Introduction
Religious studies in part involve the creation of the universe coupled with its composition. These¬ studies demonstrate a significant impact in the development of moralities of people in the society (Jonas 400). As such, different societies and regions have their own religions, which attempt to describe their creator, belief or simply their origin. In understanding creation, the issue of God is paramount.
The evident increase in knowledge and civilization of the people bases itself on either the spoken or the written word (Bin 106). Therefore, in most cases concerning religion, when one hears someone talk about the Word of God, what comes to his or her mind is only the Bible (Pruitt 360).
The word of God, as treated in the Old and New Testaments, varies depending on the interpretation of different individuals (Chung 331). However, it is crucial to note that the Word of God is not only the Bible, but also Jesus Christ himself. Nevertheless, the paper unfolds by describing the meaning of God in the New and Old Testament as the manifestation of the mind and will of God, the sacred writings of the Christian religions and the message of the Gospel of Christ.
Meaning of the Word of God
The word of God, as presented in the Old Testament, is a reflection of the character of God, the creator of the universe. Philosophically, in the Old Testament, the principle governing the universe, the source of such beliefs, principles and human interpretation about the origin of the universe rely entirely on the word of God (George 28).
Scholars have had rational argument among themselves concerning the creation of the universe and the origin of the word of God (Scott Para. 2). Therefore, matter as well as the coherent principles of the universe has their origin in the creator, God, who is the source of all actions, and creation. He is the ‘‘power of reason residing in the human soul’’ (Green 111).
For instance, in biblical Judaism, the word of God provides the creative power and medium through which God commutates with the human race. However, Hellenistic Judaism associates hypostasis with heavenly wisdom (Jonas 390). In addition, in the Saint John’s Gospel, the word of God incarnates itself in Jesus Christ whom people consider as God.
The word of God is “…a manifestation of the mind and will of God” (Bin 115). In this case, there is vivid and formidable appearance of God. Every society has had a hand in the development of their religion. The universe has also developed various religions to suit its needs aimed at increasing the understanding of the word of God (Pruitt 368).
Therefore, in the Old Testament, one can view the word of God as a package that represents the sign of the creator. As such, God is seen to have started creation process by just word of mouth (Gen.1:1-30 RSV).
He only used his hands when creating the complex human beings. Consequently, “all Christians believe that the universe was created by one sole being” (Chung 337), perceived to have been three in one. That is father, son and Holy Spirit.
This is also evident in the New Testament where john writes that, in the beginning, there was the word and the word was with him. Therefore, proves that the will of God is the word of the creator (Jonas 395).
By referring to the word of God as a message of the Gospel of Christ, the paper considers the four Gospels books in the New Testament (Pruitt 359). The books include Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All the books tell the story of Christ’s life and teachings (Scott Para. 1). Accordingly, Mary mother of Christ conceived through the Holy Spirit especially after the archangel, Gabriel who was the messenger of God had delivered a message to her (George 31).
Consequently, through the gospel books Christians get to understand how the word of God was with Jesus Christ throughout his work until resurrection. In addition, Jesus Christ stands out as a massager and the son of God in the New Testament. It still confirms that the word of God is simply a message of the gospel of Christ (Chung 333).
However, the word of God was present as early as creation, as testified by the scripture according to John 1:1, which says, “In the beginning, there was a word, the word was with God, and the word was God”.
Moreover, in the Old Testament, one comprehends the word of God as a message of the Gospel of Christ even in the story of Noah in Genesis (Scott Para. 6). The book ‘Noah and the Flood, Noah’s flood’ (Scott Para. 4) shows how the flood occurred in the time of Noah following the instructions by God to prepare an ark. During that time, people mostly indulged themselves in things that displeased God (George 30). Therefore, God brought it upon the earth because of the wickedness of human beings.
The word of God is the sacred writings of the Christian religions. However, due to the difference in theological explanations and interpretations, people have expressed the word of God differently among various denominations (Bin 122). The sacred writings provide Christians with the fundamental beliefs and principles, which are necessary for the development of moral ethics within students and persons (Pruitt 365).
The sacred writings are on ‘‘Christian Bible, Good Book, Holy Scripture, Holy Writ, Scripture, Bible and other sacred Books’’ (George 29). Since all these materials contain the word and are accessible almost everywhere, people have concluded that God planned “…to carry the Word to the heathen” (Jonas 401). People revere the writings for the worship of a divine being: God.
The word of God is in sacred writings in the Old Testament scriptures. In the Old Testament, which represents the first half of the Christian Bible, has a collection of books containing the sacred scriptures of the Israelites as well as their account as people chosen of God (Chung 329).
The deliverance of Israelites from bondage in Egypt took place chronologically. God used every means to make both the Hebrews and Egyptians understand that he is the true God (Pruitt 362). Today, people are able to read the history of the chosen people only after the narration, as recorded in the early sacred writings (Scott Para. 7).
The sacred meaning of the word of God reveals itself in the New Testament. In the New Testament that accounts for the second half of the Christian Bible, the sacred meaning of the word of God takes a fair share in the ‘‘Gospel books, Acts of the Apostles, the Pauline and other epistles, and Revelation; composed soon after Christ’s death’’ (Bin 111).
The word of God is the foundation of covenants. By making certain promises with the people, God requires positive behavior from the people in return. Therefore, preachers should choose appropriate passage from the Bible that they use as the subject of their sermon (Jonas 392). Since some of these passages especially from Revelation are so sacred, appropriate interpretation of the words is paramount before passing the information to the Christians.
The word of God is a spiritual way, directed of God, for people to follow in their journey towards eternity. Different people wrote the various books of the bible.
However, their message centers around following the way that leads to heaven. Jesus refers himself as the way. Although people cannot easily remember the name and the author of each book of the Bible, someone wrote the books at a given time in a definite place (Jonas 399).
However, individuals created some books such as the epistles of Paul created. Therefore, they can ascertain them with relative certainty. As such, ‘‘God supernaturally inspired the writers of the Bible so that they were merely mouthpieces for the Word of God’’ (Chung 340). For instance, some medieval scripts of the New Testament have extremely vital illustrations showing the apostle paying attention to God’s voice, which resonates from paradise and writing he hears (Bin 120).
This portrays the inspired apostle who only writes down the dictate of God. Therefore, the personalities of the apostle and even past situations play no role in the Bible production (Green 109). In the old testament, in Babylon, while complaining to God after the destruction of Jerusalem where the burning of the law of Moses took place , Ezra states ‘‘…I will write down everything that has happened in the world from the beginning the things written in Thy law’’ (Bin 120).
The word of God refers to God himself. Scholars have translated the name of God as ‘‘Yahweh, Jehovah’’ amongst others. However, God reveals his name for the first time in the Old Testament in the book Exodus and Psalm. Therefore, when a person reads the word of God in the bible, it is imperative to think about the perspective in which the word bases itself.
Otherwise, Jesus Christ is not God because the scripture says he is the son of God (Jonas 403). Both Jesus and God represent the word. As such, one should develop the similarity between the personified Word and the inspired Word, how they are fully human and entirely divine (Scott Para. 3).
Jesus declares, “The divine Word reveals itself in human words’’ and for this reason, the Bible, which comprise several books, is a unique book-the only book containing the word of God and authored by God himself (Green 112).
When one comprehends Scripture’s divine authorship, he or she becomes truly prepared to read the sacred page of the word of God. The New Testament also declares that ‘‘all Scriptures to be inspired —literally, God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).
The word of God reveals itself as a standard that people need to use when relating their actions and service to others. Through the word of God, people get to understand that, God has unique characteristics. God is merciful. For instance, in the old testament, by the word, God showed mercy to Adam and Eve when they disobeyed him (Bin 109). God forgave them though he moved them out of Eden (Gen.3: 1-22).
Therefore, through the power of the word of God, they realized that they have sinned simply by obeying the commands of the serpent. God provided them with clothes after realizing that they had sinned against him (Scott Para. 5). Through the word of God and his mercy, he used Moses to free the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. Notwithstanding, God forgave King David after killing Uriah and taking his wife (Chung 326).
On the other hand, in the New Testament, the word of God enables people to be relieved because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The gospel of Luke, therefore, gives us a full chronology of compassionate work of Jesus and his eventual death at the cross so that people can get salvation (Pruitt 367).
The word of God in both the New and Old Testament is the “manifestation of the sacred writings of the Christian religions” (Bin 125) and the message of the Gospel of Christ as indicated in the scriptures. By accepting the divine origin of the Scriptures, people understand the word accepting God in their lives.
People also appreciate and emulate the lives of the prophets and the apostles in the Bible. Since the death of the last Apostle, there is still revelation of the word of God because, by the power of the Holy Spirit, “Jesus Christ is still present and active in the world” (Green 110). People cannot effectively “understand the word of God without the help of the Holy Spirit” (Chung 339) who inspired it.
Therefore, by the word, Jesus Christ established a covenant with the people in his blood. This covenant shows the relationship between God and His people.
Works Cited
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Green, Yosef. The mystery, meaning and disappearance of the tekhelet. Jewish bible Quarterly 2.39 (2011): 108-114.
Jonas, Adeline. ‘Word of god’ and ‘spirit of god’ in Christian and Islamic Christology: a Starting point for interreligious dialogue? Islam & Christian-Muslim relations 4. 20 (2009): 389-407.
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