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Definition and Significance of the Word of God

The phrase "Word of God" carries significant theological weight, primarily referring to two distinct but related concepts: the Bible as divine revelation and Jesus Christ as the living embodiment of God's communication [1, 2].

In its most common usage, the "Word of God" refers to the Bible, which is understood as God's communication of his will to humanity [1]. The books of the Bible are considered God's "word" because their writers were instruments through whom God spoke [1]. This written Word is regarded as infallible, guided by the Holy Spirit, and therefore free from error in fact, doctrine, or precept [1]. All saving knowledge is believed to be derived from this written Word [1]. The Bible is also called the "word of Christ" or the "word of God" in passages like Colossians 3:16, encompassing the entire Old and New Testaments, which are inspired by God and testify about Christ [10]. The doctrines contained within the Word of God are considered to come directly from God's mouth, carrying authority and being of greater value than material wealth [14]. It is described as righteousness itself, the standard by which God's judgment will be rendered, and everlasting in its rewards and punishments [13]. Preaching "the word" involves proclaiming Christ as its substance, or the Gospel of salvation, openly and completely [12].

Beyond the written text, "the Word" (Greek: Logos) is also a title for Jesus Christ, found exclusively in the writings of John [2]. John 1:1 states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" [4]. As the Word, Christ is the revealer of God, making God known to humanity [2]. This title emphasizes Christ's divine nature, indicating that he "was in the beginning," "was God," and was the Creator of all things [2]. The essential Word of God, Christ, is understood to be the author, sum, and substance of the Gospel [8]. He is described as living, omnipotent, and omniscient, capable of discerning the secrets of individuals [8]. Matthew Henry notes that the "word of God is two-fold," encompassing both divine revelation (the Bible) and the Redeemer, the eternal Word and wisdom, Jesus Christ [9].

The concept of God's word extends to his decrees and purposes. The "decrees of God" are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, encompassing all things that have been or will be [6]. These decrees determine the certain future of events [6]. Similarly, "predestination" refers to God's plan or purpose of salvation, an eternal and unconditional decree that governs all events [7]. While these are considered "secret things" of God, the revealed Word of God serves as a guide [7].

The term "gospel" itself, derived from the Anglo-Saxon "God's spell" or "good spell," means "good news" and refers to the welcome intelligence of salvation preached by Christ and his followers [5]. This "good word of God" can refer to the Scriptures in general, which are used by God for conviction, conversion, instruction, and comfort, or specifically to the Gospel, which reveals good things and makes known truths that are pleasant and profitable [11]. The Hebrew word for "word" (dabar) can mean utterance, speech, or word, and is used to refer to the word of God as both command and promise [3].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Word of God — (Heb. 4:12, etc.). The Bible so called because the writers of its several books were God's organs in communicating his will to men. It is his "word," because he speaks to us in its sacred pages. Whatever the inspired writers here declare to be true and binding upon us, God declares to be true and binding. This word is infallible, because written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and therefore free from all error of fact or doctrine or precept. (See [670]INSPIRATION; [671]BIBLE.) All saving knowledge is obtained from the word of God. In the case of ”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Word, The — (Gr. Logos), one of the titles of our Lord, found only in the writings of John (John 1:1-14; 1 John 1:1; Rev. 19:13). As such, Christ is the revealer of God. His office is to make God known. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" (John 1:18). This title designates the divine nature of Christ. As the Word, he "was in the beginning" and "became flesh." "The Word was with God " and "was God," and was the Creator of all things (comp. Ps. 33: 6; 107:20; 119:89; 147:18; Isa. 40:8).”
  3. STEPBible TBESG “[H0565a] H0565A = (H0565A) — 1) utterance, speech, word<br>1a) word of God (command and promise)”
  4. John “John 1:1 (YLT) — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gospel — A word of Anglo-Saxon origin, and meaning "God's spell", i.e., word of God, or rather, according to others, "good spell", i.e., good news. It is the rendering of the Greek evangelion, i.e., "good message." It denotes (1) "the welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers. (2.) It was afterwards transitively applied to each of the four histories of our Lord's life, published by those who are therefore called Evangelists', writers of the history of the gospel (the evangelion). (3.) The term is often used to express collecti”
  6. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
  8. Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 4:11: For the word of God is quick and powerful,.... This is to be understood of Christ, the essential Word of God; for the Word of God was a known name of the Messiah among the Jews; See Gill on Joh 1:1 and therefore the apostle makes use of it when writing to them: and the words are introduced as a reason why care should be taken, that men fall not off from the Gospel, because Christ, the author, sum, and substance of it, is the living God, omnipotent and omniscient; for not a thing, but a person is spoken of, who is a Judge, and a critical discerner of the secrets of me”
  9. Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 8 (introduction): The word of God is two-fold, and, in both senses, is wisdom; for a word without wisdom is of little value, and wisdom without a word is of little use. Now, I. Divine revelation is the word and wisdom of God, and that pure religion and undefiled which is built upon it; and of that Solomon here speaks, recommending it to us as faithful, and well worthy of all acceptation (Pro 8:1-2). God, by it, instructs, and governs, and blesses, the children of men. II. The redeemer is the eternal Word and wisdom, the Logos. He is the Wisdom that speaks to the child”
  10. Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 3:16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you,.... The Alexandrian copy and Arabic version read, "the word of God"; by which may be meant the whole Scripture, all the writings of the Old and New Testament, which are by inspiration of God, were endited by the spirit of Christ, speak and testify of him, and were written for his sake, and on his account, and therefore may be called his word; and are what should be searched into, carefully attended to, diligently read, and frequently meditated upon; and which are able, under a divine blessing, to furnish with all spiritual wisd”
  11. Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 6:4: And have tasted the good word of God,.... Not the Lord Jesus Christ, the essential Word of God, who seems to be intended before by the heavenly gift; but rather, either the Scriptures of truth in general, which are the word of God, endited by him, and contain his mind and will; which he makes use of for conviction, conversion, instruction, and comfort; and which are preserved by him: and these are a good word; they come from him who is good; they are a revelation of good things; they make known things true, pleasant, and profitable: or else the Gospel in particular, o”
  12. 2 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Timothy 4:2: Preach the word,.... Either Christ the essential Word, who is the sum and substance of the Gospel ministry; or the word of truth and faith, the Gospel of salvation, the word of righteousness, peace, and reconciliation by Christ; which is to be preached, or published, in like manner as heralds proclaim the will of their princes; openly, publicly, and with a loud voice, without adding to it, or taking from speaking out the whole, and keeping back no part of it; and that with all courage and boldness: some copies read, "the word of God"; and the Ethiopic version, "his ”
  13. Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:142: Observe, 1. That God's word is righteousness, and it is an everlasting righteousness. It is the rule of God's judgment, and it is consonant to his counsels from eternity and will direct his sentence for eternity. The word of God will judge us, it will judge us in righteousness, and by it our everlasting state will be determined. This should possess us with a very great reverence for the word of God that it is righteousness itself, the standard of righteousness, and it is everlasting in its rewards and punishments. 2. That God's word is a law, and that law is tr”
  14. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:69: The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. The word of God, the doctrines contained in it; which, coming out of the mouth of God, and spoken by him, carries in it weight and authority, commands reverence and respect; and ought to be considered as indeed the word of God and not of man; and so of more value than thousands of pieces of gold and silver; or, as the Targum, than a thousand talents of gold and silver. The truths and doctrines of the word of God are not only comparable to gold and silver for their intrinsic worth and value; bu”
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