What is the Word? Isn’t it just the Bible?

You’ve probably heard someone say “You need to study the word” at church. Most of us nod along, assuming they’re talking about reading the Bible. And they generally are, but there’s actually more to it.

The word has two separate meanings in the Christian Faith. At its simplest, yes, the word often refers to the Bible, the written word that guides our lives. But there’s another meaning that’s even more important, though sometimes overlooked.

The Bible itself speaks of the “living Word,” which actually refers to Jesus Christ. We see this most clearly in John 1:14:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

This same concept appears in John 1:1-2, where we read that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” and in Hebrews 4:12, which describes the Word of God as “living and active.”

So there are clearly two “words” in the Christian Faith: the written word (the Bible) and the Living Word (Jesus Christ). The beautiful thing is how they connect, we study one (the Bible) which points us to the other (Jesus)!

At Gate Family Church, we don’t just want you to read or study ancient texts, though that’s certainly valuable. We want every person reading the written word to discover a living, vibrant connection with Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice, we all have the right to approach the throne of Grace and speak directly to our Creator—it’s quite humbling when you think about it.

To truly achieve our potential as Christians, we need Jesus at the front and centre of our lives. Consider Saul, he knew the scriptures (Torah) backwards but it wasn’t until Jesus knocked him to the ground and temporarily blinded him that his real ministry began, transforming him into Paul (Acts 9:3-13). Knowledge and study of the Torah alone was not enough, and in fact had led him to actively persecute and kill the followers of Jesus!

Of course, the modern written word is far beyond the ancient Torah and provides guidance and wisdom for our daily lives, but a relationship with the living Word; Jesus himself, transforms your life and your future in ways you might never expect.

It’s a sobering thought when you put it into context:

The living Word existed long before the written word, but it was the written word that told humanity what to expect and when!