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Monday, November 22, 2021

P2 - Comparing The Written Word, The Bible and the Living Word, Jesus Christ


Introduction:

    In our last post we began to comparing the Written Word, the Bible and the Living Word, Jesus Christ. Readers can read part one by clicking on the link here: http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2021/11/p1-comparing-written-word-bible-and.html.    . With our summary of the teaching of “The Word of God” as expressing either the Scriptures or describing the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ (with both conveying the power of God), we can offer examples of traits between both. 

How closely the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ share certain features.

     Each have the quality of “wordness”, which we defined as that quality that makes possible the revelation of God. The Bible is “wordness” written, since it is a by-product of the Holy Spirit working in and through the Prophets and Apostles. Jesus Christ is “wordness” Personified, making known the Father (John 14:8) and representing all three-Persons of the One, Triune Godhead (see Hebrews 1:2-3). The below comparison is applicable for the reason I mentioned in the last post, as well as today's post: what you think about the Bible, you think about Jesus Christ, and vice-versa. 

A. Jesus Christ is Fully Divine and Fully Human as One Person. (Colossians 1:16; 2:9)

    The Bible is fully Divine and Human Book. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)

B. Jesus Christ is the source of the Christian life (John 11:25).

    The Bible is responsible for the beginning of the Christian life (James 1:18).

C. Jesus Christ leads and guides believers (John 10:9; John 14:6).

    God leads and guides believers through the Bible. (Psalm 119:124)

D.  Jesus Christ is without error in His humanity or Deity (1 Peter 1:20-21; Heb 7:26).

    The Bible is without error in its literary and Divine qualities (Ps 119:96; Proverbs 30:5).

E.  Jesus Christ is complete, needing nothing added nor subtracted as Savior and Lord (Hebrews 7:24-25).

     The Bible is complete, needing nothing added nor subtracted as God’s saving and authoritative Book (Rev. 22:18).

F. Jesus Christ alone is sufficient to be our Savior, without peer in any other mediator or tradition (Acts 4:12).

    The Bible alone is our sufficient authority, by which any authority is judged (2 Tim. 3:16-17). 

Final thoughts:

As we close, I’ll quote at length John MacArthur’s study: “You Can Trust The Bible”, page 16:

“Your response to the Bible determines the course of your life and your eternal destiny. First Corinthians 2:9 says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (NIV). Man could never conceive of all that God has to offer on his own! Every time we pick up the Bible, we pick up the truth. Jesus said, "If you continue in My word . . . you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:31-32). What did He mean by that? Think of the person who is working diligently on a math problem. As soon as he finds the answer—he's free. Or consider the scientist in the lab pouring different solutions into test tubes. He stays with it until he says, "Eureka, I found it!"—then he's free. Man will search and struggle and grapple and grope for the truth until he finds it. Only then is he free. The Bible is our source of truth—about God, man, life, death, men, women, children, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, friends, and enemies. It shows us how to live. The Bible is the source of everything you need to know about life on earth and the life to come. You can trust the Bible. It is God's living Word. the Living Word.”


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