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NASB | Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ. |
Bible Question:
Can we say that the word of Christ enables us to hear and hearing enables our faith? (The word of Christ demands a response? 1 Peter 4:5,6; Romans 14:12) What then is the "word of Christ"? Might it be that Jesus is God? (John 1:1-2;14) I'm also considering these references: Mt 4:4; Heb 1:2; Mt 7:24; and Col 3:16. Any input would be appreciated. |
Bible Answer: Hi Mommapbs, If you are wondering whether the "word" of Christ should be capitalized because it is speaking of Christ, I would say "No." We hear the message of the gospel, and all the things of God are upheld by the word of His power; Hebrews 1:3 that you referenced. Matthew 7:24 and Colossians 3:16 that you referenced are also speaking of the word(s) of Christ. By keeping them in the lower case we in no way take away the spiritual power in the message. But the spirit blows where it wishes and the message comes from above. John 3:8. 1 Peter 4:6 gives us the idea that the gospel message should be presented to us as people of flesh but received by us so that we live in the spirit. In my past studies I have had penciled in a capital Spirit to be consistent with verses like Romans 8:9 which speaks of the Spirit of God dwelling in us. However, I have come to recognize that the spirit and the Spirit can be interpreted in the same verse. For instance, my interpretation for Romans 8:9 is, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." Again, that is how I pesonally see it. Similarly, look at 1 Corinthians 6:17, "But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit [with Him]." Or, as the NKJ says "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." 1) The message of the Scriptures is certainly that Jesus is God. However, Jesus came to glorify His Father. Jesus is glorified in His words, which is the word of God, but also are those of the Son and the Holy Spirit. 2) Jesus is found not only in the words, but we must confess that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 3) Here is my interpretation of 1 Corinthians 2:12 which I think is applicable in thinking of these things. For what is worth: "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the *spirit which is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words." Again, that is the way I see it. So, "What then is the word of Christ?" It is the spirit of Christ; it is the mind of Christ, it is the words of Christ. Be aware that the ALL CAPS in the NASB for 1 Corinthians 2:16 shows that it is an Old Testament quote and that the "he will instruct" is in lower case. We, even as spiritual people, do not know the mind of the Lord that we should instruct Him, but we have the mind of Christ. We have the words of Christ. From the heart, Ray |