The Power of the Bible

Word

What makes words of any kind powerful? Most of us probably remember that old saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." The thing is, we know that is not true. Words can hurt us. Words can do damage to our emotional well being. They can cause discouragement, despair, and even depression. Words can also do social and theological damage through lies and false teaching. So many of the problems in our world are because of the spreading of false words, fake news, and pseudoscience. Words are really at the core of our lives and our world. 

Communication is key to everything we do as image bearers of God. Our ability to use language to convey deep and complex issues, beyond the concrete realm, is part of what separates us from what scripture calls the irrational beasts. God is a communicator and He has made us to be communicators. Language is both God’s invention and His tool. This means that words and language are powerful because our sense of self, society, and civilization is built on it.

Equality

However, are all words of equal power? The answer to this question must be a resounding NO! Not all words are of equal weight and value. As a matter of fact, in many cases the problems mentioned above are because we give undue power to words and ideas that do not deserve it. Not every idea is worthy of consideration. We must discern the value of the content of the words being spoken. Just because the sentences are well structured or the voice is silvery smooth does mean that the concepts are true and sound. 

Along with the issue of content we must also realize that the source of the words also factors into the value of the statements being made to us. Does this person or entity have authority or competence to speak on the matter at hand? I once read that during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, he called the residency of economist Ken Galbraith. Galbraith was napping and had instructed his housekeeper to hold all his calls. When Emily Wilson, the housekeeper, answered the phone the President said: 

"Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson."
To which Emily responded:
"He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him."
To which the President commanded:
"Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him."
Emily then informed the President:
"No, Mr. President. I work for him, not for you.”
Ken Galbraith recounting the story says:
When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. He said, "tell that woman I want her here in the White House.” (Sumagaysay, 2012)
Ms. Emily Wilson understood that the value of the words was vested in the position of authority that the person held. In this case the position was one of employment. However, the position could be one of expertise, honor, esteem, or legal authority. In each of these situations the word carries the weight of the person that gives them. Do you know, trust, and respect the source? Answering these questions is at the foundation of understanding the power of words and communication.
Scripture
What about God’s word? In Isaiah we are told that God’s word will not return void but will accomplish the purpose that God has for it (Isaiah 55:11). So does this mean that there is some kind of mystical effect that the Word of God has when we read it? The short answer is no. Please let me explain. The Bible is supernatural but not superstitious. The Bible has been given to us through the instrument of language and as such it must be heard, interpreted, and rightly applied. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God through our minds and applies the truth to our hearts. I do not mean that this is simply an intellectual exercise. Scripture must be spiritually appraised (1 Corinthians 2:11-16). This spiritual illumination that the Spirit does in use is through our cognitive abilities. The power of the word of God is in the work that the Holy Spirit does to cause us to understand and receive the things that the natural man cannot understand on our own. Some people, however, believe that the Bible is doing some spiritual battle with the forces of darkness. No doubt the Scripture is our sword when we are engaged in spiritual warfare but again it is not meant to be flung around aimlessly but rather wielded precisely and intentionally for purposes that God has for it. The demons are not frightened by a recording of the Scripture playing in the sanctuary when no one is there or a person mindlessly reading the text without considering and consuming the meaning and the message. The power is absolutely in the word, but the word is a message. Paul said that he was not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The power of the Bible is in the message of life that it contains. This gospel message tells about the one true and holy God against whom you and I have sinned. And it tells us about the mercy and grace that God has had on hopelessly sinful men and women, meaning us, by sending His own Son the Lord Jesus Christ to live the life of obedience and righteousness that we should have lived, to die the death as the wages of our sin that we should have died, and to be raised on the third day gaining the victory over sin and death so that everyone who turns from their sin and wickedness to trust in Jesus as the perfect Savior and sovereign Lord will have eternal life! This is the power of the Word of God!

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