As a pastor, people say many things to me after a worship service as I am standing near the exit door. Several years ago a man was visiting of whom I had not seen before or since. After the service he said something like this to me, “You people are too serious about this!” It took me back, but at the same time I realized that he unknowingly had paid an excellent compliment.

I am very sure that most who are reading this are aware that our church’s theme verse is: Philippians 3:10 “That I may know Him.” We are indeed serious about the need to know Christ and recognize that there are obstacles working against us. First, we live in a fallen world where our cultural environment is controlled by satanic forces that seek to lead us contrary to Christ (1 John 5:19). As the old saints put it, “The world is not a friend to grace.”

Second, even many of the churches have developed an agenda that is more appealing to the world than to Christ causing the church culture great harm. These churches focus more on surface matters devoid of real Christian values. This is not surprising. The Scripture warns us that things will be this way as we near the coming of Christ. We also live in a demanding age pushing for easier, quicker, and simpler.

Many churches seeking to comply with this have cherry-picked God’s Word denying essential doctrines and configuring messages to conform to the culture and be more accepting to the flesh. The more difficult texts of Scripture, and especially those unflattering to man, are untouched. Brethren, this ought not to be. We must teach the whole counsel of God and desire not just milk from the Word as babies, but the meat of God’s Word (1 Cor. 3). We need to grow spiritually and be able to have assurance of salvation and fight the good fight of faith in these difficult days.

The trend for many has also moved to an expectation of entertainment for good feelings, but that is not God’s purpose for the church. What is the most important issue? It is to know the truth! To know Jesus Christ who is the truth, and know ourselves as hopelessly lost without Him. We need to be in the Scripture which leads to eternal life! The ministry of the pulpit is to show by accurate study that God’s Word sets one free and engages the person in a living transformation. We are not to be conformed to the world but transformed (Rom. 12:3) and increasing in our understanding.

The Bible teaches new priorities, “Old things are passed away” (2 Cor. 5:17). This change from the old to the new cannot occur without the light from the Word. The letter of Paul to the Roman’s is called the greatest theology of the Bible. Paul spends most of the first three chapters and portions of the remaining thirteen chapters exposing the condition of fallen man. This is missing in many church messages today. There is a hesitancy to make listeners uncomfortable. Terminology describing sin is replaced by wording such as mistakes, or poor decisions, and the mention of sin is considered unnecessary. Under this approach, the depth of man’s condition in sin remains as an unknown. Nor is the holiness of God and His hatred of evil comprehended. Without true knowledge, we cannot therefore know or appreciate the only remedy in Jesus Christ.

How do we come to the true remedy? The Word of God must be unleashed. Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel” (Rom. 1:16). He stated this before detailing man’s natural suppression of the truth leading to perverted sinful behavior. It is this Word alone which exposes our otherwise unsolvable condition and points us to saving faith. The writer of Hebrews addresses this by saying that “we should fear, if, while a promise remains of entering His rest” (Heb. 4:1). He uses the analogy of the Old Testament Sabbath rest as a picture of what is necessary for right relation to Christ. Missing a promise from God should be our greatest fear.

There can be no toying with God’s Word. “For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did (Israel of old), but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith” (Heb. 4:2). As we grow in understanding of God’s whole Word, we see ourselves more clearly, and grow in our faith and love for God (Matt. 22:37). Moving to Hebrews 4:11 he says, “Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience (Israel did not listen to God through the prophets).” The writer makes it top priority, he says, “Make every effort.”

How does God supply this effort? “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). Do you see the incredible supernatural power and thereby the importance of Scripture? It is a living Word that can do within us something that nothing else can do! The Bible alone has the ability to go inside us, identify our sin, and pry out the corruption of our heart. The Word is the starting point and continuing means of a right relationship to God. It begins by exposing us for what and who we really are as sinners!

It is only those who recognize their sinful condition who will truly come in repentance to the source of atonement – Christ alone. We are told to, “Approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need” (Heb. 4:16). We learn of our need by God’s true Word. The world system cannot help, and neither can a lifeless church where God’s Word is not prioritized and taught with passion and care.

It is never religion that saves, but the Spirit of God uses the truth of God accurately presented to penetrate our hearts. And because God wrote and empowered His Word to be alive and active, it will do a glorious transforming work making a sinner a saint. Let us also remember that Christ Himself is called “the Word.” Therefore, we are more than foolish to settle for anything less than His truth which is God’s Word (John 17:17). Oh how precious is the Word! I hope all of us are praying continuously that God would give us an appetite for His truth and that we are making “every effort” to take it into our hearts.