The Word of God is not mere information or religious advice—it is the very means by which God enacts His covenantal promises in us. When we immerse ourselves in the Word, it flows into our innermost being like living water, actively renewing and revitalizing our spirits. This is not a passive process, nor is it a call to self-improvement. It is the operation of God Himself, using His Word to conform us to the image of Christ. Here, spiritual growth is not a matter of striving, but of being built up by the living truth that God supplies.
The Word: God’s Instrument for True Transformation
As we submit ourselves to the Word, God uses it as His chosen instrument to effect a real, substantive change in us. This is not a metaphorical renewal or an abstract encouragement. The Word, alive and active, renews our spirit and establishes us in faith. It is through this continual renewal that we are transformed—metabolically, not merely morally—into the likeness of Christ. The old man is put off, and the new man, created after God in righteousness and true holiness, is put on (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10).
This transformation is not optional or peripheral; it is the very heart of the Christian life. To neglect the Word is to forfeit the means by which God prepares us for our inheritance. To treat the Word as secondary is to undermine the very process by which we are equipped for boldness before God. The believer who is built up by the Word stands on a foundation that cannot be shaken, equipped to approach God not with fear, but with confidence.
Prepared for the Glorious Appearing
This is not mere theory. The outcome is concrete: as we are established and equipped by the Word, we are made ready for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. Whether we meet Him through physical death or are caught up at His coming, the result is assured and desirable for those who have allowed the Word to renew their inner man. This is not a gamble or a vague hope—it is a win-win outcome, secured by God’s faithfulness and enacted through His Word.
To be drawn deeply into the Word is to be prepared, not left guessing or striving. The believer who is saturated in the Word is not left trembling at the prospect of Christ’s return, but stands ready, confident, and eager for that day. This readiness is not self-generated; it is the fruit of God’s work in us by His Word.
What Is Lost If We Neglect the Word?
Let us be clear: to set aside the Word, or to treat it as a mere supplement to our Christian life, is to cut ourselves off from the very means by which God renews, transforms, and prepares us for glory. If we accept the error that spiritual growth or readiness for Christ’s appearing can be achieved apart from immersion in the Word, we lose the assurance of transformation, the boldness before God, and the confidence for the future that the Word alone imparts. We are left with a hollow shell of religion, devoid of the power that brings us into actual conformity with Christ and readiness for our inheritance.
The Finished Work and Our Response
The transformation wrought by the Word is grounded in the finished work of Christ. We do not strive to become sons; we are made sons by faith, and the Word builds us up in that reality. Our inheritance, our boldness, our preparation for glory—all flow from God’s initiative, not our performance. The Word is the means by which God brings this reality to bear in our daily experience.
Therefore, let us not drift from the Word or treat it as negotiable. Let us immerse ourselves in it, knowing that God is faithful to use it to renew us day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16), to conform us to Christ, and to prepare us for the day when we will stand with Him in glory. This is not a secondary matter; it is the very substance of our hope and the guarantee of our readiness for His appearing.
