All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Word of God (the Bible)
The Word of God (written or given Word) is a great blessing. We know that the gospel is the mechanism that God uses in harmony with the Holy Spirit to draw people unto salvation. According to Romans 10 they must hear the Word of Christ in order to be saved. The key is understanding the purpose of the Bible. We are blessed to have it, but Jesus is our goal and our Savior. I do not see the Bible and Jesus as equal. That does not diminish the Word of God. Both are good, but one is the Savior and the other is the tool used to guide us to Him and into a living relationship with Him.
Imagine for a minute. If you were faced with Jesus on your left and the written the Word of God on the right and your were given a choice to choose one, which would it be? Fortunately we do not have to choose, but we know that Jesus died for us, the Bible records it. Jesus' blood covers our sins, the Bible reveals it. Jesus is coming back to take us to be where He is, the Bible reveals this to us. One is a witness the other is the Savior. Here is another way of approaching this, I love Jesus and I greatly appreciate the Bible. One more approach, the Bible reveals Jesus and in some parts of the world people have heard the gospel and maybe a few more verses, they do not own a Bible as it may not even have been written in their language at this time, but many repent and come to Jesus because they heard the gospel. They have Jesus and yet only snippets of the written Word.
If every Bible you own was stolen and access to any other Bible denied would you be lost or still in a living relationship with Jesus? On the other side of the coin does owning a Bible assure one is saved?
I close with this. The Bible and Jesus are both good. Thank God you own a Bible, praise God that you are saved.
What's your take on this?
Views: 2077
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
-
Janie,
I know you are not fond of engaging in the forums and I respect that, but should you have a specific question arise, please feel free to ask it.
Lord Bless,
LT
-
Permalink Reply by Amanda on
-
We also sing them in my new church. Last Sunday, we sang Heavenly Sunlight, Trust and Obey, Sunshine In My Soul, and Wherever He Leads I'll Go. For communion we sang, Come Share the Lord, but I think it's newer. It was beautiful though.
-
Permalink Reply by RoyW on
-
I think I am misunderstanding something. I am quite confident that we are not saying that the Word of God is not God. We know the Word is God. That is well documented in Scripture. We know the Word is eternal. He was before anything that has been made was made. He is the One Who said, "Let us." The paper is not God. The ink is not God. The papyrus was not God.
The Word existed with the Father and the Spirit from eternity. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Word did not stop existing but merely changed forms in order to save us all from our filthy sins. The Word lived among us for several years and then ascended into heaven where He is now at the right hand of the Father.
I think the question we are asking is, "Is the Bible the Word of God?" Wow! That is a very good question. Does the Bible claim to be God's Word? Does the Bible contain the Word of God or is the Bible THE Word of God? I said that we cannot separate the two but LT says he is not so sure about that. I must admit that I have not thought of these things in this instance and will take many things here into consideration. What am I holding in my hand when I hold that precious Book? Am I holding the Word or just a reflection of the Word. I have some very old Bibles that I have had for nearly fifty years. How do I dispose of those Books. I think that maybe I consider them in a too sacred way. How do I dispose of them? They are worn out and falling apart. Yet, if I take one of those very old Books and read them, the Word still springs forth in power and glory. My heart is swept away once again as I read of His love.
When I read that I am saved by grace, I am completely overwhelmed. There is power in those Words. Some can read those words and not be affected. Yet, when I read those Words, something happens. Are those Words supernatural? Take those words apart and they don't mean a whole lot. But, when those Words are read together, they are power. They are glorious. They are overwhelming. They are supernatural. Those Words can save a man from his sins if he believes what he is reading. How can a person read this Book and not have his life changed forever?
I think there is something very powerful about this Book.
-
-
Roy,
To try and simplify this and to see if we are on the same page saying it differently or do we actually see something here differently. I am speaking specifically about the written and/or spoken Word of God, and more specifically the Bible. Yes, Jesus is the Word of God, the living God who is eternal and our only hope.
I see the written Word of God (the Bible) as precious and indispensable, but it is not Jesus. It was given with a specific purpose and that purpose is to bring us to Jesus and the written Word works in harmony with the Holy Spirit (and is actually dependent on the Holy Spirit to convert man). It is the design of God to use the Bible and the work of the Holy Spirit to bring man to Jesus for salvation.
I will keep it short, because long post can often sidetrack and open up other issues and I really want to focus on this one point regarding the Bible and Jesus, the tool of God and the Savior Who is God respectively.
Lord Bless,
LT
-
-
LT,
I don't think we see things much differently. Certainly not critical differences. I do have a problem separating God and His Word. IMO, the Word is an extension of God and cannot be separated from Him. The words are not powerful. However, the sentences and paragraph are. I do not see this as a critical difference since we both strongly believe the men that wrote the Bible for us were inspired by God. We also believe that part was directly dictated by God. I don't know how much and believe most was not dictated by God but allowed the men's personality to come through.
-
-
Roy,
Overall I believe we are in agreement. I see the difference mostly in what you see as separating and I see viewing things in their proper place (distinguishing).
Lord Bless,
LT
Welcome to
All About GOD
The Good News
Meet Face-to-Face & Collaborate
© 2024 Created by AllAboutGOD.com.
Powered by
