Christ the Word of God

Q: What does the Bible say about Jesus as the Word of God?

The Bible declares that Jesus is the Word of God, the revelation of God himself, through whom we gain knowledge of God and salvation. The scripture emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the Word of God, which is of immense importance for understanding our relationship with God and the foundation of our faith. In Revelation 19:13, He is referred to as the Word, indicating His essential role in revealing God's nature and will to humanity. As affirmed in John 1:1, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,' we see that Jesus is co-eternal with the Father and integral to all creation. This doctrine highlights that all knowledge of God, our hopes of life and grace, and our salvation is intimately tied to Jesus, the Word of God.

Q: How do we know that Jesus is the Word of God?

We know Jesus is the Word of God through scriptures that affirm His divine nature and authority as the ultimate revelation of God. The Bible provides numerous declarations affirming the reality of Jesus as the Word of God. In John 1:1, we are told that not only is Jesus with God, but that He is God. This establishes His divine nature and significance in our understanding of who God is. Additionally, Hebrews 4:12 speaks to the living and powerful nature of God's Word, emphasizing that Christ, as the Word, possesses the unique ability to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. The consistent testimony throughout both the Old and New Testaments links Jesus to the fulfillment of God's promises and purposes, reinforcing the truth that He is the very Word through which God communicates with us.

Q: Why is calling Jesus the Word of God important for Christians?

Calling Jesus the Word of God is vital because it underscores His unique role in revealing God, providing redemption, and sustaining our faith. For Christians, understanding Jesus as the Word of God is critical as it underpins the foundation of our faith and the revelation of God Himself. This title signifies that Jesus is not only a messenger but the very embodiment of divine truth and communication. As stated in John 14:9, 'He that hath seen me hath seen the Father,' which reaffirms that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God's character and purpose. Furthermore, His work as the Word is central to our salvation; through Him, we receive grace and truth, as well as guidance in our spiritual walk. This title glorifies Christ as the essence of God's promises and the source of eternal life.

Q: What does Hebrews 4:12 teach about Christ as the Word of God?

Hebrews 4:12 teaches that Christ, as the Word of God, is living, powerful, and able to discern the thoughts of our hearts. In Hebrews 4:12, we are presented with the profound truth that the Word of God—identified here with Christ—is not just a written text but alive and effective. The passage states that the Word is 'quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,' indicating that Jesus, as the Word, possesses the authority to penetrate our hearts and reveal our true condition. This understanding of Christ as the Word emphasizes His active role in our lives, discerning our intentions and guiding us toward righteousness. The teaching assures believers that through Christ, we find the power to confront sin and receive the grace necessary for transformation.

Q: How does Scripture affirm Christ's divinity?

Scripture affirms Christ's divinity through passages that emphasize His eternal existence with God and His role in creation. The divinity of Christ is a central tenet of Christian theology, rooted in scriptural affirmation. John 1:1, among other texts, establishes that Jesus existed 'in the beginning' and that He is not separate from God but rather is Himself God. This aligns with the claims made in Colossians 1:16 that all things were created through Him and for Him, underscoring His supreme authority over all creation. Additionally, passages like Philippians 2:6 remind us that Jesus, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, highlighting His unique position in the Trinity. Such teachings confirm that Jesus is fully divine, worthy of worship and trust.

Couple years ago, I remember
hearing Brother Ed Wallen tell a story. Ed's a pastor down in
Hewittown, Alabama. Whether it's true or whether
he was just making a point, I don't know, but he was telling a story
that made a point. He said he was mowing his grass one day,
and one of the deacons from his church came by and stopped, just
hollered out at him and said, that's it, preacher, cut it short.
And he got the message. So I've been trying to get the
message. Didn't do any good. I preached two short messages
Sunday and nobody even noticed until we started to go to bed
Sunday afternoon. And Shelby said, well, we got out early
today. But tonight I have a brief message and it will be brief,
but it's very, very important. I want you to turn with me to
Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19 and verse
13. My text is in the last part of
the verse. His name is called the Word of
God. Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Now, much to my astonishment,
as I was preparing for the message tonight, I looked for what other
men had to say on this text of Scripture and on this subject.
And I found only one article in my entire library on Christ
as the Word of God. Only one. And it was written
by a liberal. It was written by a fellow who
said that this book really is not the Word of God, it just
contains the Word, and you have to look for the Spirit of Christ
in it. So that didn't help me much. The doctrine declared by
this name is of immense importance. When the Scripture says that
Christ is the Word of God, It is declaring to us that all our
knowledge of God, all our hopes of life and grace, all our salvation
depends upon Christ who is the Word of God. If Jesus Christ
is not the very Word of God, then we have no Savior and we
have no hope before him. He is the Word of God. Now, realizing that, I want you
to give me your careful attention, and let's look in the Scriptures
at how our Savior is called the Word of God. This name is used
frequently for our Savior throughout the New Testament. Turn with
me back to John chapter 1, if you will. We'll look at four
or five passages of Scripture. John chapter 1. These are passages
that we are familiar with, but I think sometimes those things
with which we are most familiar We kind of gloss over and don't
really investigate to see what the meaning of the text is. Here
in John chapter 1, the Apostle John is declaring to us the deity
and the glorious person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is affirming
in this particular gospel narrative that Jesus Christ, who is the
Son of Man, is indeed God the Son. Now notice how he opens
his gospel. In the beginning was the Word.
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him,
that is, by him who is the Word, and without him was not anything
made that was made. Look in Hebrews chapter four,
Hebrews the fourth chapter. I realize this particular passage,
there's a good bit of controversy among good men, about whether
this is talking about the written word or the person of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and certainly it is applicable to the written
word of God. The written word of God, blessed
by the Spirit of God, is a living, powerful word to men. But in
the context, the context is talking about a person. And notice what
he says in Hebrews 4 verse 12. The word of God is quick, that
is living. and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Now continue reading
in verse 13, "...neither is there any creature that is not made
manifest, or that is not manifest in his sight." Do you see that? So verse 12 is talking about
Christ, the person who is the Word of God. And all creatures
are manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and opened
unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. I look in 2 Peter
chapter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 5. The apostle is talking about
skeptics. And he says in verse five, for this they willingly
are ignorant of, that by the word of God. How do you know
that's talking about Christ, the living word? Because the
word of God, the world was not created by this written word.
And because John told us that the word of God is the one by
whom all things were made. So Peter says, by the word of
God, the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of
the water and in the water. All right, look in First John,
Chapter 1. First John, Chapter 1. That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which
we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word
of life. For the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness and show unto you that
eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto
us. So when he talks about the word
of life, he's talking about Christ, the word of life who was with
the Father from the beginning and is now made manifest unto
us by the gospel. That which we have seen and heard
declare we unto you. that you also may have fellowship
with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with
his Son, Jesus Christ." So the plain declaration of the scripture
is that Jesus Christ, our Lord, is the Word of God. Now, some,
seeking to undermine the scriptures and the authority of them, have
suggested that the apostles got their idea concerning the eternal
logos, or the eternal word, from the writings of Plato, the Greek
philosopher. But that's not accurate at all.
The fact is, Plato got his ideas concerning the eternal word from
the Old Testament scriptures, and from the comments of the
ancient Jewish writers on the Old Testament scriptures. Turn
back to one passage in the Old Testament and look at Psalm 138
and verse 2. Psalm 138 and verse 2. Well, let's begin in verse 1.
The psalmist says, I will praise thee with my whole heart. Before
the gods will I sing praise unto thee. Now, whether he's talking
about before judicial authorities and civil magistrates who are
sometimes called gods, or whether he's talking about pagan gods
of the Gentiles, it doesn't matter. He said, before all, I'm going
to sing your praise. He says, I will worship toward
thy holy temple and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and
for thy truth, for thou hast magnified thy word above all
thy name. Now virtually all the ancient
commentaries refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, they refer
to the Messiah who is spoken of in this passage, where the
psalmist says, Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. One reason for using this name
for the Lord Jesus Christ. That is one reason why the Apostles
did so, is the fact that the ancient Jewish writers frequently
referred to the Messiah as the Word of God. So when the Apostles
were writing the New Testament, especially when they were writing
to Jewish believers, many women who had been converted out of
Judaism, they referred to the Lord Jesus as the Word of God,
because that's the way the Jews were accustomed to hearing the
Messiah referred to. But why does the Lord Jesus have
this name given him? What's the significance of the
name? Why is it that Christ is called the Word of God? Now,
I want to answer that question from the Scriptures, and I will
give you three answers. We will begin back in John, chapter
1. John, the first chapter. Let's
look at this verse of Scripture just a little more closely, perhaps,
than we have in the past. John, chapter 1, and verse 1. Here, Christ Jesus is called
the Word of God because he is the only begotten Son of God. As the Word, now listen carefully,
as the Word, whether it is spoken or whether it is silent, whether
it is expressed or whether it's not expressed, the Word which
a man has in his mind is the birth of his mind. Even so, the
word Jesus Christ is the only begotten of the Father. As the
word is the image of the mind and equal to the mind, so Christ
is the image of the invisible God, and he is in all things
equal to God the Father. This is John's doctrine here
in John chapter 1 verses 1 and 2. In the beginning was the word. Now, Understand that when the
scripture uses that term in the beginning, when it uses phrases
like, from the foundation of the world, when it uses phrases
like, avoid even from everlasting, it's using words that accommodate
our understanding of things. With God, all things are eternal.
There is no such thing as beginning with God. There is no such thing
as beginning with Christ. But to accommodate our understanding
of things, because our thinking, we have to start somewhere. John
says, in the beginning, that is, before anything was, was
the word. All right, who is this word?
He is the one who was with God. That word with means he was equal
to God. not just equal to God, but face-to-face
with God and one with God. He says, and the Word was God. Now, you'll perhaps someday have
a Jehovah Witness or Russellite come to your door, and he will
want to talk to you and have some Bible studies, and he'll
turn to John chapter 1 and verse 1, and he'll say, now, here this
passage ought to read, in the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was a God. But when he does so,
he's perverting the scripture. Not only the teaching of scripture,
but even this text of scripture. For quite literally, the reading
of this text should be, and God was the Word. So John is declaring
plainly that Jesus Christ is the only begotten of the Father
from everlasting. As there could never be a father
without a son, there could never be a son without a father, the
two persons in the Godhead, or the three persons in the Godhead,
forever existed in their glorious being, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. He says in verse two, the same
was in the beginning with God. So the apostle is telling us
that the Lord Jesus is himself the only begotten of the Father,
the express image of the Father, and that he is in all things
equal with the Father as with the Holy Spirit. And yet, as
the word and the mind are distinct from one another, so the Father
and the Son are distinct persons within the triune God here. This
is John's doctrine over in 1 John chapter 5 and verse 7. By now
you should have it memorized, but let's look at it once more.
John says there are three that bear record in heaven. The Father,
the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. So he's
telling us that the Lord Jesus Christ is himself a distinct
person from the Father, yet in all things equal with the Father,
for he is himself God, even as the Father is God. When the scriptures
declare that Christ is the word of God, they're telling us these
four things. First, he is God. Second, he's
the only begotten of the Father. Third, he is distinct as a person
from the Father. But fourth, he is one with the
Father. So John speaking in this manner
is telling us that Jesus Christ is God revealed, so much so that
he says himself He that hath seen me hath seen the Father."
Now that's an astounding statement. Turn to John chapter 14. John
chapter 14. Men and women reading the scriptures,
not being taught of the Spirit of God, are in great danger of
running into two errors with regard to the person of Christ.
There is, on the one hand, those who read the scriptures and they
read what the Bible says concerning the subordination of Christ to
the Father for the fulfilling of the covenant of grace, and
they say, there, Jesus Christ must not be God, but only a representative
of God, or a creature of God, or an emanation of God. But he
can't be called God because he serves the Father. And they fail
to understand the voluntary subordination within the persons of the Trinity
for the accomplishment of redemption. The other era is with those who
read the scriptures, and they see our Savior speaking as he
does here in John 14. He says, he that has seen me
has seen the Father. They say there's no such thing
as the Trinity. They're what we call Jesus-only people. I
recall several years ago I was invited to preach for a Presbyterian
church up in West Virginia, and much to my astonishment, especially
being a Presbyterian, the fellow got to argue with me a good bit
about Jesus-only theology. He was trying to teach that there's
no such thing as the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, but
that these three are just different names for Christ the Son. Now
listen to what our Lord says in John 14. He's talking about
going to the Father and bringing us to the Father. In verse 5,
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest,
and how can we know the way? And Jesus saith unto him, I am
the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father,
but by me. Now there's a very clear distinction
made between the persons, isn't there? Here is the one by whom
we come, and the one to whom we are coming, God the Father,
and God the Son. All right, he says in verse 7,
If you had known me, you should have known my Father also. And
from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. And Philip
saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father. That'll be enough.
Show us the Father, and this sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto
him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not
known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father. How sayest thou then, show us
the Father?" What on earth is the Lord Jesus teaching us? He's
teaching us He's the Word of God. He's telling us he is the
one, the only one, in whom, through whom, and by whom God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is revealed unto men.
You see that? He says in verse 10, Believest
thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words
that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father
that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I
am in the Father and the Father in me. All right, now secondly,
our Lord Jesus Christ is called the Word of God because he is
the living Word of whom the written Word speaks. Let's look at another
very familiar text. In Luke 24, Luke 24, our Lord
Jesus was walking with the disciples. Unknown to them, he was in their
company. They didn't know who the man
was talking to them. And he opened to them the scriptures. Now look
at what we read in Luke 24 and verse 27. And beginning at Moses,
and in all the prophets, that is going from the book of Genesis
chapter 1 verse 1, Through the book of Malachi, beginning at
Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the
scriptures the things concerning himself. In verse 44, he said
unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you while
I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which
were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the
Psalms concerning me." Now that's how the Jews, the Jewish writers
divided up the Old Testament Scriptures. They divided it up
into five books of Moses, and the Prophets, and then the books
of poetry, which would include the Psalms, the Book of Job,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. He says, beginning
at Moses, and in all the Prophets, and in the Psalms, he spoke things
concerning me. Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the Scriptures." Everything in this
book, everything, speaks of Christ. Every word, every page, every
line. Now someone may turn to a particular
passage of Scripture and point to it and say, now show me how
that speaks of Christ. I may not be able to show you,
but that nonetheless, nonetheless the Lord's words in this text
stand true. the scriptures speak of him.
And if I do not see how the scripture either speaks directly of him,
or points to him, or shows my need of him, I do not yet understand
the scriptures. When we speak of the scriptures,
we're telling you that Jesus Christ, the Word of God, is all
the counsel of God. I was shocked, amazed, disappointed,
disgusted several years ago someone sent me a tape a fellow had preached
attacking myself and Brother Mahan particularly for our insistence
on this very thing and he was referring to Acts chapter 20
and in verse 27 where the Apostle Paul writes to or speaks to the
Ephesian elders and he says I have not shunned to declare unto you
all the counsel of God. Now this particular preacher
began to belittle and poke fun at folks preaching Christ and
Jesus crucified in the gospel all the time. And he was saying,
he made this statement in fact verbally, he said there's a whole
lot more in the Bible than Jesus Christ. No, there's nothing more
in the Bible than Jesus Christ. You say, well, how can you say
that Christ is all the counsel of God? This is what Paul says. Compare this text right here.
In verse 27, he says, I have not shunned to declare unto you
all the counsel of God. Now, do you suppose that Paul
preached the same thing everywhere he went? Or do you reckon that
he was like one of our modern preachers, who if he thought
she was a sovereign gracer, he'd preach sovereign grace when you
were around. If he thought she was a freewheeler, he'd preach free will when you
were around. Paul preached exactly the same thing, wherever he went.
And listen to what he says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and in
verse 2. He writes through the Corinthians
and describes his ministry there, which was almost as long as it
was in Ephesus. And it says to the Corinthians,
I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and
him crucified. To preach Jesus Christ crucified,
that is, to declare to men who Christ is, God and man in human
flesh. To declare what he has done,
he's redeemed his people, and how he did it, by satisfying
justice through the sacrifice of himself, and declare what
the results are. All the ramifications of his
redemptive work, that's to declare everything revealed in this book.
All the Old Testament scriptures promise Christ to come. The four
Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, those four books present
Jesus Christ as he has come. The book of Acts, all the epistles,
and the book of Revelation proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ, explaining
who he is, what he taught, and the fact that he is coming again.
What I'm saying is that the written word of God, this book here,
Blessed, blessed book it is, the holy book, the holy Bible. This book is as a golden chest
given by God from heaven, but it contains a precious jewel.
You open it up and you find the jewel, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, if you take the jewel out,
the chest is really meaningless. You understand what I'm saying?
Christ is the word. Everything in this book is about
him. Mr. Spurgeon said, if you take
Christ out of the Bible, all you have left is processed wood
and leather bindings with gold edges. And he's exactly right.
This is not a book about morality. I'm all in favor of folks promoting
morality. But most of the people I know
promoting morality have no use for Christ of whom the book speaks.
This is not a book about conservative politics. And I'm all for conservative
politics, but most of the folks I know deal with those things,
have no interest in Christ to whom this book speaks. This is
not a book about religious dogma. Though we will not back up at
all concerning those things we hold to be precious and true,
we hold them to be precious and true because they are either
reflections of or they are remembrances of Jesus Christ of whom the book
speaks. The word of God is the word about
Jesus Christ our Lord. Now cherish this book. Cherish
it. Picture if it's not a book about
morality and it's not a book about science or politics or
any of those things, why should we cherish it? Cherish it because
of the one who it presents. Cherish it because of him who
is revealed in the book. Cherish it as you find he who
is precious in this book. All right, thirdly, The Lord
Jesus Christ is called the Word of God because of the wondrous
works ascribed to him as the Word. Look at this text in Hebrews
chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12. As I said earlier,
Certainly, this passage can be applied to the written word.
It can certainly be applied to the various things concerning
the word of God as it's preached and the power of the Holy Spirit.
But directly, in its context, it's talking about a person.
You know that plainly from verse 13, where it is referred to as
a person being spoken of. Already in verse 12, the apostle
says, for the word of God is quick and powerful. sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart." So when we talk about
Christ being the Word of God, we speak of him as such, the
apostles spoke of him as such, because of the works ascribed
to him. First, he is the Word of God,
who spoke for God's elect in the Council of Peace and in the
Covenant of Grace before the world began. You're familiar
with Hebrews 10. Turn back to the passage from
which Paul quotes in Psalm 40. In the 40th Psalm, the Lord Jesus
is the one speaking, and he is speaking to God the Father. Now
these are the words that he spoke when he came into the world.
Paul says so in Hebrews 10. But they were spoken long before
he came into the world. They were spoken by him as our
surety in the everlasting covenant. He says in verse 7, Then said
I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book, the book of God's eternal
decrees, the book of the Old Testament had not yet been written.
He says in the volume of the book, it is written of me, I
delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my
heart. So, the Lord Jesus is speaking
here as our covenant surrogate, pledging himself to give himself
in obedience to the Father for the accomplishment of our everlasting
salvation, which is the will of God. So in the council chambers
of the triune God, Christ spoke for us as our shivati, agreeing
to do all his father's will for the accomplishment of our redemption.
That's the reason his blood in Hebrews 13 20 is called the blood
of the everlasting covenant. His blood is that by which the
terms and conditions of the covenant of grace laid down by God himself
in eternity were met. His blood's the blood by which
all the blessings of that covenant flow down to us. All the blessings
of Christ, all the blessings of God in Christ, are covenant
blessings. given to us in Christ Jesus before
the world began. That's the very language of Scripture.
That is, he received them upon his pledge of obedience unto
the Father in our name and in our stead. We were therefore
looked upon by God in Christ before the world was, and he
said, blessed are these people in my Son for my Son's sake. Is that not what Ephesians 1,
3 teaches? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus before the world began. Those blessings
are all covenant blessings. Let me see if I can remember
an article that I put in the bulletin for next Sunday. To
be sure you read it. You can correct me if I get it
wrong. It was written by Christmas Evans. Mr. Evans said, if I could picture
the human race and make a comparison of it, and of God's grace toward
us, is I picture a vast, vast graveyard with gaping graves
open, and dying men falling into it. And there's a huge wall surrounding
this vast graveyard, and iron gates reaching up into heaven,
and mercy stands at the gate. looking at this vast, vast, vast
graveyard, men perishing one after the other. And an angel
appears to Mercy and says, why don't you intervene for those
who are perishing? And Mercy says, I would, but
justice will not allow it. And the angel turns to justice
and says, what is it that justice demands? And it shows justice
demands satisfaction, justice demands obedience, justice demands
suffering, justice demands death. And the Lord Jesus, standing
at mercy's side, says, I'll give it. And that's the condition
of the covenant. He came here and satisfied divine
justice as the Word of God that spoke for us in eternity and
speaks to God for us now. He is the Word. by whom we have
been reconciled to God. Jesus Christ is the word by whom
all things were created and are upheld. He spoke all things into
being out of nothing. When you read in the scriptures,
when you read in the scriptures that God made the worlds by his
word. This is what it means. God made
the worlds through Jesus Christ our mediator. That's what it
means. Without him was not anything
made that was made. What I'm declaring to you is
what I've said so many times, and I hope we can get a handle
on it. Everything that God in his holiness
does, when I say God, I'm talking about God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Everything that God in his holiness
does, in time and eternity, he does through the mediation of
Christ the Word, and for Christ's sake, everything, so that God
spoke the world into existence by Christ the word. And God now
upholds the world by the word of his power, Jesus Christ, the
word of God. And the Lord God in the last
day shall judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained,
Jesus Christ, who is the word of God. The Lord Jesus, then,
is that Word by whom God operates in the world. And the Lord Jesus
Christ is the Word of God because he is the revelation of God's
being and the interpreter of his will. Look at John 1 again
and verse 18. John chapter 1 and verse 18. No man hath seen God at any time. Now underscore that, no man.
What about Adam? No, not Adam. What about Abraham? No, not Abraham. What about Enoch? No, not Enoch. What about Manoah? No, not Manoah. What about Moses? No, not Moses. No man has seen
God at any time. Well, preacher, the scriptures
speak frequently of men speaking to God, and hearing from God,
and seeing God in visions and revelations, and speak of the
angel of the Lord coming to them. The Word is what the theologians
used to call, or still call, a pre-incarnate manifestation
of Christ. That is, that it was a manifestation
of Christ, our substitute and our mediator, before he assumed
human flesh. In the beginning, then, was the
Word. the word who alone had seen God. And John says, no man
has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, which
is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Jesus Christ, then, is the singular
revelation of God. He alone makes God known. I know God reveals himself in
a sense in creation. There we see his eternal power
in Godhead. God reveals himself in a sense
in providence. In providence we see his hand
of judgment. God reveals himself in a sense
in the written word. You read this word and you can't
help but learn something about God. But the revelation of God,
known in a man's heart, it comes only when Jesus Christ is revealed
in the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. So that you
can read this book all your life. I read about one of the athletes
the other day, I forgot who it was, memorized the New Testament.
That's great, I hope he knows it. But you can memorize the
New Testament and not know what's in it. That's right. One of the
preachers when we were at school, some of you have heard of him,
Jack would come to chapel and he'd stand up and recite, recite,
recite, and he could recite from Matthew 1 through Revelation
22 and never miss a word, never miss a word, but he didn't have
the slightest idea of whom the book was speaking. Not the slightest
idea. Now I'm telling you that the
only knowledge of God is in Jesus Christ as he's revealed in you
through this word. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
singular revelation of God. He is the only one by whom we
know God, and the only one in whom we are known of God. He
reveals to us by his person and his work, especially his finished
work of redemption, telling us that God Almighty is and yet
telling us that God Almighty so delighteth in mercy that in
order to forgive sinners, he has taken his own holy son and
made him to be sin for us, satisfying justice in our stead. Moreover,
as the word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is our advocate
with the Father. The Apostle John writes to us
in 1 John 2, He says, my little children, these things write
I unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he
is the propitiation for our sins. The Lord Jesus speaks to God
on behalf of his people on this earth. Who is the one speaking? Jesus Christ the righteous. That
is, he is Jesus, the Savior. He is Christ, the anointed one
of God, the righteous, the only man in whom righteousness resides,
in whom is the very righteousness of God. Well, what does he plead
for? The non-imputation of sin. What's
the basis of his plea? He is the propitiation for our
sins. That is, he pleads with the Father
not to impute sin to us because he has satisfied justice on our
behalf by the sacrifice of himself. For whom does he plead? For whom
does he make intercession? For he says, I pray not for the
world, not for everybody, but for them also which thou hast
given me. He prays not only for these who
now believe, but for them also which shall believe on me through
their word. So he makes intercession for
his chosen people, his redeemed people, his called people, his
believing people, his tempted and tried people. He makes intercession
for his people according to the will of God. And Christ is called
the Word of God, by whom we are granted and preserved in eternal
life. Now, let's look at this passage
here in Hebrews 4 for just a minute, and I'll wrap this up. Hebrews
chapter 4. As in the old creation, so also
in the new creation. All things have their being by
Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Notice what Paul tells us concerning
Christ the Word in Hebrews 4, 12 through 16. First he tells us that he's a
living word. He's quick, alive, quiet, and powerful. This word from God is himself
the omniscient God and the omnipotent God. He's powerful. He's dividing. He pierces even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit and joints and marrow, and he's discerning,
a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. He
looks on the heart. He looks on the heart. He divides
flesh from spirit, and he discerns what we are. And he's encouraging
in verse 14, or verse 13 rather, neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and
open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. We have such a great High Priest
that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. Let us
hold fast our profession. Since Christ is the Word, God's
Word to us, and our Word before God, let's hold fast our profession. He's our great High Priest, and
he's sympathizing. For we have not an High Priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all force tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore, let us, who? Anybody who needs his grace.
Anybody who needs his help. Let us therefore, come boldly. That is, come with open heart
and open mouth to the throne of grace. Come before God the
Father. through Jesus Christ, the Word
of God, your great high priest, and come not hiding anything. Come boldly. Come speaking freely. The word does not mean to come
like on a, like better, better terms with God. That's not what
it means. It means to come with confidence as a child to his
father. Come boldly, come freely, and come speaking freely unto
the throne of grace, unto God seated upon his throne, a sovereign
dominion, knowing that his throne is a throne of grace. Come boldly
to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in the time of need. What's your need? My need is mercy and grace. I always need it, sometimes I
feel it, right now I need a double portion. He says, come boldly
to the throne of grace in your time of need, and obtain mercy
and grace in the time of need. Christ Jesus is God's exalted
word. He has exalted his word above
all his name. He is Exalted in the word of
God, this book gives him all preeminence, all glory, all magnificence. Let us then ever exalt him. Seek him as you seek to understand
the word. Look for him. Look for him. I
hope you've all been keeping up with your scripture readings.
But the last thing on this earth I want for you or for me is a
mechanical reading of the word. As you read the scriptures, we've
now come into the book of Mark. We'll be in it tomorrow, I believe
it is, or today. Today we'll be in the book of
Mark. As you come and read the word, study and seek to know
him of whom the word speaks. Ask God to show you his in the
Word. And if you see Him, you'll find
something profitable for your soul in the Word. Jesus Christ,
our Savior, this is His name, the Word of God. Amen.

Christ the Word of God

What does the Bible say about Jesus as the Word of God?

How do we know that Jesus is the Word of God?

Why is calling Jesus the Word of God important for Christians?

What does Hebrews 4:12 teach about Christ as the Word of God?

How does Scripture affirm Christ's divinity?

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Christ the Word of God

What does the Bible say about Jesus as the Word of God?

How do we know that Jesus is the Word of God?

Why is calling Jesus the Word of God important for Christians?

What does Hebrews 4:12 teach about Christ as the Word of God?

How does Scripture affirm Christ's divinity?

Sermon Transcript

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