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These were more noble than those in Thessalonica,
in that they received the word
with all readiness of mind,
and searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were so.
Acts 17:11

“The word” being the old testament. The letters of Paul, John, Peter, the description of John’s vision and the chronicling of the acts of the apostles as well as the recording of the events and sayings of Jesus life, death and resurrection had not yet been penned.

Not that they do not have tremendous value and contain the word of God. It’s just that they are the words of men inspired by God. And so are the words of many ministers in this country, but we don’t staple their sermons to the end of our bibles.

I’m still trying to work out my perspective of how the “Bible” that we all carry around really fits into the picking order in the Christian life. I used to practically worship it as though it was the “fourth” part of the trinity. I no longer do. I revere it highly and very much believe it contains the word of God, though. I just don’t believe it “is” the word of God, as in, every single word is from God. It has more humanity in its content than that. Too many recommendations from Paul where he explicitly states that what he is writing is not from God, but from Paul. Therefore, merely by the fact that those words are in the bible is solid evidence that not every word in the bible is the word of God.

It’s kinda funny. Christianity and our bible is about helping us to make our own right decisions about how to live our life and come to God. Man made religions are, in an odd way, more “precise” about it. They are more “rule books” similar to the old Jewish law.