I was once asked what is the proper version of the Bible to
refer to in the service. Proper version, there are so many wonderful
translations and versions but what would be the best or proper version. There
are some who say the King James version is the only version and all others are
not the true word of God. If I were to say this, surely I would upset those who
feel the New International Version is the best or those who believe the Message
by Eugene Peterson is a paraphrase for today’s style of learning.
The Scriptures are the Divinely inspired Words of God. They
are the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth but I suggest that these are
the words written in the book so that we would have the reference and guide to
the life history of our faith and our being and, can I go so far as to say
there is more to the word of God than those words written in the Bible?
The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This
is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will
put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Heb
10:15-16 NIV
The Word of God written in our minds; the law etched into
our hearts. The first law; ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and the
second law; ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ As written in Luke 10 but also
repeated throughout the Scriptures. The
Word of God in us, with us, and it is the perfect Word of God that dwells deep
within our very being and we need only tap into the perfection of the Word.
With that said, we will look at the relationship between the
Word of God and the Bible and how they are so closely tied and how they are
both so relevant and required in our daily lives.
Blessings
Pastor Todd
Jeff Schneider In one translation (English Standard Version) I have found this nugget of inspiration:
ReplyDeleteIt is said or inferred in a couple places in the Gospels that not all of the signs Jesus performed are written down, but that those that are were written so that we might believe. In other words what we have is just a sampling and that it should be enough for us to believe in Jesus. My mind "marries" this thought to a sign Jesus does perform that is recorded in Mathew, Mark, and Luke. Luke records in Chapter 8: verses 43-48 the story of a woman who had hemorrhaged for 12 years that as Christ passed by she reached out and touched "the fringe of his garment". Jesus knew someone had touched him and inquired who it was. The disciples suggest that the crowd being so tight it could have been anyone, but Christ insists on knowing as He felt the power leave him. The woman having been healed by her act comes and falls down before him and declares in the presence of all why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. Jesus responds to her by saying “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”. The Bible (any authorized translation (or paraphrase) is but a "fringe" of all that Jesus is, but if we at least believe in our hearts even that small part, we are his!