Musings110102, Beyond the Written Word, by John.

Beyond the Written Word

There is much controversy about whether the Bible is the Word of God, or not. Many declare it to be just a book. Others declare that the 1611 version of the King James Bible is the "infallible Word of God." Many others are somewhere in-between those two points of view.

Personally, I believe people can be, and are, Christians who hold both views. I am sort of caught between these views. My view perhaps places me in "never, never land" with Tinker Bell and Peter Pan, but I feel differently about that, of course. I believe that God has always spoken to individuals who were willing to listen, and that he does now. I see the prophets as very special people at the beginning of their lives and made more special as they grew to know the Lord. I've mentioned this view lately, but I felt there is more than I've said to this point.

We must remember there was no written word at the time many of the prophets spoke. Even when there were some manuscripts, they were not available to everyone, and I think it is possible many of the prophets never saw one of them. One of the mysteries of the Bible is where did Jesus get His knowledge of the Scriptures? Carpenters spent their long waking hours working to make a living, so He didn't get them from Joseph. The rudimentary schools were for those who were rich, or from the most powerful families. Jesus was not the physical descendant of any such people. Some seems to think God left Him all alone to grow up as an ordinary human. I think that is true, but with a totally different idea of what an "ordinary" human being is. I believe God speaks to all of us who are willing to listen. Some are much more willing than others. Some seem to have a gift for hearing God speak with spiritual, not physical ears.

I personally have experienced dreams in which I believe God spoke to me. On one occasion I believe I heard God speak audibly. At the time, I was surprised no one else heard Him speak. I've had the experience of believing God was in complete control of myself, yet without any loss of freedom, and the time only lasted a few minutes.

These things keep me from totally disbelieving someone one when they say, "God spoke to me!" Isaiah saw the Lord, and He filled the temple with His glory (Isaiah 6), but no one else seemed to have seen Him. That fact does not keep from believing what Isaiah saw was very real. Elijah heard the voice of God speak in a "gentle whisper," (I Kings 19:12). God can, and apparently does, reveal Himself to people in a myriad of ways. Being God, He never has to do anything the same way twice if He does not want to.

What I am talking about is beyond the written word. Christians, of all people, should not try to put God in a box, so to speak. Compared to God, we are not as large as the tiniest object in our universe. Faced with how often we are to forgive those who sinned, the disciples were suddenly aware how little faith they had and asked Jesus to increase their faith. Jesus replied in Luke 17:6, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." That seed was about the smallest thing with which the disciples were familiar. I think today, Jesus could have used an electron to accomplish His aim with them. Perhaps He was telling them you don't need great faith. You just need to be connected to our great God!

When God speaks to someone today, we say He inspired them, and that's what Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 3:16. The Greek word used is theo-pneustos. It is made up of theos, pneuma, literally, God-breath. I believe God breathes His Word on us just as Elijah heard a gentle voice.
The Bible is a true witness of God's work with the world He created from Adam, through Israel, Rome and so-called Christendom. People who've not had the written word have come to believe in Him, and such people readily accept Christ when He is witnessed to them. How do they know God exists? How can they turn to Him when so many with so much greater witness do not? I believe God breathes His Word to them. That goes beyond the written word, but it in no way discounts or plays down the value to the Bible. Remember when Jesus prayed in John 17:20,21, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message. That all of them may be one. Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

What Jesus spoke of here is beyond the written word, and it is the Word of Life. God will not let anyone down who earnestly seeks Him, and as they find Him, He will increase their faith and intensify the love they have for Him.