Basic Beliefs - February 2025

            This year in our blogs we are taking a look at some of the fundamental truths of Christianity.  These are the basic beliefs that we live by.  Last month we saw how much the Father loves man.  We are His prized creation and He created us for fellowship.  He loves us so much that He gave His best, Jesus, to die that we might live with Him.  This month we will look at our next basic truth: Faith in God’s Word.

            John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  God begins everything with the seed of His word.  Jesus said, “The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11)  Just like the life of a plant is within its seed, the very life of God is within His word.  For that life to produce it has to be planted.

            Think about when you first believed and made Jesus your Lord.  You heard the gospel (the seed was planted), it grew within you.  And when you accepted it and believed with your heart the life of God was imparted to you.  It grows and produces what it says. This principal is fundamental to Christianity.

            The only basis for experiencing a new kind of life with God is to believe in and to embrace His written word. That is our Christian faith.  Now let’s look at the power of God’s word.

            Joshua 1:8 shows us how to put the word of God to work in our life.  It says we must speak the word, meditate in the word day and night, and then be a doer of the word.  The result is it will “make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”  That is a great promise to us.  The word will work!

            Isaiah 55:11 shows us the same principal: The word will work.  It says, “so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

            One other verse that shows the power of God is in His word is Romans 1:16.  Paul says he is not ashamed of the gospel. What is the gospel? It is the good news of Jesus Christ proclaimed.  He goes on to say that this gospel is “the power of God unto salvation.”  When we proclaim the good news power is available to bring salvation to those that believe.  Again, God’s word will do its job, it will make your way prosperous, it will prosper in the thing for which it was sent.  God’s word is powerful.

            The key to allowing God’s word and its power to produce in your life is to believe it with all your heart.  This is our basic truth for this month: Belief in God’s word.  Faith will increase in our heart as we hear His word spoken. (Romans 10:17) But we must act on his word to allow the power of the word to take effect.  Think about the person that hears the gospel and does not act upon it, does not pray the prayer of salvation, does not come forward, etc.  The word is there for him.  The power is there for salvation.  But no change takes place because he didn’t act on it.

            Jesus said, “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken that one to a wise person who built his house on a rock.”  You see, Bible faith is not just believing but believing enough for it to affect your actions.

            So let’s apply this truth to our lives today.  Let’s attend unto his word, incline our ear to his sayings.  Let’s keep them in the midst of our heart. (Proverbs 4:20-21)  Give the word of God first place in your life.  Make it your final authority.  Let’s allow belief in God’s word to rule our lives.