The Power of the Word of God

The Power of the Word of God

Hebrews 4:12

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart

John 1:1 

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

These are two of the more familiar verses in the bible and both speak about the word of God. Did you know that there is more than one Greek word for "word" in the bible? I'd like to show a brief study on it because there are some very interesting things to glean. God is very deliberate with the words He chose to be in what we call the bible, so the meanings are significant. Just so I don't keep you in suspense, the two Greek words for "word" are:

logos - the written word

rhema - the spoken word

Now let's take a look at some scriptures and see the different contexts that these are used in. I'll start with the two mentioned above. In fact, let's look at Hebrews 4:12 with a more literal translation from the Greek where I see a bit of lack in the English. It's going to look a bit jumbled, but I'll put the English beneath it to try and make it clearer.

Hebrews 4:12 with some Greek:

For (Greek gar, meaning indeed) the word (logos) of the (ho - definite article is present) God is quick (Greek Zōn, meaning living) and powerful (Greek energēs, meaning active) and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner (Greek kritikos, meaning able to judge, see our word critical in there)
thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 again:

Indeed the word of the God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart.

That gives a pretty neat picture of what the written word of God can do. Think about how that applies to you. As you study scripture and something jumps out at you, what happens? Don't you feel a change happening deep inside you? Do you occasionally feel that you need to change thought patterns to align with what the word of God says? God's written word is very much living and active. Now let's look at John 1:1 again.

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word (logos), and the Word (logos) was with God, and the Word (logos) was God

Something important to note is that the Greek can ONLY be translated that the Word WAS God. If we want to get into parsing, the entire phrase "and the Word was God" in the Greek is in the nominative, masculine, singular form. The word "was" is in the imperitive, indicative, active, and most importantly, there is no article there. Those of you who have the New World Translation would need to consider the article that was added, when trying to make Jesus Christ into "a" god and not THE God. If you believe that the Word of God is inspired of God and completely true (2 Tim 3:16, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18) then the original language is what is true and any translation may have some bias to it. To truly understand meaning, regardless of what translation is used, a student of the bible must go to the original languages it was written in (Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic). So then, let's move on to some other verses that also use the Greek logos. Speaking of Jesus Christ, let's look at Revelation 19:13

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word (logos) of God.

I just made a point on how the article was missing in the Greek in John 1:1 for "the Word was God," but guess what? There is an article in the Greek in Revelation 19:13 that isn't there in the English. It more literally says:

And his name is called The Word of THE God.

In fact, as you study the original language, you'll find several places where the definite article is there, in which the English would be rendered "the God" instead of just God. I would venture to say that the one true God is getting across the point that He is the one true God and not just some other god or idol of worship.

So let's think a bit about what this logos really is then. Even from just these few verses, we see that the logos was in the beginning. Before anything was created, there was the logos. This logos was also God. Now that's interesting to think about. How can the written word be God? Take a minute and really go over that thought. What is the main point of what we call the bible? Is it not to point to the Messiah or Christ? Is it not all about God and His desire to reconcile His creation to Himself? Is it not all about glorifying God in all that He's done? In Revelation we see Jesus Christ mentioned again as the Word, like in John 1:1. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the logos. He is the embodiment of the logos (Colossians 1, 2:9, 16-17).

I can't help but go into the awesomeness that happens when someone first comes to believe in Christ as their Savior. Scripture says that every single person has sinned, or missed the mark, of the glory of God. That's not hard to fathom since we can clearly look around and see that no one is perfect. In order to have fellowship with God, we need to be perfect. Since no one is perfect, no one can have fellowship with God. That is the bad news. The good news is that God gave us way to be perfect.

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 For he[God] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

We are made perfect by Jesus Christ, but that doesn't happen automatically. He made us saveable, but will not trifle with the free will that He gave us. No, there is only one way to be made perfect in the eyes of God, and that is this:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures

The moment you believe that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again the third day, that He became sin for you and offered His righteousness in exchange for your faith, then you become a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The Greek there in 2 Corinthians 5:17 is a bit more descriptive. It more accurately reads this way:

Therefore if anyone is in Christ: a new creation. The old things have passed by; Behold, the new has emerged.

What transformation is this? Read Ephesians 1-3 to see what it means to be in Christ. Read Ephesians 4-6 to see what it looked like before Christ, and now that the new has come, what a believer should do and how a believer should behave because they are in Christ. The best part is that this status of sainthood can never be taken away (Romans 8:38-39, Ephesians 1:13-14, etc.). God begins this sanctifying process in all believers to conform them to the image of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:3, Ephesians 4:13). This transformation is possible because of the logos. This is the quick and active logos and how it changes people from the inside out. However, the Word of God has another attribute, and that is the rhema. Let's start with Ephesians 5:25-27

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

In this context we see another aspect of the Word of God. Husbands, you have been given a special privilege of the rhema. You are to speak the Word of God unto your wives, showing her what the Word of God says. You are to do it in such a way, comparable to what Jesus Christ has done for the church which is His body. We just talked about that in discussing the word logos. The logos is used in sanctification. So husbands are to take initiative in sharing the logos with their wives by speaking it to them, aiding their wives in sanctification. Wouldn't you want your wife to be as pretty as she can be? Why not cleanse her with the word of God by speaking the truth (logos - John 17:17) in love (Ephesians 4:13)?

Now husbands are not the only ones who can use the rhema. Look just a few verses later into Ephesians chapter six. Here God's logos tells us that we are in a spiritual battle and we are in a fight with Satan and his demons. In defense we are to put on the full armor of God, which is a whole study in itself, so I will just focus on the one weapon. Take a look at Ephesians 6:17-20

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The sword of the Spirit is the rhema of God in verse seventeen. Our weapon as believers in Christ is opening our mouths and speaking the truth of God, His logos. We do that by praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit for all saints. Additionally, we pray for the truth to be spread, to make the gospel known. The word there for "utterance" in verse 19 is logos. Think about that and ask yourself if that is how you are wielding this sword that God has given you. Are you praying that all saints everywhere may be given the right logos at the right time to make known the mystery of the gospel of the grace of God? I know that it has convicted and changed me. We all have different ministries within the body of Christ and will encounter others in unique situations. We all need the right logos at the right time, so let's help each other by praying for it.

Jesus also gave us a picture of the spiritual battle in Matthew 4:1-11 Here are the first four verses there.

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Please note that verse 4 says Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every rhema that comes out of the mouth of God. We are alive by the spoken word of God.

 

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Here we have Satan trying to use the logos against Jesus, who is the logos. It's a bit silly when you think of it that way, but that's what we have here. Satan wrests the scriptures and makes it fit his meaning, which is warned against by God in His logos in 2 Peter 3:15-18. Jesus comes back speaking the logos of God, rightly divided, or correctly handled (2 Timothy 2:15).

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Each time Satan attacks, Jesus fights back by speaking the logos. He fights using the rhema of God. He fights with the sword of the Spirit, like we are told to take up in Ephesians chapter 6. And so we, in our individual spiritual battle, must fight our own temptations we know to be against God's word and rebuke them with applying the right logos and thus continuing in sanctification. It is said that each believer is in a different place in their spiritual walk, which is true, yet we are all one in the body of Christ, working together to bring each other closer to the likeness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13, 25).

So you see, in this short study on the word of God, we see how important His word is. I cannot stress enough how believers need to be in the word of God constantly, ruminating on verses and striving to understand the depth and true meaning that God is communicating to us. I beseech all believers that they be like Jesus and rightly divide the logos to fully understand it. Rightly dividing just means to know which piece goes where. It's like a jigsaw puzzle. Every verse in the bible has a proper place, and only when you put each piece in its proper place do you see the big picture. Forcing pieces where they do not go leaves blemishes and the big picture cannot be understood. Thus the need for prayer for all saints to know the logos and be able to speak it at the right time (Ephesians 6:17-20).

I could have gone over how it was God's spoken word that formed everything we perceive in Genesis 1, or any of the time in the prophets where you read the phrase "thus saith the LORD", or anytime in the New Testament where we see Old Testament verses quoted, but I leave that up to the reader to search the scriptures and discover more precious truth within the word of God both about the logos and the rhema. May the Spirit of God bring you all to the full knowledge of the truth!