His Word is eternal
Psalm 119:9
„How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.”
The Word of God is what can guard us and also keep our souls. This statement is true not only of Old Testament times, but also of modern times.
James 1:21-22
„Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
With meekness, not shrugging or denying. For what is the Word that can keep our souls? If the Word is called law, believers will be frustrated. But there are many other names, such as the Word of God, the will of God, and the best known name; Jesus!
Most believers like to categorize. One thing they are interested in is how they can lose their salvation. And if anyone convinces them, perhaps one can convince oneself that keeping God's Word is not necessary for salvation, they are already contemptuous of the law, and therefore of God's will, also known as Jesus! Testimony of Jesus:
John 12:48-50
„The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me."”
But what about believers who don’t care to keep the Word of God? They are clearly not Christians because Jesus kept all that he saw and heard from the Father and also called us to walk this path.
John 15:14-15
„You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
But what else do we say about people who don’t care to keep God’s Word, in other words, God’s will? Certainly they don’t love God enough:
John 14:15
„If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
The love of the Father has become evident to us by giving His only begotten Son to death for our sins. Just as Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son for God, it is no coincidence that God made him the spiritual father of the Jews and the Nation. Before anyone gets upset that I have called Abraham the father of believers (Nation), trying to understand why Paul calls himself the father of those in the Corinthian church (1 Cor 4:15). Also read from Paul:
Romans 4:11-12
„He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.”
Most say they do the will of the Lord because of their love. However, if we look at their actions, we can soon conclude that they don’t really love God, they just talk about it.
God's Word very often testifies that our actions determine our identity, our actions will judge where we spend eternity. We are not believers because we made a good decision once. It is not our speech that determines that we are truly believers, but our actions.
God wants to feed us with His Word. It should be appreciated! Unfortunately, many seek signs, wonders, testimonies, and experiences while despising God’s Word. There is something that cannot be learned, and that is faith and the love of God. Therefore, it is not possible to convince and lead to salvation those who do not love God enough.
John 14:15
„If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
If one loves God, that believer is making every effort to please Him. How does one love God if the commandments of God are not kept? Yet many believe in themselves that they love God, while not following His will.
1John 4:20-21
„If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
Although many believe that the Father has changed since Jesus' death and resurrection. But if God had really changed, He can change anytime again, and then our faith would not be rock solid. But the good news is that God does not change, although for many it is bad news and judgment at the same time.
Malachi 3:6-7
„For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, 'How shall we return?'”
Just as God once required purity from sin, so He does today. We know that King David was a man after God’s own heart. But why? Why did God love him?
Acts 13:22
„And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'”
David walked according to God’s will, so he lived according to God’s law! And if he committed a sin, he severely reaped the consequences. Also because:
Leviticus 10:1-3
„Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD has said, 'Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron held his peace.”
God shows His holiness among those who are His children! How different teachings there are among believers because they say that if we are children of God we can do anything, there will be no consequences! Why don’t believers receive various punishments when they act ungodly? The answer is simple, for they are not near, but far from God!
Antal Farkas
(September 5, 2020)
