It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true Word of God. The Bible, read in the right spirit and with the guidance of good teachers will bring us to Him. When it becomes really necessary (i.e. for our spiritual life, not for controversy or curiosity) to know whether a particular passage is rightly translated or is Myth (but of course Myth specially chosen by God from among countless Myths to carry a spiritual truth) or history, we shall no doubt be guided to the right answer. But we must not use the Bible (our ancestors too often did) as a sort of Encyclopedia out of which texts (isolated from their context and read without attention to the whole nature and purport of the books in which they occur) can be taken for use as weapons.
~ CS Lewis
But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about Me that the Father has sent Me. And the Father who sent Me has Himself borne witness about Me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe the One whom He has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive Me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?
~ Jesus, King of The Universe, in John 5
Oh beloved, it is true. There is an idolatry at work amongst us. We, like the Pharisees of old, worship a book. It is the most important Book of Books. But, it is still just a book. And in our deification of some 1,300 pages of Truth, we gain a sense of control over the god we have made.
But, The Word is Living and active. It will not be contained. Even the staunchest of its supporters (and i am one of them) can see that other even stauncher supporters may see things in only a similar, or even a more different way. It is as though the central and very coherent Light in the words sprays up through the facets of the characters as one reads. In the splitting of the Light, no meaning is lost; there is no confusion – but The Spirit moves the words as He wills.
Now, before any of my conservative, evangelical friends write me off as some sort of heretic, let me be clear. I believe that the Bible is The Word of G_d. It is inerrant in its original autographs. It is authoritative. And, it is sufficient to answer all questions of life (this one and the next), in at least a strategic sense. I also believe that the Bible is very clear on just about everything it talks about.
And so, for me to disobey anything in it would be tantamount to disobeying G_d. Therefore, if anything I, or any other person, develops as an approach to life, is in opposition to the clear meanings of the Bible – I am, or any other person is, wrong. Further, might I be so bold to say that I would gladly give my life for this book.
It is the foundation of nations
It is the basis of morality
It is the ignitor of dreams
It is the educator of the simple and wise alike
It is the framework of all good social contract
It is the corrector of intentions
It is the genesis of almost all literary types
It is the guide to the lost
It is the crucial connection to The Author.
And while it is a miracle, in and of itself, it is still just a book. It is a 66-book compilation (in the commonly held canon) brought together by some very godly people, using some very good methodology, under the very good guidance of the utterly brilliant Spirit of G_d. Is it true? Of course. But to say that all of human language could contain the fullness of one thought of Him who is its Author? Preposterous.
The Bible is not “Holy.” It will endure forever. It is unchanging. But, it is not The Persons of whom it speaks. It is not The Word. It is a book, and if we trade the words in 1,300 pages for our overall understanding of G_d, we get onto some pretty dangerous ground.
In worshipping the letters of the Bible, we have created divisions and sectarianisms that go directly against the clear and unifying meaning of the words we are trying to interpret. And when we fail to get other people to believe our own positions on certain words, we resort to using fear as a way to draw people into going along with us – even though this same Bible tells us well over 200 times to not be afraid in our pursuit of knowing Him, and allowing Him to know us.
Can we see it? The Bible is a funnel. It is the vessel into which He pours that portion of His unfathomable riches that we can begin to understand in this life. All of it is completely true, but it is only the beginning.
Even the smallest moments of a believer in the Presence of G_d, confirms this reality. We sense the riches going out into the depths of eternity, and find that this construct itself is not big enough to even hold it all. Eternity is but the dwelling place of G_d and He is quite an Adventurer; both willing and able to go out into the wilderness beyond this cozy little place He calls forever and infinity.
So, are you feeling the tug and pull of people trying to get you to see the Bible their way? By all means, please listen to them, and study for yourself – asking His Spirit to enlighten you. Because you (and this fool of a writer) may have something very important to learn about ourselves or The Author. But, there is a breaking point. When people try to get you to believe their way at the expense of letting G_d have His way in your spirit (read, life and peace) – you may be in danger of entering into the very idolatry His Word forbids.
Tonight is your night beloved. Time to let the Bible be HIS conduit into your life. Let Him speak.
