It’s not just the Bible, although the Bible proclaims Him.
He’s not a blot of ink on a piece of paper. Although that is one of the ways He has decided to make Himself known, and accomplish His will.
The Word (God Himself) is “living and active”.
He’s not dependent on the messenger. He USES the messenger. He IS the message. He IS a force unto Himself.
He calls the shots. He makes things happen. He forgives people’s sin, He raises from the dead. He is the Word.
Our authority to proclaim this Word comes from…Him, and Him alone.
Proclaim what Word?
What did He proclaim? That He, Jesus, was God in the flesh, and that He forgives sinners their sins. That He takes all their sin unto Himself. That He will one Day make ALL things new again. That He will raise you from the dead, and bring you unto to Himself for judgement. That the cross was the judgement. That He bought and paid for your sins there. That you are forgiven for Jesus’ sake.
He has decided to use the Bible, preaching and teaching about Himself, and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion to make Himself known in His saving grace. To create faith in the hearer, reader, receiver.
He spoke all things into existence and He still does.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The Word… IS GOD.
He was around LONG before the Bible. Christ was around LONG before His preachers were. He was around LONG before the bread and wine and the water were.
He is not dependent on any of those things being perfect… (nor) acting perfect, or being pure. If you think that He cannot use ordinary earthly elements to accomplish His purposes then you are sadly mistaken and misguided. That goes for the Book, that goes for the preacher (you and I included), and that goes for the water, the bread, and the wine. When the Word is attached to ordinary things and proclaimed in It’s purity, then they accomplish His perfect will.
The Lord our God made Himself know in an earthly man. A real man who needed to eat real food, who cried real tears, and who shed real blood.
The finite contains the Infinite. That is the principle here.
Perfect preachers or perfect churches are not necessary. Pure bread and pure water are not necessary. Bibles without errors are not necessary.
When the Word is attached to all those things and the gospel is proclaimed in it’s purity, then those ordinary things become pure, infallible, perfect, Living Word of God…for YOU!
That is the doctrine of the Word to which Lutherans subscribe.
That is the truth of it.
……..
Any objections? (of course! There are ALWAYS objections!)
Go ahead. Let’s hear why something is needed in addition to Jesus.
Add-on’s to Jesus seems to be our specialty!
____________________________________________________________________
Thanks to flickr, revger, latteontheroad, apv photos, and The Pink Rose, for the photos.
……..
Filed under: The Word | 16 Comments »
The Old Adam Lives! 