Do some Protestants believe that the Bible itself is also God?

[andrewstx]

I’ve never heard anyone say that the bible is God.

I have tho indirectly. In a demonination I was raised in the preacher would always quote the bible, saying “God says in book chapter and verse” coming extremely close to calling the bible God.

They also thought that anything done in church had to have direct permission from the bible to be legitimate.

So they had no music, no candles, statues or anything beyond the barest basics since the bible gave no permission for thier use.

 

[christosdavid]

and how different is it to proclaiming after the reading of scripture in the liturgy that “This is the word of the Lord”?

Who is the Lord? does this reference make the Bible Lord?

 

[Pdaniels2]

And I never asked where we got the Bible, and was never told that it came from the Catholic Church.

Protestants hate Catholics, yet half of them don’t even know who Martin Luther is - there ‘leader.’ They erase anything Catholic. I wonder if they know that Monks put the bible into versus. If they found out, they would just re-write the bible into one big story.

 

[ephesians2]

Protestants hate Catholics, yet half of them don’t even know who Martin Luther is - there ‘leader.’ They erase anything Catholic. I wonder if they know that Monks put the bible into versus. If they found out, they would just re-write the bible into one big story.

Protestants do not “hate” catholics. That statement would go against everything a true follower of Christ believes. Martin Luther is not every Protestant’s “leader”, although many have a deep respect for him. Protestants do not “erase anything Catholic”. Protestants believe in the Trinity, recite the same creeds as Roman Catholics and believe that Christ died for their sins so they could be with Him in Glory someday. I really don’t think any Protestant would attempt to “rewrite the Bible” b/c “monks” split the Bible into chapter/verse form. This post seemed more like a venting of anger towards Protestants than an actual statement of facts, but it IS a forum setting. You are allowed to vent when needed…

 

[ephesians2]

I have tho indirectly. In a demonination I was raised in the preacher would always quote the bible, saying “God says in book chapter and verse”.

Who’s book is it? Who gave the words to the men who wrote the passages? I don’t think this part of what your church practiced was incorrect. The “no music, etc…” rule kind of stinks though. You could have showed them MANY passages where we are told to praise God in song with instruments.:harp:

 

[Chuck_Finley]

Hi,

I had a question about the usage of the words "Word of God’. I had a conversation once with a former Protestant who is practicing the Catholic faith at my parish, but who is very Protestant in some of his beliefs still, because I don’t think he knows the difference between what Protestants believe and what Catholics believe. But he always talks about the Bible as the Word of God, and I think he is confusing this usage of the phrase Word of God with the usage from John chapter 1 referring to Jesus as the Word of God. Do some Protestants think that Jesus and the Bible are the same thing, both being the same “Word of God”. I wasn’t sure what to make of what he was saying. There seems to be a bit of confusion in what he was saying. How do Protestants distinguish the Bible’s authority from the authority of Jesus?

Come, Holy Ghost, and give us understanding.
Joshua

Both scripture and Jesus are referred to as the “Word of God”. That doesn’t mean Jesus is the Bible.

As for distinguishing the Bible’s authority from Jesus’ authority, when a King makes a proclamation, the proclamation carries the authority of the King.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

I think its helpful to think about it like this. Jesus is the Word of God because he spoke the very words of God. He spoke the words of God in a greater measure than any prophet ever did because he was not speaking on behalf of God, he was God

.

Jesus is the Word of God because He is the Logos (Greek, word) John1:1.

The Bible though is a book commissioned by God. The Holy Spirit influenced the human writers of Scripture to write what they wrote. Therefore, the Bible is the Word of God because it contains the thoughts and plans of God toward us. Not only does it contain actual decrees and statements made by God, its overall message and theme flows from the heart of God.

So we don’t think that the Bible = Jesus. But the Bible is authored, ultimately, by the Trinity. So the Bible doesn’t equal Jesus, but it does equal the words of God.

Who or what is your authority for these beliefs? You’re a Sola Scriptura guy or gal – as are all Protestants. Where is this in the Bible?

 

[andrewstx]

Who’s book is it? Who gave the words to the men who wrote the passages? I don’t think this part of what your church practiced was incorrect. The “no music, etc…” rule kind of stinks though. You could have showed them MANY passages where we are told to praise God in song with instruments.:harp:

The particular book being qouted is immaterial here. Lets say my preacher in my adolencess said “God said said in Acts chap 2 verse 38”.

It is still calling the bible God. I am not a fundamentalist and I do not believe that the bible is the verbatim, and litteral voice of God.

I do not believe that God wrote the bible, or dictated it word for word to human robots.

 

[GaryTaylor]

I don’t know that there is such thing as Bible only. I have heard pastors preach the Bible as the authority, yet behind there message is their Church. I have never heard not one say, just purchase a Bible, read it and your good. So the motive behind the message must be the church. No?

As they stalk the stage with a Bible in the air opened to a passage, the message of the church itself is always mentioned while focus remains on Bible. Because of course their congregation is teaching the “authentic” message of scripture. Thus their church. Course I’m not talking mainline now, but evangelical, pentacostal etc.

I have heard in fact last week that Catholics are intent on keeping the Bible out of the hands of followers of Jesus Christ.

 

[dbhost]

Joshua,

As a protestant your post caught my attention. And I pray my answer sheds some light, and some clarity on your question…

In no way, shape, or form do any mainstream denominations consider the Bible to be part of the God Head, or Holy Trinity, to that there is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Yes the verse you quote refers to Christ himself as the Word.

There is a huge difference between Christ himself, the living word of God, or for lack of a better way of phrasing it, the spokesman for God the trinity, and the Word of God as in God’s Word as is written in scripture.

The Word of God (Jesus) is the person, fully God, and fully Man. He was sent to speak as it were to mankind.

The word of God (Scripture) is the written record of what God has done, and communicated to Mankind. It is the book that records the history of Christ, from before creation.

So to sum it up. No, the Bible is not God, but a record of God.

 

[TrueLight]

In my 40 odd years of being involved in one fellowship or another…the only time I ever heard of the idea that Protestants think the Bible is God since it’'s called the word of God…is when a Catholic has made the claim that Protestants believe this.

LOL!

 

[Izdaari]

I have only ever encountered outright bibliolatry amongst KJVO cultists. And not even all of them, but only the nuttiest ones.

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

No, they do not. Are you kidding me? I think that would be like asking “Do Catholics believe that their church is God?” The bible is the final authority on earth to protestants. Now, as we know, Catholics have The Bible but also The Church as their authority. It does not mean that they believe The Church is God any more than protestants believe the Bible is God.

 

[ephesians2]

The particular book being qouted is immaterial here. Lets say my preacher in my adolencess said “God said said in Acts chap 2 verse 38”.

It is still calling the bible God. I am not a fundamentalist and I do not believe that the bible is the verbatim, and litteral voice of God.

I do not believe that God wrote the bible, or dictated it word for word to human robots.

Well, andrewstx, I DO believe God wrote the Bible THROUGH men whom He inspired through the working of the Holy Spirit. I do think it is really a matter of wording here. I do not believe the Bible is God. It is His word. And Christ is thee Word.

Also, I should clarify that the pastor of my adolescence for example would say, “In Matthew 5, verse 21, Christ says…” OR “In Romans 9, God speaks through the Apostle Paul saying…” OR “In Exodus 34, verse 10, God says…” It was always spoken in the context of who was speaking…if that makes any sense.

 

[andrewstx]

Well, andrewstx, I DO believe God wrote the Bible THROUGH men whom He inspired through the working of the Holy Spirit. I do think it is really a matter of wording here. I do not believe the Bible is God. It is His word. And Christ is thee Word.

Also, I should clarify that the pastor of my adolescence for example would say, “In Matthew 5, verse 21, Christ says…” OR “In Romans 9, God speaks through the Apostle Paul saying…” OR “In Exodus 34, verse 10, God says…” It was always spoken in the context of who was speaking…if that makes any sense.

You just had to be there to understand. This group was truly bibliolatrous, and they did worship the bible as God.

It was SOP to say anything not commanded in the bible was automatically forbidden, and it goes way beyond banning organs in church.

They did not belive in the Holy Trinity, since the word “trinity” is not in the pages of their paper and ink Idol, the very word pastor was also forbidden since the bible does not command it’s use.

It’s not enough for the bible to not forbid a belief or practice, if a thing is not explictely ordered in the bible it is forbidden.

I speak of the accapella “churches of Christ”, which is not a trivial sect. In the south and southwest they compete with the Southern Baptist chruch for first place in membership, and in many places in Tennesee, Texas, and Kentuckey the beat the bapists for 1st place in popularity.

 

[ephesians2]

You just had to be there to understand. This group was truly bibliolatrous, and they did worship the bible as God.

They did not belive in the Holy Trinity, since the word “trinity” is not in the pages of their paper and ink Idol, the very word pastor was also forbidden since the bible does not command it’s use.

Wow! They did not believe in the Trinity? The Trinity as a whole is in the scriptures. Did they call the Bible “the Bible”? The word “Bible” isn’t in the Bible either, so their logic is actually not logical at all! That is just ridiculous. Sounds like a cult more than a church. Regardless, it is sad they treat the Bible as an idol, that it IS God, but the church I grew up in did not believe the Bible was God, just His revealed words to us, written through men He chose.

 

[JustaServant]

Hi,

I had a question about the usage of the words "Word of God’. I had a conversation once with a former Protestant who is practicing the Catholic faith at my parish, but who is very Protestant in some of his beliefs still, because I don’t think he knows the difference between what Protestants believe and what Catholics believe. But he always talks about the Bible as the Word of God, and I think he is confusing this usage of the phrase Word of God with the usage from John chapter 1 referring to Jesus as the Word of God. Do some Protestants think that Jesus and the Bible are the same thing, both being the same “Word of God”. I wasn’t sure what to make of what he was saying. There seems to be a bit of confusion in what he was saying. How do Protestants distinguish the Bible’s authority from the authority of Jesus?

Come, Holy Ghost, and give us understanding.
Joshua

Believing the Bible is only authority and beleiving it is God are two different things. The only people I have encountered to come close to worshipping the Bible are KJV-only types.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Believing the Bible is only authority and believing it is God are two different things.

Xactly:thumbsup:

 

[andrewstx]

I think the problem lies in some Protestants not reallizing what Logos means.

In the first chapter of John is says “the Word is God”. so some think the bible is God. I have heard that exact argument many times from fundamentalists.

 

[JonNC]

I think the problem lies in some Protestants not reallizing what Logos means.

In the first chapter of John is says “the Word is God”. so some think the bible is God. I have heard that exact argument many times from fundamentalists.

Jon