Words are powerful.
Words have the power to forge new connections and destroy relationships. To start wars and usher in eras of peace. To encourage and support, and to tear down dreams.
And words are important. Whether we realize it or not, they’re the foundation of how we experience and understand the world around us. Everything we see, think, and believe – it’s all filtered through words.
So, words are powerful, and they’re important. But words aren’t always true. And most of the time, we’re consuming words that were put into the world by someone else, words that need to be dissected and discerned and considered – and, most importantly, held up to the Bible. The Word of God, which has absolute authority and establishes our objective truth.
How often do we really take the time to do that, though?
God’s words are powerful beyond anything we can comprehend. The very world that we move through was spoken into existence by God, and His words are so powerful, and contain so much authority, that those natural laws and processes are still in existence today, things that people devote their entire lives and careers trying to discover and better understand (Genesis 1). And if all of creation knows God’s sovereignty and power and responds to a single word, sometimes I find myself asking… why is it so hard for us to fully respect the authority of scripture, God’s very words to us? (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13)
And girl, I get it. It can be so, so tempting to believe in relative truth. In fact, sometimes it even feels like it makes a whole lot of sense. And if you’re not plugged into God’s word, it can be really hard to disagree with something that the majority of our culture (probably even our close friends and family!) have so deeply subscribed to. If I’m being honest, sometimes it can be hard to disagree with the idea of relative truth even when you are plugged into the Word.
Sometimes, when you come across something that’s so counter-cultural, or seemingly counter-intuitive, it’s jarring. And it might not make sense to you. But the truth in anything, the absolute truth, can only come from scripture (Psalm 119:160, Hebrews 6:18*, Matthew 28:18/John 1:1**).
Let’s be real: this can lead to super uncomfortable moments where you may be questioning what’s right, if there’s maybe a different interpretation that justifies what you want scripture to mean rather than the truth of God’s word. But the more you know God’s character—know His mercy and love and justice and grace—and the more you understand His desire to have close relationship with you, you can begin to understand that these moments of discomfort aren’t meant to punish you, but to refine you and bring you closer to the relationship God wants with you. (Romans 15:4, Romans 12:2, Romans 5:8, Jeremiah 31:3, Jeremiah 33:3)
It’s so important to approach scripture with humility and an open, teachable heart, so that when we do hit those sections and verses that make us feel a little defensive, or doubtful, we can bring it to God in prayer, knowing that God’s Word is objective truth. That no matter how we feel about it, the purpose of scripture is to change us, not for us to change or dismiss the meaning of scripture. And this humility will in turn allow us to receive deeper revelations of God’s character, His desires for our lives and how we walk through them, a greater (healthy) fear of God/reverence for Him. We’ll begin to experience more of the joy and peace that is promised through Him because we will have aligned ourselves better with His will and purpose.
Do you ever find yourself wavering between relative truth and God’s objective truth? What are some situations where you’ve had to buckle down and submit to God’s authority through His scriptures?
* God cannot lie; therefore, all of His Word is true
** Jesus is the Word, and all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him
Author: Jenna Marie
