via TJC
“Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:11-13 (ESV)
Just as your grandfather told me, you must also hear and understand that the word of God is the master blueprint for life with and in the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament was hundreds of years from being assembled, codified, and canonized by our great God. So what “word”, apart from Tanakh (Old Testament), was being proclaimed and written about by the apostles? Obviously it was the Gospel of Jesus. And what is this “rest” that Paul speaks of? Why, it is salvation itself, of course! That is the aim of life, along with sharing it with as many as we can and glorifying our gracious Lord in the process!
Which brings us to the meat of this passage: If we work our way through the complex symbolism of v. 12 and 13 (living and active vs soul and spirit, joints and marrow, thoughts and intentions vs the two-edged sword), what is the message? Here it is: The Word cuts through every layer of our existence and exposes what’s inside. John 1 uses that same word (“Word”) in describing the essence of Christ as He took on human flesh. Ephesians 6 describes the Word of God as the “sword of the Spirit”.
If you look at it that way, the picture comes into focus. That is exactly what Jesus does. He takes us from brittle to malleable… from useless to usable… from wretched to righteous by exposing everything and then allowing us to take on His perfect image and holiness. WOW
Daily Battle Order: Today (right now) Picture the sword of the spirit cutting through all the clutter of your life and piercing your heart. Be a courageous Kingdom warrior and leave nothing hidden as you pray and repent. Rinse & repeat daily; you will never regret it.
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