The living power of God’s word is sharper than a double-edged sword

What are the guiding principles of your life? Are they found in the Word of God, or in the words and “wisdom” of this  world?

Proverbs 5:1-6 ESV
[1]  My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, [2] that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. [3] For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, [4] but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. [5] Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; [6] she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.

https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.5.1-6.ESV

Ephesians 6:17 ESV
[17] and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.6.17.ESV

Hebrews 4:12 ESV
[12] For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

https://bible.com/bible/59/heb.4.12.ESV

Proverbs chapter 5 is a warning to those who desire to be friends with this world. The speech and language of the world are compared here to the words of an adultress or seductress; a forbidden woman.

Her lips drip honey Her speech is smoother than oil but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double edged sword

The true wisdom that comes from the word of God is contrasted here with the words and wisdom of this world, which seem to be words that can lead us to greatness and prosperity. But true wisdom from God comes through the living power of His word, not from the philosophies and ideologies and so called wisdom of this world.

The seductress here is figurative of the words and wisdom of this world, which seem to be more attractive and promising, yet in the end they become known for what they are; bitter, destructive, leading eventually to destruction

The words of the seductress or adultress here are described as being “sharp as a double edged sword” yet the living power of God’s word is SHARPER than a double-edged sword. The image of the sword is used here. The sword was the weapon of warfare in those days, and they were kept very sharp and ready for battle. A double edged sword is sharpened on both sides and able cut through a human body, or that of any beast, with deadly precision.

The words of the adultress are poison, leading to death. They have no life in them. But the word of God and the wisdom that comes from Him brings living power, able to penetrate our human heart, right down to the core of our being, cutting through all of the thorns and thistles, wounds and scars, deep secrets and hidden sins, buried underneath our human nature, locked away from our memory, in a place we don’t dare go, in the dark caverns of our soul.

But the living power of God’s word goes into those guarded places within our soul and exposes them, bringing them out into the open where we can deal with them. The living power of God’s word brings hope and healing to our human soul, while the dead, bitter words of this world; pop psychology, religious philosophies and ideologies, offer no real, eternal solutions to our deepest grievances and hurts. Such worldly wisdom brings no freedom, peace or real healing, just  temporary sugar coating.

Are you ready for true and lasting healing, inner peace and total freedom? Look to the living power of God’s word, which is sharper than a double-edged sword and able to deliver you from the empty and lifeless promises of this world and bring you true hope, joy, comfort and happiness.