During our years in full-time ministry, whenever my husband and I presented the gospel to someone new, he often assured me, “If we can get people to read the Word of God with a humble heart and an open mind, He will speak to them through it.”
The original Greek speaks of the Word of God as “living,” “active,” and “efficient.” Its effectiveness reaches deep into the heart, mind, and soul. Its words pierce and penetrate our inner being. God communicates with us today and throughout history through the Word of God. Other books may produce change, but only Scripture has the power to provide lasting and supernatural transformation.
Where Does the Bible Mention the Word of God Is Alive?
In Hebrews 4:12, the Bible speaks about the Word of God as being alive.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (ESV).
1 Peter 1:23 also declares the Word of God as living and abiding. “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.” (ESV).
Over 40 references liken the Word of God to seed-producing life when planted. It germinates over time, grows, and produces fruit.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 says the word of God is at work in believers. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us the Word of God corrects, teaches, prepares, and equips. The Psalmist in Psalm 119 praises its purity, its wisdom, and counsel.
Many passages describe the written Word of God as active. Active means “effective, powerful, operative, able to produce an intended result.” The Word of God achieves God’s purpose and brings His desired results.
What Is the Word of God?
The phrase “Word of God” means different things in different contexts, at times distinctive and at times overlapping. Sometimes the term refers to the spoken Word of God or what God has decreed. Other times it refers to the written Word of God. The Bible is the Word of God.
When we define the Word of God, we must link it first to creation. In Genesis 1, God spoke the world into being. Hebrews 11:3 says, “the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
In the Old Testament, God spoke in many ways and many times. His speech often came through the mouths of prophets (Hebrews 1:1). However, in Hebrews 1:2, God introduces a new way of speaking. He speaks through His Son Jesus, Heir, and Creator. Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1).
The Hebrews 4:12 passage, “For the word of God is living,” applies to the written Word of God or the Bible, which is not static, inert, or dead.
Comprised of 66 books, the Bible reveals God’s design for humankind. Approximately 40 authors contributed, spanning some 1,500 years. Law, history, poetry, prophecy, biography, and letters written by kings, tax collectors, priests, and doctors authored Scripture. Together, they form a unified message inspired by one Author: God Himself.
Scripture supports itself. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” Scripture professes itself in 2 Timothy to be God-breathed or inspired. This unique claim makes it different from all other books.
But what does God-breathed mean? After God formed man from dust, the Bible says God breathed on him, and man became a living being (Genesis 2:7). Similarly, when the disciples received the Holy Spirit, Jesus breathed on them (John 20:22). This divine act of God-breathing makes the Bible’s written words God’s words. When Scripture speaks, God speaks (Romans 3:2).
In What Way Is the Word of God Alive?
1. The Word of God is surgical.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV).
It divides, separates, and reveals all that is deepest within us, including what is hidden even from ourselves. The word of God exposes us.
2. The Word of God is purposeful.
His Spirit moves through His Word to accomplish His purposes (Isaiah 55:11).
Not only does faith for salvation come through the Bible’s illumination, but Scripture also lights our daily path. It keeps us from sin while giving meaning and purpose to life. Without the direction of the Word of God, we lose our way and steer in directions far from God’s plan for us. In fact, the Bible tells us that we can find all we need for life and godly living within its pages (2 Peter 1:3).
3. The Word of God is powerful.
It convicts. It comforts. It transforms.
As we read and study the Word of God, the Holy Spirit works actively in us. The instruction corrects our actions and attitudes. It makes the simple wise and brings discernment to our day-to-day decisions. When we want to know Jesus better, we turn to the source to learn about Him.
The Bible brings hope when we feel hopeless. It strengthens us when we are weak. And it brings joy to our hearts. It assures us God is Sovereign and good. It reminds us of His ongoing forgiveness and love. It proclaims Him as the Shepherd of our lives, guiding and leading.
We know the Word of God is powerful because Jesus Himself quoted Scripture. At the time of His temptation, He rebuked Satan with, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
4. The Word of God abides in us.
In John 8:31, Jesus encouraged His disciples to abide in His Word. He described belief as the first step of discipleship and the next step as habitually abiding in His Word. We learn by being perseverant students of the Word of God.
Evidence of His abiding in us comes when we abide in His Word. The outworking of that relationship results in obedience (John 15:7).
5. The Word of God is eternal.
As we look about us, we find ourselves surrounded by trivialities. Our expenditures and energies often go to temporary pleasures and short-lived gain. Not many things last, and few have lasting value.
The prophet Isaiah declared, “The word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Surely, the value of the Word of God becomes inestimable when we realize it will last forever. Jesus promised His words wouldn’t pass away (Matthew 24:35). The Bible’s eternal nature heightens its value. The importance and priority we place on being in the Word of God reveal much about our priorities.
How Does the Fact the Word of God Is Alive Affect Us?
Because the Word of God lives, it works within us, bringing practical wisdom and discernment. It convicts us of wrong and instructs us on how to please God. True spiritual growth will not happen without God’s Word discipling how we live and think. God directed human authors to write the words with the details He wants us to read. The Word of God cannot be ignored, disregarded, or despised—ultimately, the Author is God Himself.
Because Scripture is God-breathed, we recognize the Bible as authoritative and inerrant. John 17:17 tells us His Word is truth. This matters in a shifting society uprooted from absolute truth. The trustworthy unchanging word of God anchors through cultural sways and popular ideas far from God’s teaching.
The Word of God is vital to our Christian lives. It is His most direct way of talking with us. We can trust what it says. Because it lives, it remains applicable today, dynamic within every culture and age. Reading and studying Scripture affects our hearts, minds, and wills. It moves and shapes us by its power, providing our needs for growth. God-breathed and supernatural, it continues to animate our relationship with Jesus.
God, in mercy and grace, gave us the Word of God. His love weaves throughout. His desire for us to know and obey Him displays His character. As we read and study what He has to say to us, we grow in knowledge of who He is and His plan for our lives.
The Word of God brings us to salvation in Christ, growth in faith, restoration, and forgiveness of sins. Alive and active, we desperately need its daily tutelage.
The validity of my husband’s advice proved true many times. As he often assured me, the pages of God’s Word speak when read with a humble heart and an open mind. Those who listen discover rich blessings.
For further reading:
Does the Holy Spirit Speak Through the Bible?
What Does it Mean that the Bible Is Infallible? What Is Biblical Infallibility?
What Is the Purpose of the Bible?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/kevron2001
Her love for pasta and all things Italian stems from years of ministry abroad. She’d love to tell you about it over a steaming cup of cappuccino. Connect with Sylvia on her blog, When the House is Quiet, her Facebook page, or Twitter.
This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.
No Rest for the Wicked
Fight the Good Fight
Wait on the Lord
With Contrite Heart and Spirit
Faith Can Move Mountains
