Absolutely! Every Word of God – the entire Bible as we have it today – is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So why make some of it red and the rest in black.
Jesus says:
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. ~ John 6:63 NASB
Jesus says of His own words, they are “Spirit and are Life.” Jesus is the “Word made flesh” (John 1:14) God spoke the Word (Jesus) and created all things. There is no more powerful force in the universe that the Word of Jesus.
If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing… ~ 1 Timothy 6:3,4 NASB
Paul tells us that all doctrine must line up with the teachings of Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate plumb line. We must judge all doctrine and all our theology against the life and words of Jesus. It is a big mistake to take the words of Paul and allow your interpretation of them to “trump” the words of Jesus. This goes for the Old Testament as well. For instance, if you take the example of the life of Job and superimpose it over the life of Jesus, and explain away the words of Jesus based on the life of Job, you are misunderstanding.
Paul also tells us:
…attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” ~ Colossians 2:2b,3 NASB
Here we see that true wealth and treasure is all hidden in Christ. Hebrews 1:1-4 tells us that Jesus is the express image of God, so if we want to see what God is really like, we should not dig around in the Old Testament, but rather look at the clear image of God – Jesus.
This blog, “Another Red Letter Day,” will focus predominately on the red letters – Jesus’ own words – and hopefully encourage and challenge the reading community to move closer to Him, and conform more fully to His likeness. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds, so unlocking these words of Jesus can only result in our conforming to His likeness, line by line, precept by precept.
Thanks for reading!
Ben
Related Articles: Words of Jesus – The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock
Thanks for sharing…:)
Thank you!
🙂
Enjoyed perusing your blog. Thank you for stopping by mine. Blessings!
Hi Ben! Just wanted to stop by and say a big “THANK YOU” for liking my recent post and stopping by our blog. It’s always a joy to find another new “star” in the world of Christian bloggers. Be blessed and continue to seek out that better understanding of the truth.
God bless,
Ma Chris
Ben,
As I was reading, I wasn’t sure what you meant in a few places:
“It is a big mistake to take the words of Paul and allow your interpretation of them to “trump” the words of Jesus.”
Are you saying that Paul’s epistles are not inspired? If they are inspired, do you think he can contradict Jesus? If he can’t contradict Jesus, aren’t the words of Paul qualitatively the same as the words of Christ?
And I love focusing on the words of Christ, by the way.
Hey Seth,
Great questions!
I absolutely believe Paul’s writings are just as inspired as Jesus, but I have heard, many times, people use the things Paul says as if they somehow negate what Jesus taught.
I think we need to read it all, and when we find seeming contradictions, we must press in, until the Lord opens our eyes.
Paul in some cases builds on what Jesus taught and demonstrated.
Jesus is the Word made flesh, and express image of God. If we are seeing something in Pauls teaching that you can’t picture in Jesus life, you might need to rethink what you think Paul said.
I hope that helps clear up what i was trying to express.
Thanks for stopping by.
Ben
Thanks for your reply, Ben.
I can see your perspective, since I too have experienced some people pitting one Biblical author against another. However, in my interaction, they’ve used Jesus to counteract Paul! (ie. New Perspective on Paul; emphasis on “social justice” viz a viz churchplanting; Paul’s position on homosexuality; etc.)
And I’m not saying you’re doing that. Just that I’ve been involved with others who have.
Yep – for sure you can go the other way too.
Hey – thanks for stopping by, and interacting – we only grow and learn in community.
Ben, a few months ago, the Lord placed it on my heart to begin a monthly post called “Share the Love.” In this post, once a month, I feature someone’s blog, depending on who the Lord lays on my heart to share with my readers. This isn’t an award or anything, it’s just something the Lord placed in my heart to do. And for April’s “Share the Love,” He’s placed your blog on my heart. Below is a link to my “Share the Love” page, which explains it much better than I have in this little comment box. 🙂 Anyway, all I need from you is your permission to feature your blog, and a link to your favorite post, out of your many posts that you have written.
My email address is cshowers@live.org, and you can email your response to me there, so no one knows before April 1 whose blog will be featured. If you want to share why your favorite is your favorite, that would be great and I’ll include it, but if not, that’s ok too. I truly do appreciate the sound biblical teaching that you present on your blog, which is why I’d like to feature you, so that my readers who are not familiar with your blog will come and visit you.
Many blessings and much love in Christ,
Cheryl
Wow Cheryl. I am so honored. Let me ponder my favs for a bit, and i will get back to you soon.
thanks so much!
Ben
Duh! I forgot to give you the link to the Share the Love page…
http://burningfireshutinmybones.wordpress.com/share-the-love/
i tried to email you, but i see it has been rejected. I will try sending from a different email adress.
Ben
What is your email address, and I will add it to my safe list. I get so much junk mail, that my junk filter is set pretty high.
If you’re unable to get the email to me, you can find me on facebook and send me a message. 🙂
i tried with 2 addresses – ben@hellwrecker.com, and ben.nelson@pascackbible.org – i will look for you on facebook
Howdy! I’ve nominated you for the WordPress Family Award. Badge is posted on http://wp.me/p2xfel-dc and soon on my missions blog when I can get to that @ http://alifeinhishandsmissionpossible.wordpress.com/
Thanks for the card–“awful thoughty” of you. Mislaid your email address, but will keep looking through the stack of papers–mine has changed (the one on this comment should work). Tonight’s Spaghetti Night–should I serve you up a plate with garlic bread? Hope you’re not iced/snowed in–praying for you and the fam (how’s Baby Girl doin’?).
So glad to see you kiddo! The baby is growing and discovering and basically being beautiful. for email you can just you ben@anotherredletterday.com. Spaghetti sounds great but i am kind of stuffed at the moment. Perhaps i will reheat in the morning while i decide what to do with what ever snow we get.
It is a serious blessing to see you out and about. You’ve been on my mind.
Sounds like a Willie Nelson song.
No relation – i promise
Oh I didn’t think so–his song, “You were always on my mind”, just popped up on my mental juke box.
me too – it’s been running since you said the name
oh dear, sorry ’bout that.
all – good – love that one.
I never “got” what was so great about him, particularly his voice…but then, I was a Tom Jones fan (yep, go ahead and laugh).
[big grin] – I grew up loving Beatles and Monkeys – ah well
Ah yes, the Monkees–as for the Brits, I preferred the Dave Clark 5. Also I was a HUGE Paul Revere and the Raiders fan–“Fang”…..
i never got over the “Brits” – still my favs.