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For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

God’s written revelation of Himself is an immeasurable gift to humanity. It provides the critical facts about who He is, who we are, our need for redemption and the only path
to it, yet its value extends even beyond its perfect historical account and presentation of the good news of salvation. As a product of the Holy Spirit, scripture has an inherent power to act upon those who read it, to convict, to save, and to transform. It is this power that leads the writer of Hebrews to describe God’s word as living and active.

Everything is plain when viewed in the light of scripture, because real truth has no bias and God’s word is absolute truth. As the perfect standard, it necessarily produces perfect judgment on the thoughts, intentions, and actions of man. Scripture does not present man’s moral decrees and musings about God, biased, limited and flawed, but the perfect revelation of the one, holy God and His just and righteous standards for man. Scripture is wholly authoritative because God is the author. It is the final word.

How does scripture convict? Described here as being sharper than any two-edged sword, God’s word cuts to the core to expose what lies within. It penetrates self-deception to lay reality bare and show us who we really are. It tests our essence, the strength of our trust and faith, and reveals our true intentions. Some of us may not even have been aware that there is a distinction between soul and spirit, but the example shows how precise and definitive the living word is. Faced with such an absolute standard, the natural man will reject and rebel against it, while the elect of God will be unavoidably convicted by it. This sense of conviction, enabled by the Holy Spirit, paves the way for true faith and obedience.

What is ultimately at stake is salvation. Just prior to the verse above, the reader is exhorted to be diligent in their obedience to God’s word that they may enter God’s rest, or the security of eternal salvation. This idea of rest recalls Israel’s wilderness exile when God refused to allow the offending generation to enter the promised land because of their disobedience. It is important to understand that human works can never deliver salvation on their own merit, but the obedience that produces good works is a necessary and assured consequence of saving faith.

The word of God is living in that it imparts life and endures forever. It is active in that it has the power and authority to transform and produce obedience and faith in those who receive it. Let us all recognize and appreciate God’s word for the incredible gift that it is, respect its absolute truth, pray that it will convict us and flourish in our hearts, and be assured that it will not fail to achieve His purpose.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. — Isaiah 55:10-11

 

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Most scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB)

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