Hope for Healing, Faith for Living Podcast

Hebrews 4:2 (WEB)

For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard.

This Word translated here as profit is a Greek Word ōpheleō which also means, to benefit, to be of value.

The Word of God is to benefit us. It’s to be of great value in our lives.

2 Timothy 3:16 (WEB)

Every Scripture is God-breathed (inspired by God) and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

Now let’s go back to Hebrews 4:2 and see why the Word wasn’t profitable.

Hebrews 4:2 (WEB)

For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard.

So this verse makes it very clear. The Word does not profit or benefit those who hear the Word and don’t mix it with faith.

I know people who know what the Word says and it’s not profiting them at all. Some know the Word and are not even believers. They just see the Bible as a work of literature. 

They are not placing value on the Word because they don’t believe it is the inspired Word of God and therefore they are not mixing faith with it.

Now what does it mean to mix faith with it?

Well let’s remind ourselves of the kind of faith we are to have as followers of Christ.  I’m not going into a whole teaching on faith right now but I do want to take is to see what the  Word says in James 2.

James 2:14-22

14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? 15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. 18 Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected. 

The ESV version of verse 22 reads, “22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.”

The faith we are to have as Christians is active faith and for faith to be active, you have to act. There must be some type of action accompanying your faith or else you faith will be inactive. It will be useless because it’s not being used.

When you read the Scriptures, choose to believe it and act on it. That's mixing faith with hearing God's Word.

Blessings,
Tim Dumas
www.hopeforhealingfaithforliving.com