We must receive the Word not as man’s word but as the Word of God. The Thessalonians received the Word and welcomed it (I Thessalonians 2:13). Because they received the Gospel, the word of God was working effectively in their lives. Paul declared that the Word of God is the real source of transforming power. It is clear in Romans 1:16 that the Gospel revolutionizes our lives because it is the power of God. Paul was not ashamed to hold high God’s standards because it has life-changing power. 

In John 17:17, Jesus prayed that the Father would sanctify His disciples with the truth. Sanctify means “set apart as pure”. When we obey God’s Word, we are set apart and purified. Jesus confirms in John 17:17 that everything that God authorized to appear in the Bible is true. God sanctifies people by “truth.” We can be sanctified only if we allow God’s word to guide our lives. God’s Word is the only thing that can transform our spirit, soul, and body. The Word of God is living, life-changing, and dynamic as it works in us (Hebrews 4:12). We must not only listen to the Word; we must also let it transform our lives.