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Metaphors of God's Word

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God's Word is a profound gift, a treasure bestowed upon us to provide reliable knowledge about Him and His way of life. It serves as a vital guide, distinguishing truth from falsehood and highlighting what is truly important. Without it, we would be lost in a sea of indistinguishable information, unable to discern right from wrong. The Bible stands as the world's foremost work of literature, encompassing history, songs, proverbs, autobiographies, prophetic writings, and wisdom literature. Within its pages, God employs countless literary devices—parallelism, foreshadowing, and more—to convey His message. Understanding it from both a literary and spiritual perspective allows us to extract its deepest meanings, as God has purposefully woven these elements into His Word for our growth. Jesus Christ Himself emphasizes the unique nature of His words, declaring them to be spirit and life. Unlike ordinary words, His are infused with divine essence, proceeding from a Spirit Being and carrying a supremely spiritual nature. They are living words, capable of producing godly life and, ultimately, eternal life when understood and applied by those who possess God's Spirit. His words are dynamic, not static, actively working within us to create us in His image, as part of an ongoing spiritual creation that surpasses the completed physical creation. Throughout Scripture, vivid metaphors illustrate the dynamic power of God's Word. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, guiding us internally by instructing our steps and externally by revealing dangers and pitfalls set by satan and the world. It exposes error, deceit, and sin, enabling us to avoid temptation and walk toward the Kingdom of God with clarity. God's Word is also likened to a medicine or tonic, promoting spiritual health by mortifying the flesh and energizing right living. Like a natural remedy, it requires daily doses throughout our converted lives to maintain spiritual vitality and ensure our path to the Kingdom remains unhindered. As rain and snow, God's Word acts as a catalyst, initiating and sustaining a process of useful growth that yields beneficial fruit. Sent by Him at the right time and in the right measure, it works with our cooperation to produce what He desires—sons and daughters in His character image. It is a fire and a hammer, possessing the power to consume and crush. As fire, it can destroy or purify, refining us by burning away impurities. As a hammer, it breaks down falsehoods and rebellion, revealing sin and condemning those who reject Him if they refuse to repent. God's Word is compared to food, nourishing us at every level of spiritual maturity. Every word is profitable, containing nothing extraneous and omitting nothing vital. Without it, life lacks true value; only by including Scripture in our lives can we truly live, gaining eternal life through knowing Him. As a sword of the Spirit, it is a powerful weapon, inseparable from God's Spirit, striking at enemies with truth and piercing into our deepest selves to expose carnality and sin. This double-edged sword judges us against His perfection, urging us to eradicate what is lacking within us. Finally, God's Word is an implanted seed, rooted deep within us by Him to produce abundant fruit leading to salvation. It is incorruptible, making us spiritually alive and transforming us into His image over time. As divine breath, it carries His power to equip us fully for life in His Kingdom, providing teaching, rebuke, correction, and discipline—everything needed for our spiritual journey.

Is God's Way Simple?

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Just because something is simple does not make it true and just because something is complex does not make it false. Deeper knowledge often comes with complexity.

Filling the Void

Sermonette by Austin Del Castillo

More important than putting out sin is the vital need to continually ingest unleavened bread, that is, the Bread of Life, namely the words of Jesus Christ.

Ask, Seek, Knock

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

In answer to the question, 'How can a mere human being fulfill the difficult expectations of God?', Jesus instructs us to 'Ask, seek, and knock.'