The Word of God

“...of God”

Andrew Long
02/12/19 - ...of God

The Word of God

2 Tim 3:16a - “All scripture is breathed out by God…”

The word of God has been delivered to man, for all men. The Creator has communicated with us, His creation. In providing us His “word”, God has given us all the knowledge we need to be perfect, complete. (2 Tim 3:17) To fully comprehend the magnitude of this blessing one must consider the fuller meaning of the term “word”.

The term “word” is mostly used with a grammatical purpose in modern English. People use it to simply indicate a collection of sounds with a specific meaning. However, the term “word” as used in most biblical passages, specifically when used in translation of the Greek term logos, carries a broader meaning. The term logos conveys the idea of a complete thought. A fully developed, reasoned concept. It’s no coincidence that the English term logic shares a similar form to logos. When a lawyer delivers a closing argument, he is delivering a logos. When a preacher delivers a sermon, he is presenting a logos. It is in light of this broader meaning that the Bible is also called the word of God. It is God’s full, logically delivered, complete thought for man.

The Bible then, the word of God, is not just a communication from the Creator to His creation. It is an explanation, a mental guide to help man come to a true understanding of the things God desires man to understand. It expresses the things that God understands (which as creator is of course all things) in terms that man can in turn come to understand. This is what Paul is expressing when he says “we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor 2:16)

There can be no greater knowledge, no higher level of understanding, than to have the mind of the Creator of this reality in which we exist. Jesus expressed the great power that is contained within the word of God when he prayed to God that “Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) In stating this Jesus expressed the fundamental concept that whatever God thinks is truth, is fact, is reality. It only makes sense that the Creator’s paradigm of the world is in fact how the world works. A creator’s view on something is reality to his creation, because the power of creation allows the creator to make his view so. Thus, having the word of God, written down by men who were inspired by Him, who received direct revelation of things of his mind, which, simply by the nature of being the word of the Creator, became and continues to be our reality, is truly a remarkable and amazing blessing.

So, the question that really matters then is, how does one regard this great blessing. Some despise it by completely ignoring it, or worse, actively opposing it. Of course, opposing the mind which determines reality is at least futile and almost certainly counterproductive. Ignoring it wouldn’t necessarily turn out bad, as long as one doesn’t happen to come into conflict with it. Except, according to this word that has been given to us, that doesn’t happen. (Rom 3:10, 23) Others seek to revise it or adapt it, as if they think that they have a better understanding of something than the mind which created all things. Or perhaps they arrogantly believe that their opinion of something is more powerful than the Creator’s and that, by insisting on a change to the word, they can affect a change to reality.

The only valid response to the fact that God has given us His word is to cherish it. To love it, study it, dwell with it, and ultimately to follow it. In it one can come to a deep understanding and knowledge of the reality in which we all exist. In it one can find valuable wisdom and truisms which lead to a wonderful, content, and fulfilling life. In it one can see the great and awe-inspiring love which our Creator shows towards us, His creation. In it one can learn of the exceedingly great power which God works towards us through Jesus Christ. And in it one can be led to eternal life. An eternal life spent forever in the presence of the wonderful, great, mighty, and loving God.