Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: June 24, 2007
THE DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF GOD’S WORD
Ben Justice
God, through the prophet Jeremiah, said, “Is not my word like as a fire? Saith the
Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces” (Jer. 23:29)? The word of
God is like “a fire” and “a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.” The context
of this passage is dealing with false teachers. God’s word, like fire, will consume
and destroy them. God’s word, like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces, will
destroy them.
In Jer. 5:10-13, we learn that the people of Judah had denied and repudiated the
warnings of the prophets and the evil that was to come upon them. In fact, the
people of Judah said that the words of the prophets were like the wind (i.e.,
sources of hot air). In v. 14, the inspired record states, “Wherefore thus saith the
Lord God of hosts, Because ye (Judah) speak this word, behold, I (God) will make my
words in thy (Jeremiah) mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.”
This is the destructive nature of God’s word.
The inspired Hebrews writer declared, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents
of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). The word of God is “quick” that is “living.” The word is
“powerful.” “Powerful” is from the Greek word energes, from where we get our
English word “energy.” It means “work” or “active.” In other words, the word of
God works and is active. The word is God is “sharper than any two-edged
sword.” Being like a two-edged sword, the word of God pierces even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow. Of course, we
have symbolic language employed to describe the power of God’s word. It
penetrates deep down into the recesses of our spiritual being as a sword cuts
through the joints and marrow of the human body. The word of God is a
“discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The word “discerner” comes
from the Greek word kritikos, from where we get our English word “critical.” The
word has to do with judging. W.E. Vine stated, “the word of God is literally
‘critical of,’ i.e., discriminating and passing judgment on the thoughts and
feelings” (Expository Dictionary, Pg. 171). There is destructive power in God’s
word.
In 2 Cor. 10:3-5, Paul described the Christian warfare. He stated,
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) (5) Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
The words that Paul used are military terms. There are two phrases in particular
to notice — (1) “pulling down” (v. 4) and (2) “casting down” (v. 5). These two
phrases are actually from the same Greek word. Vine gives as a definition
“demolish” (Ibid., Pg. 91). The original word is translated “destroyed” and
“destruction” in other NT passages.
The Christian warfare is not fleshly; our weapons are not carnal. Christians are
engaged in a spiritual battle. Our panoply is given in Eph. 6:10-17. We have our
loins girt about with truth; we have on the breastplate of righteousness; we have
our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; we have the shield of
faith; we have the helmet of salvation, and we have the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God. The word of God is clearly emphasized. There is truth,
righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God. With this spiritual armor we are to war a spiritual war by
demolishing strongholds and casting down imaginations. Albert Barnes so very
well put it, when he said,
The Christian religion goes forth against all the combined and concentrated powers of resistance
of the whole world; and the warfare is to be waged against every strongly fortified place of error and
sin. These strong fortifications of error and of sin are to be battered down and laid in ruins by our
spiritual weapons . . . The strongholds of philosophy, heathenism, and sin should be demolished,
and all the opinions, plans, and purposes of the world should become subject to the all-
conquering Redeemer (Barnes’ Notes — 2 Corinthians, Pg. 208-209).
There is destructive power in God’s word. I am afraid that far too many
preachers are preaching too many sermons that are designed to tickle the ear
and scratch the back (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2-4). I am afraid that too many elders are
leading congregations into digression and apostasy by giving the people what
they want instead of what they really need (cf. Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:17). I am
afraid that too many members of the church are like what Jeremiah said in Jer. 5:
30-31 — “A wonderful (lit. a thing of wonder) and horrible thing is committed in the
land; (31) The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and
my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof.” It is certainly
true that we need be encouraged, admonished, and built up in the most holy
faith. But, I know this: Sin will cause people to be lost in a devil’s hell, and
therefore, we must use God’s word and destroy sin. As Paul said, “reprove” the
unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:11).