What is Your View of His Word?
When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, how do you view the Bible? Do you actually believe what is written? Some embrace it cover to cover, while others pick and choose parts of it, according to their personal taste or worldview. How many say they believe it, but when it comes to living it, it doesn’t appear to be so? No judgment here. In a similar vein, others live it to the degree in which they feel comfortable.
Living by the Word of God is not necessarily easy, at least initially. Depending on the culture in which some grew up, convenience may play a big part in what degree a person follows Scripture as led by Holy Spirit. Clearly, when the flesh gets involved, all bets are off. Is partial obedience truly obedience? Hmmm.
Where is your heart in relation to God? Do you love and believe Him? How you respond to His Word may be an indicator. That being said, have you considered the consequences of ignoring or even forsaken it?
Consequences of Forsaking His Word
God is love, and His love motivates the way in which He interacts with humanity, and that includes you. Love will always do what’s best for the recipient, even when the recipients doesn’t like it, much less appreciate it. Because of His love, He also revealed Himself to us, which included using the Bible. Believe it or not, the principles found in it are for our benefit. Nonetheless, His love gives us the choice to accept or reject them.
Moving forward, let’s be clear about one thing, what’s written here is not about earning salvation, nor is it intended to coerce any to believe or follow it. That decision belongs to the individual.
Love speaks the truth, and the truth is there are consequences for ignoring or rejecting His Word. Of course, there are rewards for embracing and obeying it. What are some consequences. One is we miss the blessings of God.
2 Kings 21:8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
In this verse, which is one example of many, we find a condition attached to a promise God made to Israel: only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them. While this is an Old Testament example, it is written for our learning, and of course, we find New Testament promises predicated on obedience.
When people reject the Word of God, they actually oppose themselves, even if they believe they’re opposing God, Himself.
2 Timothy 2:20-26 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
For believers, perhaps one of the simplest ways to frame this principle is found in 1 Corinthians: For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us (1 Corinthians 2:20).
Embracing Jesus Christ is the Key to receiving the promises of God. Obviously, the opposite is true. There is so much more that could be said about the consequences of rejecting His Word, but perhaps it boils down to this: rejecting His Word may be the result of rejecting Him. On the other hand, those who embrace Him, embrace His Word.
