Don't Make Void The Word Of God

In Romans 4:14-16 we read “For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.” Here he is showing that righteousness is by faith in Christ and not in observing the old law. If it had been by the law then faith would have been “void”. The word “void” is the Greek “kenoo” meaning “to make of no effect; to neutralize, to be in vain.” We should be very careful that we do not hold to positions or do things that would make God’s word in vain so far as we are concerned.

1. The word of God furnishes the man of God with a complete guide to all his spiritual needs. (2 Tim. 3:16,17). Sin is identified as transgressing God’s law. (I John 3:4) To transgress is to go beyond what is written or overt disobedience by adding to or deliberately by-passing that law. Also unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17). The word for unrighteousness is “Adikia”, which according to Vine means “a comprehensive term for wrong, or wrong doing as between persons”. (Vol. 4, pp. 173, 174). God’s commandments are righteousness (Psalms 119: 172). Unrighteousness is wrong doing instead of right doing. Right doing is obeying the word of God.

2. God’s word is made void by deliberate sins. This would be doing what is forbidden by God to be done. Commands such as “thou shalt not kill”, “thou shalt not steal”, “thou shalt not commit adultery” and other things God says not do but men do them, they are making void the word of God. By committing these things they are making God’s commands of none effect so far as they are concerned. However God’s word is binding and any violators are opening up themselves to punishment. People need to repent of their deliberate sins. Jesus says, “expect ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish”. (Luke 13: 3, 5).

3. God’s word is made void by neglect. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Just failing to do good or positive duties constitutes sin also. For instance the word says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”. (Hebrew 10:25). This is a positive command we are told not to forsake. When men neglect this duty they have sinned. People do not realize that they are adding sin to sin when week after week they do not assemble with the saints to worship. We are asked, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Hebrew 2:3). Neglecting believing and obeying the gospel is just as sinful as deliberately disobeying he “ you shall nots”. The blessings of the gospel are of none effect to any who do not obey the gospel to receive them.

4.God’s word is made void when people substitute something in the place of it. Cain, the oldest son of Adam was one who substituted something in the place of God’s command. In Genesis 4 we have the record that “Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the first lings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell”. (Genesis 4:3-5). The question might be asked, “Why did God not accept Cain’s offering”? To answer this question we have to look at Hebrews 11:4 of the New Testament; “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh”. Notice Abel’s offering was “by faith”. Now faith comes by the word of God (Romans 10: 17), so God told those boys what to offer. Abel did what God told him to do. This made his sacrifice more excellent. Cain offered a SUBSTITUTE and it was not accepted of God. Instead of doing what God said, Cain in jealousy and rage killed his brother thus becoming the world’s first murderer. Substitution did not please God then and it will not please God now. Another example is that of Nadab and Abihu who were dressed in their priestly robes and were to offer incense to the Lord. The scriptures point out, “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD”. (Leviticus 10:1, 2). Here is another substitute and another disaster. Likewise it is a disaster now when people substitute something in the place of God’s instructions. You good people who sprinkle people and call it baptism are substituting this for going down into the water and being buried in baptism (Acts 8: 38; Romans 6:4). You people who substitute playing on an instrument of music in the place of singing and making melody in your hearts as the Lord commanded (Ephesians 5:19) need to realize what a mistake you are making and start doing it like the Lord said.

5. Accepting a strong delusion makes void God’s word. In 2 Thessalonians 2: 10 11 it is stated, “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness”. What a tragedy to be deceived by some false doctrine. It begins when one rejects the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Then God just allows them to fall into the error that pleases them. The delusion becomes so strong that they think they are just alright in this error. God’s word is made void in such cases. Since wages of sin is death (Romans 6: 23).

Please don’t make void the word of God.

Prepared by:
Clifford Dixon

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