There have been those who have charged that the Bible is nothing more than a dead letter, that it is devoid of any power to persuade or convict, that it is lifeless. Many assert that the Scriptures are meaningless without an operation of God upon the Word or upon the student of the Word to animate it and make it come alive. There is much said about the way that the Spirit of God is moving among people or helping to enlighten them in their understanding of the Word of God. Are these allegations true? Is it the case that the Word of God, the Bible, is nothing more than a dead letter, and that God has to act upon it in some mysterious (even miraculous) way in order for His Word to speak to us today?
What is being missed in this discussion is the fact that God has already acted upon His Word to make it living and active. Paul reminded Timothy that, “All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The word translated “inspiration” is from a compound Greek word that means “God-breathed.” That is, the Word of God comes from the very mouth or breath of God. The breath of God caused the inanimate, clay-fashioned body of man to become a living, breathing soul (Genesis 2:7). The Almighty gave life to man and life to His Word in the same way: He breathed life into them both! God, by means of the Holy Spirit, gave life to His revealed will for man. Peter recorded, “For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spoke from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The Holy Spirit is responsible for delivering the precious Word of God to man! He carried these inspired writers along as they penned the Word for posterity. It is, after all, “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). No word from God, Christ or the Holy Spirit is ever without life! Jesus stated, “It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Shouldn’t we expect that the Word would deliver a living, active, soul-saving message from the Father?
Those who were charged with faithfully recording the Word of God were guided to write about the power of God’s revealed will. The Spirit Himself was using the hands of inspired men to point souls to God through the message of the Gospel. He put power in the message so that men might be saved by hearing it and obeying it. These inspired penmen would never have charged that the Word of God lacked power or that it was a dead letter. Quite to the contrary! James wrote, “Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). Paul understood that the Gospel message was powerful: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16). He understood that the power in the message was put there by a living God! The writer of Hebrews was also cognizant of the power of Scripture: “For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is very much alive! The Spirit of God acted upon the Word when He carried along those inspired writers. The Word of life comes from the source of life. It will always have life within it, for the living God Who gave it shall never die.
