Word of Life
The Bible is able to instruct us
"for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy ). In other words, the Bible
teaches us how to receive salvation and what true faith in Christ means. God's
word as found in the Bible has the power to save us. "Therefore put away
all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the
implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James ).
It is not the text of the Bible
that gives eternal life, but the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord
said, "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (John
6:63). Because the Bible bears witness to Jesus Christ and directs our faith to
the Savior, we can receive salvation by trusting and obeying the word of the
Lord written in the Bible.
The word of God carries a
life-giving power. God "gives birth" to believers through the word of
truth (James ). When
we give our lives to Jesus Christ and obey him as Lord, we can live a new life
and have the hope of eternal life. "You have been born anew, not of
perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of
God...That word is the good news which was preached to you" (1 Peter
1:23,25). The gospel of Jesus Christ that the Bible preaches is truly the word
of life!
|