SECTION TWO: 
THE WORD OF GOD

In this second section of the Catechism, we will examine Articles 5-6 of our Statement of Faith in the Discipline. These 2 Articles address the Word of God and how God reveals Himself to His creation. From the outset, one of the primary things to keep in mind is that our doctrines of the Word of God are intended to show how the Judeo-Christian texts, most commonly referred to as the Old and New Testaments, are both the writings of humans about God and their relationship with Him, while also being the revealed words of God inspired by the Holy Spirit. In this way, the Holy Scripture itself is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ incarnation, for in the writing of the text, the divine and the human meet, neither one superseding the other, but rather cooperating in a way that enhances both.

This unique synergy of revelation and relationship distinguishes the Christian bible from all other religious texts, focusing primarily on telling the story of God and His People rather than outlining a list of rules for religious observance. This, of course, creates a measure of difficulty, because a cursory reading will often lead to the assumption of contradictions that are not, in fact, there. Thus, we teach that proper study requires a commitment to a Holy Spirit-guided process of considering the Holy Scriptures in their historic, literary, and grammatical contexts, as we investigate, meditate on, and apply them to our lives