The War of Words

12/20/2015

John 8.43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. – Jesus

The other day I was reading in John 4 and began thinking about the word, word (See my blog here). The Word is what is given us to begin to understand the God who has given it; God is a God of words.

But lest we write God off as a talker, let’s quickly remember what God’s words do – they aren’t just sounds in the air or concepts on some page – they are real and they are powerful… enough to speak this universe into existence. No one stands against God and His words.

That being said, there seems to be a conundrum present because not everyone believes God’s word, or words. Jesus spent a great deal of His time in conversation and argument with the very ones He came to save. Salvation is the divine granting of hearing God’s voice, and the subsequent ability to understand and apply that voice. Jesus came to help the Jews hear and understand God’s voice yet they couldn’t and wouldn’t believe what they were told. They mistrusted anyone who questioned their beliefs.

God said this to Adam: “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2.16-17) Simple enough: eat from and or all of the trees except for this one! If you eat from this one, you will truly die. To that point in history, no one had ever died, and it didn’t sound like fun. Adam seemed to understand, but Eve apparently had trouble with the command, and was helped to disbelieve by the serpent who helped her distrust God. Men have been distrusting God ever since.

Jesus told the Jews: Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. Their mistrust was too great.

Mistrust is born when someone questions or refutes what we believe. God started out to save a nation but the very nation He came to save began to mistrust Him because they couldn’t bear His word. They mistrusted Him and His intentions. And they came up with their own version of salvation and expected Him to go along with their version. It got to the point that they couldn’t bear, because they wouldn’t bear. Not only were they incapable of believing Him on their own, they didn’t believe because they mistrusted God questioning them. God’s words didn’t square with theirs. Aptitude versus acceptance. Couldn’t and wouldn’t.

God is still in the salvation business today. He is still reaching out to men, women, and children all across the planet. Some hear His words and believe. Others can’t, and no matter the conversation or argument, they won’t. God’s children are on this earth to listen to their Father and to share what He tells them to share despite who listens and who won’t. The war of words rages; but some find peace and strength in believing God, and thereby attaining the right to be called the children of God.

Father God, may Your words be my words and may I be used to help some to raise the white flag from their mistrust of Your word, and accept Your truth. Help me God to say what needs to be said and leave the results up to You. Amen.