Our Guide

As the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church it is my responsibility as the shepherd to make sure that we never veer from the standards of God's Word as the foundation of who we are and what we do as a church. In Psalm 19:7-9, King David tells us why the Bible is so important to us. He says, "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether."

A couple of truths from this passage about the Word of God:

1. God's Word is truth

God's Word is described as . . .

• "The law of the Lord is perfect" -- God's revelation is complete and sufficient in all of its parts.
• "The testimony of the Lord is sure" -- In a world of uncertainty, God's Word is steadfast and faithful.
• "The precepts of the Lord are right" -- God's Word gives us instruction that will always lead us along the right path!
• "The commandment of the Lord is pure" -- The Bible isn't a book of suggestions; it is a book of commands. God's commands are pure, clear and authoritative. 
• "The fear of the Lord is clean" -- God's Word not only teaches us who God is and who we are, but it also teaches us how to express the proper, reverence, respect and worship to the Lord. 
• "The rules of the Lord are true, and righteous" -- God's judgments are always true and right.

2. God's Word is life

Think about the words that David uses to describe the impact that God's Word has upon our lives.

• "Reviving the soul" -- God's Word reveals to us God's holiness and our sin. It drives us to a place of despair and then the good news of the Gospel draws us to God in repentance and faith.
• "Making wise the simple" -- For those who have a teachable spirit, the Word makes them wise unto salvation and to eternal life. 
• "Rejoicing the heart" -- God's Word provides a moral compass that allows us to experience joy! Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
• "Enlightening the eyes" -- God's Word opens our eyes so that we can discern truth from falsehood.

The language that David uses to describe the impact of God's Word upon our lives is a perfect picture of discipleship. It is God's Word that revives the soul, makes us wise, brings joy into our lives, and then moves us toward maturity. In Ephesians 4 we are told that the leaders in the church are to equip the saints so that the church may be built up "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."