The eternal and holy Word of God is not a leather-bound book that you read every now and then. The Word of God is not a bunch pages with ink printed on them. The Bible is not the Word of God.
John 1 tells exactly what the Word of God is:
“In the beginning was the Word.. (In the begining was the Bible?) And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Is God a book?)” – John 1:1 NASB
The Word of God is not the bible. God is not a book. Jesus is the holy and eternal Word of God in which all things have their origin and their continued existence.
I often hear the bible get called the “Word of God” but nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus alone is the Word of God.
While this may seem like common sense to you- “of course God’s not a book!” But I believe that on some level, Christianity has created an idol out of the bible. We have elevated it above God.
Book Worship
Let’s take this picture for example. When I first saw this photo, I felt sick. Is this really how people see the bible?
Now, of course, the bible can be a source of comfort and joy, I totally understand that. However, if the bible is your only source of comfort, or even if it’s your primary source, then you are horribly deceived and may have replaced your God with a book.
God is a living God, not a dead-tree book.
Besides, last time I checked, The Holy Spirit is our comforter, not the bible.
But why do we act like this then? Why do we make pictures like this, and talk about the bible like it’s God?
I believe it is because we are terrified of a living God, and we want a God we can control, and manipulate.
You can easily control a book, and when that book is equal with God Himself, you can, in a sense, control God. (Or more properly, a cheap version of Him that you have created.) You can manipulate people with a book when it’s equal with God, and you alone can interpret it properly. (See How to be a Heretic)
In a culture that elevates the bible above the Holy Spirit, you can manipulate and control the masses simply by “just preaching the Word of God.” Take a look at history, for example. The bible has been used as a tool to keep blacks in slavery, women in oppression, and even as the justification for the Holocaust.
The Word Became Flesh
In Christ, the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. Religion continually tries to turn the Word back into pages and letters.
Now don’t get me wrong. I love the bible!
But I love God so much more! The bible has its place in my life, and I truly do enjoy to study to bible and to savor the delicious truths it holds. However, the bible is not the end all for me. The bible is just the invitation that leads me into a deeper relationship with God.
The bible is meant to lead you into relationship with God, but sadly it’s been used to lead people into a relationship with more rules and rituals instead.
If the bible doesn’t lead you into a deeper relationship with God, then the bible is leading you further into religion. The Bible is good, much like the Law was good, but the bible apart from a living God is just more bondage and slavery. God is a relational being, not a book. He has thoughts and feelings and yes, He does have things to say that do not fit inside a book.
God is the living God, but let me ask you: does Christianity actually treat Him like a living person?
If God wants to do something, that does not fit within the bible, do we let Him?
I don’t think we do.
Where’s That?
I was in the room when one of the most controversial Christian videos were made. This video drove all the heresy hunters of the internet wild. What I’m talking about is Bethel Church, and the Glory Cloud. (For the video, click here.)
I was there when this (pictured left) cloud of gold and glory showed up in the right hand corner of the sanctuary. I was there when a whole crowd of people, about 900 in total, stood in awestruck wonder at the majesty of God. I was there and my heart leapt within me as I felt the nearness of God all around me.
The “Glory Cloud” since then has gone under heavy fire from just about everyone. It’s been mocked and ridiculed as heresy, and deemed a hoax. The number one argument behind why God can’t or won’t do something like make gold dust appear in a room, is that it isn’t in the bible.
But isn’t God the living God? Or is He limited only to His book?
The reaction of many to this event would clearly lead anyone to believe the following. 1) God can not do anything that is not in the bible, and therefore, He is limited to a book. 2) If God does something, it has to make sense to us.
Living God
God can do whatever He wants to do. It may not fit within your theology, or your understanding of the bible, and that is perhaps a good thing. The bible does not limit God, it invites us to an unlimited relationship with Him.
He is the living God who is active in the world. He is not limited to a book.
Like I already said, I do love the bible, but I feel like most of Christianity has taken the bible and elevated it above God Himself. When the ultimate test for whether or not God is behind something is “is that in the bible?” Then I feel we are limiting God, and elevating the bible above Himself.
I hope I’m not coming off wrong in writing this. I don’t mean to degrade the bible.
I’m just sick of a Christianity that values a book more than the living Spirit of God.
I am sick of a Christianity that uses this book to manipulate and control the masses.
I am sick of the bible bashers who beat up the world (or lets be specific, Homosexuals, perhaps?) just because theres a verse that says something about them.
If the bible leads you further into religion, and hatred then there is something wrong. When your God is limited to pages in a book, then there is something wrong. When God is no longer allowed to be God unless He fits within your understanding of God, then there is something wrong.
God is not a book. Let Him out, and you will see that He is far far better, more amazing, and wonderful than we can ever comprehend!
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