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NASB | Ephesians 6:17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 6:17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. [Is 59:17] |
Bible Question: Explain Hebrew 4:12 |
Bible Answer: The “spirit” (Heb., ruach; Gr., pneuma) should not be confused with the “soul” (Heb., nephesh; Gr., psykhe), for they refer to different things. Thus, Hebrews 4:12 speaks of the Word of God as ‘piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and their marrow.’ (Compare also Php 1:27; 1Th 5:23.) As has been shown, the soul (nephesh; psykhe) is the creature itself. The spirit (ruach; pneuma) generally refers to the life-force of the living creature or soul, though the original-language terms may also have other meanings. Illustrating further the distinction between the Greek psykhe and pneuma is the apostle Paul’s discussion, in his first letter to the Corinthians, of the resurrection of Christians to spirit life. Here he contrasts “that which is physical [psykhikon, literally, soulical]” with “that which is spiritual [pneumatikon´].” Thus, he shows that Christians until the time of their death have a “soulical” body, even as did the first man Adam; whereas, in their resurrection such anointed Christians receive a spiritual body like that of the glorified Jesus Christ. (1Co 15:42-49) Jude makes a somewhat similar comparison in speaking of “animalistic men [psykhikoi, literally, soulical (men)], not having spirituality [literally, not having spirit (pneuma)].”—Jude 19. How powerful is the message emanating from God’s Word? It has tremendous power. Fittingly, Paul wrote: “The word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and their marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.”—Hebrews 4:12. The message in God’s written Word is “sharper than any two-edged sword.” Thus, it has such tremendous penetrating power that it exceeds any human instrument or tool. The Word of God pierces the innermost parts of a person and can change him inwardly, affecting how he thinks and what he loves, making him an acceptable, godly worker. What a powerful tool! The Word of God exposes what a person really is at his core as compared with what he thinks he is or what he allows others to see. (1 Samuel 16:7) Even a wicked person can sometimes shroud his inner self with a covering of benevolence or piety. Evil ones put up false fronts for wicked reasons. Proud people masquerade with mock humility while yearning to hear the applause of men. By laying bare what is really in the heart, however, God’s Word can powerfully move a humble individual to strip off the old personality and “put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) The Bible—A Textbook for Living “THE word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword . . . and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) This description of what Gods Word can accomplish surely stamps the Bible as more than just a good book. “Its message is as vital to our lives as our next breath,” one religion writer put it succinctly. Then he added: “When you take the issue of our longing and need for healing today and read the Bible in that light, astonishing results follow.” Like a lamp that burns brightly, the Bible sheds light on the many complex issues and problems of modern-day living.—Psalm 119:105. Indeed, the wisdom expressed in the Bible has the power to mold our thinking, help us solve problems, improve the quality of our life, and equip us with the skills to cope with those situations that we cannot change. Most important, the Bible enables us to get to know and love God. DBR |