Question 96: How is the Word made effective for salvation?

Answer: The Spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith unto salvation.

DAY 1:

This week as we look at how the Word is made effective for salvation, we will see 3 things. First, we will see the Word’s power. Second we will see the inner workings of the Word and third we will see the outward workings of the Word produced by the inner workings.

Let’s begin in Romans 1. The Book of Romans is truly one of my favorite books of the Bible. It is so necessary that Christians gain a good grasp of the message of Romans. It is biblical theology and anthropology. It is a roadmap of the gospel and should help a believer to understand the magnitude of his depravity and sinfulness, but also the glory and majesty of the sovereign God who has saved Him and continues to keep him safe for all eternity.

Paul in writing to the Romans, it seems has seen a delay in his arrival there to preach the gospel (vs. 13). In case there was any doubt as to whether Paul was intimidated at all to come and bring the controversial gospel of Jesus Christ which can even divide whole households (Matt. 10:34-36), he wanted these beloved believers in Rome to know that he was ready to preach the gospel to those in Rome (vs. 15). The term used to speak of him being ready is the word prothumos (proth’-oo-mos). It carries not only the idea of readiness, but of being willing. Paul did not want to go to Rome because he was forced to, nor because there was great pressure put upon him by some establishment or friends. He truly wanted to go that he might bring the gospel to those there at Rome. Since it is believed that the church at Rome was probably started by some of those who were saved on the Day of Pentecost, Paul wanted to go and give them apostolic instruction. But before he actually did that, he wrote a letter to them so that they would have that instruction in writing. So he continues in verse 16 by stating that he was unashamed of the gospel of Christ. Again, he has been delayed. It is not that he is in any way ashamed of the message or of Christ or of these fellow believers.

On the contrary he is convinced of one thing. The gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Notice two things. First is the fact that the gospel is the power of God. Many have heard the word used here for power. It is dunamis (doo’-nam-is) and means, “strength, power, ability”. We have seen before this is the term where we get out word dynamite from. This is real power. This is the kind of power that was exercised in the miracles of Jesus and the apostles. It is the power of the Holy Spirit. It is real life changing power. This power is power unto salvation. It saves a person. It does not render the person savable, but rather is effective to bring them to faith in Christ.

This power is evidenced in several places. Let’s look at a couple of examples, beginning in the book of 1 Corinthians. In chapter 6:9 we find the apostle Paul reminding the Corinthians that there is no inheritance in the kingdom of God for those who continue to live in a pattern of sin and he expresses these sins in verses 9-10. However, notice that he points out that these are no longer those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. Rather they are those who shall inherit it. He contrasts them with those of verses 9-10 by saying, “And such were some of you.” It is not true that because a person may be predestined for eternal life that he was not at one time the enemy of God or that he was not a true sinner. Nothing could be farther from the truth. However, what makes the difference in a person who believes now and one that continues in sin? The answer follows in verse 11. “But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” How was this accomplished? How did these people become washed? How did they become sanctified? How were they justified? How did these things come about? When we look to Acts 18 we find our answer. It was because of the preaching and teaching of the Word.

In Acts 18 we see that Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath to the Jews and also to the Greeks. We have noted before that his usual custom of teaching was via the Scriptures. Also in verse 8 we see that many of the Corinthains, hearing, believed and were baptized. Not only did these hear the news about Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believing, but they too had heard the preaching of Paul. Thus we see that salvation came to many of these Corinthians by the personal ministry of the Word through Paul. Thus they were washed (apolouo ap-ol-oo’-o), sanctified (hagiazo hag-ee-ad’-zo)and justified (dikaioo dik-ah-yo’-o)in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God. The words used here speak to those benefits of redemption. To be washed refers, not to water baptism, but to the cleansing from sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. The term literally means “to wash off or away”. They were then sanctified. This term means, “to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow; to separate from profane things and dedicate to God; to purify”. This word comes from the root word from which we get our word holy. They were then set apart and consecrated for the work of God and called to be His people (cf. Tit 2:14; 1Pe 2:9; Re 1:6; Re 5:10). They were also justified. This word means, “to render righteous or such he ought to be; to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be.” This was the declaration of God that they had been declared just. It was His pardon for their sins.

There is also the testimony of Lydia from Acts 16. There we find that she was among other women gathered at the riverside in Philippi. There, as Paul spoke to the women concerning the Word of God (vss. 13, 14b), the Lord opened her heart so that she heeded the things spoken to her. Thus she engaged herself in baptism along with members of her own household. So the ministry of the Word was effective in her life as well.

We could say the same thing regarding all of the churches that Paul ministered to. Each one of them can be traced back to the fact that someone took the message of the gospel to that area and there were people who believed because of the message and were thus converted. This Word then is powerful. Notice the words of Jeremiah as he describes the words of God. He says, "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” God’s word is not impotent and dependent upon man’s will. Rather the word of God is powerful. The question is, “Has it been powerful in our lives?” Has it been the Word that breaks our pride and our hearts? Has it become to us like a fire to us and brought us to an expectant fearful fiery judgment (Heb. 10:27) of God’s fiery law (Deut. 33:2)? If God’s Word has not been this to you, it is not because it is not powerful, but it is because it has not yet become effective to you. Pray and seek the Lord that He might cause His Word to be like a fire to you and a hammer that breaks your stubborn sinful will against Him. If God’s Word has become these things to you, then thank Him for the mercy that He has shown you.

DAY 2:

Two things the Word does is to convince of sin and to convert us to Christ. The words of Isaiah the prophet are clear: “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.” We have seen how God does this. He does it through His Spirit and His Word. Though not all are convinced and converted by the Word and the Spirit, but only the elect, it does not mean that the Word itself is not powerful. On the contrary, we saw as we looked at Romans 1:16 that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. But it is effectual to those who believe, who are the elect of God.

Since we have spent much time on the effectual work of the Word and the Spirit in regards to conversion, I thought we might want to ask some other questions. What else is the Word useful for? The Scriptures are able to build up believers in the faith and towards perfection in Christ. Let’s examine a few passages. First, let’s note that the apostle Paul, while speaking to the Ephesian elders, said, “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32).” This word for commend here is paratithemi (par-at-ith’-ay-mee). It means, “to place beside or near or set before

in teaching; to deposit; to entrust, commit to one’s charge.” The idea is that Paul has done what he could do for them in instructing and praying for them. He has encouraged them and has set a godly example and pattern of life to follow (vss. 33-35). Now he is departing from them to never see them again (vs. 38).

He is confident in the God of the gospel and in the word of His grace. The word of His grace is synonymous with the gospel. It is the declaration of the grace of God and how He has accomplished salvation and given it freely to those He has given to the Son (Jn. 6:37). Paul says that this word is able to build them up. The phrase, “build you up” is the Greek word epoikodomeo (ep-oy-kod-om-eh’-o). It means, “to build upon, build up” and carries the idea of finishing the structure of a building that already has a foundation laid. Paul has already laid the foundation down to these elders. What is that foundation? In 1 Corinthians 3:10-12 he identifies Christ as the foundation. In Ephesians 2:20 we are told that the foundation is the apostles and prophets and the Jesus Christ is the corner stone. Is there a contradiction? No. Clearly all that the prophets wrote about and all that is contained in the New Testament, written by the apostles, are about Jesus Christ (cf. Luke 24:44; 2 Pet. 1:16-21). Yet in building there must first be a cornerstone placed so that the building will have a point whereby the rest of the structure can be erected and kept in order. Christ is that cornerstone and the teachings of the apostles and the prophets constantly call us to Christ, ultimately to be conformed to His image (Rom. 8:29).

How is this building accomplished? 1 Peter 2:1-2 tells us that we should do our part in ridding ourselves of sin. The sins Peter lays out in verse 1 are internal workings, except for evil speaking, which is the result of many of the internal sins. These are to be renounced and repented from. In their place there should be a hunger, or as Peter puts it, “a desire” for the pure milk of the word. The analogy that he gives is that of a newborn baby. As a father, I have seen five and am expecting to see a sixth child enter the world. When these children are placed near their mother’s breast they almost immediately begin to nurse and receive milk. It is assumed that an infant that will not eat must have something wrong with them. They will not grow if they don’t eat and if they persist they will surely die. Paul tells us that we should be like the newborn baby. We should be those who are anxious to receive the nourishment that comes from the milk of the word. This milk is healthy and eventually will give us strength and maturity.

Paul also speaks about growing in the word in 1 Thessalonians. Mr. Davis covered this passage in great detail in his exposition of 1 Thessalonians (please review the audio on the web site if you missed it or have forgotten it. In verse 6 of chapter one he compliments the Thessalonian church on the fact that became followers of the apostles and of the Lord. These believers received the word in much affliction. They faced many tribulations and persecutions when they believed. It is clear from the context though that they had true saving faith. For the demonstration of their faith had become an example throughout Macedonia and Achaia. People had begun to follow their example. Now these believers at Thessalonica had definitely followed the example before them in the apostle Paul, but they did so in receiving the word with joy in the Holy Ghost. This joy is much different than the joy experienced by those that the Lord Jesus spoke of in the parable of the soils. For when affliction and persecution arose in that situation, then the ones that received the word with joy fell away because they had not root. However, the Thessalonians received the word in the midst of persecution. Theirs was a genuine faith in Christ and a true submission to His authority, which is contained in his Word. This Word had also caused them to not only be saved, but to follow their Master and thus become mature so that they might be examples to others.

So we can see that the Word not only saves, but is able to build us up, to make us mature, and to equip us to become leaders and examples to others around us. May God be glorified to grant us the effective working of His Word in our lives. May we become examples to Gastonia and to North Carolina and to everywhere that our faith is spread abroad.

How has the Word of God been effective in your life? Has it worked to bring you to Christ? Have you desired it as a baby does its mother’s milk? Have you tasted it and seen that it is good? Do you have a deep desire to grow in the faith? Have you become an example to someone else? Do others hear of your faith? Has the word convinced you of your sin and have you repented of those sins? Have other things in life taken the preeminence of the Word of God? May the Lord grant you His mercy and grace so that His Word will effectively work in your heart producing fruit for His glory

Since we have covered he passages in the Psalms before, I will point you to the past catechism lessons and allow you to use your own discretion regarding a review of them with your family as you see fit.

Scripture: Psalm 19:7; 119:11, 18; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Peter 2:1-2; Romans 1:16