Holy Writ

Holy Writ

This may sound very strange to many of you, I know it did to me at first, but if you will bear with me I will try to explain what I am seeing.

This life is a spiritual journey. For the follower of Christ Jesus, our salvation is when the seed of new life is sown in our hearts. “Old things are passed away, all things become new” is how Paul described it. We are called to live by the Spirit and not the Flesh. Only problem is, few have understanding of what it means to live by the Spirit. Therefore we settle for keeping the doctrines and commandments of men, giving of our time and finances to support the local ‘ministry’ in a sincere attempt to fulfill Jesus’ commandments to ‘follow him.’

Then there is the growing up in Christ, to become full stature sons and daughters. All of these things are subjects that could be delved into in great depth. Living by the Spirit and growing up in Christ are critical requirements to the Christian, especially in these last days. What I feel led to address has to do with ‘Scripture,’ and how we use it, and misuse it.

Paul stated in 2 Timothy 3:16 “Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action):”

The continuation of his thought is verse 17, “So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Scripture here is: G1124; a document, that is, holy Writ (or its contents or a statement in it): - scripture; taken from G1125; A primary verb; to “grave”, especially to write; figuratively to describe: - describe, write (-ing, -ten).

Paul was speaking to Timothy in a letter, describing the purpose of the scriptures. I seriously doubt that he had the foreknowledge that his letters would be preserved down through the centuries and compiled with the writings they already had at that time, written by other men moved by the unction of the same Holy Spirit, in what we know today as the Holy Bible. He was simply sharing from his heart as the Spirit moved him to share. What makes the words ‘Holy’ is the Spirit behind the Words.

We have the very same Spirit abiding in our hearts today. And I believe that He would have us know that it is His desire to speak to others today, just as He spoke through the writers of the Holy Bible. Some of us would be hard pressed to answer if we could not ‘quote scripture.’ And that is the problem. After 2000 years of translating, interpreting and denominationalizing the Holy Writ, man has pretty much made the Bible say whatever they so desired. We may believe that we are responding in the proper manner when we quote scripture to an enquiring individual. We anticipate that it will mean to them what it means to us, which is seldom if ever the case.

Paul is an excellent example, since he wrote the majority of the New Testament, and there is a good chance that what we quote will be something he wrote in one of his Epistles. We would do well to remember that he was not quoting anyone. He oftentimes referenced the writings of the Old Testament Prophets, as he was well-versed in them according to his religious training prior to his encounter with the Living Christ on the Damascus Road. Yet what he shared was in the now. It was new and fresh, alive. Because that is what Jesus was to him. ALIVE! And he spoke under the unction of the Holy Spirit… describing spiritual things, from his own personal experience and revelation.

As born again followers of Christ, we are called to do the same thing. Speaking only when and how the Spirit leads us to speak. It is unfortunate that many today think that because they can quote scripture line and verse, they are somehow more spiritual and knowledgeable than others. They fail to take into account that demons and Satan himself can quote scripture as well. It started in the Garden when the serpent stated, “Yea, hath God said.” Every false doctrine flourishing today can show you from the Bible how their teaching is ‘Scriptural.’
It is the Spirit behind the words makes all the difference. Down through the ages, men have used the Scriptures to subjugate and control others, while utterly failing to comprehend the spiritual mysteries they contain. Jesus is the Word Made Flesh. He didn’t just talk religiously, He lived it. Paul lived it. And we are called to live it as well.

In all the years it had never occurred to me before that it is the Spirit and not simply the words. I had never realized the depth of LIFE we must walk in. Believers throw scripture around like its some kind of magic talisman. Especially in this generation, with the ‘name it, claim it’ teachings of recent years. We have all seen Ministers screaming scripture at the top of their lungs, commanding something to happen. Compare their theatrics with men of old like Smith Wigglesworth. He ‘walked’ in such an anointing of the Spirit of God that many times he didn’t even have to speak a word, and people at a distance would fall to their knees weeping in repentance from the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.

In Christianity we have thousands of denominations all divided one from another by differences in interpretation of scripture and application of same. This is to our shame. Our best and brightest is no match for the revelation only the Spirit can give. When the light goes on and we see for the first time , by the Spirit, we can only stand back in awe at how blind we were and how amazing God is.

I am realizing that the life I am seeking is not found solely in the Scriptures, as the words are but the vehicle. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” God sent His Word to man, to do the work in us that Paul stated above… “and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action): So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

If there were some magic power in the words themselves, then all of the wolves uttering them would be making a greater impact on the world at large. If we just had to memorize and recite the right combination of words to overcome the enemy, then Jesus need not have paid the price for our redemption back to God. Demons do not tremble because a man or woman has the right words. Demons only tremble because of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit within a servant of the cross.

Do not mistakenly assume that I am minimizing the importance, the necessity even that we meditate on and study the Holy Bible. What I am trying to convey is that just as “Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration)” … so are the words God is speaking today, in this hour, when they are inspired by the same Holy Spirit of God. Jesus said in John 15:15 “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

God is still speaking today! May we be in such close relationship with HIM, that we will have the ears to hear and the eyes to see, and the heart to obey… that we may be counted among His friends. We are entering into the climax of the ages. There has never been a day or hour like this before. I see no difference in using and misusing God’s Word to us, be it old or new. Always remember, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” 2 Corinthians 4:7.

Amen & Amen

Cathy Morris
4/16/2010