“‘But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”
But the word of the Lord
The word “word” means the spoken word. The spoken word of God endures forever. There is a slogan that says, “There will always be an England.” That is not true because God says that there is going to be a new heaven and earth.
endures forever
There will always be a Bible, however. Ecclesiastes 12:12 says,
“And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.”
Think of all the books that have been down through the corridors of time. Think again of all the books that have disappeared from history.
If our lives will have stability, we have to link them to something permanent, something eternal. One book towers above all other books and will outlast them, the infallible, indestructible Word of God. No book on Earth has ever been under attack as the Bible, yet it still stands.
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
“Preached” means proclaimed; it is from two words: good and news. The “gospel” or the good news of Christ’s death to forgive sins needs proclamation in this world. This is the message that gives the “seed” for spiritual birth into eternal life. There is no substitute for this message.
PRINCIPLE:
The values of the Word of God are eternal.
APPLICATION:
The only way we can enter into the benefits of the Word of God is to meditate upon it. If we do not diligently study the Word, the Word will not become a part of us. The values of the Bible will then take hold of us.