Beyond Words: Experiencing God Through His Living Word

If you want to get anything out of the Bible you must approach it believing it is THE WORD OF GOD.

That is what you are seeking if you are reading the Bible, the word of God, not just another religious opinion. It is like looking into a window or a portal or something where you can get a glimpse of who God really is. It is in His Word that you will learn His character, His ways in a way that will connect with you on a level like nothing else can. It is hard to explain in words because it is only something that can be understood in your spirit. It is kind of like trying to describe love. It just can and cannot be explained all at the same time. It is absolutely essential that you get into this book that is more than a book. It is a book that will speak to you on a level that is beyond anything you can experience in any other way.

    My friend Jay Parkman, a Pastor, a teacher and student of the Word that I highly respect and benefit from puts it this way:
“I would have to say that it is essential to the health and growth of a believer to be a constant student of the Scriptures. I was going over the birth of the Church and reflected upon the fact that one of the first things the new believers did after baptism was “…continued steadfastly in the Apostle’s doctrine.” (Acts 2:42). The fact that this is listed before fellowship, communion, etc. seems to be an indication that the Holy Spirit didn’t want believers just to socialize or be entertained, He wanted them to be learning what was important all the time.
“Later on in Acts 5:18 the Apostles were put in prison for teaching about Jesus. Then they were threatened by the High Priest and the Council. The problem? “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine…” The same issue occurs in Acts 8:26-35 with Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in that knowing the Scriptures was the essential need for salvation. The same repeats all over the book of Acts (Acts 13:12, 17:19). Later it is the theme of the Epistles (Romans 6:17, 16:17, Colossians 1:23, 1 Timothy 1:3, 1:10, 4:6, 5:17, 2 Timothy 3:10, 3:16, Titus 1:9, 2 John 1:9-10, ) and finally some of the last instructions the Apostle Paul had for the next generation of believers (2 Timothy 4:2-3).
“I guess this is what I’m trying to say here: Before the churches began to split over their views, there was a commonly understood and accepted doctrine for believers that Jesus delivered to the Apostles. Historically, these were transmitted from the early fathers as well and we didn’t get off track too much until the middle of the 3rd century. For a believer to know this doctrine (and come to understand from study why other theologies do not fit) would be the best thing I think. To me, it’s like understanding the mechanics of driving and how the car goes before you get behind the wheel.
“Once a person branches out from the essential doctrine, they find themselves gravitating into a particular theology. From that theology they choose their denomination. Once they lock into that, then it’s “bye-bye” to the student of the Scriptures.”

Well put and I hope my readers will take time to look up all the scriptures Jay referenced. I did and they each have something to say that will hit home and you will benefit from.

    The Bible is a living book. It cannot be approached like any other book.

You have to open it and anticipate being drawn into an experience like you have never had before. You have to open it and be prepared for your understanding to be opened on a level you have never experienced. If you don’t approach it that way you will receive nothing from it. It will just be another tedious book to read. The Bible is the ONLY book you can experience on this level. We don’t read the Bible, it reads us! And as Jay brought out above it is the ONLY place we can get our “essential doctrine” from. People these days don’t like absolutes. We are living in a world of social and moral relativism. It is all a lie and only leads to chaos and confusion ultimately. Think about it. If there are no absolutes like the Bible then everyone can just make up the rules as they go. You think that sounds good? What if you are Hitler and you decide Jews should be wiped off the face of the Earth? See what I mean. Our justice system and morality in this country is a mess because the Bible has not been upheld as the standard in this country. The courts are nothing more than a contest of who has the best lawyer that can find the most loopholes. You have groups rallying for support because they think molesting children should be made legal. I am told that the tour of the capitol building when they get to the statue of Moses holding the Ten Commandments that people are being told he is holding the Bill of Rights.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” 2 Timothy 4:2-3

It is crazy out of control! We have got to get back to the basics. But, more than likely that isn’t going to happen in this country or in the church in general. But that should not discourage the true believer. The true church is still alive. There is a remnant left of people who know the Lord is their God. Don’t be discouraged though it seems you are standing alone. You are not alone. Hopefully you are reading this because you want to know the truth, because you do want to know and connect with the true and living God. So, read on.

    How to approach the Bible is probably one of the most important things you will ever need to know. The Bible is a living, breathing book.

How to approach the Bible is probably the most important thing you will ever need to know, next to how to pray and hear God’s voice. The Bible is a living, breathing book. It is THE Word of God. If you don’t approach it right, it won’t change you, it won’t strengthen you. James 1:22-25 speaks of how most people approach the Word of God. He says it is like looking into a mirror and seeing something that needs changing but doesn’t do anything about it. You can’t just read this book like any other book. You have to let it speak to you and then you have to do something about it. As I said earlier, you don’t just read the Bible, it reads you!

    Let me see if I can explain what is meant by the Bible being THE Word of God.

First of all, it is inspired by God. Did God tell its authors word for word what to write? No, but God made sure the human authors, using their own individual personalities and even their writing styles, composed and recorded His word without error. The Bible is His revelation to man in the words He wanted written. The Scripture is ‘God-breathed’ (2 Timothy 3:15-17). We read in Scripture that truth is an attribute of God (Jeremiah 10:10; John 1:14; 14:6; 17:3), and that God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Titus 1:2; Romans 3:3-4). The Word of God, then, is true (John 17:14,17; Psalm 119:142; 151; 160; Revelation 21:5; 22:6).

I know so many people that approach the Bible with suspicion armed with The Davinci Code as their authority.  The Davinci Code was fiction. The author, Dan Brown made it very clear that it was a work of fiction yet it seemed to take on a life of its own and suddenly so many got suspicious of the Bible thinking it could not be trusted. Extrabiblical books came out of the woodwork. Never mind that most of these books contradicting the Bible were proven to be forgeries on many occasions (See list following this article.)

How Can We Believe The Holy Bible Is Wholly True? I address this in a four part series. Just Click Here.

    Can the Holy Bible be trusted? I think it can.

Think about this. Do you not think that the almighty God who created all things is not able to protect the translation of His Word to man knowing that an entire people will be depending on an accurate word from Him that will determine where they will spend eternity? Of course He is! We have more of the original scrolls and a better understanding of the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that ever before. The King James Version has been compared to the original manuscripts more than once and found to be an accurate as possible translation to English. If a person’s goal is to disprove the Holy Bible then they are missing out on the incredible experience of hearing God speak.

Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is quick, 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.” I have heard it said all my life that the Bible is your sword. But I have news for you. It isn’t. Let me explain. It is no more than words on a page if you don’t approach it right. It is no more than words on a page if you don’t let it get deep down inside of you and speak to you in your innermost being. The devil isn’t scared of you carrying around a Bible. You can carry around the biggest family sized Bible you can get and he still isn’t scared. What scares him is when you start reading it and studying it and believing it. Then it becomes a powerful two-edged sword. David said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalms 119:11). It wasn’t until he ‘hid’ it in his heart that it had an effect. So, the written Bible in itself is not a sword. It is more like a storehouse for the swords. The swords are in there. They are sharp and powerful. But you have to draw them out. So, how do you do that?

I am no Greek scholar but there is a very important Greek word that you need to understand before we continue. That word is rhema (ῥῆμα). Rhema is the God breathed, God revealed word. The understanding derived from ‘reading between the lines’ so-to-speak. Rhema is when you are reading the Bible and it just sort of jumps out at you. It speaks directly to you in your spirit. Rhema is when it becomes a sword!

So, how do we get this Rhema? How do we really approach the Word of God? Well, first some basics. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek. The most well-known English translation was written in the 16th century, known as the King James version. It is written in the common language of the day of that time. The English language falls short in many ways. For example, we say we ‘love’ God, we ‘love’ our mother and we ‘love’ ice cream. All the same word, but expressing totally different expressions of love. In the Greek language the word for the God kind of love is Agape. Love for a friend is Phileo. Physical love is Eros. Storge means natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Thelema means the desire to do something, to be occupied, to be in prominence. My point being, you are going to have to learn to dig a little deeper than just reading Bible like any other book if you truly want to grow and understand it.  You are probably thinking I am saying you have to understand Greek. Not necessarily. In this modern day and time there are some good resources that are easy to use. One book in particular that is well worth the money is Strong’s Concordance. You can look up any word in English and it will reference you to the Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek literal meaning of the word and will give you some deeper insights into the meaning of the passage you are reading. It is also available on line for free at Click Here.

Another important thing to know about the Bible is that it is 66 books in one. Therefore, it doesn’t necessarily have to be read from front to back like other books. In fact, in my opinion, it shouldn’t be read that way. It is fine if you want to read the Bible through in a year but make that extra reading to when you really read the Bible, otherwise you are going to miss something. I tell people you are better off reading 3 or 4 verses and understanding them than to read 10 chapters and not even know what you read. So many people start in Genesis and get bogged down in the begats and Levitical law and don’t go any farther. Don’t get me wrong.  Every book of the Bible is important but you have to learn to walk before you can run. The main thing to keep in mind is the Bible is all about Jesus. The Old Testament points to Jesus coming to earth. And the New Testament fulfills Him coming to earth. The Bible tells us what that means to humankind and how to apply it to our lives and what our purpose here on earth is.

If you are new to the Bible or just want to approach it fresh and new, I recommend reading the book of John first. Here is a book written about Christ by someone that was there and was so in love with Jesus that he clinged to his side, laid his head on His chest (John 13:25) as the Bible puts it, clinging to His every word. Jesus must have thought highly of John for John often refers to himself as the disciple Jesus loved (John 13:26; 19:26; 20:2). The Gospel of John represents Jesus as an incarnation of the eternal Word, Logos is the word used in the original Greek (John 1:1-5). Then, read the other gospels, then the rest of the New Testament. Especially devour the Book of Romans. I heard someone call Romans the fifth gospel. I have to agree with them. The Book of Romans explains what the life, death and resurrection of Christ has to do with us like no other book. It explains how it applies to us as believers. Devour it. Understand it. Especially Romans 6-8. Romans 6 spells out who we are in Christ. Romans 7 talks about the struggle we have as believers, and Romans 8 tells us what to do about it. It will set you free!

In conclusion let me just say if you are going to get anything out of the Bible you cannot approach it like any other book. You must open it like someone who has just found a treasure map. You have to approach it like a thirsty man does a gushing wellspring. You have to approach it like a hungry man would approach a banquet set before him. If you are just looking for fault don’t even bother. Those swords are hidden pretty good and if you don’t even believe they are in there why waste your time? But if you truly want to hear God speak then prayerfully seek His word, desire His revelation and truth and you won’t be disappointed.

EXTRABIBLICAL BOOKS THAT PROVED TO BE FORGERIES

I think it is best to stick with the accepted Canon of the scriptures. If you do want to read some extrabiblical books do so with caution. There are many forgeries out there. The term “forgery” in the context of ancient religious texts, particularly extrabiblical ones, can be nuanced. While some texts were clearly intended to deceive by claiming false authorship or presenting fabricated events, others might be better described as “pseudepigrapha” (meaning “falsely inscribed”) where the author attributed the work to a famous historical or biblical figure, often to lend authority or honor to the content, rather than with a direct intent to defraud. However, from a modern perspective, any work claiming false authorship is considered a forgery.

Here’s a list of extrabiblical books that are widely considered to be forgeries or pseudepigraphical works:

Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (often considered forgeries due to false attribution):

• Book of Enoch (1 Enoch): Attributed to the biblical patriarch Enoch. While it provides insight into Second Temple Judaism and influenced early Christian thought, scholars agree it was not written by Enoch himself. It’s actually a collection of five distinct books, likely compiled in the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. This book was quoted from by Jude possibly lending to its legitimacy since a disciple of Christ indirectly endorsed it by quoting form it in the his epistle to the church.
• Book of Jubilees: Claims to be revealed to Moses by an angel. It retells the narratives of Genesis and the first part of Exodus, but expands on them with additional details and a different chronological system. It’s not believed to be from Moses.
• Assumption of Moses: A lost book, but fragments and references in other texts (like Jude 9) indicate it was attributed to Moses and contained his last prophecy to Joshua.
• Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs: Purports to be the last words of Jacob’s twelve sons, giving ethical exhortations and prophecies.
• Apocalypse of Baruch (2 Baruch and 3 Baruch): Attributed to Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe. These are apocalyptic texts dealing with the destruction of Jerusalem and the end times.
• Psalms of Solomon: A collection of eighteen psalms, not believed to be written by King Solomon, which reflect a Pharisaic viewpoint from the 1st century BCE.
• Martyrdom of Isaiah: Describes the martyrdom of the prophet Isaiah.
• Books of Adam and Eve (Life of Adam and Eve): Various texts that recount the lives of Adam and Eve after their expulsion from Eden.

New Testament Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha:

• Gospels of Peter, Thomas, Philip, Mary Magdalene, etc.: These are numerous gospels that appeared in the early Christian centuries, claiming to be written by various apostles or figures close to Jesus. While they offer alternative perspectives on early Christian beliefs, they are generally considered not to be authentic accounts by the named authors and often contain theological views distinct from the canonical gospels. Book of Thomas was a very elaborate forgery and was found to be a fairly contemporary forgery where the forger even stole blank pages from ancient books and created ink trying to duplicate ink of old and written out by the forger.
• Acts of Paul, Acts of Peter, Acts of John, Acts of Andrew, Acts of Thomas: These “Acts” texts recount the missionary journeys and deeds of various apostles, often with legendary or fantastical elements. They are not considered historically reliable accounts by the apostles themselves.
• Epistle to the Laodiceans: A letter supposedly from Paul, referenced in Colossians 4:16, but the existing texts bearing this name are widely considered forgeries.
• Correspondence between Paul and Seneca: A collection of letters exchanged between the apostle Paul and the Roman philosopher Seneca, which are now almost universally accepted as forgeries.
• Letter of Lentulus: A medieval forgery purporting to be a letter from a Roman official named Publius Lentulus describing Jesus’ physical appearance.
• Christ’s Letter from Heaven (and other “Letters from Jesus”): Various texts claiming to be letters written by Jesus himself, often with miraculous or apocalyptic content. These are clear forgeries.
• Apocalypse of Peter: An apocalyptic vision attributed to Peter.

Important Considerations:

• Pseudepigraphy vs. Forgery: As mentioned, the line can be debated. Some scholars argue that ancient pseudepigraphy was a common literary practice and not always intended as outright deception in the modern sense. However, for a user requesting “forgeries,” texts with falsely attributed authorship fit the description.
• Dating and Authorship: Determining the exact date and true author of these ancient texts is often a complex scholarly endeavor, relying on linguistic analysis, historical context, and comparisons with other known writings.
• Intent: The intent behind creating these texts varied. Some might have aimed to promote a particular theological viewpoint, others to fill in gaps in the canonical narratives, and some might have been outright fraudulent for personal gain or influence.

This list represents a significant portion of the extrabiblical literature that scholars have identified as not genuinely written by the individuals to whom they are attributed.

“Precious children! You have been called desolate and forsaken since the day of your conception by those who could only see darkness. So blinded they were that they could not see the flame that shone within you that I place within every life conceived whether they be conceived in love or violence; flames that are meant to be fueled and blown upon with life-giving breath so they may grow. Though your human parents blew not upon your flame for they understood not the harmony and value of life. My breath is all about you. You have but to receive it. Hear my word whispered to you that you were not forsaken; neither was the place about you desolate. Your hearts beat as one with mine. Your every breath was a prayer that I received and regarded. Your laughter was my delight. Your every tear I stored in a bottle as the most precious of ointments. I have embraced you from the start and shall forever call you my sons and daughters. Now come my children and receive the warmth of my embrace.” —From God as written by Benjamin Raven Pressley