & unconditional

    3. TESTIMONY - information given about God, mankind, the world, etc.

  6. God's word is to allow us to walk with Him in a loving relationship -

    1. This requires knowing each other -

    2. He already knows ALL about us - Psa. 139:1-4, etc.

    3. We NOT know anything about Him without revelation - 1 Cor. 2:

      1. May, according to Rom. 1, know his eternal power & existence -

      2. NOT know his MIND, his CHARACTER, etc. except by revelation

THE GOD WHO SPEAKS

  1. Creation - done by the power of God's word -

    a. vs. 3 - 'and God said, let there be light -' -

    b. 7 more times, ''let there be..." - 6,9,11,14,20,24,26

    c. All was done by the word of God, - Ps. 33:6, 9, Heb. 11:3; 2 Pet. 3:5 -

  2. Next, God speaks to Adam and Eve -

    a. vs. 28 - God ....said to them -

    b. COMMAND - be fruitful... have dominion..., vs. 28

    c. TESTIMONY - 'BEHOLD' - vs. 29

    d. PROHIBITION - 2:17

    e. PROMISE - both favorable and unfavorable, 3:15-19.

      1. woman's seed shall bruise the serpent's head...

      2. Grief in childbirth

      3. Adams frustrating labor

      4. The certainty of death -

  3. Hence, God rules through his Word - both the physical and the 'spiritual' -

GOD'S WORD IS POWERFUL - HE ALWAYS FULFILLS IT,

  1. Jer. 1:11-12 - God watches over his Word to perform it....

  2. Isa. 55:10-11, God word not 'return void', but will accomplish His desire

  3. Still comes in 3 fold manner:

    1. LAW -

      1. Law of Moses...

      2. speeches of prophets -

      3. Christ's teaching...

      4. The command to repent - Acts 17:30,

      5. The command to believe on Jesus - 1 Jn. 3:23,

      6. the command to be baptized - Acts 10:48, etc.

    2. PROMISE

      1. to Abraham - Gen. 15: land & seed, etc.

      2. redemption from Egypt, Ex. 3:7-10

      3. Messiah - Isa. 9:6-7; etc.

      4. N.T. = forgiveness, resurrection, eternal life =

    3. TESTIMONY

      1. historical narratives -

      2. facts of nature, history, etc.

  4. This is God's word, and our character is shown by our reaction to it!

    1. Jer. 13:10 - 'these wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words'.....

      2. Ps. 36:5, Your faithfulness [reaches] to the skies....

      3. Ps. 119:90 - 'your faithfulness continues through all generations'

      4. Lam. 3:23, 'great is your faithfulness

      How seen? His unfailing fulfillment of His promises. He is a covenant-keeping God, he never fails those who trust in his word...

    OUR REACTION TO HIS WORD = BELIEVE AND OBEY

    1. God's people have ALWAYS been so characterized as those who acknowledge and live under HIS word:

        Ps. 119:5, 10, 26-27
          Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!
          Do not let me stray from your commands.
          Teach me your decrees. Let me understand the teaching of your precepts
          Turn my heart toward your statutes
          May my heart be blameless toward your decrees

    2. Jesus was such -

        1. I came to do thy will....

        2. Not my will be done, but thine...

        3. My meat is to do the will of my Father...

    3. True Christians are people who acknowledge and live under the word of God.

        1. We live by the will of Christ -

        2. What ever we do, in word or deed, is done in the name of Christ Col. 3:16

        3. We will not go beyond the doctrine of Christ - 2 John 9-10

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