“The word is its own power. The word is enough to save sinners!”
His word is its own power in the sense that it will not come back void and always accomplishes His purposes (Isaiah 55:11). Apart from the Spirit, His word alone can not save sinners but only exposes and condemns them which hear it. His word works effectively in them that believe (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13). To them that believe it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). If the Spirit does not prepare the heart for the word, then sinners can not welcome and embrace His word wholeheartedly. Spirit must act or sinners will be exposed and condemned by the word.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain…” (Psalms 127:1-2)
“…our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in [power] and in [the Holy Spirit]…” (1 Thessalonians 1:5)
“Pray also for us, that God may [open to us a door for the word]…” (Colossians 4:3)
What this means for us is that we shouldn’t go out doing ministry in the flesh and in our own strength or cleverness (cf. Zechariah 4:6). We should pray for the Spirit to prepare the way and the heart of those we will encounter. And for His hand to be with us:
“The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:19-21). They went preaching the word and it was God’s hand behind the preaching that turned many to Himself, not the message itself. When the Spirit hasn’t prepared the heart for the word, this is the result: “I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me [because my word finds no place in you]…” (John 8:37 ESV).
The word never fails, even when people reject it (cf. Isaiah 55:11). The problem here isn’t with the word, but the heart (2 Corinthians 4:3-6). Their hearts were not prepared by the Spirit for the entrance of the word. When we preach the word, let us remember that the heart is what we’re reaching, and only the Spirit can prepare the way for that.
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T: “The word is enough to save sinners!”
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Objection:
His word is its own power in the sense that it will not come back void and always accomplishes His purposes (Isaiah 55:11). Apart from the Spirit, His word alone can not save sinners but only exposes and condemns them which hear it. His word works effectively in them that believe (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13). To them that believe it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). If the Spirit does not prepare the heart for the word, then sinners can not welcome and embrace His word wholeheartedly. Spirit must act or sinners will be exposed and condemned by the word.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain…” (Psalms 127:1-2)
“…our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in [power] and in [the Holy Spirit]…” (1 Thessalonians 1:5)
“Pray also for us, that God may [open to us a door for the word]…” (Colossians 4:3)
What this means for us is that we shouldn’t go out doing ministry in the flesh and in our own strength or cleverness (cf. Zechariah 4:6). We should pray for the Spirit to prepare the way and the heart of those we will encounter. And for His hand to be with us:
“The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:19-21). They went preaching the word and it was God’s hand behind the preaching that turned many to Himself, not the message itself. When the Spirit hasn’t prepared the heart for the word, this is the result: “I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me [because my word finds no place in you]…” (John 8:37 ESV).
The word never fails, even when people reject it (cf. Isaiah 55:11). The problem here isn’t with the word, but the heart (2 Corinthians 4:3-6). Their hearts were not prepared by the Spirit for the entrance of the word. When we preach the word, let us remember that the heart is what we’re reaching, and only the Spirit can prepare the way for that.