THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT
We have the Word. The Bible is the Word of God. For two thousand years among the human race, there has been this Word, saving us from confusion, mixture, and darkness. Without it we would have been deluded and led astray. We have this book, which we can read and understand.
We have also the Spirit. Suppose all these years we had only had the Word in letter, without the Spirit. We would have been in deadness, even though we might not have been misled.
Hallelujah! We have the Word without and the Spirit within. Both are the Lord. Whatever is organic has two aspects. As a human being, for example, we have a physical body without and a human life within. Another example would be a little seed. There is an outward shell and an inward life. You may figure that if there is life, the shell is unnecessary; but without the shell the life would be gone. If, on the other hand, you sow an empty shell into the earth, it will not grow.
The Word is the shell. Without the Spirit, it is empty. How wonderful that we have both the Word and the Spirit! Actually, the shell and the life are inseparable. If we open a seed to take out the life, there will be nothing there. Similarly, if we cut someone open to find his life, the life will be gone. Without the Spirit, the Word is lifeless. Without the Word, the Spirit is abstract and intangible. We must have both.
FINDING GOD IN THE WORD
When we come to the Word, we are not coming to the letter. We must have the deep realization that we are coming to God. We must pray, “Lord, You are here in Your Word. You are in Your Word, and You are the Word as well as the Spirit.” Where is God? Yes, He is in the third heaven. Yes, He is within us. These statements are true, but they are not solid. Solidly speaking, God is in the Word. In the Word are also life, love, and light. To receive God, Christ, the Spirit, life, light, and love, we must come to the Word. We must not turn aside from the Word and pray for something to fall upon us from the heavens; this is not the biblical way.
The biblical way is to take the Word into you. Then you will be filled. The Word is the embodiment of the Triune God, of Christ, of the Spirit, and of all the divine virtues.
THE WRONG WAY TO USE THE WORD
Christians have the Bible, but many use it only when they go to their weekly “worship service.” The rest of the time it sits on the shelf.
There are other Christians who use the Bible like a science textbook. They think they need to know Greek to understand it. They research words like logos and theos and try to figure out the real meaning. If only they had a theological education, it would be such a help! What is the result of this mental approach? “The letter killeth” (2 Cor. 3:6). This is the wrong way to touch the Word.
(Life Messages, Vol. 2 (#42-75), Chapter 4, by Witness Lee)
