LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Valuing the Lord's Words
- John 6:60-69.
After the Lord rebuked His disciples because they followed Him interested only in material bread, many of them found His word hard, and turned back. He then said to them: "It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life".
Men are accustomed to follow those who say nice things. Teachers, writers, poets, great preachers, have many followers. But most of them are characterized by a speech that is easy to hear, pleasant, emotional. However, those words have no life. The true disciples of Christ must know how to differentiate between the songs of sirens -which come from a very refined soul- and the words of life of our Lord.
Many books are written today by men who say very wise things, much metaphor, idealism, spiritualism and things similar to the Lord's words of life. They sound very good to unwary ears. But what is their source, their origin, is there behind these words one who knows Christ and the cross of Christ, is there a regenerated heart, a man who fears God, or is it simply a philosopher of the soul, a Newerist ideologue?
Alas, how much vain food is used to feed the flock of God. They are mere talk, but not the living word of God, which satiates and nourishes. When the Lord says to His disciples: "Will you also go away?", Peter answers: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God". This answer is the only one possible for a true disciple. To say it, means to recognize that, however hard they may sometimes seem, the words of our Lord are trustworthy, sound, and sufficient.
"To whom shall we go?". Implicit in this question is its answer. There is no one else to whom we can go for words of eternal life. Not only are the "sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Tim. 6:3) to be valued, but they are to be nourished (1 Tim. 4:6). The word of God must "dwell in us richly" (Col. 3:16), renewing our way of thinking, shaping our thoughts and filling them with faith.
A weak Christian will be easily influenced by the world and defeated, but a Christian nourished by the words of Christ is strengthened to face every circumstance. Not material bread, but spiritual bread - Christ; not carnal words adorned with human wisdom, but the word of the Lord, sufficient and sure.