The Power of God’s Word

Biblical faith in God’s Word brings clarity to our existence. We live in such an upside-down world that only trusting God makes any sense. In Hebrews 11, the author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 11:2, “For by it the men of old gained approval.” The men of old, some of whom will be mentioned further down in chapter 11, gained God’s approval only by faith and nothing else. Their realization that every word of God is true brought newness of life, even to believers in ancient times. Faith enabled them to bear testimony to things that man could never figure out by his natural mind.

The author of Hebrews is about to illustrate what many call God’s “Hall of Faith” down through the ages of Israel’s history—men who were noted only because they trusted God. His point is that only faith can bring God’s approval. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). Before he mentions these great men of faith, he shows that faith in God and in His Word is the only thing that can bring clarity in understanding the nature of our very existence.

These errant Jews had already seen God in His creation which was beyond human rationalization. God spoke and created the world and the universe, and they understood that! But how did they understand it? He says in verse 3, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” The word “prepared” is the word meaning “to put something into its place.” Only in God’s Word do we find how the world and the universe were made! “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Ps. 33:6-9).

It is only by faith in God’s Word that this can be understood. The word “understand” is the Greek noieō, which means much more than just to observe. It is like when we are observing the marvelous universe that is above us on a clear night, mystified by all that is so marvelous and beyond our comprehension. The only thing that explains this is the revelation shown to us when we trust God’s Word! Faith alone clarifies our very existence. When we believe Psalm 33, John 1:3, Hebrews 1:1-3, etc., then and only then can we understand. It is not in understanding it and then believing, but it is believing so that we can begin to understand it. Paul uses the word “understand” in Romans to show that every human has seen God’s creation since the creation of the world and deep within himself has believed that God did it.  “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20).

For centuries man has tried to paint God out of the picture. They have come up with one theory replaced by another and by another in their endless quest to understand creation. But, the answer is beyond the realm of scientific investigation. However, it is not beyond the realm of our understanding if we are willing to be taught by the Word of God. Faith in God is so important that it alone can explain the very existence of our world and the universe that surrounds it! 

So, the Christian who understands because of faith in God’s Word can never be proud of his knowledge or take any credit for it. This understanding only comes as a gift from God, like every other blessing of faith. By his own resources, a believer could no more discover the truth about origins than could the rankest atheist. So, what is faith? It rests on who God is and on what God says, and it alone brings clarity to our very existence. Without it, “it is impossible to please Him.”

Wayne Barber is senior pastor of Hoffmantown Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.