Psalm 18:30

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Over the past 11 weeks, we have talked a lot about God’s Word. We have described God’s Word as inspired, sufficient, eternal, true, assaulted, preached, Christ-centered, and efficient. There is so much more that could be said about the Bible. Preachers, scholars, teachers, and students of God’s Word from all ages and all walks of life have tried to plumb the depths of it and have all only scratched the surface. This is because God’s Word reflects the God that gave it to us. God is infinite. While the Bible is 66 books and a certain number of letters and words on pages, the truths that it contains are a bottomless well of wisdom and knowledge of the infinite, holy Creator. As we understand these attributes of the Word of God, it is important that we do three things with it.

First, we should treasure our Bibles. The Creator of the universe has spoken. He has spoken to us sinful creatures who have rebelled against Him and He has shown us through His Word how we might be reconciled to Him. This is why the psalmist wrote, “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10) and “I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil” (Psalm 119:162).

Second, we study our Bibles. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.” If we treasure our Bibles, then we will utilize any resource and means we can to understand it better. We must bridge the historical, cultural, and language gaps between us and the time in which the Word of God was written to be those who are known as “rightly dividing the Word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Lastly, we obey our Bibles. James tells us very plainly that to read and study our Bibles without the goal of obeying them is a useless endeavor. James 1:22-25 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” To look into Scripture for mere academic knowledge does not change our lives. Seeking to submit and obey it does. God works through His Word. It will change us, but it is not just about knowing His Word, but about knowing Him.

“The Word of the Lord is tried.” The word “tried” carries the idea of metal being melted down in a fire. The process is meant to temper, strengthen, and purify the metal. The word is used metaphorically here to describe something that is tested. The Word of God has proven itself true. Through every test, its testimony is proven true, pure, and solid.  It has passed every test that fallen man, Satan, and the world system can throw at it. It is worth trusting above everything else that we know. Men will lie and deceive. Men will fail. Men will be here today and gone tomorrow like grass that withers and dies in the sunlight, but the Word of God remains (1 Peter 1:23-25). Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). What we do with God’s Word will matter for all of eternity. The earth and all of its greatest treasures will one day be purged with fire (2 Peter 3:10-13).  It will all vanish away, but God’s Word will not. Those who hear it and obey it will be blessed for all of eternity. “And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:27-28). The Word of God ultimately attests to the person of Jesus Christ (John 5:39; Luke 24:44-47). He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). Do you know Him today? Do you desire to know Him? Let’s make a commitment to search the Scripture every day to know and obey Jesus.