The Word Is the Sword
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17
There are two Greek words in the New Testament that are translated into English as “word.” One is logos—“word, message, speech, argument, book.” The other is rhema—“word, saying, thing, remark.” Generally speaking, we might think of logos as the Bible and rhema as a verse in the Bible. Both are the Word of God—one the whole, the other a specific part of the whole.
When Paul describes the Christian’s spiritual armor and notes the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” the Greek word he uses for “word of God” is rhema, not logos. In other words, he pictures going on the offensive in spiritual warfare by using specific parts of the Bible: promises, teachings, sayings. Think of how Jesus defended Himself against Satan’s temptations in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Three times Satan tempted Him, and three times Jesus rebuffed the temptation by quoting a verse from Deuteronomy. That’s the way to use the sword of the Spirit, the rhema of God.
Take the sword of the Spirit everywhere you go by committing the promises and teachings of Scripture to memory.
The Bible is a disturbing book, a hammer, a fire, and a sword.
Vance Havner
Turning Point Ministries
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17
There are two Greek words in the New Testament that are translated into English as “word.” One is logos—“word, message, speech, argument, book.” The other is rhema—“word, saying, thing, remark.” Generally speaking, we might think of logos as the Bible and rhema as a verse in the Bible. Both are the Word of God—one the whole, the other a specific part of the whole.
When Paul describes the Christian’s spiritual armor and notes the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” the Greek word he uses for “word of God” is rhema, not logos. In other words, he pictures going on the offensive in spiritual warfare by using specific parts of the Bible: promises, teachings, sayings. Think of how Jesus defended Himself against Satan’s temptations in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Three times Satan tempted Him, and three times Jesus rebuffed the temptation by quoting a verse from Deuteronomy. That’s the way to use the sword of the Spirit, the rhema of God.
Take the sword of the Spirit everywhere you go by committing the promises and teachings of Scripture to memory.
The Bible is a disturbing book, a hammer, a fire, and a sword.
Vance Havner
Turning Point Ministries
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