The Living Word ...

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-3,14

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, …through whom also He made the worlds;” Hebrews 1:1-2

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--” 1 John 1:1

The Son of God, His Word that became flesh, literally takes the thoughts of God and turns them into concrete actions, understandable in human categories. God first gave us His Words through mediators so that we could READ and LISTEN to it, then finally gave us His Word in human form so that the common, sinful man could ask questions, seek explanations, and witness the application of principles in everyday situations. What possible, clearer picture of God’s Word could we ask for than the incarnation of it in human flesh? In lowly circumstances, no less? Subject to trials and oppression as we are? What an honor to stand in His presence! To manifest Himself in such a form, and subject Himself to the same limitations and situations as we have?! What a… humiliation for Him to endure.

Even if God was directly communicating His thoughts into your brain, you could not get a clearer understanding of His mind THAN SEEING IT WALKING AROUND IN SANDALS, LOVING, FEEDING, HEALING, AND TEACHING common people. There is no clearer way to teach something to human beings than the incarnation of words into a human being who can be hugged, questioned, patronized, listened to and leaned upon. The incarnation is simply the PERFECT teaching tool. The PERFECT means of revelation. The Word became flesh for an even greater reason than just to be the perfect teacher, that is, for Atonement, (...atonement is Jesus paying the penalty of sin on your behalf...) but thats a separate discussion.

Picture this: A man makes you a promise, then says, “I give you my word,” and extends his hand toward you, offering a handshake, as a sign, as seal on the contract. You say, “You give me your word?”  You bend down and examine his outstretched hand. “It looks empty,” you say. “I don’t see you ‘giving’ me anything. You just expect me to walk away and BELIEVE you. What good is your word?”

God gives you a detailed written explanation of Himself, His creation, his attitudes, his plan of redemption for human beings. God says, “I give you my Word.” God does not extend a hand toward you. The sound of footsteps is heard. A man appears at the back of the room and walks toward you. He faces you and stops, just a few feet away. “Who are you?” you ask.

“I am the Word, which was given to you.”

Not an empty hand to shake, but two hands, two legs, a strong back, eyes which look into the depths of your soul, and an ear to listen to your thoughts, questions and complaints. The living, breathing, spoken Words of God, applied to the human condition by virtue of being *IN* the human condition.

No longer can anyone pose the question, “What would God do if He was a man? What would God say if He were stuck in an impossible situation, *MY* situation?”

God has simply provided the perfect solution to the problem of metaphysics. By bringing the knowledge of the eternal realm across to the physical world in the only kind of package that human beings could really relate to… a human package.

Only a fool would ask God for more than that.

“This is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself. He who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.” 1 John 5:9-10

…in the Written Word

Objection: “That perfect example of living only lasted 3 years, and was limited to one, primitive culture.”

The incarnation of Gods Living Word, His eternal Power, into a speaking, walking human person wasn’t enough? You’re inclined to ask for more? Okay. Christ appointed his own messengers to spread the message of His coming: “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”  2 Peter 1:16

They were eyewitnesses. This group of common men was appointed to be evangelists and scribes, to continue the message of this Divine person. To memorialize His speech and actions, and their correct interpretations for all time. Their job was to live out this man’s doctrine over a longer period, across multiple other cultures, and to preserve the record of their experiences of it. So we see it applied in many MORE circumstances, with massive exposition and application to many more common human situations and predicaments than Jesus Himself showed.

Whoa, what do you mean “correct interpretations?” How do we know that the writings of these men are trustworthy. Just because *they* were eyewitnesses, doesn’t mean we can automatically believe what they wrote, does it?

Think about these words:

“No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Peter 1:20-21

“I write to you this second letter…that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior…” 2 Peter 3:1-2

Peter reminds readers that the origin of Scripture is the Spirit of God, and urges them to remember two things,  the words of the Old Testament prophets, and the commandments that he and his fellow apostles are writing. Then afterward, he explicitly mentions the letters of Paul, and warns that people will twist them, just like the “rest of the Scriptures”…

                                                                             

“Therefore…be diligent to be found by Him…without spot and blameless, and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”2 Peter 3:14-16

Along the same lines, the Apostle Paul writes:

“All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” 2 Timothy 3:16

The apostles of Jesus Christ, the eyewitnesses of the Word becoming flesh, asserted that their writings were Scripture, just like those of the early prophets who spoke as mediators for God. Paul wrote that Scripture is “breathed-out” by God, that is, has its origin not in the pen of man, but in the mouth of God.

So we have Scripture, breathed-out from the mouth of God, since the ancient prophets. Since then, the Word of God was available to read and study. Then appeared the Word of God personified, Jesus Christ. After His resurrection, he ascended into heaven, and the Holy Spirit came to His apostles, enabling them to write God's testimony about the coming of His Son into the world of human flesh, and His atonement for our sin. They wrote what they had witnessed with their own eyes and ears, and they recorded the meaning/interpretation of the events as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. God has revealed His Word to people in every way that could possibly be meaningful to us.

Do you Believe God?