Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 4:1-3
The response when Jonathan Edwards preached Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God in Enfield, Connecticut, in 1741 is well known. People in the audience cried out in terror, begging God to spare them from the horrors of Hell. Grown men clutched at the pews, holding on while pleading for salvation. None of that was the product of Edwards’ style or delivery. He read the sermon as was his custom, holding the manuscript close to his face. Yet God’s power was present, and historians trace the beginning of the Great Awakening to that sermon. However, that day was not the first time Edwards had preached it. Weeks before, he had delivered the exact same message in his own church in Massachusetts without any noticeable response.
There is no question about the power of the Word of God. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). But for the Bible to have its intended impact on our lives, we must approach it with hearts of faith, willing to listen to and heed what it says. If we do not hold the Word of God highly, the lack of change in our lives does not speak to its truth or power but simply reveals our lack of faith. “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58).
