Jesus the Word

The Word

There is only one book that has stood the test of time and has spoken to each successive generation in illimitable tones. This book stands as a testament to the truth and a beacon of morality in the midst of a sea of religious and philosophical relativism. It defies tradition and man-made theories that attempt to supplant truth with error. People have denied its validity, churches have withheld it from the masses and nations have resolutely banned it declaring that there is no God. But truth is always valid, and it will always speak even if it is muzzled. The Bible is no mere book. It is God’s book. The greatest movements this world has ever seen have been motivated by this book. This is God’s word and not only has it spoken, but it is speaking and will continue to speak. You can burn it, deny it, or even outlaw it, but you’ll never get rid of it.

The reason for this is that it is a message from God about God. And what is this message? You tend to get the picture of a story from its first page: “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1 and in John’s Gospel “in the beginning was the Word…” John 1:1. The main character in both of these introductions is God. He is the only protagonist and is the central character of the story. In the words of Dr S.M. Lockridge:

“You can’t get Him out of your mind.

You can’t get Him off of your hand.

You can’t outlive Him,

And you can’t live without Him…

…Death couldn’t handle Him,

And the grave couldn’t hold Him.”

Creation & Recreation

There are no superlatives known to man that can adequately capture Him and yet He condescends to make Himself known to us. The Biblical narrative is all about God taking the initiative. At the beginning of the story we see God create mankind: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7. God could have easily spoken Adam into existence but instead He stoops down and gets Himself dirty, forming Adam from the dust of the ground. In other words, He comes down to our level because there is no way we could ever get up to His. This tells us who, the main character of this book is and what He is all about. He creates man with His hands.

But not only does He create with His hands, He can also recreate with His hands. Jesus gives sight to a man born blind: “When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.” John 9:6-7. Do you see the parallels here with creation? Jesus stoops down, in the dirt, reaches out and touches this man with His hands just as He did with Adam. Jesus, here is unapologetically declaring that He is God the Son and the one who can not only create man in His image but can also recreate man into His image. He is the Word where: “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:3. Which means that it is “His royal right to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him.” Desire of Ages 751

That is why the Bible uses the action of creation to explain the power of salvation. When God creates, He creates instantly. When God saves, He saves instantly: “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” Rom 4:17. You cannot understand salvation if you do not understand creation. Creation and salvation are intricately linked and are in fact inseparable; based upon the principle that God performs instantly what He has promised. If you can’t trust the Word in Genesis 1-2 how can you trust the Word in John 3:16? Or when the Word promises to raise the dead to life again “at a moment, in the twinkling of an eye?” 1 Cor 1:52.

“The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God.” Education 126

Jesus is the Word, and the word has power. It has the power not only to create what wasn’t already there, but it has the power to recreate in the soul what was once there. The Bible is no mere book and Jesus is no mere man. Even these words by Dr S.M. Lockridge don’t fully grasp Him:

“He’s enduringly strong.

He’s entirely sincere.

He’s eternally steadfast.

He’s immortally graceful.

He’s imperially powerful.

He’s impartially merciful.

He’s the greatest phenomenon that ever crossed the horizon of this world.

He’s God’s Son.

He’s a sinner’s Saviour.

He’s the centrepiece of civilization.

He stands in the solitude of Himself.

He’s awesome.

He’s unique.

He’s unparalleled.

He’s unprecedented.

He’s the loftiest idea in literature.

He’s the highest personality in philosophy.

He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism.

He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology.

He’s the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion.

He’s the miracle of the age.

He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.

He’s the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour…

… His office is manifold.

His promise is sure.

His light is matchless.

His goodness is limitless.

His mercy is everlasting.

His love never changes.

His Word is enough.

His grace is sufficient.

His reign is righteous.

And His yoke is easy, and his burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you, but He’s indescribable.

He’s incomprehensible.

He’s invincible.

He’s irresistible.”

This is the main character of Scripture. This is the Man behind the story and the Man that has shaped the story. He is the desire of our hearts, whether we recognise it or not. He is everything that we need and yet everything that we want. Do you know Him? Let Him, who has the power to create what wasn’t already there, recreate in your soul what was once there.  

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