The Work of God

I Thessalonians 1:3 – “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love…”

Today I wish to expound upon three aspects of the work of God. The theme of Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians is the work of God. Much is written in this epistle regarding Paul’s work among them; their work in the kingdom of God; and most importantly, God’s work in His people.

One of my favorite verses of scripture is as follows:

Psalm 118:23 – “This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”

This verse deals with Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone, being rejected by the Jews. Jesus quoted this verse in Matthew 21:42 and Mark 12:11. In each instance, He was showing the Jews how they would be rejected by God and how that God would turn to the Gentiles. Can you imagine how hard it was for the Jews to conceive of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to take the chief cornerstone away from them, and use it to build a Gentile church? How is something of this magnitude going to be done? “This is the Lord’s doing!” God is going to do it! Whether Israel approves of it or not, God is going to do it! Whether Israel supports it or not, Jesus told them, “God is going to do it!”

Let’s get something straight! There are some things that will happen just because God is going to do it! I know for a fact that man-made global warming will NOT destroy our planet! It is predestined that God Almighty is going to burn this mess to a pile of ashes! For all you “green” people out there who think you’re saving the planet by riding around in a bullet shell, I’ve got news for you! Your efforts to save the planet are all in vain! God is going to destroy this planet and no legislation will stop Him! God’s going to shut the liberals down and shut the atheists up, and there’s not one thing that any world leader will do about it! “This is the Lord’s doing,” and it cannot be stopped!

I would like to look now at three aspects of the work of God.

God’s Work FOR Us – Grace

First, I would like to look at what God did FOR us. When we speak of what God did for us, we are speaking of grace. Man is lost hopelessly – so hopelessly that no effort on His part can save Himself. I am still amazed how people who have been in church for years testify that they are going to heaven because they have been faithful. Friend, no amount of faithfulness on your part will take care of your sin, or of the penalty of death that results from it.

God sent His only begotten Son into the world. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, took my sins upon Himself as though they were His sins. He was whipped, beaten, mocked, spit upon, crucified, and separated from His Father for my sins. The only way I could have ever paid off my sin debt is to die forever in a lake of fire! But Jesus took my sins and yours upon Himself. He did this so we need never to die the second death. Calvary is God’s work FOR us. Christ did upon the cross what no man could do for himself. Christ satisfied the wrath and justice of God completely. Grace is God doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Calvary is the grace of God.

God’s Work IN Us – Faith

I am amazed at how many ministers in various denominations have no clue concerning Bible salvation. Some think that getting sprinkled as an infant contributes to the salvation of the soul. Some think that being saved from sin is the result of a person’s willful cessation of sin. While I believe strongly that God’s people are called to holy living, I believe just as strongly that salvation is not “cessation from sin.” You can cease from all your bad habits and start doing good and righteous things and be as lost as any man has ever been. Some think erroneously that salvation is the product of being baptized “in Jesus’ name.” Some think that salvation is composed of repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and being filled with the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in tongues. None of these things are correct.

I discussed the subject of salvation with a man recently. This man was of the opinion that we are saved by keeping the moral law of God. He describes salvation as “trusting Jesus” AND “ceasing from sin.” I asked the man this question: “If you were in the Philippian jail and the jailer came to you and asked, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ what would your response be?” I never got an answer. Because in the word of God, Paul and Silas WERE in the Philippian jail. And the jailer DID ask, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas gave a clear, concise response. Their response was not, “Get down on your knees for an hour and if you feel better, thou shalt be saved.” They did not say, “Quit your sinning, and thou shalt be saved.” Neither did they say, “Be baptized,” or “Be baptized in Jesus’ name and thou shalt be saved.” What Paul and Silas answered is echoed throughout the New Testament – “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

Believing, or having faith, is the work of God. Believing is not your own work of any kind. When you believe on Jesus Christ to be saved, you are not DOING anything; you are rather trusting fully what Christ HAS ALREADY DONE! Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is not merely believing that God exists; or believing that Christ died on the cross. Devils believe these things, and tremble at the thought of them! Yet no devil is saved. Believing is fully trusting Christ to save you based upon HIS WORK upon the cross. We have faith because God gives it to us. The man who has faith cannot boast of his faith; for he has no faith, unless God graciously bestows it to him. Notice:

Ephesians 2:8, 9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Notice how Paul words this – “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and THAT…” What is “that”? The context teaches us that the word, “that” refers to faith. We are saved “through FAITH, and THAT not of yourselves.” Paul is teaching plainly that the faith to be saved does not dwell within us. It is given to us by God! Paul goes on to say, “It is the gift of God!” Romans 12:3 teaches us that God has dealt to every man “the measure of faith!” Trusting Christ fully to save you is not your work; it is the work of God! You are simply trusting what Christ has already accomplished FOR us!

John 6:29 – “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

God’s Work THROUGH Us – Good Works

We previously looked at Ephesians 2:8 & 9, that salvation is by grace (God’s work for us – sending Christ to die upon the cross) through faith (God’s work in us – trusting Christ’s work upon the cross). Now, I wish to examine these verses once more, but this time let us look at them along with verse 10:

Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

After we are saved by grace, through faith, we are then created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works. The best evidence of genuine salvation is a change in one’s living!

Make no mistake about it – we are justified in the sight of God by faith, apart from works altogether.

Romans 3:21 – “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.”

Romans 3:28 – “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Clearly, the Bible teaches that we are justified, or declared innocent, completely by faith, and completely apart from works. But, let us look at some verses in James 2:

James 2:14 – “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?”

James 2:17 – “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

James 2:24 – “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”

Now, let us notice a couple of things. Galatians 3:11 states that NO MAN is justified by works of the law in the sight of God. James 2:24, just as clearly, states that by works a man IS JUSTIFIED, and not by faith only. There is a simple, clear, Biblical explanation for this.

The passages I gave you in Romans and Galatians deal with us being justified in THE SIGHT OF GOD (Galatians 3:11). James 2, however, deals with us being justified in the SIGHT OF MAN (James 2:15, 16, 18). When a man places his faith in Jesus Christ, he justified in the sight of God instantly, even before God sees the first good work. God does not need to see a good work before He knows we have faith, for He can see our heart! Our fellow man, on the other hand, cannot see our faith; he can only see our works! Therefore, to be justified in man’s sight, we must prove our faith by having good works! Make no mistake about it – the passages in Romans and Galatians deal with justification in the sight of God, and we are justified in His sight without any works whatsoever.

Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

James 2, on the other hand, is not about us showing God our faith; it is rather about us showing MAN our faith:

James 2:15, 16 – “If A BROTHER OR SISTER be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”

In these verses, James clearly states that claiming to have faith without works will in no way profit A BROTHER OR SISTER!

James 2:18 – “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: SHEW ME THY FAITH without thy works, and I will SHEW THEE my faith by my works.”

Again, it is clear here that the subject is not about showing God our faith; it is about being justified in the sight of man. “Shew me thy faith without thy works,” Paul says, “and I will show thee my faith by my works.” When James 2 is put in context, there is not a single contradiction with Romans and Galatians whatsoever.

We are completely justified in the sight of God by faith, apart from works of any kind. But it is the will of God for God to work THROUGH us! He wants us to submit to His work so that we might show the world our faith. Genuine faith in Christ makes a person a new creature (II Corinthians 5:17). Genuine faith in Christ will make a change in the life, mind, and heart of an individual. The best way to show your faith by your works is to let Jesus Christ do the living in your life. When this is done, Christ will work the work of God THROUGH you!

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

This is the key – “…nevertheless I live; yet NOT I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME!” When we let Him live, there will be an abundance of good works in our life – not to show God our faith; but rather to show man our faith, that they might see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven!

Standing at the Gate

Ephesians 5:18 – “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

That every believer has the Holy Spirit within them is clear. That every believer is not filled with the Spirit is equally as true. The supreme need for Christians in our day is to be filled with the Spirit. John R. Rice correctly said, “You cannot do God’s work without God’s power.” There are many Christians who do not know the blessing of yielding themselves to Holy Spirit, allowing Him to fill them to capacity, so that they may be used in fruitful Christian service. Christians should seek to be filled with the Spirit so that the lost will be justified, the saved will be edified, and Christ will be glorified!

When this truth is presented, some say that we need a mighty baptism in the Spirit. Others object to that terminology, and say, “Oh, no! It is not a baptism; it is the fullness of the Spirit.” Others say, “No, it is not the fullness; it is the filling.” Others argue still yet that it is instead an infilling.

Whatever you wish to call it, it is desperately needed! Our churches are suffering without it! This point is brought out well by William E. Boardman:

All real Christians agree that it is our privilege to be filled with the Spirit, and that this is the great need of the time. But when this privilege is unfolded and pressed as a baptism, or the baptism of the Holy Ghost, some start back at the term and just stand at the gate.

The New Jerusalem has twelve gates, and each is called by a different name. Yet all who enter by any one of the twelve are really in the City. It would be a strange thing if anyone approaching the gate of Benjamin, for example, should stop in it and quarrel with the overarching name and say, ‘It ought to be Judah or Ephraim, and not Benjamin,’ and so should block up the way.

Let me enter into the City by any gate and by any name and I will praise the name of the Lord, and will not dispraise the name of the gate.*

Whatever name you wish to give it, we desperately need to be filled with the Spirit! Fill us, Lord!

*Boardman, William E. In the Power of the Spirit. Willard Tract Repository. Boston, MA. ©1875. pp. ix-x.

Thoughts on II Corinthians 5

“What is your favorite Bible verse?” some may ask. I have favorite verses, but not a single favorite verse. By the time I determine that a certain verse is my favorite, lo and behold, I read another verse that becomes a candidate to be my favorite. There is a chapter in the Bible that contains several of my favorite verses, and that chapter is II Corinthians 5.

The book of II Corinthians is so named because it is the second epistle (letter) that Paul the Apostle wrote to the Corinthian church, or at least the second letter that we have preserved for us. In Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, we see the Corinthian church as a carnal, troubled church. No sane pastor would volunteer to serve as pastor of the church at Corinth. In Paul’s first letter to them, we learn that those in the church were steeped in favoritism (chapter 1); they were carnal (chapter 3); there was gross fornication among them (chapter 5); they were taking each other to court (chapter 6); they had questions regarding marriage and divorce (chapter 7); some were eating meat sacrificed to idols, knowing it was offensive to a weaker brother (chapter 8); they misused and abused the Lord’s Supper (chapter 11); and they needed instruction regarding the gifts of the Spirit (chapter 12), especially with regard to tongues and prophecy (chapter 14). According to Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, it is clear that the Corinthians were troubled.

When we begin reading Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians, the situation is changed. The church seems to be much more spiritually minded. Even the man who had committed fornication had repented! Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians reads, in some ways, so much better than his first letter.

In the fifth chapter of II Corinthians, there are several verses that have been a blessing to me through the years. I have leaned on them, learned from them, listened to them, and lectured on them.

The first verse of the chapter has repeatedly been a source of encouragement to me.

II Corinthians 5:1 – “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Whether you like it or not, the current body in which you live is deteriorating. No matter how beautiful or handsome you believe yourself to be, as far as your body is concerned, you are dying. This becomes more apparent to us as we grow older. But, in the first verse of this chapter, what a blessed promise we have. We are promised, first, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (our bodies) dissolves (dies), we have another body – a building of God reserved for us in heaven! My favorite part of the verse is found in the words, “we have a building of God.” We who are saved are not trying to earn a new body; we have one! I have a new body right now. I am not wearing it at this time; and I will not wear it until I lay this robe of flesh down. But thanks be to God, I have a new, glorious body, like Christ’s glorious body!

Another verse in the fifth chapter of II Corinthians that has been a blessing to me is the seventh verse.

II Corinthians 5:7 – “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

Although the words are in parenthesis, the meaning is not. The meaning of this verse is of utmost importance. In order to have faith, obstacles must be overcome. There are at least three enemies that try to hinder the believer from having faith. The first is fear. When the disciples awoke Christ on that stormy night upon the sea, they were concerned that they might perish. In Matthew 8:26, Christ rebuked them, saying, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” Fear hinders faith. A second enemy to faith is doubt. In Matthew 14, Christ came walking on the water toward His disciples. Peter launched out, and began to walk on the water toward Christ. But, seeing the waves, he began to sink. In Matthew 14:31, Christ asks Peter, “Wherefore didst thou doubt?” Doubting what God said is a hindrance to our faith. We cannot walk by faith as long we are doubting God’s word. A third enemy that hinders faith is feeling. I believe this is the enemy most responsible for many believers’ lack of assurance of salvation. There are many Christians who, as long as they feel saved, are sure of their salvation. But as soon as they fail; as soon as they do not feel as good as they did; they question their salvation. This is a tragedy because those who have no assurance of their salvation are not soul winners, mainly because they are not sure of their own salvation, let alone sure of how to secure someone else’s. I have often said, “I do not know I’m saved because I feel good; I feel good because I know I’m saved!” So many people say, “As soon as I feel good, I’ll know I’m saved.” It doesn’t work that way. Rather, it works the other way around. You first know you’re saved because of the written word of God; then you feel good! It’s amazing how good you’ll feel when you get the question of assurance settled! We do not walk by sight, as this verse shows us. What we see does not determine how we walk. We walk by faith in what God said, not by the feeling of our senses. We walk by faith, not by sight.

Another tremendous verse in this chapter is the tenth verse.

II Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

That every Christian will stand before God is a sobering thought. I spoke to an individual this week regarding this solemn judgment where Christians will be rewarded as they stand before God. “I do not believe,” I told him, “that the judgment seat of Christ will be a ‘walk in the park.’” Some seem to think that, because they are saved, they will breeze through the judgment seat of Christ. Not so! Our failures will be presented before all. All of our sins, thoughts, and deeds that displeased our Lord will be brought to the forefront. All the missed opportunities to pray, read the scriptures, and win souls will be presented to the hosts of heaven. All our selfish motives will be on display. There will be no place to hide. We will be examined thoroughly. We should work for God for that day in mind.

Another verse from this chapter that has influenced me greatly is the fourteenth verse.

II Corinthians 5:14 – “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.”

“The love of Christ constraineth us!” Webster defines “constrain” this way – “to compel or force; to urge with irresistible power.” I am compelled by the love of Christ. This should be our motive for all our service. We should do absolutely nothing for Christ out of obligation. On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “If a man compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.” The first mile was compelled; it was forced. I do not have a choice about the first mile. But Christ goes on and says, “When you finish the first mile, then, though it is not mandatory, go the second!” Because I am saved by God’s grace, I live a certain way. I do not strive to live in a godly manner for the purpose of trying to “stay saved.” I live the way I live because I love Christ. I do not listen to wicked, ungodly music. My reason for abstaining from such music is not because my church won’t let me. It is not because I’m “not allowed” to listen to such music that I refrain from it. I have no desire whatsoever to listen to music that does not honor my Lord. If you convinced me that listening to such music would not hurt me spiritually in any way, it would not change my behavior. I do not listen to such music because I do not wish to do so. I love the Lord, and songs that uplift Him shall be my only song. Why do you live the way you do? Is it because you feel like you must? If so, you need a revival of the love of Christ in your soul. Christ does not want you to be constrained with rules and regulations; He wants you to be constrained by His love. However you live, do so because you love Christ.

The last verse in the chapter has great depth, and has been a blessing to me.

II Corinthians 5:21 – “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

The depth of the gospel is contained herein. I cannot grasp it all, but what a great truth is found here. Christ was made sin for us that we might be made righteous in Him! I may fill several pages with the truths contained in this verse. Christ loved His Father, having always enjoyed unbroken fellowship with Him. But when Christ went to the cross, He became something that the Father hates; He became sin (II Corinthians 5:21), and He became a curse (Galatians 3:13). This is unfathomable, but it’s what happened to our Lord nonetheless. The remainder of the verse states, “…that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” That we sinful creatures could become the righteousness of God – as righteous as is God Himself – is just as unfathomable! The truths in this verse are simple in their presentation, yet profound in their depth. What amazing love Christ has for us!

The Value of the Word of God

In this world, it is neither scarce nor surprising to hear the attacks against the word of God. Those who are deemed intelligent mock its principles, deny its miracles, and scorn its prophecies. Yet, in spite of all the attacks, its principles are true, its miracles occurred as recorded, and every prophecy regarding the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ came to pass precisely as written. Though I desire for every reader to believe the Holy Scriptures, the scriptures do not need your belief in them to strengthen them. They are completely accurate, without anyone’s approval of them. The world mocks; yet the scripture stands.

Then, I come into the church. It is sad to say, but in many churches, the word of God takes a back seat. I have been to churches (some recently) where you will find someone who is always having a dream that “God gave him.” There are churches in which you’ll discover someone who is constantly seeing visions. God is always speaking to them in an audible voice. “God told me this,” they say. “God told me that,” they affirm.

Only an observation it may be, but here is what I have surveyed regarding many of those who are always seeing visions, dreaming dreams, and hearing voices: They are so spiritual that “God” is always speaking to them; yet, they do not know that salvation is by grace. They constantly see visions; but they cannot see that a person has the Holy Ghost living within them the instant they believe on Jesus Christ. They are always dreaming dreams, but quite frankly, they don’t know soup beans from apple butter regarding the word of God! Again, it should be noted that these observations are in reference to “many of those” who are always seeing visions, dreaming dreams and hearing voices.

Now, am I against a man having a dream that is from the Lord? No; for then I would be against the Joseph of the Old Testament, as well as the Joseph of the New. Am I against someone having a vision? In no wise. But if you are one of these people who often refer to “the last dream I had,” or “the last vision I had,” then I am talking to you.

Here is yet another observation regarding those who are always having dreams and seeing visions: they talk a lot. You may ask, “What do you mean?” In the Bible, when someone had real visions from the Lord, they didn’t talk about their visions. Whether the reader has seen a real vision from the Lord or not, I do not know. But I know for a fact that Paul the apostle had visions and revelations from the Lord, and look what he says about them:

II Corinthians 12:1 – “It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.”

Paul, in his discourse to the Corinthians, states here that he will at this time talk about visions and revelations of the Lord. Then, he proceeds to speak concerning those visions and revelations:

II Corinthians 12:4 – “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

Paul goes on to tell about a man, perhaps himself, who was caught up into paradise. Then, Paul tells us something pertaining to what he saw – “…it is not lawful for a man to utter.” Paul said, “I’m not allowed to tell you what I saw.” No one reading this post will ever know what Paul saw in paradise – he didn’t blab it!

Yet, so many who claim to have visions today are very quick to reveal what they saw and heard. This makes me wonder about these vision-seeing individuals.

I do not know whether the reader has seen visions or heard voices from heaven or not, but I know for a fact that Mary, the mother of Jesus, heard the voice of an angel, because the Bible states it to be so. Yet, when the angel spoke to her, the Bible says in Luke 2:19 that “Mary pondered these things in her heart.” She neither told nor bragged about everything she heard from the angel. Yet, when someone has visions and dreams today, they quickly let the world know what they saw and heard! It makes me wonder!

A Message for Vision-Seeing Individuals and Dreamers

As for those who claim to have seen visions or had dreams from the Lord, I am not writing this post to convince you otherwise. But, each individual who constantly sees visions and has dreams from the Lord needs to read what I am writing.

Your visions and dreams are not very spiritual. There is no indication whatsoever that Pilate’s wife was a follower of Christ, yet she informs her husband in Matthew 27:19, “I have suffered many things in a dream because of [Christ].” The wise men who came to see the Christ child were warned of God in a dream in Matthew 2:12; yet there is nothing said as to whether or not they believed that Christ was anything more than “the king of the Jews.” The fact is this: you do not have to be spiritual at all to have visions or dreams. Actually, it is possible for a devil to be disguised as an angel of light, and approach someone in a vision.

II Corinthians 11:13, 14 – “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”

Paul even warned us, that if an angel from HEAVEN came to us, and told us something different than what the Bible teaches, we are to let that angel be accursed; or let that angel go to hell!

Galatians 1:8, 9 – “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

So, I do not care much about your dreams and visions. Every dream you’ve dreamed and every vision you’ve seen takes a back seat to the word of God! I have made the following statement in this blog before, but I make it again. If an angel came to me and said, “Bob, I came from heaven to give you two choices. You can either have dreams and visions every day, or you can learn something every day from the Bible, the word of God. It’s your choice.” My choice would be easy to make. I would rather learn more and more of God’s word than have dreams and visions. I would rather be skillful with the Bible and know to use it to convince people to be saved than to boast of dreams and visions!

Allow me to examine one more passage. Peter tells in II Peter of his experience on the mount of transfiguration. Peter was on the mountain with Christ when the Lord’s face shone brightly. He saw Moses and Elijah on that mountain! What a glorious experience this must have been:

II Peter 1:17, 18 – “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.”

In these verses, Peter tells of his great experience upon the mountain of transfiguration. Now, in the next verse, Peter says that you and I have something more sure than even the vision he had!

II Peter 1:19-21 – “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

“We have a more sure word of prophecy!” A more sure word? What could be surer than a vision? He tells us what is more sure than a vision – the prophecy of the scripture! God’s written word – the Bible – is far surer than any dream or vision.