GOD'S WORD

Saturday, December 17, 2011

 (The following is from Jon Walker's excellent book, IN VISIBLE FELLOWSHIP--A Contemporary View Of Bonhoeffer's Classic Work, LIFE TOGETHER.)

(Holy Scripture) is God's revealed Word for all men, for all

times. Holy Scripture does not consist of individual passages; it

is a unit and is intended to be used as such.

                                                            ---Dietrich Bonhoffer

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching

the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving 

instruction for right living, so that the person who serves

God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of

                                        good deed.

                                                                                      ---2 Timothy 3:17-17

Seeing what God has done through history and knowing what he has done for us develops our faith. In fact, Bonhoeffer says knowing what God did for Israel and what he did for us through Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, is more important than seeking what God intends for us today.

The God-adventure is a sweeping dance of redemption showing how he moves through history coordinating circumstances and events in order to bring us home to him. God's story is a tear-filled romance where he chases after those he loves, regardless of whether they love him back. It's a nail-biting drama where he launches a rescue mission for his children, who are held in captivity, and he arrives in his perfectly planned nick of time.

In God's story, his children follow him in faith, yet even the most faithful stumble and fail. But the story doesn't end there! God redeems even the worst mistakes, making all things work together for the good of those he calls his own.