The Bible is the authoritative word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” When God says something, it is going to happen. Nothing can stop it. Not only is the word of God living and powerful, but it will last forever. 1 Peter 1:23 says, “the word of God lives and abides forever.” The word of God will follow us into eternity.
The Bible is God’s instruction to us on what we must do so we can go to heaven. Jesus says in John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Only by knowing and following God’s word can any- one be saved and go to heaven. If one doesn’t know and obey God’s word, he will spend eternity in the burning fires of hell. This will be a horrible place to be.
God’s word is the authority or standard by which all people will be judged on Judgment Day. Jesus says in John 12:48, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him, the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” People may ignore God’s word now, but on Judgment Day they will not be able to ignore it.
God does not intend for His authoritative word to be changed by man. We read in Revelation 22:18-19, “If any- one adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book, and if anyone takes from the word of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life.” Either way he will be lost. People are not taking God seriously.
Even though the world may neglect it, we must not neglect to follow God’s authoritative word if we want to go to heaven. Hebrews 2:3 says, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at first began to be spo- ken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. There is no escape if one neglects to obey God’s authoritative word.