Question submitted to GotQuestions.org: What
does it mean the word of God being alive? What is the importance of it being
alive over just being the normal words that although being alive or otherwise
(not sure), also have profound effect on people's characters and values?
My Answer: Hebrews 4:12 which says, “For the word of God is alive and active.
Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and
spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
(NIV). It might help here to reference John 1:1-5 which explains that Jesus is
the word of God, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were
made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and
that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and
the darkness has not overcome it.” (NIV).
Some references that also refer to the Word of God being
eternal include Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:6-8, and 1 Peter 1:24-25.
Psalm 119:89, “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm
in the heavens.”
1 Peter 1:24-25, “For “All people are like grass and all
their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers
fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was
preached to you.” (Here Peter is referencing Isaiah 40:6-8)
Something else to consider is that God’s word always has a
purpose as we see in Isaiah 55:10-11, “As the rain and the snow come down from
heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud
and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so
is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will
accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (This
conjures images of Noah sending out the dove in Genesis 8:6-12. The birds were
living things that Noah sent out with a specific purpose. You can’t take this
analogy too far, but you get the idea.)
So what is the purpose of God’s living Word? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Speaking of God-breathed, do you remember how the world was
created? The basic summary of Genesis 1:3-30 is, “And God said, “Let there be… And
it was so.”
The word of God has the power to forgive and to heal. Matthew
9:5-7 describes Jesus’ encounter with the paralytic. “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your
sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the
Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed
man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home.”
Basically, I can encourage people with my words. I might even
phrase something just right as to influence them to change their mind about
something. Perhaps I could publish a book and influence a lot of people. But
while my words might be able to influence, they don’t have the power to create,
forgive, heal, judge and so much more. The reason that God’s word has this
power is because God’s Word IS God, as John 1:1 states. And God is very much
alive.
