Does God Mean What He Says?

Teachers, remember those moments in the classroom when you announce that a particular assignment is due at the end of the period, or that homework must be submitted first thing tomorrow? The students are busy working, and as the end of the period approaches, one student fails to turn in their homework. When you ask, “Why didn’t you hand in your assignment? I clearly stated it was due at the end of the period,” their response may be, “Well, I didn’t really believe you.” It’s surprising for them to realize you meant exactly what you said. There were numerous occasions in Jesus' life where he would engage in conversations and assert something with the same clarity, only for people to be stunned by his words. Sometimes, even the apostles were astonished by the truth of his statements.

In Matthew chapter 16, verse 21, it states that from that time, Jesus began to reveal to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, endure many sufferings at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and ultimately be killed, but would rise again on the third day. He was very clear about this; He was going to fulfill Jewish law by going to Jerusalem, facing death, and then rising on the third day. It was straightforward, and He meant precisely what He said.

Notice how Peter responds: he took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You." In response, Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are mindful of the things of men, not the things of God."

Peter’s issue was not a misunderstanding of what Jesus communicated; he fully grasped Jesus' words. Rather, his problem lay in the belief that Jesus didn’t truly mean what He said. Jesus was clear: He was going to Jerusalem, and He was going to be killed.

Peter understood what Jesus was trying to convey; the issue was that he struggled to accept it. He didn't truly believe that Jesus meant what he said. This difficulty in acceptance is a common problem for many people in the religious world. God communicates clearly in His word, and while many may understand the message, they often do not believe that God truly means what He says. This challenge has been a persistent issue for humanity since the very beginning.

Let’s examine a few examples from the Old Testament. In Genesis chapter 2, we find verses 16 and 17, which state: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden, you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.’” It's important to note that God communicated this command to the man, and he was aware of it. Now, let’s look at the next chapter. In Genesis chapter 3, verse 1, we read: “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”’” The woman replied to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.”’ This shows that Eve was indeed aware of what God had said.

She understood that God had commanded her about the trees in the garden. He said she could eat from any of them except for one in the middle, which was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God warned her that if she ate from it, she would surely die. While she comprehended this perfectly, her real issue was that she didn't believe God truly meant what He said. As we all know the rest of the story, Satan tempted her, and she ultimately succumbed to that temptation by eating the forbidden fruit. What happened next? She faced the consequences and died.

Are you suggesting that she died on the spot? No, that's not what God said would happen. However, she did experience two types of death. According to the Bible, the first is that she began to die physically. Unlike us, who are born with the inevitability of physical decline, she had not been dying until she ate from the forbidden fruit. In that moment, her physical demise began.

More importantly, she also died spiritually, which means she became separated from God. After this event, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden and denied re-entry. Remember, God placed angels with flaming swords to prevent them from returning. This separation was significant. She failed to truly believe God's warning when He said, "You shall surely die" if she disobeyed. She did not accept that truth, and as a result, she faced tremendous suffering.

God means what He says, and this is evident throughout scripture. In Genesis 6, and even in the preceding chapter, we see that the people of Noah's time had become exceedingly wicked; their thoughts were continually evil. In response to this, God observed the state of the world and decided to bring destruction upon it. However, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

The New Testament refers to Noah as a "preacher of righteousness," indicating that for approximately 100 to 120 years, he preached to the people about God's impending judgment. He warned them that if they did not repent, they would be destroyed alongside the rest of humanity. Noah consistently urged the people to live righteously in order to avoid perishing in the flood. He faithfully declared God's message of impending destruction, emphasizing that the entire world would be swept away by a universal flood unless they turned to God and repented.

There were only eight people on Earth who believed that God meant what He said. These were Noah, his three sons, and their wives—just eight individuals in total who truly had faith in His word. Sadly, not a single other person on the planet shared that belief, and as a consequence, they perished in the great flood. God indeed means what He says.

Remember Lot's wife; we are instructed to keep her story in mind. The Bible tells us to remember her, and if we turn to Genesis chapter 19, we can understand what this reminder entails. As you may know, Lot and his family were warned to flee the city before it was consumed by fire and brimstone. In verse 17, as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was imminent, God instructed Lot and his family: "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you or stay anywhere in the plain; escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." This warning came from a messenger of God, urging Lot and his family to leave Sodom and Gomorrah and to not turn back, under penalty of destruction.

Unfortunately, Lot's wife did not heed this warning; she failed to believe that God meant what He said. As noted in verse 26, "But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." Thus, her story serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of not trusting in God's word.

Were God's instructions difficult to understand? No. Were they phrased using long, complex words? No, they were clear, straightforward, and to the point: leave the city, go to the mountains, and do not look back. These are all simple, one-syllable words. The problem was that Lot's wife simply didn't believe that God meant what He said when He warned her not to look back, or she would be destroyed. She didn't believe it because her actions didn't reflect that belief. But God meant exactly what He said when He instructed her not to look back.

There are many other examples we could talk about. Let's consider Uzzah and the ark of the Covenant.  God was very specific about who could and who could not touch that ark.  There were No exceptions and Uzzah didn't believe God meant what he said.  

Nadab and Abihu were instructed to obtain the fire for the altar from one specific source, as God had made it abundantly clear. However, they disregarded this command and instead offered "strange fire" or, as some later translations put it, "unauthorized fire." This indicates that they used fire that was not approved by God. They misjudged the seriousness of His instruction, believing that it was acceptable to source the fire from elsewhere. Unfortunately for them, this error had dire consequences, as God struck them down on the spot for their disobedience.

But what does that have to do with the topic at hand? You know, the Bible mentions that the things written in the Old Testament are for our learning and admonition. So what do we learn from all of that? It's because God means what He says. When we turn to the pages of the New Testament—the covenant under which we live—we need to recognize that when God expresses something, He truly means it. It's not a matter of being close to what He said, or a portion of it, or even what we think He said; it's simply that God means what He says. We may have our own opinions or desires, but we cannot change what God has stated.

The Bible states that all accountable individuals—those who are of an age and mental capacity to understand—are lost unless they obey the gospel. This message is clear and universally applicable; it does not matter where these individuals reside, whether in the remotest regions of Africa or in locations unknown to us. The Bible firmly asserts that all accountable people are lost unless they follow the gospel, and God means precisely what He says.

Take note of what is stated in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 1. God makes this clear in verse 7: "And to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This passage is straightforward in conveying that Jesus will be revealed from heaven alongside His mighty angels and in flaming fire, executing vengeance on those who do not know God. It is hard to imagine any misunderstanding here. There are no exceptions mentioned; it simply states that those who do not know God will be held accountable, and Jesus will take vengeance upon them.

But what if I do not wish for God to exact vengeance upon them? Unfortunately, what I want does not change the truth of the matter. What if I disagree?

God will take vengeance on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are no exceptions to this. It is clear that God meant what He said, and we must accept that truth. Whether we believe it or act upon it makes no difference; the message remains unchanged. God means exactly what He says, regardless of whether we or any group of people agree or disagree. He will act on His word. Therefore, all accountable individuals who do not obey the gospel stand in accordance with God's judgment, as the Bible clearly states.

The Bible emphasizes in Mark 16:16, as well as in other passages such as Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21, and Romans 6:3-4, that one is not saved, nor have their sins forgiven, redeemed, or truly pardoned until they experience the new birth through baptism. This baptism in water serves the explicit purpose of having one's sins forgiven, as stated in Galatians 3:26-27. All these verses convey the same message: God is clear in His intentions. When He instructs that one must be baptized, He means exactly that. The scripture asserts, "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved." This simplicity allows everyone to comprehend what God desires. As for those who do not believe Jesus, they will not be saved—this is what He has said, and He means what He says.

What about those who aren't baptized? They are not saved either.  He has made that very clear for us. The scripture states that "he who believes and is baptized shall be saved." God means exactly what He says. If others interpret this differently, it doesn't alter the meaning of the verse or what God's Word conveys. It remains unchanged; God means what He says. Our interpretations or desires won’t change that fact, just as it has never changed before. There are numerous other important topics we could discuss that are just as significant.

God has clearly communicated to us in the Bible, particularly in Hebrews chapter 10 and other passages, the significance and necessity of gathering with the saints. We are not to forsake this assemblings; when we are able to be present, we should be. The Bible is unequivocal about this, yet many people choose to overlook it, ultimately to their own detriment. God means exactly what He says, and His nature has not changed in any way—He remains the same God He has always been.

He highlights the importance of our gathering together, not because He requires it to be a greater God—He cannot be improved upon—but because He understands how vital it is for us. He instructs us to "consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." The most effective way to accomplish this is through our assembly, as this is precisely what the verse before instructs us to do. One key reason for our coming together is to encourage one another in love and good deeds. God knows this, and He means what He says.

He still desires for us to do precisely that. In the very last example, we could explore numerous instances of this concept. The Bible also teaches that there is only one way for a wayward child of God to return; only one path to restoration. The Scriptures state that the individual must repent, confess their wrongs, and pray for forgiveness. If we claim that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not within us. However, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we assert that we have not sinned, we call Him a liar, and His word is not in us, 1 John 1:7-10.

In Acts 8, Peter told Simon, "Repent of this your wickedness," addressing him because Simon believed that God's powers could be bought. It's interesting to consider why Peter didn't suggest something different, given that God means exactly what He says. Simon was already a baptized believer, a Christian. By instructing Simon to repent of his wickedness and pray to God for forgiveness, Peter highlighted the seriousness of the situation. This demonstrates that God truly means what He says, and it’s important for us to recognize that and respond accordingly. Whether we’re coming to faith for the first time through the new birth or we are already believers needing to repent and seek forgiveness, we must take God's words to heart and act upon them with belief.