The Word of God: True, Sure, Faithful, Trustworthy

“The word of God is quick (living) and powerful” (Heb 4:12) and effectually works in those who reverently accept it and believe it, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thess 2:13). Therefore, Paul tried his best to persuade readers to receive God’s Word with faith and without any doubts or questions in order to get all the blessings from the Lord. Sadly, many so-called “Christian leaders” nowadays are spending their time and efforts in questioning, criticizing, and casting doubt on God’s Word! Their conscience is so dull that they do not see that doing such wicked thing is really damaging God’s Word, shaking the faith of young believers, and confusing many!

Here we see, to confirm God’s trustworthy Word, Paul used the phrase “This is a faithful saying” five times in his pastoral epistles (I Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; II Tim 2:11, Titus 3:8). The term faithful is from the Greek word pistós, which means faithful, trustworthy, true, sure, believable; and the term saying is from the Greek word logos, which John used to refer to the living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1), and to the written Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17; cf. 10:35). Then, “let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom 3:4) because “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven…Thy word is true from the beginning” (Ps 119:89, 160), and “the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23), and “We have also a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19), etc. Dear friends, would we not rather listen to God’s sure, true, faithful and trustworthy Word than human words?

And Paul continues, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.” The term acceptation (apodochē) has only two occurrences (the other is the same statement in 1 Tim 4:9), denoting acceptation with ready or willing acknowledgment and approval. Then, if a person receives God’s Word with “all acceptation,” there will be no room in his heart for any doubts. How about you and me? Do we have any doubts when reading, preaching, or accepting God’s faithful, true, sure, and trustworthy Word? Let us remember that doubt is not of faith, and “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom 14:23).