…seeing Christ as the hinge of the biblical story, the spine or backbone of the narrative, the climax and focal point toward which the Old Testament points and ascends and the peak from which the vigor and vitality of the New Testament flow. This is how Jesus can be seen, for Christians, as the supreme and ultimate revelation of God, with the Old and New Testaments pointing to him like dual spotlights…
Don’t simply look at the Bible, I am suggesting; look through the Bible to look at Jesus, and you will see the character of God shining radiant and full. (p. 118)
In his gospel, John identifies Jesus as the Word. Yet today, when we refer to the Word, we are almost always talking about the Bible. Is this wise? Is it accurate? Do we run the risk of worshiping the Bible instead of Jesus? The Bible is not the goal—Jesus is. The Bible is an amazing collection of writings that all tell the story of God and His relationship with His people. It is a great tool or resource to help us learn about and connect with God; and we believe that God communicates through it; but it is not God.
To live according to the Word…I want this to mean that I live in intimate relationship with Jesus. Reading the Bible, studying it, praying it, living in it--helps me in my relationship with Jesus; not by telling me what and what not to do, but by revealing the heart of God, seen through his interactions with his people over thousands of years, and embodied in the life and teachings of His son, Jesus.
The Bible helps me better see God’s heart, God’s desires for my life, God’s hopes for the world we live in. The Bible comforts me when I am hurting, encourages me to be the man God wants me to be, challenges me when I need it, and most of all, shows me the amazing, endless, perfect love of the God behind the words and stories.
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