โFor unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard itโย (Hebrews 4:2).
Can we possess Godโs Word and itย notย benefit us?
From the time He created man and placed him on Earth, the God of the Bible has extended a message for manโs faith and obedience. While aย writtenย Bible was not always available to man, there was Godโsย spokenย Word. That message changed through time because man changed. These individual Divine revelations are โdispensations,โ each applicable only for a limited time.
In todayโs Scripture (actually beginning back in chapter 3), the writer of the Book of Hebrews recalls Israelโs history. JEHOVAH God had promised them the land of Canaan, but they refused to enter (Numbers chapters 13โ14). Hebrews reveals their problem:ย โSo we see that they could not enter in because ofย unbeliefโย (Hebrews 3:19). They didย notย believe Godโs Word to them.ย No faith!
A person can own a Bible, carry it around, flip through it, read it daily, memorize it, tell others about it, hear it preached at church, and still be out of Godโs will and still lack His power. No matter the dispensation,ย personal faith is always most important before God:ย โButย without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek himโย (Hebrews 11:6).ย โSo thenย faithย cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Godโย (Romans 10:17).
โFor this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God,ย which effectually worketh also in you that believeโย (1 Thessalonians 2:13).ย Faithย is the key to activating Godโs Word in our lives. Once weย believeย the verses we read or hear, God the Holy Spirit works in us and then outwardly:ย โ…To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner manโย (Ephesians 3:16). He makes the verses a reality in our lives, that we reflect the grace doctrine weย believe, and thus He benefits us! source

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