The Eternal Word, the Living Word, and the Written Word

The Preservation of the Word of God has become a topic of controversy in many Christian circles today, even among the Baptists. Some Pastors cannot see eye to eye on this issue. Others have used this to disfellowship or cut ties from those in disagreement with them. Is that a valid reason to separate? Please consider my thoughts on this.

The Word of God is absolutely pure and eternal. As the Bible declares it is settled forever in heaven. Before the writing of the written Word, the Living and Eternal Word was already there. It is as eternal as its Author, who is God. God, being full of grace and with His desire to make Himself known to men, He planned to reveal Himself in a manner men can understand. To fulfill His divine intention, He chose the human authors and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance they put God’s Word in written form. It was completed in the span of 1500 years. This is God’s way of revealing Himself, His plan and desires to His people forever. His includes all things He wanted for us to know, relevant to our spiritual condition and to our time. It includes His divine and eternal purpose; His plan and Sovereign will; His particular desires and specific instructions for us to know, follow, and fulfill. I am sure we will know more from Him and more of His will and desires when we are with Him in glory. At this time, to provide for our daily needs, we have the complete Word of God transcribed in a written form that we can touch, read, and hear.

As the Senior Pastor of IBBC, I love God’s Word and has a complete trust on the written copy of His Word. I firmly believe that it is verbally and plenary inspired. That every thoughts God wanted to reveal to man was put into writing. That at the moment of its writing the human authors were divinely inspired and guided to effectively and graciously tell us what has been His desire for us to know for eternity. He revealed His Word in a manner man will know with the help of the Holy Spirit to understand. Everything that was written have been inspired and preserved for our use in this time of our lives to prepare us for eternity.

The Word of God is manifested or revealed in 3 ways. It was - 

1.As the Eternal Word that exist forever - Psalm 119:89

2.As the Living Word, who was from the beginning and who became flesh - John 1;1.14

3.As the Written Word in physical and temporal form, inspired and preserved by the Holy Ghost- Matthew 4:4

The Eternal Word is the Word of God that has been with Him forever. But because His desire to reveal Himself to man, He had it produced in written form to be read, be heard, and be understood by man. The Lord God knows that if He would appear before man in all His glory, it would be an experience that no man could withstand. It would be a fearful and overwhelming experience; considering man’s totally depraved condition before the Omnipotent and Holy God. 

He used human instrumentality; the human authors to transcribe His will in written form. That was the first time His will was revealed to humanity; inspired and at the same time preserved in a physical form. We must always understand that before it was put into writing, the Eternal and Living Word is ever present for all eternity. It is eternally inspired and preserved. To declare that the Word of God was only inspired and preserved during its writing is tantamount to dismissing and rejecting the Eternal presence of the Living Word. 

God was not finished after He put His eternal Word into weiting. He sent His only Begotten Son, the Living Word, to reveal in person the message of the weitten Word. None of the provisions given by the written word would have beeen proclaimed and fulfilled without the Savior having the likeness of the flesh and be offered as the Lamb of God. Through Jesus Christ, the Living Word; all His plans and promises were fulfilled. 

Moreover, the Lord Jesus Christ before He returned to glory sent the Holy Spirit as our Comforter to guide us through the written Word. He began to etch God’s Word in every believers heart to turn us into Christ-likeness. This allows the Word written in the pages of the Bible be read and seen in the lives of God’s people; where His Word is now written in their very hearts; transforming God’s people into His living epistles. 

I have this conviction; ( this is not to lessen the importance and the significance of the written Word we have today), to only magnify and glorify the Eternal and Living Word, our Immutable God and not the copy of God’s Word in written form.

Why do some people find it difficult to believe that the written Word could not be equal with the Eternal and Living Word? The written Word had a beginning when the 40 different authors were inspired. The purpose purpose and use of the weitten copy will end when faith becomes sight. Right now faith comes from listening to the preaching of the written Word. (Romans 10:17) Since it was made of temporal and physical materials it can be destroyed, burned and even corrupted. If it would be possible for every copiy of the Bible to be destroyed (I do not think it would happen); the Eternal Word would still remain forever. No one could ever take it away. 

The written word in physical form will not stay forever. It was meant to be written and preserved in a book form for men at this time; but in eternity there would no need of its presence. The Eternal and Living Word is there. We must not consider the written Word equal with the Eternal and Living Word. Otherwise, we would be worshipping it now and be guilty of Bibliolatry - the worship of the Scripture.

This reminds me of the brazen serpent that God commanded Moses to raise during the time of exodus in order to heal people from snake bite. It was used for a linited time because of a need. But the children of Israel decided to keep it until such time they begun to worship it. This made King Hezekiah destroy it. (2 Kings 18:4) The healing power was not in the brazen serpent. It was with God. No wonder God did not also allow the original weitten manuscripts to eternally exist and preserved. I would imagine if it was preserved; today, people would be worshipping it as God.

Psalm 19:7-11 KJV

[7] The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 

[8] The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 

[9] The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 

[10] More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 

[11] Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

The Eternal and Living Word stays pure, powerful, and eternally preserved in God Himself. The written word does not have the same quality and eternal attributes.  If it does, I wonder which particular copy would be in eternity? Would it be the 1611 or 1769? I do not think it is necessary for it to be eternally preserved in written form. 

Let us consider the lifw of The Lord Jesus Christ when He became a man. He remained pure and sinless when He was on earth; but His earthly tabernacle was not. His very spirit and soul stayed pure and holy. He never sinned despite the temptations. But His body of flesh got tired. He felt thirsty. He was physically and emotionally burdened that He cried. He experienced sorrow. If His human body was as perfect as His soul and spirit, He would have not experienced all the physical and emotional frailties and afflictions He suffered.

Why is it difficult for some to consider that the Bible in physical form possibly have errors from its revising, printing or copying? Why would it be so hard to accept that the physical form is not eternal? Even Jesus Christ had to shed His body of flesh and changed it so that after His resurrection He appeared in His glorious body. In fact He returned to His eternal glory! The glory that He never really lost.

It is disheartening that people have already accused me of blasphemy and a false teacher because I would rather glorify and depend on the Eternal and Living Word than the physical copy in any versions. Someone even accused me of not believing that I have the Word of God whenever I used KJB because of my stand that it is not inspired. Let me again reiterate that the pages and the physical book was not inspired. It was the writers who were inspired. But before it was written there was already the Eternal and Living Word forever present. If I err in the side of my God to magnify Him as the Eternal and Living Word, SO BE It! I would continue to stand with Him forever.

God’s Word is eternally inspired. It is also eternally preserved. I used the present tense “is” and not “was” because the Word of God is eternal. It is not only confined within the pages of the Bible. On the other hand it is also true that the human authors “were” inspired during the original writing; when the Eternal Word was first revealed in written form by these men of God.

Everytime I preach, I can confidently say I have God’s Word, not to give credit to the physical book but to the Holy Spirit, who has the Eternal Word. The Bible in written form is only powerful because of the presence and power of the Holy Ghost. That is the reason why it is powerless in the hands of the cults such as LDS and Quibuloy. 

Conclusion:

When I go to heaven, I would no longer need a copy of God’s Word in written form, because: 

1.The Word of God, through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit would then be written in my heart, not anymore in the pages of the Bible.

2.The Living Word would then be in heaven with me forever.

3.The eternal Word continues to inspire, sustain, and bless me for all eternity.

We always quote this statement that in eternity “Faith will turn into sight.” Today, faith comes from hearing and listening the written Word of God. In heaven, faith will turn into eternal reality. All God’s teachings and instructions in the written Word will all be true and real in all of our lives. 

I am looking forward with great anticipation to be in eternal Glory where I will be completely immersed and saturated in, by, and with the Eternal Word! Praise God! 

I see here another Tri-unity being revealed:

1.Heavenly Father - the Eternal Word

2.Jesus Christ - the God- Man and Living Word

3.Holy Spirit - Who caused the God’s Word to be etched in the heart of all believers forever and ever.

Matthew 24:35 KJV

[35] Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

To God be the glory!!!