The Power of God's Word

The second Sunday in December is set aside as Bible Sunday in the Assemblies of God, a day for churches to give focus to the power and authority of God’s Word in our lives.

The first statement in the AG Statement of Fundamental Truths (SFT) declares: “The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.”

As believers, it is imperative to understand that the Bible is more than a collection of ancient writings.

“The Bible is more than just a book you read; it is a living text that others can read through you” Elly Marroquin, national director of Christian Education and Discipleship and Family Ministries for the Assemblies of God says. The Bible is a transformative volume of Spirit-inspired works that are to be consumed daily as the bread of life for believers.

Bible Sunday is a timely reminder for Christians to seek deeper understanding of the Bible and to give thanks for the gift of God’s Word. The following truths taken from SFT #1 provide a helpful foundation for making the Bible a priority in our lives.

The Bible is the inspired word of God.
Written across the span of approximately 1,400 years by 40 different individuals, the Bible is a sacred piece of literature that was divinely directed. Though written by human hands, every word in the Bible is inspired by the Spirit of God. Marroquin explains that “the Holy Spirit is the divine author, guiding the pen of each scribe.”

The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself.
The Holy Scriptures reveal the character of God and remind His children of His love towards them. Throughout each one of the 66 books, the faithfulness and fulfillment of His promises are reflected. From the fall of man through the second coming of Christ, the Bible chronicles the relationship between the Creator and His creation. While in their humanity Christians will never be able to fully grasp the entire depth of who God is, “Scripture speaks of things beyond our seeing, things beyond our hearing, things beyond our imagining, all prepared by God for those who love him; and these are what God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit explores everything, even the depths of God’s own nature” (1 Corinthians 2:9,10, REB).

The Bible is infallible.
Because every word was inspired by God, believers can trust its complete and total truth. The Bible is without error. Psalm 12:6 says, “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.” Believers can trust that, as Peter wrote, “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable” (2 Peter 1:19).

The Bible declares God’s plan for man’s salvation.
“God has been in pursuit of us before we were aware of his existence and the Bible records the history of that pursuit,” says Marroquin. God’s plan of redemption and salvation is simple, and yet, beyond mere human comprehension. Through the revelation of the Word by the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of the believer, the magnificence of God’s plan of redemption is revealed. Second Timothy 3:15 says, “and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

The Bible is our standard for Christlike behavior.
When believers view themselves through the lens of Scripture, they begin to see that they “have become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yet the start of a new life in Christ is just the beginning. From the moment of one’s salvation, the process of sanctification begins. As believers seek to grow into the image of Christ, the study of Scripture brings to light those things which still need to be surrendered and refined. Second Corinthians 3:18 says of this process, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Bible Sunday is the perfect time to embrace or reengage with God’s word.

“When we begin to apply Scripture to every area of our lives, reading and studying become more than a ‘to-do’ item on our checklist. It becomes an essential part of who we are and begins to transform us into the likeness of Christ,” Marroquin says.



EDITOR’S NOTE:
To accomplish its goal of developing biblically literate disciples who grow into biblical fluency, the General Council of the Assemblies of God has development resources such as Bible Engagement Project. This free curriculum offers deeper understanding and engagement with Scripture for believers of all ages.