I too think of the Bible as the living word.  Alive, changing and growing to meet different circumstances in different times.  Vibrant.  With-it.  Full of life.

Sure, the Bible is a living word, but so is a lot of other divinely inspired poetry and prose. What is special about the Bible, though, is that it presents the history of our Judeo/Christian culture and faith. To history buffs like me it allows live and fascinating glimpes into an ancient past.

But I wouldn't go as far as calling it The Living Word, as if it were the only one.

Hello crazyheart.....God bless you...

I do believe the Word is Living .....when you put these words upon your heart and become them...they are for sure living in us as Christ's Mind...love, peace, patience, wisdom, knowledge, security, purpose, happiness, healing, joy, dreams, visions....

All Living ...All Knowing....All Loving God ...Gives us the Divine Words...

Sometimes it seems to simple to be True...

IJL:bg

The bible IS the LIVING word of the LIVING GOD.

The bible also says that the letter killeth  

2Co 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.  

The apostle John starts his epistle with...the word became flesh and dwelt among us...so in reality the word of GOD is JESUS CHRIST, and he is come in the flesh and he is living in me and he gives me life,,what unspeakable joy and glory.LET ALL THAT HAS LIFE WORSHIP HIM, FOR HE IS WORTHY...

JESUS IS ALIVE AND WELL TODAY..SITTING ON THE FATHERS RIGHT HAND AND REIGHNING, BY HIS SPIRIT WHICH HE HAS GIVEN TO ...ME...AND ALL THAT BELONG TO HIM.

 YOU CAN BECOME A SON OF GOD TO, BELIEVE IN THE LIVING WORD OF GOD.

 HE IS RISEN, HE IS COMING BACK, HALELUJAH ...HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, HE IS THE GREAT ..I AM.. COME LORD JESUS.

I'm already a son of God, but thank you for your concern.

I never said that I was concerned about you!

Hi CrazyH. I've been away for a while obviously. Good to see that you're still keeping people on their toes, asking the good questions.

So what the heck, I might as well make my return by being as contrary as ever.

I note that you stop at "Living Word" and don't include "of God" which is what most conservative/evangelicals would infer. I do agree with the sentiments expressed that the Bible and other sacred texts can  be living sources of faith if let them. But...

     the moment we try to make Paul's ramblings to the church in Rome or Corinth or Peter's notes or John of Patmos' mushroom visions into the transcriptions of God's "Words", we're in deep doo doo territory. 

Be Well

David

For me, living word means much and not so much, depending on what context it is in and when. The definition we have of the word "living" and the ancient meaning may be different. Meanings of words even evolve.

Like in Jesus and the Samaritan woman and living water, what does "living" mean? I hope, we are not talking about "full of life" water or they better shock treat that well.   I have had "strong" water a few times, but only by adding something to the water.

But maybe in John 1:3 where it says and says "in him was life, and that life was the light"... Maybe Word of Light...

The whole Jesus is Word and Word is Jesus thing does not work for me. Unless, light is what it means, as I do see Jesus as a light to the world.

I cannot and do not disparage the beliefs of Jews who also had and have "Living Word" that does not imply Jesus. Jews constantly talk about the Living Word of a Living God.

I grew up with "chai" (not tea, the Hebrew word for life or living) you see it alot on Jewish jewelry. I wear it on a Star of David. Many times I heard the Jewish toast, "l'chayim!" (to life!)

John's "the word became flesh" shocked Jews. Why? Jews don't put God in much of a form, let alone, flesh. They don't even use too many terms to describe God. The more immense you believe God to be the less words at your disposal that can relate or convey what is too large to even fathom.

Yet, for me, "word became flesh" implies something that Paul saw and that John saw. For me, it if I try to see what they saw, I am led to a God so big I can't even imagine it, that words like "saw God" or words that imply body or form or scope or size...anything that tries to contain something too amazing to be contained by silly human sounds and scratchings, far too full for words....and that too the fullness of God can live in a person who walked among us, who looked like we do, who ate, drank, slept like we do, who others could see it in... l'chayim!

The known and unknown, near and far, the distance and the closeness, the inner and the outer, the unknown and the familiar...the vastness, the intricacy, the subtleness, the magnitude, the intimacy, the familiarity, the mystery...  l'chayim!

Why not? 

I see the bible as one of many possible sources of wisdom.  I see it not as a guide so much as a reference.  The living aspect is what I do with the wisdom contained therein...cms

Apparently your grasp of the concept of sarcasm is as sound as your grasp of the concept of "truth".

Hi Stevie: Thanks for this.

Chai tea will never be the same again.

I'chayim!

Stevie

I am in complete agreement about the use of words for the Divine.

Shalom

Mate