The Word Of God

For those who consider themselves to be spiritual, many base their spirituality on some form of personal transformative experience. Many who consider themselves to be very religious seem to be basing their religiousness on believing in someone else’s spiritual experience – primarily those personalities in the Bible.

I think most of us will agree that the word of God is a source of comfort, guidance, and strength for those who seek it. It is the foundation upon which Christianity is built and is the teachings of the Bible. The word of God is timeless, powerful, and unchangeable, and its power can be experienced by those who dedicate themselves to its study.

It's widely believed the word of God is timeless because it speaks to us in every generation and provides wise counsel for every situation. It transcends time and is applicable to past, present, and future generations. Its truths remain unchanged and its truths are eternal. It is a source of comfort in times of trouble and a source of strength in times of weakness.

In our contemporary society, the Word of God means one of two things

• If the Scriptures are regarded as literally inerrant, then the writers or sources are but transparent beings through which God himself wrote the Bible. In this manner the Scriptures have become the “final authority” in matters of faith and practice. The Scriptures are the Word of God.

• If the Holy Spirit aids us in exercising discriminatory judgment when reading the Scriptures, then the ability to think of the biblical sources as real people becomes absolutely critical in the process of making their faith, belief, and practices our own. The Bible, then, tells the story of God’s revealing activity in and through men and women, which enables God’s spirit to reveal his activity in and through you.

My work and experiences led me to understand the historical and literary evidence supports the second viewpoint.

I am a spiritual Christian, how about you?

Donald L. O'Dell
December 7, 2023