a matter of faith

I have a very difficult task set before me. Somehow I want to adequately explain that which the Lord has revealed to me, that cuts across the traditional thinking of some churches. This is really important because it answers a lot of questions that Christians dare not ask and restores faith that has been damaged even though it is generally not acknowledged. How do you admit that God, who is righteous and Holy hasn’t delivered on His promises? The simple answer for most is that you dare not! It is much better to admit one’s own inadequacies or lack of faith than to accuse God. But that does not resolve the issues. It simply buries them and leaves a scar that says “God did not come through for me, therefore I must have done something wrong” or something to that effect.

The simple answer is that you probably didn’t do anything wrong enough to rob you of God’s provision. And no, neither did God break a promise. There is a third option. Scripture was misunderstood or misrepresented.

I remember well some years ago a man I knew well had a daughter who was very ill and in intensive care. The man was understandably desperate to see this daughter healed and restored to him. He stood up in church and quoted Scripture along the lines of Mat 21:22 And all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. He declared that he was “standing on the Word of God for her healing”. She was not healed. She died soon after. Understandably the man was devastated and my heart went out to him. It seemed that God had failed him. I know that some Christians would see that as the ultimate healing, but that is far removed from what this man was expecting from God.

So did God fail? Is God unreliable and one who does not keep promises? Or does our understanding of Scripture leave something to be desired? I’m sure that if we are honest we can all remember occasions when we’ve asked for things and “believed” with everything within us for God to provide, but it hasn’t happened. My experience is that most Christians would rather not acknowledge this than risk calling God a liar. The truth is that Num 23:19 God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. It goes on to say Has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good? God is true and reliable. Problems occur when we take Scripture and use it to manipulate God to do our will. The trouble is that God will not be manipulated by man! Scripture was never intended to be used in that fashion.

The problem is that we have called the Bible the Word of God. As such it becomes the “Book of Infallible Promises”, which it is not. The Bible says 2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, it does not say All Scripture is the Word of God and can be used to gain what we want. You see, if we call the Bible the Word (or word) of God, then God had better do everything we ask when we attach a Scripture to it, but it doesn’t work like that. In fact, nowhere in the Bible is the Bible referred to as the Word (or word) of God. It is important to realize that this is a name that man has given the Bible. So when the Bible refers to the Word of God, it refers to the One who is called the Word of God in the Bible. None other than Jesus! In fact, the nearest the Bible gets to calling Scripture the word of God is in Joh 3:34 For He whom God has sent speaks the Words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.

Jesus is clearly depicted as the Word of God in Scripture. Have a look at the following verses:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

Rev 19:13 And He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

At this point most people will readily admit that Jesus is the Word of God, but then say that the Bible is the written word of God. This is not validated by Scripture, and leads into deception. This deception is subtle, but is capable of destroying faith.

As the Word of God Jesus is the full promise of God and the fulfillment of that promise. The message AND the messenger. Jesus has always fulfilled the role of the Word of God. Let’s take a look at some reliable history.

Gen 15:1 After these things the Word of Jehovah came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your shield and your exceeding great reward.

 Gen 15:4 And behold, the Word of Jehovah came to him saying, This one shall not be your heir. But he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir.

 Heb 4:12 For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 HEBREWS 4:12 IS NOT REFERRING TO THE BIBLE!!

The Bible is NOT LIVING!! Neither can it discern!!

Isa 55:11 so shall My Word be, which goes out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall certainly do what I sent it to do.

Jesus did not return to the Father void, but fulfilled all that it was given to Him to do.

There are many such verses in the Bible. Jesus is the Word of God in the beginning, throughout Biblical History, and in the end. The Bible is a trustworthy account of history concerning God and man, and helps us understand the nature of God and His principles, but it is not a “promise book” as it would have to be if it were the word of God.

Summary

Jesus Christ is the Word of God. Scripturally, this title belongs to Him alone. He is God’s promise to us. The Bible was never intended to be a book of promises, but was intended to reveal to us the Promise, Jesus. It is a folly to use Scripture as a promise of God unless the Spirit gives it to us by revelation. Scripture used as promises will lead to disappointment, but the Word of God (Jesus) will never disappoint.

Rom 10:17 Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Faith is believing what the Word of God (Jesus) says to you. It is Jesus based, not Bible based, according to the Bible.