Sharing God's Word:

Jesus, teaching in the Temple, cried out, "........Ye both know Me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of Myself, but He that sent Me is true, whom ye know not" (John 7:28 ). In a list titled, "You May Be a Pharisee If...," one of the items reads this way: "You may be a Pharisee if you know the Word of God, but not the God of the Word," via Sheeptrax' by Brian Hupperts, Jan 30, 2004

What a line! "You know the Word of God, but not the God of the Word." This one deserves some thought, for the idea that some God has called- might be practicing syncretism. Practicing what Pharisees teach, has terrible implications to some Christians. After all, Jesus has some of His most serious disagreements and conflicts with the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites, blind guides, serpents, generation of vipers, read Matthew 23:13-33. Yet many follow their oral teaching.

The fact is the Bible itself puts some impressive weight on itself. That is to say, the Bible carries some weighty statements about God's word. For one example, go read Psalm 119 and see the times and ways the Psalmist refers to the law, the testimonies, the precepts, the statutes, . . the commandments, the judgments, the ordinances, and the word of God. It's impressive. "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all Your commandments. I will praise Thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned Thy righteous judgments. I will keep Your statutes: O forsake me not utterly"(Ps 119:1-8). Find time to read the rest of Psalms 119.

The Apostle Paul writes in The New Testament "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom 10:17). That is a powerful statement. There is little doubt that knowing the word of God is absolutely essential.

However, it is entirely possible to know the Word of God but miss the God of the Word! Consider John 5:39-40, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life." The people to whom Jesus spoke were thoroughly familiar with the Scriptures. They knew the word of God. But, they missed the One about whom the word spoke and taught!

It's sad to think that people conclude that an academic knowledge of the Scriptures is enough. It's tragic to know that such energy, time and effort have been put into reading, researching, studying and memorizing the word of God for the purpose of knowing the word of God, yet failing in the most important exercise of all to know the God of the word.

You cannot know God without knowing the Word, but you can know the Word with out knowing God. Don't make that mistake. Don't get caught up in some pride filled academic exercise that leaves you empty and starving for the One who can make you full. "Quench not the Spirit. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess 5:19-21). Know the word. Know God!

Church Of God, In Truth