Simply the Bible Blog

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword…’” (Revelation 2.12, NKJV)

The name Pergamos means “marriage.” This city was the Roman capital of the province of Asia with a population of about 250,000. It was a center of pagan idol worship and emperor worship. Once a year there was a celebration where everyone burned incense and proclaimed that Caesar was Lord. Those who refused could be put to death. So Pergamos was a very dangerous environment for a Christian.

To this church Jesus identified Himself as the One “who has the sharp two-edged sword”–a reference to the Word of God. Hebrews 4.12 tells us:

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (NLT)

What is the significance of the Word being a two-edged sword?

It is sharp. The Word of God penetrates where nothing else can. We all have our opinions; we all have our ways. We become hardened in these, thinking that we are right and others are wrong. But the Word cuts through these strongholds of thought with the everlasting truth of God that silences all arguments.

It cuts both ways. It cuts believers from the world. The world attaches itself to us like a clinging vine, spreading out, wrapping itself around us, and growing through the spaces in our hearts. But the Word comes in and separates us from the world and the world from us.

At the same time the Word condemns the world for its sin. It reveals that the only righteousness that God accepts is through Jesus Christ.

It exposes and judges our innermost thoughts. Many times people approach me after a message, saying, “How did you know I was going through that this week?” I calmly explain that their spouse calls me and tells me everything about them (just kidding). This is what the Word of God applied by the Spirit does. It exposes what is going on in our hearts, and it divides the true from the false, the good from the bad. It separates where nothing else can–even between soul and spirit or joint and marrow.

Without the Word of God we cannot know God or please Him, for it is only through His Word that He reveals Himself and His will for our lives. That is why the only way we can really live for God is by a steady diet of the Word.

Are you getting enough calories to grow healthy in grace? Or are you spiritually anorexic from a Word deficiency? If we’re not “married” to the Word, then by default we’ll be married to the world.