2:131 Thessalonians 2:13

Paul thanked God without ceasing because the Thessalonians received the apostles' gospel preaching not as a human message but as in truth the word of God.Lt 9a, 1889, par. 5+2 The same is true of every gospel message and of Scripture heard or read, which is God's own voice speaking personally and is to be met with awe and earnest attention as an audience with God.COL 59.2–3+2 Understanding it depends less on intellectual strength than on purity of purpose and humble, earnest, dependent faith, and only as it is received in faith as God's word does it work, while unbelief shuts it out of the heart and leaves rejecters in darkness.COL 59.2–3+3 When so received, God by the Holy Spirit makes it work with power and effectually in those who believe, even through human messengers who present it in simple faith.Lt 9a, 1889, par. 5+4 In them it becomes a living force put into practice, nourishing spiritual thought, purifying the soul, producing purity, humility and contrition and good works, changing the life and bringing the soul into harmony with God.Lt 9a, 1889, par. 5+3

Paul's preaching at Thessalonica was received not as a human message but as in truth the word of God.Lt 9a, 1889, par. 5+2 The apostles brought the gospel, and the believers took it as God's own word rather than merely human teaching.Lt 9a, 1889, par. 5+2

What was true there is true of every gospel message and of Scripture heard or read.COL 59.2–3+3 Truths presented are not merely the speaker's words but God speaking personally, and the words given by God make a powerful impression on the mind and nourish spiritual thought for good.Ms 154, 1903, par. 31+1 The Bible is God's voice speaking as surely as if heard aloud, so reading and pondering it is an audience with God calling for awe and earnest attention.6T 393.3 Hearers need to recognize the message as the word of God and not merely the word of a human speaker.Ms 154, 1903, par. 31+2

A true good-ground learner opens both understanding and heart to receive the Word and trembles at it as a living reality.COL 59.2–3+1 Cornelius and his friends exemplify this readiness in their desire to hear all that God commands.COL 59.2–3 Knowing the truth depends less on intellectual strength than on purity of purpose and simple, earnest, dependent faith.COL 59.2–3 Those who humbly seek divine guidance receive the Holy Spirit's help to understand the treasures of truth.COL 59.2–3

Receiving the message in faith as God's word rather than as originating with people is essential for its working.15MR 91.1–3+2 Unbelief bars it from working in the heart, and rejecting it leaves people in darkness.15MR 91.1–3+1 This applied to the message to the Laodicean church, where those who doubted or rejected that message and its messengers treated God's word as a human word and remained in darkness.Lt 24, 1892, par. 31–35 Without faith the word has no effectual working, while living faith in the word heard produces good works, so a lack of good works reveals a lack of living faith.Lt 11, 1901, par. 8–9

Recognition of the message is helped or hindered by how it is presented.Lt 45, 1897, par. 29+3 Clear, focused preaching of the Bible's vital truths helps hearers see and retain it as God's Word.18MR 42.4–43.3 When God's servants present truth in God's way and in simple faith, hearers can recognize it as the Word of the living God, Christ makes it effective in those who believe, and God's will is accomplished in power.Lt 48, 1902, par. 2+1 Making the messenger central weakens the force of the message.Lt 48, 1902, par. 2 Gospel ministers must speak as those entrusted by God rather than to please people, and must urge hearers to live worthily of God who calls them to his kingdom and glory.Lt 45, 1897, par. 29

When received as God's word and not as a human message, the word works with power and works effectually in the hearts of those who believe.Lt 9a, 1889, par. 5+4 God requires this receiving and inward working as personal experience, and living it out gives a hope that does not bring shame.Lt 9a, 1889, par. 5 Receiving it in faith is essential to this working, for without faith it has no effectual operation.Lt 11, 1901, par. 8–9

Its effectual power comes from God through the Holy Spirit working on hearts and minds.HSP 15.9+2 The Spirit convicts of the truth and ministers the word of truth to the heart, making it effective there.Lt 200, 1899, par. 4+1 When God's word is presented in simple faith, Christ makes it effective to accomplish what God intends.Lt 391, 1907, par. 23–24 In this way it can be spoken through human messengers and still work with the Spirit's power in those who hear.21MR 207.4–208.1

In believers the truths received are put into practice, becoming a living force that changes the life.Ms 115, 1901, par. 2–3+1 They make a powerful impression on the mind and nourish spiritual thought for good.Ms 154, 1903, par. 31 The truth purifies the soul, producing purity, humility and contrition.Ms 115, 1901, par. 2–3 It renovates the soul and brings it into harmony with God.HSP 15.9 It also changes the life and deepens love for its sacred demands.1T 590.1–2

Those continually exposed to revealed truth who show no evidence of being made better by it grow harder and less responsive to it.1T 590.1–2 At last they lose the Spirit's influence and become unable to discern eternal things, treating them as common.1T 590.1–2 The word of life is to be proclaimed to those who do not know the truth.Lt 25b, 1895, par. 8–9 When God speaks to hearts while the message is spoken to ears, hearers are moved and subdued even to tears and brought to testify.21MR 207.4–208.1