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DOES THE BIBLE CLAIM TO BE THE WORD OF GOD?

What does Scripture, specifically the New Testament, claim to be on its face?

1) Does the Bible claim to be God? No. Yet many see it AS God. This is Bibolatry. John 5:39; Isaiah 28:5-14. Many today worship the Ten Commandments AS God, but are totally oblivious to the leading and showings of the Holy Spirit.

2) Does the Bible claim on its face to be the primary source of leading and direction for Christians? No, the Holy Spirit is. Romans 8:14, John 16:13. Yet many today consult the Bible in their own natural understanding without ever engaging the Holy Spirit for guidance, counsel or empowerment.

3) Does the Bible ever claim that it is the Word of God? No. Jesus is the Word of God. John 1:1, 14, 18; 1 John 1:1-5. His "truth-illuminating" presence is engraved on and in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 3:2-4, 6-8, 12-18. Jeremiah 31:33-34 and Hebrews 8:10-11 say that the HET, the Heart Engraved Translation, is the living word of God written on our inner parts. We are tattooed with the word of God pulsating power and purpose all over our inner being.

The New Testament does NOT refer to itself as the Word of God. The phrase occurs nearly 50 times in New Testament, and it is not referring to the Bible. Here are some examples. "They spoke the word of God with boldness" Acts 4:31 (also see 13:46). "They preached the word of God in the synagogues of Judea" Acts 13:5 (contrast this with Philip's ministry to the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:35 when Phillip "preached unto him Jesus"). "The word of God is not bound" 2 Timothy 2:9. "The word became flesh and dwelt among us" John 1:14. "His name is called the Word of God" Revelation 19:13. Are these passages talking about a book, or are they talking about a person, a presence, a palpable power to be encountered and experienced?

Remember, the New Testament did not exist at the time the above passages were written, and even the Old Testament wouldn't fit the context of these verses. They Apostles didn't preach a magic document but a dynamic presence. Certainly, Scripture was used to confirm and clarify the identity and purposes of that dynamic presence, but it was never equated WITH that presence. A key passage where the terms "Scripture" and "the word of God" are clearly NOT used interchangeably is Acts 17:11, "...they received the word with all eagerness, daily examining the scriptures whether these things were so." The Bible always refers to itself as either the Scriptures, the Holy Scriptures or in part the Law, the Prophets or the Writings.

In the Old Testament, "the word of God" essentially meant "thus says the Lord," a message directly from the lips of God. But in the New Testament, the word of God became more. The word of God became the Son of God. "That which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life... that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us... truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:1-3. "God... in these last days has spoken to us in His Son... through whom also He made the world.... By faith we understand that the world was prepared by the word of God." Hebrews 1:11; 11:3.

There are two Greek words used in the New Testament for "word" ---- LOGOS and RHEMA. LOGOS essentially means "the expressed essence of something." RHEMA means "a specific spoken word from something." An analogy here might help. LOGOS is comparable to a living tree in all its fullness---- its root system, bark, trunk, branches, sap, etc. RHEMA, by contrast, is the individual fruit that falls from that tree to either replenish the earth with new seed or to bless the eater with nourishment. Jesus is both the Tree of Life in its fullness as well as the fruit of the Spirit that falls from that tree to help and nourish others.

Jesus is both the LOGOS word of God and the RHEMA word of God. It could not be clearer: THE NEW TESTAMENT WORD OF GOD IS JESUS! We are "born again... by the word (LOGOS) of God which lives and abides forever." 1Peter 1:23. Only Jesus could ever fit that bill of eternal life. "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word (RHEMA) that proceeds out the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4. It is God the LOGOS-WORD speaking the RHEMA-WORD of God into our NOW. Jesus is the LOGOS word of God, the expressed essence of God entire. He is the revealed fullness of God. Colossians 1:15-20; 2:9-10. The RHEMA words of God are the particularized or situational promptings of Jesus, the "thus sayeth the Lord’s which prophetically lead us into specific truths or paths of deliverance. "The sword of the Spirit... IS the word (RHEMA) of God." Ephesians 6:17. This blends well with the image we have of Jesus in Revelation 19:11-16, where Jesus is referred to by "name" as "THE WORD (LOGOS) OF GOD" with "a sharp sword going out of His mouth." That sword is the RHEMA of Ephesians, but the wielder of that sword is the LOGOS, THE WORD OF GOD, JESUS, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS! PICTURE THIS: THE LOGOS-WORD WIELDS THE RHEMA-SWORD. THE WORD WIELDS THE WORD!

Thus, the LOGOS is the entire personality and being of Jesus, while the RHEMA is the immediate expression of the divine will toward the current situation, the sword of the Spirit in other words. "Let the word (LOGOS) of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom" Colossians 3:16. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word (RHEMA) of God" Romans 10:17. These verses confirm the LOGOS is the actual presence of Jesus which abides IN us. RHEMA is the revelatory expression of that presence which flows first TO us FROM our indwelling LOGOS, and then OUT of us into the situation at hand. Or put another way, LOGOS is the exact and full personality/nature/character of God (Jesus). RHEMA is the prompting voice/articulation/unction of that personality.

So what exactly does the New Testament on its face claim to be?

1) Letters from Apostles

2) Gospels of Jesus' life and ministry

3) Revelation of apocalyptic events

4) New Covenant promises per 2 Peter 1:3-5 and Hebrews 8:6-13 (read carefully)

5) Writings inspired by God: given for teaching that profits, reproof (evidence, conviction) and correction (rectification, reformation, a straightening up again) and instruction (tutorage, education, training) in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16. Scholars all agree Paul was referring here to Old Testament Scriptures. A printed TV guide or menu may help us navigate the television, but the guide is NOT the television. The guide does not produce the experience of television, but instead enhances, enriches and explains to the viewer the dynamics he will encounter. Just as the TV guide is here in printed form to help the viewer watch TV with informed pleasure, the Bible is likewise here to enhance Christian experience of the Holy Spirit with informed pleasure.

So, when did the New Testament Scripture become known as the Word of God? If the early church originally considered "the Word of God" to be Christ IN us rather than written Scriptures, when did that change? It is not that Scripture isn't wonderful, helpful and crucial. BUT IT ISN'T THE WORD OF GOD. JESUS IS. So, where and when did we change the Word of God from being a "person" to being a "thing?" Why did we do this?

Want to hear a hard truth? THE LESS THE CHURCH RECOGNIZED AND PRIORITIZED THE LORDSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ALL THINGS, THE MORE THE CHURCH ELEVATED "SCRIPTURE" INTO BECOMING "THE WORD OF GOD!" In effect, our lack of trust, or willingness, to hear the Holy Spirit resulted in the Scriptures being DEIFIED. The Holy Spirit, along with His gifts of power and revelation, were demoted and marginalized. The Bible was then promoted as "the word of God" which "leads us into all truth." This was despite the fact that Scripture plainly teaches us that the Holy Spirit, not the Holy Bible, leads us into all truth. John 16:13; Romans 8:14.

IN OTHER WORDS, "THE WORD OF GOD" WAS FOR THE EARLY CHURCH THE INDWELLING SPIRIT OF CHRIST, THE LOGOS. BUT, AS FAITH WANED AND INSTITUTIONAL RELIGION WAXED, THE "WORD OF GOD" GRADUALLY BECAME OBJECTIFIED INTO A "DEAD LETTER" IDOL. This process culminated in the Emperor Constantine referring to the Bible as "the DIVINE Scriptures" in a letter to Eusebius in 331 AD, in which he ordered that 50 copies of the Bible (with the 66 canonical books we have today) be ornately copied on fine parchment and disbursed throughout the churches located in the capital of Constantinople. The Bible became the literal heart and symbolic altar of every church building. The Bible became the "battery" source for all church activity. This aided Constantine's political goals in uniting Church and Empire. Out with the SPIRIT, in with the LETTER.

And the idolatry continues today. The Bible has replaced the Holy Spirit within the Trinity in most people's minds and hearts. Father, Son and Holy BIBLE rather than Father, Son and Holy SPIRIT. We are taught to obey the literal letter of the Bible OVER the inner unction of the Holy Spirit. We are taught to doubt and fear that we can actually hear a clear word from the Holy Ghost. We are warned to trust literal Bible verses RATHER than Holy Ghost promptings.

As New Covenant believers, here lies the heart of the matter---- THE HOLY GHOST FOR US "IS" THE WORD OF GOD! IT IS THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST'S LOGOS READY TO FLOOD US WITH RHEMA POWER FOR ALL OUR NEEDS. The next time someone asks you if you have been "in the Word," consider first whether you have been standing and walking in the Holy Ghost as you ought. Make that your first priority. THEN, consider whether you have spent quality time reflecting on and in the Scriptures. Don't do the latter without first committing to the former. And don't do the former without adding the latter. Each has its proper place, but the Holy Spirit must take priority precedence over Scripture, for only then can Scriptures be rightly read with Spirit illumination.

The Bible is great, blessed and crucial, BUT it is NOT God. It is not the LOGOS WORD of God. It is not the RHEMA WORD of God. It is an inspired guide, a wonderful tool, and a rich resource. But without the Holy Spirit translating the proper tone and meaning for us, the Bible is useless at best and dangerous at worst. It can be twisted to promote violence, wrath, and hate. History repeatedly proves that. However, rightly read, it is a powerfully inspired document. But it is not a divine being. It is not to be worshipped. Esteemed yes, but not worshipped. Studied yes, but not deified. Enjoyed yes, but not as a substitute for the Holy Spirit.

So, let's resolve to allow the true WORD OF GOD, the SPIRIT OF CHRIST, to dwell in us richly in all wisdom and power. Just as Jesus was the "exact representation" of the Father, the Holy Spirit is the "exact representation" of Jesus living in us. Just as Jesus fully "explained" and "demonstrated" the Father to all men (John 1:18), the Holy Spirit fully "explains" and "demonstrates" Jesus to us. THAT is the true WORD OF GOD at work in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure. The true sons of God are those led by the Spirit of God. And led. And led. And led.