Why the Word of Truth Cuts

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

I was young, and I did not have many thoughts about sin.  I did not concern myself with right and wrong but lived my life the way I wanted to.  That was until I was about 21.  It was at this time in my life I realized I was missing something.  I try to fill it with many things in the past.  Sex and alcohol were the vices of choice.  I began to feel this deep pit in my soul that I could not quantify.  I went home for Christmas, and my brother gave me a bible.  That was the beginning of my journey.

I began reading the bible daily and in the first two years, read it entirely through twice.  Since then I have completed it through at 16 times.  I will admit that for those first two years, the word of God was not openly active in my soul.  However, it was preparing the soil of my heart to receive the Word of Truth.

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

1 Peter 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

Now that I received my Lord's forgiveness and made the crucial decision to submit myself to Him, I need to understand what His Word meant.  I began, by the fellowship with Holy Spirit, gain wisdom and understanding of the Scriptures.  I have spent almost 30 years now exploring the vast knowledge found in the Bible.  

I have learned a secret that I see missed by many people.  They don't let the word cut when it needs to, or they try to cut people themselves.  Let me try to explain clearly and thoroughly.

The Word of God is at times meant to cut away thoughts and concepts that oppose the will or way of God.  Any theory that opposes Christ can lead to a problem area in our lives.  It is essential to allow the harsh words, the ones that seem to go straight to the heart of conviction, to do their work.  

When a doctor diagnoses a patient, he must be blunt and straightforward.  If he is not, there is a chance that the patient might misinterpret the meaning of his evaluation.  Doctors are trained to be this way because no one likes the bad news and there is a temptation to shape the report the way we want to hear it. It is only when we truly understand the situation that we can make the proper decision going forward.  

The goal fo the Spirit is to cut away the tumor of thought that will oppose God's best for you.  It must be sharp to do its job, and a dull knife is of no use to the surgeon.  It is designed to get cancer separated from you and then He, the Comforter and begin the healing process in your life.  The Word of God is this way, all of it.  Hebrews 4:12 declares this to us.  However, one might say, "but all the word is not the way.  Some of it does not cut me."  Correct!  Those are the areas that are cancer free.  It is not meant to cut off healthy places, but diseased regions that have either remain after salvation or have crept in through life's affairs.  

Many people turn away thinking that God the Father is angry with them, walking away from their eternal inheritance.  Watching this is one of the most painful things that I have endured.  We are to be skilled with the Word of God.  Here are few scriptures.

1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2 Timothy 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,

Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

We need to have those moments and be tender when the Lord brings about a harsh truth that we find cuts us.  We should be thankful that He has shown us such grace and love.  If we do this, we will see the fruit of righteousness abounding in our souls and healing is not far away.  We will learn the difference of pain which is caused by disease and that which is produced in the process of healing.

Now for another spectrum, those who use the word to bring pain to others.  They make statements that are meant, not to divide thoughts of the heart, but to bring divisions within the Body of Christ.  This is done by grouping a doctrine with someone’s identity.  Your this or that if you believe this.  The problem with this pattern is that it will lead to their own self-righteousness.  I can believe that because I think a certain way I am more righteous than the person who opposes my thought.  However, I am righteous by the Blood of Jesus and nothing else.  

I have a statement that I make to my leaders and congregation often.  The truth given was not so you can win an argument.  Jesus gave us truth to make us free.  Let's look a few reasons for sound doctrine.

John 8:32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

2 Timothy 3:17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1.  Make you free

2.  Reproof

3.  Correction

4.  Instruction on how to live righteously

5.  that you might be complete

6.  That you might be equipped

Note, nothing in there says so that you can win an argument.  However, I do not mean that we won't find ourselves giving a defense for what we believe. It means that I don't have to win if the other person does not want to receive the truth. It is okay for a friend to disagree with me.  I tell my leaders, you can disagree not disconnect.  

I hope this helps you.  May the Lord grant to us all a tender heart ready to both receive the word that cuts and the word that comforts.  May we be conformed to His image in Grace and Truth.  May our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ bless you with His Holy Spirit.

Love Louis