It's not man's word: 1 Thessalonians 2:13
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.I have Christian friends who don't believe the Word of God. Do you believe?
Think about that for a minute. Do you believe in God? Do you really believe the Word is from God? Do you believe the Word was God? Do you believe the Word was with God? (John 1:1-5). And that the Word became flesh? (John 1:14)
Some people who call themselves Christians, don't believe. If they don't receive the word of God, if they say it is from men, that it is a human word, not the Word of God, then how can they call themselves Christian?
It seems to me that is one of the points Paul is driving home in 1 Thessalonians 2:13. It is important because, what do we have without the Word of God? What we have are heresies taught by false prophets and greedy teachers. "We are not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else" (1 Thes. 2:6).
Too many people today lose sight of that. They are seduced by preachers and teachers who pervert the word for their own good, who try to mold the word to fit the popular knowledge of the day. The fact is, the Word doesn't change (Isa. 40:8). The Word of God has a purpose (Isa. 55:11): It calls you to believe (Rom. 10:14). It is a living Word (Heb. 4:12) that endures time (1 Pet. 1:23).
Now, I understand why people doubt this. I doubted once myself. Too many rules, we said. Too many onerous rules. Too many "contradictions." There's no "proof" God exists. We can go on ...
Then I started reading the Word, looking for the "contradictions." They aren't there.
Facts are, science is proving the existence of God. The Bible continues to stand the test of time.Now I know, if this is the word of man, I have no reason to hope. If this is the word of man, I have no reason to believe. If this is the word of man, well, then why should anyone believe in God?
Read it! The message is the same from "In the beginning" (Gen. 1:1) to "Amen" (Rev. 22:21). The Word of God is truth (John 17:17). God is calling you to believe (John 1:7). God is calling you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 12:46), to believe that he is offering you a free gift (Eph. 2:8), to believe that Jesus is the Word that became flesh (John 1:14). God is calling you to pray (1 Cor. 7:5). He is calling you to learn about him (James 1:22). He is calling you to forgive (John 20:23) each other. The Word is the Light shining in the darkness (John 3:19).
He is calling you.
Believe!