Grace and The Word
“logos” = ‘word’
There are at least 10 definitions of the word, ‘word.’ How many can you come up with?
There are 3 ways in which Christians use the words, ‘word of God.’ Can you name them?
Read: Genesis 1
What kinds of questions does this leave you with?
When people talk about the Bible, people say some interesting things. They say it is:
Inerrant (true and without error)
Inspired (authored essentially by God)
Infallible (cannot and should not be challenged on matters of faith)
So some people like to say, “The Bible said it; I believe it; that settles it.”
They read the Bible literally—meaning they read the words as an historical and scientific account. But this is a pretty new concept, and there are problems with this.
Watch: “How the Bible Actually Works” by Peter Enns
The Bible isn’t a rule book to guide our lives. It’s NOT Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE). It IS a collection of books written over a period of time that tries to describe and explain feelings, events, and how God is present in those feelings and events. It’s about a God who loves creation so much that God pursues it forever—primarily (for Christians) through the gift of grace shared through the person of Christ, Messiah (Jesus).
Read: John 1:1-14
Watch: Bible Project: “What it means for Jesus to be the ‘Word of God’
(To follow up on the video, read John 20:30-31. This is what John wants us to know.)
So, God’s Word is primarily Jesus. But it is also the written word (Bible) and the proclaimed word (spoken—like sermons and teachings).
Kids often say, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” We all know that isn’t true, and we know that people like to use Scripture to hurt others.
How do people use the word of God to hurt others?
How do people use the word of God to help others?
