Understanding the Word of God
The first thing that we should address before studying the Word of God is our motive for wanting to know it. There are many wrong reasons we can have for learning the Word that will cause us to have a distorted understanding of it. The Word of God is given to shed light on darkness and to expose sin and unrighteousness. It is given to build up and strengthen those that are seeking after a more accurate and meaningful relationship with God. For us to really understand the word of God we must allow our knowledge of it to pass from our heads and get deep down into our hearts and live it out in our lives.
God in his word speaks of things that hinder us from coming to the truth and of things that will help us to correctly understand his word.
The value we put on God’s Word will determine how careful we will be with it.
When we honor God’s word, we show that we have honor for him.
Ps 138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple And give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth; For you have exalted your Name and your Word above all. WEB
- God’s word expresses who he is and what he stands for.
Job said that he treasured the words of God’s mouth more than his necessary food.
Job 23:12 I haven’t gone back from the commandment of his lips. I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. WEB
- The word of God was more important to Job than life itself.
Jeremiah stated that God’s words was a joy and a rejoicing to his heart.
Jer 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them; and your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by your name, Yahweh, God of Armies. WEB
- The word was more to Jeremiah than just head knowledge it was that which affected his very heart.
The Psalmist states that God’s promises are sweet to his taste, more than honey to his mouth and his word is a lamp unto his feet, and light for his path. (Ps 119:103-105)
John states that God’s word is truth. (John 17:17)
John 8:31-32 Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
- With truth there comes freedom, but falsehood will only bring bondage.
If we desire truth, we must also seek after his companions.
Prov 2:1-12 My son, if you will receive my words, And store up my commandments within you; So as to turn your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you call out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures: Then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, And find the knowledge of God. For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity; That he may guard the paths of justice And preserve the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path. For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the men who speak perverse things; (Prov 4:4-8)
- God’s word is more than words written on a page, they are the pathway to an abundant life full of all that is good, upright and just. It is that which will protect us from all that is evil and perverse.
If we really want to know the truths of God, we must fully trust in him and depart from evil.
Prov 3:5-7 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, And don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, And he will make your paths straight. Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh and depart from evil.
- The truths of God are not found in the hearts of evil and deceitful men.
The Word of God is pure in itself and anything we do to add to or take away from it places us in a compromised position and does not show honor to God that has given it to us.
Prov 30:5-6 “Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Don’t you add to his words, Lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Intentionally or non-intentionally if we do not convey the Word correctly, we are promoting falsehood. That is why we need to be very careful with it and ask God for his wisdom, knowledge and understanding when we are dealing with it.
Jer 23:28-32 The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? says Yahweh. Isn’t my word like fire? says Yahweh; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, says Yahweh, who steal my words everyone from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets, says Yahweh, who use their tongues, and say, He says. Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says Yahweh, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I didn’t send them, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, says Yahweh.
1 Cor 4:6 learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.
- One way we can tell if the Word is being presented correctly is if it is profitable to those that hear it.
2 Tim 3:12-13 all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- When a person is given over to lying, they end up believing their own lies and reap the consequences of those lies
The Word clearly tells us of the things we need to seek after and the things that we are to avoid if we truly want to understand the Word of God.
1 Tim 4:1 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness.
2 Tim 2:14-17 Remind them of these things, charging them in the sight of the Lord, that they don’t argue about words, to no profit, to the subverting of those who hear. Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who doesn’t need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth. But shun empty chatter, for they will proceed further in ungodliness, and their word will consume like gangrene,
Mark 7:6-9 He Jesus) answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ “For you set aside the commandment of God and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
Mark 7:10-13 speaks of those that make void the word of God by their tradition, which they have handed down. You do many things like that.
Col 2:8 Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.
Gal 1:6-9 says there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.
2 Tim 3:6-7 speaks of those that are always learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Titus 3:9-11 warns to shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning; knowing that such a one is perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.
Titus 1:10-14 For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.” This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
When we are not in a good place with God our mind as well as our heart is affected, and we are not able to understand even the simplest truths.
2 Cor 3:12-16 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away. But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away. But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Cor 4:1-6 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish; in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
- Even if the Word is presented in the correct and proper manner it is not able to profit those that do not have their hearts in the right place.
The attitude and the way the Word of God is presented will affect how well it will be received.
2 Tim 3:16-17 states that every writing inspired by God is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction, which is in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Tim 2:23-25 refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife. The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient, in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth.
2 Tim 4:2-4 Paul tells Timothy to preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to fables.
We can read or hear the Word of God and still miss out on what is trying to be conveyed.
John 3:9-10 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?
Mark 12:24 Jesus told the Sadducees that they were mistaken because they did not know the Scriptures, nor the power of God?
The Word of God is a creative and life-giving force. It is God expressed to us, in us and through us. The natural man is not able to receive of this life-giving power. God’s word is spirit and must be discerned by the Spirit of God.
In John 6:63 Jesus said that the words that he spoke are spirit and are life.
1 Cor 2:14 Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, (The Spirit the Holy) whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
It is not something that can be understood by having a good grasp of the language and by endless hours of study. A true knowledge of God’s word will only come in the realm of our relationship with him. In this realm he is delighted to reveal his heart and mind to those that he loves and to those that love him and desire to have this relationship be all that it can be.
Luke 24:44-47 Then he (Jesus) opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.
Matt 13:10-11 The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
- A mystery is not something that can not be understood but is something that is hidden and has not yet been revealed.
Isa 29:10-14 For Yahweh has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers. All vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t, for it is sealed:” and the book is delivered to one who is not educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t read.” The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden.”
- God will continue to do marvelous things in his people in spite of those that do not represent his word or heart.
God is more than willing to reveal his word to those that have open and willing hearts.
Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
- Studying the Word of God for the right reasons make all the difference.
1 Thess 2:13 For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.
John 7:16-17 Jesus therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself.
There are things that are hard to understand and that is why it is important for us to approach the Word of God with the right heart and continually seek him to help us understand all these things.
2 Peter 3:16 Paul wrote that there are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Luke 8:17-18 For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light. . Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”
John 21:22-23 Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” This saying therefore went out among the brothers that this disciple wouldn’t die. Yet Jesus didn’t say to him that he wouldn’t die, but, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you?”
If we will let the Word of God speak for itself and not read our own thoughts and ideas into it, we will come to a better understanding of it. We must let it shape the lives we have in God and not shape it to fit our own lifestyle.
We must always remember the Word of God is more than words on a page it is spirit, and it is life. It is God’s message to all that will seek after him. It will change you from an earthly being to a heavenly one.
The Word is given to us so we can have a meaningful relationship with our God – so let us learn it, love it and live it to the full with great honor and respect.