The Medical Missionary, vol. 12
October 1903
“The Power of His Word” The Medical Missionary, 12, 10, pp. 250-252.
A. T. JONES
IT is the Word that makes a Christian. Without it there can be no Christianity; we cannot warp ourselves around or dress ourselves up so as to be Christians; Christianity comes by the Word of God. It was the Word of God that made Jesus what he was in the world, in the flesh; and that Word received, will make people just like Jesus in the world, and in the flesh. We should not think that there is any less for us in the world than there was for Jesus when he was in the world. Everything that God ever gave to Jesus when he was in the world, is just as freely given to you and me, and we are never to think that God loved him any more than he loves you and me. It would not help us any for Him to come down and live in this world on a plane that we never could reach. MEDM October 1903, page 250.1
“In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:17, 18.) “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15.) This certifies to every one of us that He could be tempted in all points just as we are tempted, and yet without sin, and that is no more true of him than of you and me. The power that enabled Jesus to live without sin in this world, is a power that will protect us in this world in the midst of all these temptations. MEDM October 1903, page 250.2
But what was he in the world?—“The Word was made flesh.” The Word of God was here, in the Scriptures before Christ came,—it was in book form. When Jesus came, the same Word was here in human form; that is all the difference. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” In the seventeenth psalm, fourth verse, we read his own words: “By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” Now that is no more to Him than it is to you and me; that word belongs to you and me exactly as it did to him, and it is for you and me to say to the Author of the Word of God, “By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” Not only that, but in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, is this word: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Jesus answered the question of the man who asked him, “What shall I do that I might work the works of God?” This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” When we believe on him whom God has sent, that Word effectually works in us; that is the work of God, working by his word. Do not forget that God never does anything except by his word; he cannot do anything in your life except by is word. MEDM October 1903, page 250.3
Note this word a little further: “When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.” Suppose I receive the Word of God as the word of man; what would it be to me? Only the word of man; when I receive the Word of God as the word of man, it becomes simply the word of man, and that is all I get out of it. The word of man has no power; it can do nothing for us; it is the Word of God that has power, and therefore we must receive the Word of God, not as the word of man, but as the Word of God. MEDM October 1903, page 251.1
Let us see what is the distinction: The Word of God, we say, is creative. “He spake, and it was done.” In the first chapter of Genesis we read that when he said, “Let there be light,” it was so; when he said, “Let there be a firmament,” it was so; when he said, “Let the earth bring forth seed,” it was so. Every word that He spoke was so. MEDM October 1903, page 251.2
That is the virtue of the Word of God; when that word is spoken, it is so. But you know it is not always that way when a man speaks. You have heard men say things that were not true. Therefore you see that the reason why men can lie is that they say things that are not so, and the reason that God cannot lie is that he cannot say anything that is not so, for his very saying it, produces the thing. MEDM October 1903, page 251.3
God does not say that the thing shall be, and then take some other means to accomplish that thing. A man can speak and say that such and such a thing shall be, but he must do something to make that word produce the thing that is spoken. Not so with the word of God; when the word of God is spoken, that word produces the thing in itself. MEDM October 1903, page 251.4
Suppose a man had said to you, “I will do so and so.” You say, “Very good, I accept that; now be as good as your word,—do it.” This is right when spoken to a man; but perhaps you have said that same thing to God. You have read in the Bible where God said he would do certain things for you. You said to him, “Be as good as your word,—do it.” Haven’t you? MEDM October 1903, page 251.5
It is written, “The entrance of thy word giveth light.” And again, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6.) God hath done it. How did he do it?—For he “commanded the light to shine out of darkness.” Shall we ask Him to do a thing that he says he has done? Let me illustrate this: It is written in the Scriptures that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” How would it do for you to ask God to do that. It would be implying that God would not do what he says he has done. When he says the light which shined “out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” that is so. We can say, “Amen, Lord,” and let the light shine in. Then your life will be full of light shining in the face of Jesus Christ—reflected light; then you will delight in his light. And so, “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18.) By the way, that says, “Beholding as in a glass”—as in a mirror—“the glory of the Lord.” When you look in a mirror, and look straight before you, you see everything that is behind you. Now, looking in the face of Christ, as in a mirror, you do not turn around to see anything; you see the whole thing by looking straight in the mirror. I would a good deal rather see what is behind me by looking straight ahead in the face of Christ Jesus than to turn my back on Jesus Christ,—look at self alone. MEDM October 1903, page 251.6
Further, as to what he has done; and remember that when he says he has done it, it is so. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” Does it read, will make “us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light”? No; he “hath made us fit.” Are you fit to be a partaker of the “inheritance of the saints in light”? MEDM October 1903, page 252.1
“Let God be true, though every man become a liar;” because a man can lie, and God cannot. Then why should you not accept it? Christianity does not come by what we do, or what we say, or how we fix things up to better ourselves. Christianity comes by what God has done for every soul on earth, and he has done sufficient to save every soul on earth. When he gave Jesus Christ, he gave everything; when that was done, everything was done; and he never had to do a single new thing to save very soul on earth. There is nothing new to be done; it is only what he has done; when he says he has done it, that is eternally so. MEDM October 1903, page 252.2