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(Hebrews 13:8).
“The word of our God stands forever”
(Isaiah 40:8).
Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words
will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
The galaxies are disintegrating. Our bodies grow old and die.
All visible things perish. For that reason, “We do not look at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the
things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not
seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Since God is eternal, His word is also eternal. “The entirety of
Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments
endures forever” (Psalm 119:160). “The truth of the Lord endures
forever” (Psalm 117:2).
In Isaiah, chapter 40, God's messenger is told to cry out. (A
message from God is not to be spoken timidly. It is backed by the
Creator of the universe!)
“The voice said, 'Cry out!' And he said, 'What shall I cry?'”
(Isaiah 40:6). The answer is: “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness
is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades,
because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are
grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God
stands forever” (Isaiah 40:7, 8).
The eternity of God's word is contrasted with the brevity of
life. Our life passes quickly. “What is your life? It is a mist that
appears briefly and then disappears” (James 4:14 RD). Each day
brings us one day closer to the day of our death.
Yet good news was to be preached from Jerusalem: “O Zion,
you who bring good tidings, get up into the high mountain; O
Jerusalem, you who bring good tidings, lift up your voice with
strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold
your God!'” (Isaiah 40:9).
What is this good news that goes forth from Jerusalem? Jesus
came to the cities of Judah and told His followers: “Most assuredly,
I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death”
(John 8:51). “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word
and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not
come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John
5:24).
That really is good news! By believing in God and obeying the
word of Christ, one can live forever. By obeying the truth one
receives cleansing and a spiritual rebirth: “Since you have purified
your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of
the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having
been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through
the word of God which lives and abides forever, because 'All flesh is
as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The
grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord
endures forever.' Now this is the word which by the gospel was
preached to you” (1 Peter 1:22-25).
“The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who
does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).
We must lift up our voices and tell people that by obeying
God's word they can live forever.
There is no reason to be timid. With Paul we may say: “I am
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to
salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for
the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Jesus warned: “For whoever is ashamed
of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him
the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of
His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
We will be judged by the word of Christ. Jesus said: “He who
rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges
him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day”
(John 12:48).
On judgment day, what will all the theological books on earth
be worth? Along with the earth, they will be consumed by fire, but
“The word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). God's word will
still be there to judge us, after the heavens and the earth have
passed away (2 Peter 3:10-13).
But that same word is also the word of life. When Jesus lost
His popularity with the masses because His teachings were not what
they wanted, He asked His disciples if they also would go away.
Peter replied: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of
eternal life” (John 6:68). Jesus had just told them: “It is the Spirit
who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to
you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Jesus is the “Word of
life” (1 John 1:1).
After the church was established, the apostles were
commanded: “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all
the words of this life” (Acts 5:20).
Later Paul and Barnabas traveled about proclaiming the good
news of eternal life in Christ. Certain Jews rejected the message.
“Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, 'It was necessary that
the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject
it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we
turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: “I have set
you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the
ends of the earth.”' Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were
glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been
appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was
being spread throughout all the region” (Acts 13:46-49).
The word of God is not a dead letter. It is “living and
powerful” (Hebrews 4:12). Although our flesh is like grass that
withers away, through the “living and powerful” word of God we can
live forever. Let us hold fast the “word of life” (Philippians 2:16).
“Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever”
(Hebrews 13:8). Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but
My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). “The word
of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
Believe in Christ, repent, confess your faith and be baptized
for the forgiveness of your sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans
10:9, 10). Then in Christ you can live forever.
Roy Davison
The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc.,
Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)