Power of God's Word

Notes

1. It is very important that we should have a correct understanding of the power of God's word in creation, in order to appreciate his power in redemption. The current teaching upon this subject has done much to undermine faith in God's word and its power. He simply spake and "it was" (Ps. 33:9), he commanded and "it standeth" (Young's translation). The breath of God's mouth is a breath of life (Gen. 2:7; Job 33:4). It has the same creative power as his word (compare Job 37:10 and Ps. 147:15-17). So his word, which is life (John 6:63), is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16, Young's translation). In the record of creation we read (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24) that at each step in the work "God said" let it be so and "it was so." He made "light to shine out of darkness" (2 Cor. 4:6) by calling for it (Gen. 1:3). The true God is distinguished by this creative power (Ps. 95:4, 5), and the call to worship him is based upon the same reason (Rev. 14:7). That "science falsely so called" (1 Tim. 6:20) which teaches that only a force and not a person is the creator, and that an indefinite period of time was required to accomplish the work, has struck at the very foundation of true Christianity by weakening the faith in the power of God's word, and destroying the foundation for the Bible Sabbath. (Read "Patriarchs and Prophets," chap. 9.)

2. It is only through faith that we can know anything about the work of creation. We can only know the things which he has revealed (Deut. 29:29) by believing them. Thus our knowledge of these things is the result of our faith, and not our faith the result of our knowledge. The fact of creation, however, is constantly before us, and "the things that are made" bear testimony daily to "his eternal power and Godhead" (Rom. 1:20). So God's glory is manifested to us (Ps. 19:1), and we are encouraged to trust him for our need (Phil. 4:19), remembering that the riches of his glory (Eph. 3:16) and the riches of his grace (Eph. 1:7) are the same.

3. Men are willingly ignorant of, or "willfully forget," the power of God's word in creation. There is no excuse for this. The most reasonable thing in the world is to believe just what the Bible says about it, and this is the only source of positive knowledge. Scientists may speculate, but the one who believes God's word knows.

Notes

Special Note.—It should be remembered that translations or versions are not inspired, and so it is perfectly proper that we should have different translations and a Revised Version. The advantage of marginal readings and several translations is apparent, as it is often impossible to express the full meaning by any one reading. A good illustration is found in John 1:12, where the text and two marginal readings are all required to give the complete idea. But the original manuscripts are never revised. So also we should remember that a record may be inspired and yet may contain statements which are not true. Inspiration records the fact that Satan said to our first parents, "Ye shall not surely die;" but this does not make the statement true. So in many similar instances which will be readily recalled.