Infallibility

I'm having a few thoughts on infallibility.

Most protestants take issue with the idea that the Pope is infallible when he gives official teachings on faith and morals.

Yet most protestants have no issue with the idea that the writers of our Bible where infallible while they were writing their specific books.

But isn't that pretty much the same belief?

Add to that the fact that we don't even know who some of the authors were. But we are pretty sure they wrote with 100% accuracy on matters of history, science, morals, doctrines, and faith.

I should mention, before some of you judge me.  There is NOT a specific verse or passage of Scripture I am trying to ignore.  I am NOT questioning this because I don't want to believe what the Bible says.  I actually hope it is 100% accurate.

I just don't see the Bible teaching that its' authors were infallible, even while they wrote.


So here is the dilemma that I see:

• It doesn't seem Jesus made an effort to write a book for us.
• The Bible does not claim "This collection of 66 books is written by God, it is 100% fact."
• The western (catholic) church of the 4th century helped put together our New Testament canon. 
• At some point after the 4th century some Christian tradition made the claim that these 66 books are infallible.
• If you believe those who made this claim were infallible, then yes you must believe in the infallibility of the Bible.
• If you question the infallibility of these church leaders, you are free to question the infallibility of the Bible. 

I believe there is a difference between being inspired and being infallible.  God can speak through someone without making that person perfect.  God can also speak through the Scriptures even if they are not perfect.

God can even speak through you and I, yes, even though we are not perfect.

So all of this may be wrong. The pope may be infallible. I'd love it if the Bible was infallible.  But I sure felt inspired to write about it this.  I trust God will still speak to you either way. :)

Related Posts:

• Why I Love The Bible
• Loving the Bible for what it is, not what I wanted it to be.
• Sola Scriptura
• Freedom from Biblicism 

Why I Love The Bible

OK, I wrote some bizarre stuff that likely worried some of you in a recent post called: Stop Calling The Bible The Word Of God.


I want to clear the air and confirm that I love the Bible. 



I believe the Bible was written by close followers of Jesus whom I trust. Some of these men actually walked and talked with Jesus on a daily basis for a few years. They were all early members of a new movement of people who were following the way of Jesus. 

About 300 years after Christ's life here, leaders in the western early church concluded this set of books were the most reliable of the many books written about Jesus and the early church.  In some ways I wish Jesus himself wrote a book and gave it to us.  But He didn't. He did promise to leave His spirit to follow, and we can also follow the lead of other believers. It seems we must place some trust in these early catholic church leaders.  We are trusting that these men who selected the books of our Biblical canon were in tune with the Spirit, and following godly council of their brothers and sisters.

These books, written by these different authors are by far the best sources of information about how Jesus lived, taught, restored lives, went to the cross, and rose from the dead. They are also a great source of knowledge for who God the father is, as Jesus claimed to be one with the Father.  It is also a great source of knowledge about the Spirit of God whom Jesus said would be available to us to continue to guide us.

I love how these books teach me that my Father God is trustworthy.  They teach me that God loves me, that I am not alone, and He is restoring my life to what He has planned for me.

I love how these books teach me that God is the final authority.  Jesus is King and Lord of both the world, and it is up to us to allow Him to reign and rule in our lives. 

These books give us stories that put my heart at ease, because I see He is a good King.


These authors were also involved in the formation of the early church, a new tribe of people that did not conform to the status quo of the time.  These book are the best source of how these new believers in Jesus formed communities where their love for God was expressed in their love for each other.

I believe John 5:39-40 speaks both of the purpose of Scripture, and the dangers of too much focus on Scripture.

"You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."

My previous post was simply talking semantics, how I believe the term 'Word of God' in Scripture refers to Jesus or any message from God.  When we misuse the term we sometimes interpret different passages incorrectly, and in some ways take the life out of the 'Word'.

But I do love the Bible, and I can't think of any other books that intrigue me more.


Do you think I'm missing something essential here in my view of the Bible? Something that the Bible clearly teaches and emphasizes?

Related Posts:

• Word Study on Word of God - lists a bunch of verses about 'The Word of God'
• Word study on Word of the Lord - more verses
• Word study on the Word - more verses and some summary thoughts
• Stop Calling The Bible The Word Of God
• Do you know God's voice
• Loving the Bible for what it is, not what I wanted it to be.
• Review of The Last Word 
• Freedom from Biblicism 
• Sola Scriptura
• Do you know God's voice
• Spirit of truth

Playdough Scripture John 1:1

"In the beginning was the Word... and the Word became INK."

John 1:1 and John 1:14 (Playdough Version)



(Credit for this one goes to a comment by frank on Stop Calling The Bible The Word Of God.)

Stop Calling The Bible The Word Of God

If you believe in the authority of the Bible, please quit calling it the Word of God. Please read it and see what it says about the Word of God.  Many Christians believe the Bible is the final authority for faith, religious practice, and morals.  Yet for some reason they call the Bible the Word of God.

Where am I going with this?

Please consider this question if you call the Bible the Word of God.

• Why do you call these 66 books the Word of God?
• Does the Bible tell you to call itself the Word of God?  Or did tradition?
• Did the Holy Spirit tell you to call the Bible the Word of God? Or did someone else teach you this?

I see the Bible teaching us that Jesus is the Word of God. (John 1:1-14)

There are other cases where the terms "Word of God" or "Word of the Lord" simply means that God is speaking to someone. (1 Kings 12:22, 1 Chronicles 17:3, Matt 15:4-6, Luke 3:2, Luke 5:1, Luke 11:28, Mark 4:33). 

The "Word" also seems to be a message that believers shared with others (1 Cor 15:2, Col 1:4-6, 2 Tim 4:2, Acts 13:44-49, Acts 15:35)

The Bible teaches that the Word of Christ lives in us and speaks to us. (Rom 10:8-9, Col 3:16, James 1:21-24, 1 John 2:14)

The Bible also teaches that the Word is something that is alive and active.(Heb 4:12, 1 Pet 1:23)

But I don't see the Bible teaching that the Word of God is a book that people read, study and follow.



So if you believe in the authority of the Bible, please quit calling the Bible the Word of God!

If you think tradition should trump Scripture on this one, keep calling it whatever you have been taught by those around you. :)

I do believe God speaks to us as we read the Scriptures with a listening heart. But He also speaks to us at other times. I think the Word of God is simply whenever God speaks to us. Jesus is also called the Word. He was and is God's message to us. Is that the Word we are listening to?

My concern is that by calling the Bible the Word of God, some have promoted the idea that Christians should follow a book instead of living in a natural relationship with a living God.  Following the book called the Word of God  will lead you to a religion.  Following the person "Word of God" will lead you to everlasting life.

Related Posts:

• Word Study on Word of God - lists a bunch of verses about 'The Word of God'
• Word study on Word of the Lord - more verses
• Word study on the Word - more verses and some summary thoughts
• Do you know God's voice
• Loving the Bible for what it is, not what I wanted it to be.
• Review of The Last Word 
• Freedom from Biblicism 
• Sola Scriptura
• Do you know God's voice
• Spirit of truth

Fools Day Quotes From Jesus

Here are some long lost quotes from Jesus.

"You should come visit my church this Sunday."

"My church has the best worship band."

"You should give 10% to your church."

"You should serve in your church programs."

"Make sure you pick a church that belongs to an evangelical denomination."

"Make sure you celebrate Christmas every year as the best holiday of the year."

"My Father and I can't hang around with sinners, so my Father will kill me. I will pay the price for your sin so you can go to heaven when you die."

"I'm a 5 and a 1/2 point Calvinist."

"You should only listen to Christian music."

"Don't drink wine... unless it's the good stuff I make."

"Read this tract. "

"Repeat this sinners prayer after me."

"Here is a book I've written for you to follow, you should call it the Word of God."


Happy April Fools Day! :)

Have I missed some?

Loving the Bible for what it is, not what I wanted it to be

I'm in agreement with Rachel Held Evans on a blog post she wrote titled loving the Bible for what it is, not what I wanted it to be.


I used to think the Bible had clear answers on most, if not all issues. That if all Christians would simply read their Bibles we would agree on everything.

It turns out many people who disagree with each are often ones who do read their Bibles. There are many topics where we find the Bible can be used to support different positions.

I used to call the Bible the Word of God.

I now realize that the Bible calls Jesus the Word of God. The Bible does not refer to itself as the Word of God.

I used to think the Bible was basically written by God.

I now recognize that the Bible doesn't really teach this. 2 Timothy 3:16 is often used to support the idea of Sola Scriptura. Yet when Paul was writing this, our New Testament Bible was not put together as one volume yet. Some of the books were not even written. Was Paul referring to the Old Testament books here? I'm not sure we should assume he was referring to the letters he was writing, and a collection of books the church would put together some 200+ years later.

However I do believe the Bible was written by God's people, and that it is the best record we have of God's working in and with His people.

I used to believe the Bible taught that nobody should add more to it, that it was God's final words to mankind.

I now recognize the New Testament is not arranged in chronological order, and was not considered one volume in the early days. Rev 22:18 would not have been referring to the collection of Books we call the Bible. I'm not suggesting there is a Bible volume #2 that we need to read. But God is still free to speak to us today.

I used to believe the Bible was scientifically accurate when it came to the accounts of creation.

Now I admit I'm not sure. There are many Scientists who are also Christians who have studied this topic more than I have. Many can be found on either side of the evolution debate. I wasn't there for the earth's grand opening. Neither was Moses or whoever wrote Genesis. Science has been wrong before, maybe they are wrong this time. I don't know. My faith doesn't hinge on this one.

But I do love our Bible. I agree with N.T. Wright that God's authority is expressed through our Scriptures, and that the Bible teaches God is the final authority.

Related Posts:

• Review of The Last Word - by N. T. Wright
  
• My 95 Thesis - Point 8 - Sola Scriptura
• Word in you
• Word Study on The Word
• Word study on Word of God
• Word study on Word of the Lord
• My 95 Thesis - Point 7 - Magic 8 Ball

On Following

Most religions of the world have a book to follow. Or some meditations to follow. Or some rules to follow....

Is Christianity any different?

• Do we follow a book?
• Do we follow some creed?
• Is it about agreeing to some catechism, some list of beliefs?
• Is there a list of rules to follow?

Or is it different because it is a person we are following?

There are many verses that speak to following Jesus. All the references to Jesus being a shepherd come to mind. Here are a few:

John 10:14 (NIV)

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

Matthew 4:19 (NIV)

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

John 8:12 (NIV)

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 10:27 (NIV)

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me"

It seems that divisions are created and maintained when we follow someone or something other than Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:11-13 (NIV)

My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas[a]”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

OK. But how can we follow Jesus today? Did Jesus leave us with a book to follow? How did He expect us to carry on?

John 14:15-21 (NIV)

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

John 14:26 (NIV)

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

What do you think? Is there a difference between following Christ and following a religion?

Review of The Last Word

I'll share my thoughts on The Last Word by N.T. Wright.

A few years back I read a few chapters of another book that attempted to make a case for inspiration and authority of scripture. I found this previous book didn't really look honestly at the real questions. So I was pleased to see N.T. Wright weigh in on this topic. He goes as deep into the question of the authority of scripture as I could hope for. I may have even understood 20% of what N.T. Wright was talking about. :)

(Disclaimer: Since I only claim to understood a fraction of what N.T. Wright is talking about... some of this summary may be more how my mind is sorting out the pieces, and not an accurate reflection of what N.T. Wright was trying to communicate.)

It is a very important topic. As Christians we tend to place a lot of trust in the Bible. If the Bible says something, we usually try to shape our faith and practice to fit.

However the Bible doesn't claim to be the final authority. In fact, as N.T. Wright points out, the Bible seems to claim that God is the final authority (Rom 13:1, John 19:11, Matt 28:18, Phil 2:9-11). And what kind of authority is in God's Kingdom:

When we say or hear the word "authority," we by no means always think of the sort of thing that the Bible has in mind when speaking of the way in which the one true God exercises "authority" over the world. Scripture's own preferred way of referring to such matters, and indeed to the saving rule of Jesus himself, is within the more dynamic concept of God's sovereignty, or Kingdom. It is not, that is, the kind of "authority" which consists solely in a final court of appeal, or a commanding officer giving orders for the day, or a list of rules pinned up on the wall of the cycling club. This emerges clearly in the gospels, where Jesus' "authority" consists both in healing power and in a different kind of teaching, all of which the gospel writers - and Jesus himself - understood as part of the breaking-in of God's Kingdom. "

... (from pages 28 & 29) ...

"The biblical writers live with the tension of believing both that in one sense God has always been sovereign over the world and that in another sense this sovereignty, this saving rule, is something which must break afresh into the world of corruption, decay and death, and the human rebellion, idolatry and sin which are so closely linked with it. "In that day", says the prophet, "YHWH will be king over all the world; he will be one and his name one" (Zechariah 14:9)

OK... point taken. The bible has much to say about God's authority. God is referred to as King, Lord, Father, ...

So what about our scriptures. Should we view them as authoritative? N.T. Wright suggests we need to also understand Jesus role within scripture.

He makes the point that Jesus fulfills the scriptures that were written before him. It is this scripture fulfilling quality that gives meaning to calling him the Word of God. God spoke through scripture to the nation of Israel, and those words of God were fulfilled and came to life in Jesus. He becomes the Word made flesh.

"The work which God had done through scripture in the Old Testament is done by Jesus in his public career, his death and resurrection, and his sending of the Spirit."

The early church continued spreading the message of Jesus, this Word of God.

OK, so where does the Bible fit in?

Well we know the early church recognized that God exercised His authority through the Old Testament writings, as well as the message of Jesus that were being recorded in those days.

So here is where I think it gets a bit complicated for those from a protestant tradition....

A few centuries of early church goes by, and then a group of church leaders form consensus on which early christian writings are to be considered scripture, and which ones are not. We can not ignore the role tradition has played in the forming of what we view as scripture. We can not pretend that God wrote the Bible, and Jesus delivered it in person to the church. Well, you can if you want, but I don't think that is how the early church viewed it.

So to trust that the Bible has authority, we are placing a lot of trust in church tradition. The leaders of the early church are the ones that wrote it. The leaders a few hundred years later put them in a canon. The church leaders since have told us it is God's words to us.

OK, enough with some of the questions.

How should we view Scripture?

There is enough evidence to agree with this:

God's authority is exercised through scripture.

We can see evidence of God exercising His authority through scripture in the stories of the Bible, throughout church history, in the people around us, and in our personal lives.

I also think N.T. Wright makes a valid point that we can't assume we can do justice to understanding scripture on our own:

"The authority of scripture" refers not least to God's work through scripture to reveal Jesus, to speak in life-changing power to the hearts and minds of individuals, and to transform them by the Spirit's healing love. Though this can happen in the supposed "desert island" situation, where an individual reads the Bible all alone, it normally comes about through the work of God's people, from those who translated and published the Bible itself (even on a desert island, one is dependent on others!) to those who, like Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, helped others to understand it and apply it to their own lives.

"The authority of scripture" thus makes the sense it does within the work of God's Kingdom, at every level from the cosmic and political through to the personal.
... (p.116)

We can't escape the role others play as we read scripture. We all read scripture through lenses given to us by those in our traditions, and others that have influenced our beliefs.

OK, hopefully some of that made sense to you. If you understood 20% of the 20% of what I understood... sorry. If you want to understand more, I'd encourage you to get a copy to read yourself. It was good for me to try to put together more of my thoughts on this topic. Thanks for reading. :)

What do you think? Is it enough to believe "God's authority is exercised through scripture."?

Related Posts:

• My 95 Thesis - Point 8 - Sola Scriptura
• Word in you
• Word Study on The Word
• Good News of the Kingdom of God
  
• Dr Dwight Pryor on-Kingdom Of God - Part 1
• Dr Dwight Pryor on-Kingdom Of God - Part 2

Playdough Scripture Matt 28:18

"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me the books you guys are going to write."

Matthew 28:18 (Playdough Version)


(idea stolen from N.T. Wright in The Last Word)

Related Posts:

• My 95 Thesis - Point 8 - Sola Scriptura
• Word in you
• Freedom from Biblicism
• People of the Book
• Word Study on The Word
• Word Study on Word Of The Lord
• Word Study on Word Of God

Playdough Scripture Col 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly Bible be the foundation as one of you teaches and admonishes one another the rest of you with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16 (Playdough Version)


Related Posts:

• Word Study on Word of God
• Community I desire
• One Another

Playdough Scripture Heb 4:12

"For the word of God Bible is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. "

Heb 4:12 (Playdough Version)

Is there anything in the surrounding passages that would lead us to think this verse is talking about the Bible? Why do we read it that way? Tradition?

The verses surrounding this are talking about Jesus.

Jesus was often called the word of God. 'Word' here in greek is λόγος or logos, which is the same used in John 1:1 - referring to Jesus.

Why wouldn't we think this verse is about Jesus?

Jesus is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

True... and challenging. When I read this verse as "the Bible is"... it was only piercing my heart when I opened it to read it... But if this is about Jesus... He can be piercing my heart whenever I'm off track, any time of the day.

Related Posts:

• Word Study on Word of God
• Word study on Word of the Lord
• Word study on the Word
  
• Do you know God's voice

Word Study on The Word

Is the Word something we hear or is it something we read and study?

OK, I'll finish up this 3 part 'word study' posting.
Part 1: Word study on Word of God
Part 2: Word study on Word of the Lord

I'll post another set of verses, this time verses with the word "word". (all verses from NIV)

And give some summary thoughts at the end.


Mark 4:13-15

Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

Mark 4:33

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.

Luke 8:15

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Acts 6:4

and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

Acts 8:4

[ Philip in Samaria ] Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Acts 20:32

"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Romans 10:8-9

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:17

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ

1 Corinthians 15:2

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

Galatians 6:6

Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

Ephesians 1:13

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 5:25-27

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Colossians 1:4-6

because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

2 Timothy 2:15

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Timothy 4:2

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction

James 1:18

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 1:21

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

James 1:22-24

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

1 John 1:1-4 (NIV)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

Some summary thoughts

Consider a verse like Galatians 6:6 (NIV)

"Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor."

It may seem natural to read this like "Anyone who receives Bible teaching....", but in context with how "word" is used elsewhere it may have another meaning.

Or 2 Timothy 2:15

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

This may be read this like "... who correctly handles the Bible.", but was that the original meaning?

So here are some of my observations:

• The "Word of the Lord" or "Word of God" is often used in reference to God speaking to someone. Yes, what a profound discovery! :)
• Jesus spoke 'the word' to the people
  
• People heard 'the word'
• Jesus is 'the word' in the flesh... it is like God had/has something to say to His people, and Jesus was/is that message to us.
• The early church preached the word, the word of the Lord, and the Word of God - they preached Jesus, the message of God (they were not preaching the Bible or from the Bible)
  
• The word of faith (Romans 10:8-9) they proclaimed (Jesus is Lord) sounds very similar to the good news of the kingdom of God that Jesus preached.
• As people believed this 'Word' spread... this Jesus, this message from God.
  
• The word of Christ lives in us and still speaks to us
• In scripture the word was something they heard and spoke, it was not something they read and studied
  

So my question/concern is this:

Is there a potential problem when we call the Bible the Word of God, or use language like "you need to spend more time in the Word."? Or when studying the Word of God means studying the Bible?

Is there a chance we miss focusing on the Word that lives in us? Learning to seek Him first and listen to His voice.

I do believe God speaks to us as we read the Scriptures with a listening heart. But He also speaks to us at other times. I think the Word of God is simply whenever God speaks to us. Jesus is also called the Word. He was and is God's message to us. Is that the Word we are listening to?

Related Posts:

• Word Study on Word of God
• Word study on Word of the Lord
• Word in you
• Freedom from Biblicism
• People of the Book
• Sola Scriptura
• Do you know God's voice
• Spirit of truth
• I don't understand Hebrews 8
• Good News

Word Study on Word Of The Lord

Here is part 2 of a look at what we mean when we say things like "Word of God", or "Word of the Lord".

In the past I would have read this verse:

1 Peter 1:25 (NIV)

"but the word of the Lord stands forever." ...

to mean something like: "The Bible is reliable, it will last forever."

But when you look at Scripture I think there is another meaning.

Have we at times allowed the Bible to be a substitute for the Word of the Lord that is alive with us now and desiring to speak to us personally? Have we sometimes worshiped the book instead of the living Word?

Don't get me wrong, I still love the Scriptures... but they are not the end in themselves. I love them because they have introduced me to my Lord.

There are too many verses from the Old Testament to list here... here is a small sample of verses that use "word of the Lord" (NIV):

Ezekiel 21:8
"The word of the LORD came to me:"
(Many references in the Old Testament like this...)

Acts 8:25
"When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages."

Acts 13:44
"On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord."

Acts 13:48
"When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed."

Acts 13:49
"The word of the Lord spread through the whole region."

Acts 15:35
"But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord."

Acts 15:36
"[ Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas ] Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing."

Acts 16:32
"Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house."

Acts 19:10
"This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord."

Acts 19:20
"In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power."

1 Peter 1:25
"but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you."

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Word Study on Word Of God

When Christian's talk about the Word of God do we know what we are even referring to? I think the phrase is usually used to refer to the 66 books we have in our Bible. But is that how the phrase is even used in the Bible?

For example, I think it is common to read verses like this:

Ephesians 6:17 (NIV)

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

To mean something like this: "...use the Bible in spiritual warfare, it is the sword of the Spirit"

Or this:

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

To mean something like this "The Bible is living and active... " and again the sword analogy.

But take a look for yourself. Does the Bible use the phrase "word of God" to refer to itself? If not what could it refer to?

Here are all the verses that have the phrase "word of God" in them (All quotes from NIV translation).

1 Kings 12:22
But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:

1 Chronicles 17:3
That night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

Proverbs 30:5
"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Matthew 15:4-6
For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.


Mark 7:13
Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."

Luke 3:2
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.

Luke 5:1
[ The Calling of the First Disciples ] One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God,

Luke 8:11
"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.

Luke 11:28
He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

John 10:35
If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—

Acts 4:31
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 6:2
So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

Acts 6:7
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Acts 8:14
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

Acts 11:1
[ Peter Explains His Actions ] The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

Acts 12:24
But the word of God continued to increase and spread.

Acts 13:5
When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

Acts 13:7
who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.

Acts 13:46
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

Acts 17:13
When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.

Acts 18:11
So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

1 Corinthians 14:36
Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?

2 Corinthians 2:17
Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

2 Corinthians 4:2
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

Ephesians 6:17
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Philippians 1:14
Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

Colossians 1:25
I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—

1 Thessalonians 2:13
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

1 Timothy 4:5
because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

Titus 2:5
to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 6:5
who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,

Hebrews 13:7
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 John 2:14
I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Revelation 1:1-2
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:9
[ One like a Son of Man ] I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 6:9
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.

Revelation 19:13
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

Revelation 20:4
I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

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History Repeats Itself

I think the Religion of the Pharisees of Jesus day started with the relationship that God had initiated with them but over the years they added so many layers of other stuff that the relationship was suffering. We can see Jesus, Paul and others challenging the Pharisees to abandon the traditions and laws of their religion that were holding them back from the grace and love of a relationship with God.

So Jesus comes to restore His relationship with his children. His followers actually had God's Spirit living in them. Their selfish ways would die, and they would be guided instead by the will of their Father.

But I'm afraid we've added stuff to this. Just like the Pharisees, over time we've slowly accumulated additional beliefs, laws, and traditions. Are some of these things hindering the relationship that Jesus came to restore?

• Special buildings for places of worship
• The distinction between clergy and laity
• Sermons preached to a passive audience sitting in rows
• Thinking Church is a Sunday morning event, a building, or an organization/corporation
• The Lords Supper or communion as a small sip and bite instead of a full meal
• Little room for spontaneity at the Sunday morning event
• Having large time gaps between conversion and baptisms, or placing participation in some classes as a prerequisite to baptism
• Christian academic education instead of apprenticeship styled discipleship
• Focus on serving church programs instead of a focus on serving one another
  
• Viewing the Bible as the final authority of our faith
• Acceptance of denominations and divisions

Anything else?

I won't even attempt to list all the doctrines and/or values that different 'church' traditions would list as essentials. The lists would differ from 'church' to 'church', and most would be longer than the Apostle's creed, and highlight more recent divisions and distinctives.

Am I wrong, but has the Christian church repeated the errors of the religious Pharisees?

Many of these traditions are not wrong in themselves. However I think it is important to first recognize that certain things we do are extras.

I pray we can find a way to restore our faith to be one centered on the relationship our Lord desires to have with each of us personally, and with His body communally.


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Playdough Scripture Acts 16:32

"Then they spoke read the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house."

Acts 16:32 (Playdough Version)


Is 'the word' something we read and study, or is it Christ speaking to us?


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My 95 Thesis - Point 8 - Sola Scriptura

Here's my 8th Point in My 95 Theses.

Is Sola Scriptura an essential to the faith?

"Of the five Solas, Sola Scriptura best encapsulates the heart throb of the European Reformers. A key question posed by Martin Luther was, what is the final and ultimate authority for life, faith and worship? Has God given a sufficient and final decree through which all activities of human existence are to conform? Or does the Church along with tradition have the right and authority to impose binding legislation upon the hearts and minds of people, even when such legislation clearly violates Scripture? We hold that the Bible and the Bible alone is the only ultimate and reliable source of God’s personal revelation to mankind."
http://www.sola-scriptura.ca/mission-and-purpose/

Does Scripture teach Sola Scriptura?

That seems like a basic question. If you hold strongly to Sola Scriptura, yet don't see Scripture teaching it, do you need to believe it? I see irony if it is only a tradition handed down from the reformers...

There are certain themes in Scripture that are certainly central to our faith. Love and Unity are two that come to mind. How many verses are there that support the position of Sola Scriptura? If Sola Scriptura is less essential than Love and Unity, it may be a good topic for discussion, but not worth creating or maintaining divisions over.

So, are there lots of verses that support the idea? There seems to be one verse that comes up in every discussion of Sola Scriptura.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, "

All Scripture... which Scripture? Was Paul talking about the 66 books we now call the Bible, some of which were not even written when he was writing this letter to Timothy? I think not.

But even if he was holding our leather bound book in one hand while he made this statement, he never said it was the only authority or revelation of God to us.

And let's not forget the main point of this verse... the point is that Scripture is useful ... "so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (vs. 17)

So what's my concern? Are we missing something by holding tightly to Sola Scriptura?

My concern is we've placed less value on the things Jesus did leave with us to guide us. He did not write a book and leave it with us saying "follow this book". But he did leave us his Holy Spirit to guide us. His followers are also called His body, and we are to allow members of Christ's body to encourage, teach, build up, instruct, and submit to each other.

John 14:15-21 (NIV)

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

John 14:26 (NIV)

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

OK... so what I am left to hold on to? I think the early church confirmed that these books were the best books describing the life of our Lord, and the life and teachings of the early church. There are other early christian writings that may also shed light on the early church. But there was reason for enough doubt and they were excluded from the canon.

I believe the 66 books we cherish do point us towards knowing the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God. I believe it is possible that God spoke clearly to the authors as they penned the books in the Bible. I hope all of it is 100% accurate. It would make sense that a loving God would want to preserve an accurate written account of who He is. But even if it isn't 100% accurate, I am thankful that I hold a book that reveals to me who God is, and that He wants to relate to me in a personal way. In that relationship I can hear God's words to me.

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Playdough Scripture 1 John 2:14

"I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and have studied the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one."

1 John 2:14 (Playdough Version)


Is the Word of God a book that we read and memorize, or is it something that is alive and living in us?

My 95 Thesis - Point 7 - Magic 8 Ball

Here's my 7th Point in My 95 Theses.

Does the Bible give clear answers on all issues?

There is a tendency in Christian circles to try to find answers to every question in the pages of Scripture. We often cut and paste snippets from here and there and string them together into a proof for whatever point we need to make. It is amazingly easy to do, see my Washing Hands post.

I've heard Bible based arguments for Yes and No sides the following issues:

• Gambling
• Drinking alcohol
• Dancing
• Mixed gender swimming
• Females wearing pants
• Playing cards
  
• Females without head coverings in church
• Females in leadership roles at church
• Symbols like Christmas trees used in church
• Use of drums in church
• Use of musical instruments in church
• Going to movie theaters
• Listening to secular music
• Birth control
• Polygamy
  
• Participating in Halloween
• Participating in armed conflict
• Being protestant
• Being catholic
• Being ______

Freedom From Biblicism

I recently came across this article from: http://www.christinyou.net/pages/brinsmead.html

By: Robert D. Brinsmead

Living under the bondage of the law rather than in the freedom of the Spirit can assume many forms.

In our time, living under the law may assume the form of biblicism. Many suppose that the evangelical faith stands or falls on the matter of biblical inerrancy ­ meaning that the very letter of Holy Scripture is without any error in everything it affirms, including theology, history, ethics, geography, biology and chronology.

The great danger of biblicism is that, instead of being used solely in the service of the gospel, the Bible becomes a book of rules about many other issues. Christians may become enslaved to the Bible just as the Jews became enslaved to the Torah ­ their Holy Scripture (John 10:34,35). Just as the Jews barricaded themselves behind the letter of the Torah to oppose Jesus, so we may easily barricade ourselves behind the letter of a supposedly inerrant Scripture to oppose the gospel's festival of freedom.

There can be a false faith in the bible. In the proper spiritual sense faith is an act of real worship which should be rendered solely to the Creator (John 9:35-38). Saving faith is not faith in the Bible (for even the Christ-denying Pharisees trusted in the Bible ­ John 5:39) but faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:22-26). While Catholics have been particularly susceptible to ecclesiology ­ the worship of the church ­ Protestants have been disposed toward bibliolatry ­ the worship of the Bible.

The purpose of all Scripture is to bear witness to Christ (John 5:39; 20:31). The Bible in itself is not the Word of God. The Word of God is a person (John 1:1). Neither does the Bible have life, power or light in itself any more than did the Jewish Torah. These attributes may be ascribed to the Bible only by virtue of its relationship to Him who is Word, Life, Power and Light. Life is not in the book, as the Pharisees supposed, but only in the Man of the book (John 5:39).

The Bible is therefore to be valued because of its testimony to Jesus Christ. The Bible is absolutely trustworthy and reliable for the purpose it was given. It is designed to make us "wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:15), not wise on such subjects as science, history and geography ­ which it is our responsibility to learn through general revelation.

That which makes the Bible the Bible is the gospel. That which makes the Bible the Word of God is its witness to Christ. When the Spirit bears witness to our hearts of the truth of the Bible, this is an internal witness concerning the truth of the gospel. We need to be apprehended by the Spirit, who lives in the gospel, and then judge all things by that Spirit ­ even the letter of Scripture.

If we do not allow the Bible to be the Word of God ­ the bearer of the gospel ­ it might be better to follow Luther's advice to read some other book. For if the Bible is not used in the service of the gospel, it may either find people mad or make them mad.

We must stop using the Bible as though it were a potpourri of inerrant proof-texts by which we can bring people into bondage to our religious traditions. (For in practice the only inerrancy we ever defend is the inerrancy of our religious traditions and our way of reading the Bible.) We must no longer use the Bible as the Pharisees used the Torah when they gave it absolute and final status. Christian biblicism is no different from Jewish legalism. It is the old way of the letter, not the new way of the Spirit (Rom. 7:6).

Jesus and Paul declare that apart from the Spirit we cannot understand the truth (John 16:13; I Cor. 2:14). This means that unless we are caught up in the Spirit of the gospel, we cannot understand or use the Bible correctly. Apart from the gospel the Bible is letter (gramma), not Spirit (pneuma). "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (II Cor. 3:6,17).

(Brinsmead, Robert D. "A Freedom from Biblicism" in The Christian Verdict, Essay 14, 1984. Fallbrook: Verdict Publications. Pgs. 9-14).

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