SNT 0327 The Greatness of the Word
The Greatness of the Word
September 25, 1966
Opens with Matthew 15:1ff and goes on to emphasize the depthand greatness of God’s Word..
SNT – 327
Format: audio
Publication Date: 09-25-1966
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
Joh 4:24; Mat 15:1-3, 7-9; 2Pe 1:3
1Th 2:13; Psa 12:6; 1Co 2:13; Jer 15:16; Psa 119:162
Psa 138:2; Act 8:26-39
Act 21:20; Rom 8:34, 2; Gal 5:1; Luk 9:2-4; 22:35, 36
_________________
DRAFT
Snt-0327-TheGreatnessOfTheWord DRAFT
SUMMARY KEYWORDS: Word, God, Philip, doctrines, understand, teaching, revelation
God is a Spirit. As it says in John 424, God is Spirit. And they that otter worship Him or to worship Him in spirit. And in truth. It says in the book of Acts, that God is not a God who dwells in temples made with hand, and that he is to be worshipped there. Now God being a spirit, in order to manifest himself to men had to come into con grief. God could have used perhaps other means that he chose him to do so that God desired and willed to make know himself to give the revelation of what he is, and of his will, and why his word is, he chose to do this by words, who are DS. In other words, it please God, to make knows himself to us, by way of the word. The little condition or any low condition of spiritual health, which you may see among the people, or in any individual's life, is basically due to improper food. If it's not improper food, it's the neglect, or the wrong usage of the necessary food, which is the word of God. In other words, when the improper food, the wrong dividing of the Word of God is fed to an individual. That individual will lack in the manifestation of spiritual health. When the neglect of the necessary or proper food is continued over any great length of time, then again, they will manifest this in their life by being spiritually unhealthy. It is God's word, which is the life of man. It is the word of God that for many, on many an occasion and for many, many people, has become of non effect to them, primarily because of the doctrines and their traditions of men. Many times we may have to relearn things which we thought we knew. At various times, we may have to give up things on which we thought we were accurate. I've been going over something in my mind, this is will be interesting to my friend, Mrs. wion, from Troy the night because of the tremendous amount of work that she and others get along with the rest of us on the work on the day, Christ died. This is a general subject. But do you know that we have found a text in which it says that that 12 o'clock day was nine o'clock, instead of 12? Remember, we were talking about, we found a text in which it says that it was nine o'clock. And if it would be nine o'clock, then we could go back and fit it with the accuracy with which we first began. Now people many times say to me, Well, they did early ministry, some still do. Even in the days when some 20 some years ago, ministers used to say to me, Well, what difference does it make? If the Bible says so and so what difference does it make? And they specially said this regarding scriptures, which had no apparent immediate effect upon a person's salvation, or his walk in life? For instance, if there were four crucified with Jesus instead of two, what difference does it make? If he died on Wednesday, instead of Friday? What difference does it mean? What difference does it make if he ever comes back? Or if he doesn't, as long as I live the good life? I ran into this all my life, time and time and time again. What difference does it make? Well, we're going to work on some of these things tonight. What difference does it make?
04:36
The Word of God. The reason it does not have the preeminence among many people is first of all, there are very few who can rightly divide it and teach it accurately. And secondly, it's been the doctrines and the traditions of men that have tended to simply lay lay the greatness of the accuracy of God's words. Most people are still held Bell bound by one individual thinks, rather than by what the words say. Or by what the society cooperates in which they move, or what the the status quo of society will hold as the norm for that particular thing in Matthew chapter 15, where I'd like for you to turn tonight Matthew chapter 15. And did I forget to thank you wrote and Dorothy, your thanks. Wonderful. Both our peril wondering what I'm going to do next. Sometimes I wonder, Matthew, chapter 15, verse one, then came to Jesus, scribes and Pharisees with Rob Jerusalem saying, Why do thy disciples transgress through to the front of the elders? For they watch not their hands when they eat bread? Now, isn't that a terrible, terrible thing that a person should forget to wash his hands before but there happened to be a law. The law was that they absolutely had to go through a certain ritual of the washing of the hands before every. I've just thinking on a few occasions when my children never would have be sometimes I've had to send them in or dot, Theon, gender warfare, little old hand, forget about it. But there's not a great argument. Why do thy disciples transgress through tradition of the elders that are wash their hands? Jesus, verse three, answered instead of them, why do you transgress what? The commandments of God by your tradition, now logically, of the two, which would be the word? Certainly, the transgression of the commandments of God, the disobedience to God's word would be a lot worse than forgetting to wash your hands, or polish your nail, or touch the bang, pulling your hair or polish your shoes or pressure towels now and in verse seven, he says to those men, you got the secret? Well, did I say a prophesy of you seen this people draweth nigh under me with their mouth, and honestly with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain, they do worship Me, teaching for doctrine, that commandments of art of them, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. They look sincere. They have all the earmarks, of being religious. But the word of God said that still the commandments of what men, and when we teach for the commandments of men, and the commandments of men and say that that is the word of God, then we are hypocrites. In Second Peter, chapter one, verse 30, is a scripture that no one knows any better than the Columbus group. So I heard I think my friend Eddie Dorsen, knows this very well.
08:34
That can Peter chapter one. Was it verse 13? Bring chapter three. According as he has his divine power, talking about God, chapter one, verse three, According as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through that knowledge of Him that have called us the glory, and what He has given us all things that pertain unto life and unto godliness, and that's wonderful. He has given us this. It's the word of God. That gives us that which is unto all life and unto all godliness. I was thinking about how you can plant corn and gray, and you can reap, reap a wonderful harvest off of the earth. It's like this, everything that pertains unto Light, and unto godliness, everything that pertains under life you can live very wonderfully by that which you reap off of the Earth, off the top of it. But for those who dig down deep into the earth, there, they get some of the most wonderful wealth, about oil. The Word of God is a little like duck. When you just live off the top of the Word of God, you can have an abundance of life and godliness. That if you really want to have deep and get great truth, and great reservoirs of life, and power, you get down into the depths of Godwin's into the innermost part of it. And out of that, it's just like the walls springs of living water and abundance. They're up. There the people who ask questions, well, what difference does it make, they perhaps would be satisfied with just getting saved. They perhaps would be satisfied just to have enough spiritual food to stay alive. But for some of us, and especially for the ministry, and what it represents, in the teaching field, we want to go down into the depth as much as God gives us His ability and his power, to go down into the depths of His Word, to bring up out of those reservoirs of that great abundance of His Word. The greatness and the magnificence and the wonderfulness of his abundance of His Word. This is the purpose, this is the reason. This is why God called us this is our ministry, this is our life. That's why we teach. That's why we have a place like the way biblical Research Center. It is not just to be thankful for the godliness, and to be thankful for the life we have from the top of God's word for which we're grateful. But it is to delve down into the innermost resources into the depths of it, like like you would go to the depths of the earth to bring up some of the great oil wells and so forth and so on.
12:32
In First Thessalonians chapter two verse 13, the Apostle Paul by Divine Revelation, Revelation writing to the church at Thessalonica.
12:58
them or this cause also, thankfully, God without ceasing, is speaking to the church, the believers at Thessalonica. Because when you receive the Word of God, which he heard about, you received it, not as the word of men, that as it in is improved the Word of God, which effectually work opposed, so in do not believe. In other words, the words that they spoke, the people heard, and the people could have said, well, that's just the Apostle Paul policy. But they didn't say that. They said, Yes, those are the words of the Apostle Paul, but he is speaking God's word. And therefore they are word, not of man, but as is in truth, the word of God. In Psalm chapter in Psalm 12, the 12 found in verse six, bomb 12, verse six, it says, The words of the Lord are what's your word? Isn't that wonderful? You see, it please God, to give the revelation of Himself and of His will, in Word, in Word. And the testimony of the Word of God is that the word of the Lord are pure words. They're pure. There we find, they mean what they say, and they say what they mean. And God not meant what he said. He certainly was smart enough he would have said what he meant when he got somebody to say it when is God. And therefore, it seems to me that by sheer logic, you can't come and simply say, Well, what difference does it make? It must make a tremendous difference else God would not have brought that up for his word. If you're the word of the Lord are what your words in First Corinthians chapter two is a tremendous record regarding this word. First Corinthians chapter two, verse 13, Which things also we speak not in the words, which man's wisdom, he just because the words which man's wisdom teaches, with the African doctrines, and the tradition of but with the Holy Ghost, teaches that wonderful. The words of the Lord are not only pure words, but they are word which the Holy Ghost. Therefore, whenever we come to the Word of God, then we should pay attention. We should open our eyes, unplug our own stuff, our ears, we ought to clear the cobwebs out of my mind, because the words of the Lord are pure words, and they are words which the Holy Ghost, which God, God teaches, well, how can you know the will of God, then without knowing the Word of God? It's impossible. It is only after we know the Word of God, do we know what the will of God? Is this the testimony of the word itself? In Jeremiah, chapter 50. Jeremiah, chapter 15, verse 16, we read, thy words were found, and I did was, eat them. And thy word, die, why learned was on for me, God's joy, and rejoicing of mine art, isn't that something? The Word of God had been lost. And after they found that goal, that word of God, and Jeremiah, the man of God, the prophet of God, read that word. Jeremiah said, The words were found. That's the word of God. And I did eat them. Doesn't mean he chewed on the paper. That means that he read it, you digested it, he assimilated it. He took it to himself. I did eat them. And by word, by word, he said, that's the key, not the words, not a man's doctrines or command, not worldly wisdom, but the Word. The Word became unto Jeremiah the joy and rejoicing of his heart. And isn't this true in our lives, our time and time again, when that word became living in real forest, our that word became the joy and the rejoicing of our art. How grateful we were for the ineffable wonderfulness of these words, and how we just looked abundantly, how we ever bet how we go, when that word became living to us. It was the joy and the rejoicing about art.
18:57
We have people in this auditorium tonight, like we do all the time. Who would rather have a little morsel of the Word of God, and all the doctrines and the traditions and all the status quo of society, because it's the word that's the joy and rejoicing of their hearts. And when that word is taught, when that word is unfolded, they just live and where there is no word they could not live because they know that the only life they have, the only water they have to drink is the water of the Word and the life that that wonderful match was worse. In Psalm 119, the longest Psalm in the book, Psalm 100, and 91st 162. It says, I rejoice in thy words, as one that find that great that I rejoice. I rejoice in thy word. There is a joy and the rejoicing in the Word. And when people start working the word, start reading it, start studying it, then there is a joy. And in that wonderful word, and this is why the psalmist said, I rejoice in thy word as one who finds great style. A very familiar one to all of the grads of the classes on power for budget living is that one from Psalm 138. Notice to where it says that he magnified his word above this last name, God must have thought, he must have considered that the word was very important.
20:51
Because the people who got to that word that that those words were pure words. They said that this word a god was words, which the Holy Ghost teachers, they said, they were like, words that they found, which they ate, and assimilated and digested, and that these, this word was the joy and rejoicing about art. These men said that it was like finding an abundance of love, great oil. And therefore, God must have thought it most important when he says in His word, that he said, those words are a magnified his word above his name. Although all of God's work, and there are many of God's wonderful, wonderful words, like in The Curse of man, like in the creation, and the forming of the making, of the universe in which we live, how the stars stay in their courses, and how when we get a little meteorites coming through the place 1000s of telephone calls come in. What would they ever do if God ever returned to move in an abundance? And yet, we had some people coming to the way headquarters that night for a meeting. And they said it proudly right over them. And the whole sky and the world way inside of the automobile was just brilliantly illuminated. Over one simple little low. They said, I think it was a meteor right? Wasn't. Isn't that wonderful? A lot about God's work. All these things that God created, farmed, and made are wonderful. The great stars in their courses, the galaxies, all of those things are tremendous. But the Bible declares that of all of God's work, that greatest of his work is His Word. There is nothing any greater than God's wonderful word. That's the declaration. This is why he said, he says, he said his word above his name, he magnified his word above his days, because of all of God's goodness and God's word. This is why for those who really are endeavoring to dig doored, and work towards this word, again, is the joy and the rejoicing of our art.
23:42
In Acts chapter eight, you see why it makes a difference. As to what the Word says, and what we believe.
23:55
Why it is so important that we do not go by the doctrines and the traditions of men. We have to go by the word of God. Or how can we stand approved before God? If we deny His words, if we declare His Word is one thing in His Word says it's something else. Then we're simply teaching the doctrine than the command submit and extrapolate. In verse 26. I want to begin reading and the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip sage, Arise and go toward the south under the way he was headed from new Knoxville South that's 20 things. Now under the light, I didn't see that before it he had God's power scrub against the witches desert. And he arose and went and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a unit of great authority, under Candice We have the Ethiopian, who had the charge of all her treasure had come to Jerusalem for it a lot worse. Jerusalem was the seat of their religious authority. This is where they should have really had the word of God. And he came for a convention, a spiritual revival, do the great capital of religion. And he just was not some new gumboot. He was just not some man without any background or dignity. He was a coaster gentleman. He served the queen of Ethiopia. As a matter of fact, he had charge of all our treasurer that sort of made him the treasurer of the Queen's organization or something. He kept the boat. I bet he was a CPA. But anyways, he had been to Jerusalem in verse 28. He was returning, and he was sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said under Philip, go near and joined, I sell to this carrier. And Phillip brands vivid to him and heard him reading from the prophet Isaiah. And he said to him, understand us now what our readers are, what difference does it make? What difference does it make? This is all I've ever heard through the years. Somebody say, Well, what difference does it make? If there were two or four? What difference does it make if it was Wednesday or Friday? What difference does it well set up said to this wonderful religious man was really limited, he had been to the great convention. This is where all the dignitaries met. This is where the General Conference was holding section and the general console. And the cabinet was meeting. He had been there. And he was on the way home reading the book of Isaiah, The scroll of Isaiah. And Philip, I said to him, what he understand what 3d. And he who had just been to the place where they should have helped him to understand it. You know what he said? How can I? How can I? How can well, what's the use of following the traditions and the doctrines of men? If you're still at the place where you have to say, well, how can I? I've been there, and yet, I don't know anymore, not 20 years ago. Are there any brains you get out of that kind of a minute? Oh, you'd find yourself a fill up for somebody. I cannot accept some man show up, guide me and that's the greatness of God's word has to still be unfolded to men and women and men and women for whom that word is unfolded. Who will teach that word? Are the men and women on whose wives God will move and help others to understand.
28:14
And how are they going to hear accept, some body is sent on body's got to go and carry the accuracy of God's Word.
28:27
And he said the Philip, tomato parents sit down with me and tell me about it. And the place of the scripture which he read verse 32, was this. It was laid as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before his Syrah, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. And who shall declared his generation for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I praise each of them speak at the promises of himself or some other men. What? Verse 35, Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and he prayed for Jesus and he unfolded the Scripture he told him, when it must have been important, else Philip would not have needed the daily. Now as they went on their way, verse 36, they came on to a certain water. The unit said, See, here's water, what does hinder me to be baptized? And some upset if all believers with all thy heart saw me? And He answered, gave us lots of leads to be baptized rest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he Philip commanded the chariot to stand still. And they went down both into the water boat syllabus and the unit and he was baptized. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord taught away Philip in the unit soil no more he went on his way up. Because to him was a joy on that up. He came out of Jerusalem with no joy was sitting in that old waiting the prophet or the scroll of Isaiah getting nothing out of it couldn't understand them up on top. And he went on his way tickled to death because the word is always the joy and the rejoicing of a person's heart when he gets really your word. I know what somebody is going to say, Well, what do you water baptize him for very simple. X 2120 has the answer. sodas, Romans eight, you better look it up again. Just so you keep renewing your mind. I tell you all the water in the world doesn't help anybody. It's just washing the platter on the outside, not inside. And all the the Spirit of God can worship a man on the inside that the scripture says is no he no longer even as a consciousness as said, the outside of the platter. They could clean with the law, but they couldn't clean the inside of a man. They couldn't take away the consciousness of sin, the burden of sin. They can't take away that outer cloak is that inner coat, that inner thing. They can only wash off the outside but only God can cleanse the man on the inside. In chapter 21, I think nobody said verse 20. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord and 70 belfius Brother, how many 1000s of Jews there are which believe and they are still all satisfied. That are that's why he asked for water baptism because he had just been to the jury center in Jerusalem, he was on his way home. And Philip had not had the revelation of the greatness yet, because Paul's revelation had not been given and because they weren't set us all up. So therefore they continued water baptism. This is why in Romans chapter eight, this is the revelation that had not yet been given. Romans chapter eight. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who are not after the place, but after the Spirit. That's not the verse I'm thinking of. I'm thinking of that verse. Verse talks about being free from that all is that Romans? What? That convert, that's not the lawn that the what are the law, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Now I'm thinking of that scripture, about the liberties and this is that stand pass therefore into liberty with Christ Jesus has set you free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. That is it. Galatians I knew it was in the book.
32:51
My good delegations five on I thought it was Roman Bari on time, I got to read it again. Dan fast therefore, in the liberty that had not yet known that what liberty for investors, sellers of art, and therefore, that revelation one that's understood, that would artists stand fast in the liberty with Christ to set us free and be not tangled again with the guilt of bonding, when that is understood them. Historically, and chronologically. There is no more water baptism. And you see, it's the word of God. That's the joy and rejoicing of our hearts. without coming to the accuracy of that God's word. You will never know God's will. This is why we are concerned about the teaching ministry. This is why we're concerned research. People say well what do you want to research the Bible for Martin Luther dug it all out? John Calvin or not for swingweight or Bishop Moeller Bishop unmoved. I don't know who. No, no, no, no, no, no. That greatness of God's word is filled to be understood and dug. Because whoever dug, whoever worked that word, wherever they work to get there properly divided and taught it among those people, it has always been the joy and rejoicing of our hearts of the believers. And it's the data so that word. And so when people say, Well, why do you want to do research work? For? That's my answer. Because the word is to be the joy and rejoicing of our heart. It is the word that's pure words, it is His Word, which is magnified above these names. That's why the most important thing in your life in mind is to get a knowledge of that word accurately. Then everything else will pattern according to our believing. There is a scripture in Luke nine, which I would just like to share with you tonight. Just to show you why, the greatness of the word and its accuracy It's so important that you rightly divided many times circumstances in the Bible like circumstances in life alter cases, you say to your child today do so and so. But 15 years later you saved for that same child do so and so and what you now say, is an absolute contradiction to what you said 15 years ago, is it? Yes, in one sense, but not in the sense of you understand that circumstances, alter cases. Now, this is very important in the Word of God, because it'll deal with Bob hair, Bossy Women, and all the rest of the Scripture. We talked about her. Now, that wasn't barky women, that's a guy was a guy in Illinois talked about that. He said it was word with Judaism. But it does talk about the matter if it does talk about, you know, the hair and the way and manner in which you dress and so forth and so on. Circumstances, office cases, remember, that's a very great principle. And I'm going to show it to you from a scripture that hardly anybody knows what to do with. In Luke chapter nine, verse two. And he Jesus sent them the 12 disciples, or apostles forth to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. Verse three, and he said unto them, Take nothing, take nothing for your journey. Neither watt saves nor script is a bread, either money, neither have to coat whatsoever house he entered into Dara Biden dad's depart. Now, this is why he called. He said, When he'd go first, to preach the kingdom of God, remember that? He said, They were to heal the sick. But they were not to take anything for their journey, either state, nor money, nor split, whatever that money, bread, money, two bucks or neither money, what steps in money? You forgot now? And neither to code, that is it. But in Luke 22, in the 22nd, chapter of Luke in verse 35. And he said on them, when I sent you without purse, and script, and choose like cheese, anything? And they said, What? Nothing? Then said he unto them, Then said he unto them, but now, but now, long time before we had said unto them, when he sent them first, do not take this do not take that right. But now the situation has been the circumstances have been altered. And very plainly, God said to them, but now, but now, now. He's got as a person, like, let him take it. And he that has split, these are have no sword. The word sword is dagger. Let him sell his garment by one. Do the change the circumstances that altered and they do not know what to do with Luke nine and with Luke 22. Because at one place, he says, don't take it. And the other place, he says was taken. And you know what the critics say? Well, it's the Bible. That mistakes in it, you've got expected. The mistakes are not in God's word for God's word is not kind of word. It is pure word. It is word which the Holy Ghost teaches. It is a word which God has magnified above his name, he's underwritten it that there's no contradiction in it. And if you will recognize these, the altering of the circumstances, then you can understand it's very simple. Jesus Christ Himself said it. But now before this when he sent them out many years before he sent them out to preach the kingdom. And he sent them only to Israel, the Lord Shiva house of Israel, but why did Israel do? They were getting ready to crucifying they were ready to kill the king of the kingdom. And Jesus said to those same apostles, now the situation has changed, it's altered. Now, if you haven't got a purse, go to pennies and get and if you haven't gotten a dagger, get one, this kind of thing. And that's how simple the word become. You think are uniquely wonderful that word is. At the top of that word is everything that you could have for the joy of your godliness and your love and your power, that foo. And when you walk that way, you will have spiritual help. But if it's really the joy and rejoicing of your heart, you will have to get into the depth of that word. And when you get in the depths of that word, that's where you find the greatest treasure in the world. And it is this treasure of that word of God that makes it possible for us to live with the greatness of God's wonderful matchless words.