Is the living Word of God Jesus Christ or the Bible?

[K2K]

I understand this is a hot topic, but one that I really don't think we often preach correctly.

Jesus Christ is alive. He thinks, acts, and we can get to know Him. He said His sheep hear His voice, and so I have conversations with Him. When I talk to Him I can tell He is alive and active. The first words He ever spoke to me were, "Read Your Bible".

Now I read my bible and continue to study it. Indeed, He now often tells me to read this chapter and that verse, but never has the Bible had a conversation with me.

I see a problem in Christianity, and that is that some seem to rarely hear from the small voice of the Lord. Of course there is also the problem of discerning the spirits, but if you can not hear to begin with, you can't discern whether who you are hearing from is an evil spirit or the Spirit of God. So the first problem is to get people to turn the Lord and listen, and that mean preaching Jesus Christ as the Word of God.

It seems to me that if we tell others the Bible is the living Word of God (and please note, I do not have a problem calling the Bible the Word of God because it is words that were inspired to be written by Go), then we give people the idea that reading the Bible saves them. If the Bible is the living, powerful, Word of God, then the Bible can decide to save them and act on that decision, and that is not according to the Scriptures.

What I would really like is for someone to show me how or why they think it is the Bible that is referred to as the living Word of God and not the Scriptures. What proof do you have that shows the writings are alive as opposed to One that talks to us via the small voice?

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I will try to explain:

In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, the word was God. (John 1:1)
​

The Spirit of God behind it all (not the ink on the paper) is LIVING and ACTIVE. It's not the book in and of itself, it's the Spirit behind it all. The words are not just inspired by God. They are God.

Hebrews 4:12 states "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." ​

That does not mean one can just plop ourselves down and read and received correct teaching. We can tell that by all the different religions in the world. However, how one approaches reading scripture makes a difference. When one approaches in the Spirit the scriptures are life. I have never had a conversation with my Bible either, but I do have conversation with God while I am reading it.

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

​

While the mind set on HIM reads, HE teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains the reader in righteousness. It should be read "in the spirit", with our minds set on the things of the spirit, not of the flesh.

Romans 8:5 "5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
​

When we approach the written word based on satisfying the things of the flesh (to win an argument, to show someone else how their missing it, etc.) it will only bring death....to everything.

I remember one time while I was reading scripture and fellowshipping with God that a particular scripture jumped out at me. I exclaimed, "ah, so and so needs to read this". I immediately heard the voice of God say, "I'm showing it to you right now, because you need to read this". I laughed and then said, "ok God, what is that you want me to learn in this?" The reproof was to get what God wanted to change in me not what He wanted to change in someone else.

I don't always say things in the best of ways but hopefully that helps. It's not the compilation of the words, it's the Living God behind the compilation.

 

[Steeno7]

Is the living Word of God Jesus Christ or the Bible?

The Living Word is Jesus Christ.

 

[Andrea411]

I understand this is a hot topic, but one that I really don't think we often preach correctly.

Jesus Christ is alive. He thinks, acts, and we can get to know Him. He said His sheep hear His voice, and so I have conversations with Him. When I talk to Him I can tell He is alive and active. The first words He ever spoke to me were, "Read Your Bible".

Now I read my bible and continue to study it. Indeed, He now often tells me to read this chapter and that verse, but never has the Bible had a conversation with me.

I see a problem in Christianity, and that is that some seem to rarely hear from the small voice of the Lord. Of course there is also the problem of discerning the spirits, but if you can not hear to begin with, you can't discern whether who you are hearing from is an evil spirit or the Spirit of God. So the first problem is to get people to turn the Lord and listen, and that mean preaching Jesus Christ as the Word of God.

It seems to me that if we tell others the Bible is the living Word of God (and please note, I do not have a problem calling the Bible the Word of God because it is words that were inspired to be written by Go), then we give people the idea that reading the Bible saves them. If the Bible is the living, powerful, Word of God, then the Bible can decide to save them and act on that decision, and that is not according to the Scriptures.

What I would really like is for someone to show me how or why they think it is the Bible that is referred to as the living Word of God and not the Scriptures. What proof do you have that shows the writings are alive as opposed to One that talks to us via the small voice?

Heb4:12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

This reference to the word 'word' is God Himself. He is alive and able… not the printed word.
I hear from the Lord in the scriptures but usually he speaks to me through my heart and sometimes out loud.
What do people do that don't believe the Lord is still speaking, they must use the scriptures… but without the heart of God they are just words on a page… the letter kills the Spirit gives life

Sorry no debate here… LOL

God bless, andrea

 

[Shimshon]

The Living Word is Jesus Christ.

 

[Scottmcc1]

I understand this is a hot topic, but one that I really don't think we often preach correctly.

Jesus Christ is alive. He thinks, acts, and we can get to know Him. He said His sheep hear His voice, and so I have conversations with Him. When I talk to Him I can tell He is alive and active. The first words He ever spoke to me were, "Read Your Bible".

I see a problem in Christianity, and that is that some seem to rarely hear from the small voice of the Lord. Of course there is also the problem of discerning the spirits, but if you can not hear to begin with, you can't discern whether who you are hearing from is an evil spirit or the Spirit of God. So the first problem is to get people to turn the Lord and listen, and that mean preaching Jesus Christ as the Word of God.



It seems to me that if we tell others the Bible is the living Word of God (and please note, I do not have a problem calling the Bible the Word of God because it is words that were inspired to be written by Go), then we give people the idea that reading the Bible saves them. If the Bible is the living, powerful, Word of God, then the Bible can decide to save them and act on that decision, and that is not according to the Scriptures.

What I would really like is for someone to show me how or why they think it is the Bible that is referred to as the living Word of God and not the Scriptures. What proof do you have that shows the writings are alive as opposed to One that talks to us via the small voice?

Yes Jesus is the Word of God. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Reading the Bible will give them the light to decide to be saved.
John 8:12 "Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

I see the Scriptures and the Bible as the same.

The still small voice many times is the Scriptures themselves.

John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life."

God can also speak to us more specifically. Such as, share your testimony with that person by the red car.

There is a distinction between the Bible and having a relationship with Jesus. John 5:39,40 " You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." We can miss God by our legalism of reading that we ignore Christ Himself.

Heb4:12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

 

[K2K]

I will try to explain:

In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, the word was God. (John 1:1)
​

The Spirit of God behind it all (not the ink on the paper) is LIVING and ACTIVE. It's not the book in and of itself, it's the Spirit behind it all. The words are not just inspired by God. They are God.

Hebrews 4:12 states "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
​

That does not mean one can just plop ourselves down and read and received correct teaching. We can tell that by all the different religions in the world. However, how one approaches reading scripture makes a difference. When one approaches in the Spirit the scriptures are life. I have never had a conversation with my Bible either, but I do have conversation with God while I am reading it.

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

​

While the mind set on HIM reads, HE teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains the reader in righteousness. It should be read "in the spirit", with our minds set on the things of the spirit, not of the flesh.

Romans 8:5 "5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
​

When we approach the written word based on satisfying the things of the flesh (to win an argument, to show someone else how their missing it, etc.) it will only bring death....to everything.

I remember one time while I was reading scripture and fellowshipping with God that a particular scripture jumped out at me. I exclaimed, "ah, so and so needs to read this". I immediately heard the voice of God say, "I'm showing it to you right now, because you need to read this". I laughed and then said, "ok God, what is that you want me to learn in this?" The reproof was to get what God wanted to change in me not what He wanted to change in someone else.

I don't always say things in the best of ways but hopefully that helps. It's not the compilation of the words, it's the Living God behind the compilation.

I really like the above post, but there is one part that I think need to be discussed, and it is this:

"The words are not just inspired by God. They are God."

In what way are the words God?

If I talk to Fred on a telephone line, I say I am talking to Fred, but I am really talking to the telephone and Fred is talkng to the telephone. I hear words and Fred hears words. So are the words that I hear Fred? Well, yes and no. Fred is a realy person, who speaks words. I identify the words I hear with the realy person, Fred.

God is a real, and we pick Him up in three persons, the Father, Son, and Spirit. So are the words we hear God, well yes and no. The words are not actually God, but we reconized God by the words we hear from Him.

Now if someone writes a book; the book written has the words of the person who wrote the book. But does reading a book that someone writes give you a personal relationship with them? The answer to that is NO. READING THE BOOK DOES NOT GIVE YOU A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH IT'S AUTHOR!

So the book is not the person!!!

If you read a book then show up at the author's house claiming to know them, they we tell you "I never knew you." And so it is that many, misinformed Christian, will read the Bible thinking that the words they read are God, They think they know Him because they read the Bible. But they will show up before the Lord on that day and He will tell them, "I never knew you", and off to hell they go, because they thought that knowing the Bible would save them.

And even we who do know Him, promote this faultly line of thinking by lifting the Bible over our head and saying, "This bible is the living Word of God and in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God". So the hearer has every reason to believe, by what we say, that knowing the Bible is the same thing as know the Lord.

The Scriptures did not save the Pharisees, who the Lord said their father was the devil, and whom John called vipers. And Jesus told the Jews that they searched the Scriptures thinking in them they had eternal life. We,even us that hear the voice of the Lord talking to us and do know Him, need to stop giving the people the impression that knowing the bible will save them!!

We need to stop making out like the Bible is God, so that knowing the Bible (the living Word of God) is knowing God. We need to start making it clear that Jesus stands at the door and knocks, and if anyone will hear His voice (that small voice of the Lord that comes through the Spirit of God like a voice through a telephone line), is the living and active Word of God.

If the Bible was indeed alive and active, you could ask it question and get responses, because it is alive. If the Bible was indeed the living and active Word of God, it could decided to save you, but the Bible can not decide anything because it is not alive.

So we might call the Bible the Word of God because, like any book, it has words from the author, and Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. But the Bible is not the living and active word of God!! The living and active word of God is the small voice which and respond to you we you talk to it, like a person talking over a telephone line.

We are so wrong to present the Bible as the living and active word. People have, and are, depending on their knowledge of the Scriptures to save them instead of actually seeking the Living One and what He, the persons of God, has to say to them. And that mistake is being made because of what we are telling them!!

 

[K2K]

Heb4:12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

This reference to the word 'word' is God Himself. He is alive and able… not the printed word.
I hear from the Lord in the scriptures but usually he speaks to me through my heart and sometimes out loud.
What do people do that don't believe the Lord is still speaking, they must use the scriptures… but without the heart of God they are just words on a page… the letter kills the Spirit gives life

Sorry no debate here… LOL

God bless, andrea

Jesus is clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called the Word of God.

He can talk to us via the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of Christ, but the Spirit of God is not the Bible. So the Bible does not speak to us the Spirit of God does!

If are read a book, I might say 'that book really spoke to me', because I got meaning out of read it. But in fact it didn't really speak to me, I read it. In the same way I might say "The Bible really spoke to me", when in fact it didn't speak to me, but I got some meaning out of it. Certainly the Scribes, Pharisees, and religious leader saw some meaning in the Scriptures, but they never knew the Lord!! Jesus told them that they didn't hear the words of God!! So the Scriptures never spoke to them!!

So Jesus Christ, the Word of God, does speak to people, but the Bible, the Word of God, does not speak to people!!

Jesus Christ, the Word of God (the Word of God is His name) is alive and active, and our saviour. But the Bible (the Word of God, which is not Jesus Christ but Scriptures) is not alive and can not save you.

Jesus Christ, the Word of God, was in the beginning with God and is God. The Bible, the Word of God, was not in the beginning with God and is not God.

We call both Jesus Chirst and the Bible, the Word of God, but they are two different things!! Jesus Christ is alive and active, is part of trinity, and is thus is God. The Bible is a Book that God had written, and a book is not alive and active, and is not God, so quit making it out to be God. The Greek word fo the Bible is Graphe, and is always translated "Scriptures" in your Bible.

And to say there is no debate is to ignore the Scriptures. This is the same debate Jesus was having with the Jews when He was in the flesh.

Jesus was telling them that they searched the Scriptures thinking in them they had eternal life, and they were thinking He was wrong and wanted to kill Him.

Jn 8:47 Hw who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God"

He was saying the above to those that read and studied the Scriptures, and they didn't like it so -

Jn 8:48 The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?

That was the debate going on then, and has it stopped?

Reading the Word of God is not the same thins as listen to the Word of God!! He, the Word of God (Jesus Christ) said His sheep hear His voice. He is alive and active, and He is God, but He is not the Bible. He is the One who talks to you, and He is the One you can get to know if you seek Him, like the Bible says. So we should be preaching Him! We don't preach the Bible, we use the Bible to preach Him, our Lord Jesus Christ, the living and active Word of God.

 

[K2K]

Yes Jesus is the Word of God. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Reading the Bible will give them the light to decide to be saved.
John 8:12 "Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

I see the Scriptures and the Bible as the same.

The still small voice many times is the Scriptures themselves.

John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life."

God can also speak to us more specifically. Such as, share your testimony with that person by the red car.

There is a distinction between the Bible and having a relationship with Jesus. John 5:39,40 " You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." We can miss God by our legalism of reading that we ignore Christ Himself.

I pretty much like the above post. But I would like to discuss this part from above: "The still small voice many times is the Scriptures themselves."

The still small voice is the Lord talking to you personally. Now He talked to those that wrote the Bible, so we should expect that He migth say the same thing to us as He said to those in the past, but still there should be a recognition of when He is talking to us and when we are just reading what was written in the past!

Perhaps a new believer might not have that recognition, but it should be explained so that they have an understanding that He is not the Bible, but the One that we are seeking. The church has an obligation to edify (teach in religious matters). That is, we are trying to preach Jesus Christ, and we want other believers to get to know and to seek Him, so that they don't wind up thinking that knowing the Scriptures is going to save them, and so they do indeed have an expectation to hear Him even when they don't have a Bible with them. Then God can tell them to "share your testimony with that person by the red car", if need be.

 

[Scottmcc1]

The Holy Spirit brings the Scriptures we have heard back to our mind. John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."

Luke 12:12 "for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Many He brings explanations that go with the Scripture, or other verses that tie into the thought.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

In what way are the words God?

If I talk to Fred on a telephone line, I say I am talking to Fred, but I am really talking to the telephone and Fred is talkng to the telephone. I hear words and Fred hears words. So are the words that I hear Fred? Well, yes and no. Fred is a realy person, who speaks words. I identify the words I hear with the realy person, Fred.

God is a real, and we pick Him up in three persons, the Father, Son, and Spirit. So are the words we hear God, well yes and no. The words are not actually God, but we reconized God by the words we hear from Him.

Now if someone writes a book; the book written has the words of the person who wrote the book. But does reading a book that someone writes give you a personal relationship with them? The answer to that is NO. READING THE BOOK DOES NOT GIVE YOU A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH IT'S AUTHOR!

So the book is not the person!!!

If you read a book then show up at the author's house claiming to know them, they we tell you "I never knew you." And so it is that many, misinformed Christian, will read the Bible thinking that the words they read are God, They think they know Him because they read the Bible. But they will show up before the Lord on that day and He will tell them, "I never knew you", and off to hell they go, because they thought that knowing the Bible would save them.

And even we who do know Him, promote this faultly line of thinking by lifting the Bible over our head and saying, "This bible is the living Word of God and in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God". So the hearer has every reason to believe, by what we say, that knowing the Bible is the same thing as know the Lord.

The Scriptures did not save the Pharisees, who the Lord said their father was the devil, and whom John called vipers. And Jesus told the Jews that they searched the Scriptures thinking in them they had eternal life. We,even us that hear the voice of the Lord talking to us and do know Him, need to stop giving the people the impression that knowing the bible will save them!!

We need to stop making out like the Bible is God, so that knowing the Bible (the living Word of God) is knowing God. We need to start making it clear that Jesus stands at the door and knocks, and if anyone will hear His voice (that small voice of the Lord that comes through the Spirit of God like a voice through a telephone line), is the living and active Word of God.

If the Bible was indeed alive and active, you could ask it question and get responses, because it is alive. If the Bible was indeed the living and active Word of God, it could decided to save you, but the Bible can not decide anything because it is not alive.

So we might call the Bible the Word of God because, like any book, it has words from the author, and Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. But the Bible is not the living and active word of God!! The living and active word of God is the small voice which and respond to you we you talk to it, like a person talking over a telephone line.

We are so wrong to present the Bible as the living and active word. People have, and are, depending on their knowledge of the Scriptures to save them instead of actually seeking the Living One and what He, the persons of God, has to say to them. And that mistake is being made because of what we are telling them!!

I don't know how God does what He does but He's the One who says,

In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, the word was God. (John 1:1)

Hebrews 4:12 states "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
​

I must believe what He says whether I understand it or not. I personally have never met anyone who was so confused as to think reading the scriptures saves them. I have met some who thought they were better Christians by their reading but not that reading the words actually saved them. I would agree there is a failure in communication with those who are teaching them.

It's true that our English alphabet letters have no meaning. You might gain more insight by studying up on the Hebrew letters and their meanings and such. Each letter has a meaning. That is initially what GOD wrote the WORD in so studying the Hebrew could be beneficial to you (if you are not doing it already). How God did that I don't know I just know He says it's living therefore, it is. Please re read what I initially said. I believe I made it clear that "just" reading the words does not save anyone.

I'm not going to argue about it though. God's the One Who says it so you can take it up with HIM because I don't know how to explain it.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Chapters from my book:
“A Revelation of Who Jesus Is”


A Revelation of Who Jesus Is
Talks about the progression of the Word from within God to being birthed out of God into the Son and then out from the presence of the Father into the world where He was born a humble servant.


Preface
We Can Know and Understand Who Jesus Is
Teaching about the Word/Son/Christ
The Why of Creation
The Word/Son/Lord/Christ Progression
What is/was the logos of God?
The Womb of God
A Pouring Forth, the begetting of Christ, the Son of God
The Word Came Out of God.
What came “out of” God?
The Son is in the Father
The Son “issued out of” the Father.
The “seed” of God in the Father and Son
Spatial Relationship
First Begotten
The Son before Creation
The Word Became Flesh
The Incarnation and the Emptying
The Understanding of the First Christians
Appendix A: John 16:27-28 111
Appendix B: John 17:8 116

 

[K2K]

I don't know how God does what He does but He's the One who says,

In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, the word was God. (John 1:1)

Hebrews 4:12 states "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
​

I must believe what He says whether I understand it or not. I personally have never met anyone who was so confused as to think reading the scriptures saves them. I have met some who thought they were better Christians by their reading but not that reading the words actually saved them. I would agree there is a failure in communication with those who are teaching them.

It's true that our English alphabet letters have no meaning. You might gain more insight by studying up on the Hebrew letters and their meanings and such. Each letter has a meaning. That is initially what GOD wrote the WORD in so studying the Hebrew could be beneficial to you (if you are not doing it already). How God did that I don't know I just know He says it's living therefore, it is. Please re read what I initially said. I believe I made it clear that "just" reading the words does not save anyone.

I'm not going to argue about it though. God's the One Who says it so you can take it up with HIM because I don't know how to explain it.

Ps 78 1,2 Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old

Prov 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding.

We should have noticed that God teaches us in parables and sayings with take some understanding.

Revelation is not revelations but revelation. It is a book that reveals Christ to us.

Rev 19:13 He is clotherd with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Ok - if you have not figured this out, Jesus Christ has a name! That name is "The Word of God. We use that same phrase for the Bible, but the Bible is not Jesus Christ. The Bible is what is reffered to as the Scriptures, in the Bible.

So in the verse Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, He was in the beginning with God.

Well that verse is referring to Jesus Christ, not the Scriptures!! Yet because today we use "The Word of God" to mean the Scriptures, many people come to the wrong conclusion about that verse. They think the Bible is the Word, and was in the beginning with God, and the Bible is God. They must think the Bible is a He. And if we continue with that logic they must think the Bible took on flesh and walked the earth, and went to the cross, dying for our sins, and the Bible then rose from the dead.

Jn 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt amoung us and we saw His glory, glory as of the only betotten from the Father.

Because we use "The Word" (which is the name of Jesus Christ) as the name for the Scriptures also, we have caused a confusion. The Bible is not Jesus Christ, which can be easily been seen in this verse:

Jn 5:39, 40 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

Now if you do come to the Lord Jesus Christ (the Word of God) He will make you aware that He is not the Scriptures, just like He made the Jews at that time aware that He and the Scriptures are not the same. The Scriptures were written to testify about Him, but people then and still today have missed this point.

Now lets take this verse "2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

The Greek word use for Scriptures above is Graphe, and it is alway translated "Scripture" The Scriptures (Graphe, not Logos or Rhema which are the two Greek words translated 'Word" in you Bible) are good for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. In fact I am using for that purpose right now. Again - Jesus told the Jews they searched the Scriptures (Graphe) thinking in them they had eternal life instead of coming to Him.

Another place we see Graphe used is:

Gal 3:22 But the Scriptures has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those that believe.

Again we see the the Sciptures are not Jesus Christ. They are not the promose by faith. It doesn't take faith to read the Scriptures. It does however take faith to hear the small voice of the Lord speaking to us. The Galatians had heard the small voice of the Lord, but had turn from hearing the Lord by faith to leaning on their understanding of the Scriptures. Like the Jews before them, the early church also dropped the gospel of Jesus Christ for the Scriptures, which are not another gospel but depending on our understanding of the Scriptures instead of hearing the Spirit of God by faith in preaching another gospel. Doing that is just going to place you back under the Law.

Gal 3:2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you; did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

Gal 1:6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is not really another; only there are some that are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

The Scriptures are not another gospel, but some (evil spirits) want to distort the the gospel of Christ and turn it into a gospel of the Scriptures. So now, where did we come up with the idea that the Scriptures, as the Word of God, were in the beginning with God, were God, and took on flesh?

Religious spirits want to make it about the things of God instead of Jesus Christ who is God. The Scriptures are writings caue by God, written by people who God used. We do not preach the Scriptures, we use them to preach Jesus Christ (The Living Word of God)


Now let's get to the other verse that seems to have thrown you.

Hebrews 4:12 states "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Let's go back to the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Rev 19:15 From His mouth comes a sharpe sword, so that with it He may strike down the nation.

So that coming out of His mouth is a sword, but the Scriptures came out of His mouth. They were spoken to people in the past and written down for all people's as a testimony to draw people to Him, but they are not Him. What you hear Him personally speak to you (via the small voice) is Him. Now He can be expected to say the same type of things to you as He spoke to others in the past, but the Scriptures are not personal, what He speaks to you is personal.

For example, if you read any book then go to the author's house claiming to know Him personally, you will like be thought a fool for thinking that just because you read his book you actually know him. And this happens with the Lord too. Many will come before Him saying they cast our demons in His name, healed the sich in His name, and even prophesied in His name, only to be told by Him that He never knew them. So to get to know a person you need to have conversation with them. Jesus explained that He stands at the door and knocks and if anyone will hear His voice and open the door, He will come in and eat with them and them with Him.

Look - we can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Word of God, but reading the Scriptures is not the same things as hearing His small voice personally spoken to you. It was His small voice personally spoken to those that wrote, but the writings (the Graphe) are not personal. And the reason is that the writings (the Graphe) are not alive, they are writings. He is alive and we know Him by the words he speaks personally to us.

Check out the context the Heb 4:12 comes in -

Heb 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

So here again, like in Jn 1:1-2 we see the Word of God as being Him (Jesus Christ) who is not the Scriptures.

And we can go on with more example of the Word being Jesus Christ, who is not the Scriptures but the One the Scriptures testify to.

Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram saying...

The Scriptures did not come to Abram saying, but the One we call Jesus Christ came to Abram saying. Remeber that "The Word of God" is the name of Jesus Christ. So Gen 15: could read, "After these things Jesus Christ came to Abram saying". This would be correct the the Christ (whose name is called the Word of God) was not yet God's salvation (Jesus)

And this can be done all over the Old Testiment.

Mal 1:1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.

It could read, "The oracle of Jesus Christ to Israel through Malachi."

You see the Christ, who we now call Jesus because He took on flesh and went to the cross, was always the Word of God. He spoke to Abram. He spoke to Malachi. And He spoke to Paul.

Acts 9:5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting..."

Jesus speaking to Saul/Paul was like a sword cutting to the marrow. But you are not persecuting Jesus Christ are you? So those words in the Scriptures aren't cutting to your marrow are they? Yet if the Lord actually tells you personally those words, He will have cut you to the bone.

Saul was well studied in the Scriptures and the Scriptures had never had the impact that Christ personally speaking to him had.

We need to seek the Lord and His words personally spoken to us, and we should read and study the Scriptures because they are good for teaching and for reproof, yet they might not cut to the bone like when the Lord personally speaks to you.

He is alive and active, so you might actually come across Him talking to you personally. I did. I remember clearly the first words that He spoke to me. They were, "Read Your Bible", thereby both showing me that he was not the Bible, but He commands us to read it.