The Sword of the Spirit (3)

“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

All the Word is Jesus’ Word
Jesus explained that the entire Bible, all the sacred Scriptures, are about Him (Jn. 5.39). He is the Word of God, and the Scriptures bring us the words of the Word of God, making them the very Word of God as well. He is the fulfillment of God’s covenant, and all its promises cohere in Him. He is the food and drink to slake our spiritual thirst, and nourishment we need to break out of our famine of truth.

When, therefore, the Scriptures speak to any area of our lives for judgment and correction, we do well to take heed, accept the judgment of God’s Spirit, and adjust our ways accordingly.

But the Sword of the Spirit is not given to us merely to whack away at the sin and unbelief lingering within us. God intends His Word to bring us to life, to a deeper knowledge of Himself and Jesus Christ, a greater experience of His glory, more consistent realization of His presence and power, and a fuller experience of the eternal life for which we have been redeemed. We cannot realize the full and abundant life Jesus has gained for us apart from consistent reading, studying, and learning from the Word of God.

Life for the soul
The Word of God is life for the soul. It speaks to the mind, to how we think, what we think about, the hopes and visions and dreams that give direction to our lives. As we study the Scriptures we want to learn how to exercise more of the mind of Christ, which is given to us (1 Cor. 2.16). We want to take every one of our thoughts captive, and make them all obey Jesus for loving God and our neighbors (2 Cor. 10.3-5; Matt. 22.34-40).

The Word of God teaches us what to think and how to think, and it renews our minds day by day so that we can live more consistently for Jesus Christ (Rom. 12.1, 2).

The Word also illuminates the affections of the heart. Not every attitude, desire, feeling, longing, or hope which we entertain is consistent with the progress of the Kingdom of God and the life of faith. Our desires need to be reviewed and reformed daily. Our heart needs renewing light and grace from God’s Word, so that we love what we’re supposed to love, hate what we ought to hate, and are invested in all our affections in a manner consistent with the heart of God.

As we read and study the Scriptures, we need to listen for the Spirit to expose any areas of darkness in our heart, so that we may repent and take up a course of attitudes and affections more consistent with the life Christ came to bring us (Ps. 139.23, 24).

And the same is true for the conscience. The conscience is like the umpire in our souls. God has written the works of His Law on our heart, and the conscience “reads” that Law to help us in thinking right thoughts, feeling right feelings, and making right choices (Rom. 2.14, 15). The Word of God can help us make sure our conscience is, in Paul’s words, “good” and “right” before the Lord and our neighbors (1 Tim. 1.5)

Life for everyday living
As the Word of God thus renews and reforms our soul, it prepares us for every good work, whether by word or deed. Every day we are presented with opportunities for glorifying God in our life (1 Cor. 10.31). We will only do that, we will only display the resurrection life of Jesus to the glory of God the Father, through the words we speak and the works we do, with joy and rejoicing; and the Sword of the Spirit speaks volumes about each of these as manifestations of the life of Jesus Christ.

Reading and studying the Word of God shapes our soul, and sheds light on our daily lives as well. By showing us who we are in the light of God’s Word, the Spirit then points us to Jesus, and ushers into the life of righteousness, peace, and joy He brings. Let the Scriptures teach you how to use your tongue and how to love God and neighbor in your everyday life. This may mean setting aside some ways of speaking and living that are not consistent with the Word, and taking up new ways that are more expressive of the life of Christ (Eph. 4.17-24)

We cannot do this on our own, of course, and this is why we have the Spirit of God in us, Who works with the Word of God to bring us to a richer, fuller experience of the life of God every day (Jn. 6.63; 1 Cor. 2.12, 13).

Let the Scriptures shape, mold, and guide you for life, life as Jesus intends it, life of joy and rejoicing in the Lord, to the praise of the glory of God.

For reflection
1.  Meditate on John 10.10b, 14.6, and 17.3. What is eternal life? How would you explain this to someone who does not have it?

2.  Meditate on John 5.39. What do we mean by saying that the entire Bible is about Jesus and the life He came to give? Can you give some examples from various parts of the Bible?

3.  Mind, heart, conscience – the three components of the soul: How does the Bible work to “judge” and shape each of these for full and abundant life in Jesus?

Next steps – Demonstration: What would you suggest to a new believer to help him learn how to read the Word of God for life? How well does this express your own approach to the Bible?

T. M. Moore

You can learn more about God’s covenant and why it’s so important by ordering T. M.’s book, I Will Be Your God, from our online store (click here). For a deeper study of God’s covenant, order the workbook, God’s Covenant, from our online store (click here).

To learn how God’s covenant defines the shape of Scripture, and guides our approach to understanding and using the Bible, enroll in the course, Introduction to Biblical Theology. It’s free and online, and you can study at your own pace or with friends. To learn more and to register, click here. This week’s study is Part 2 of a series on The Word of God, and is available as a free download by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.