I affirm that Jesus Christ is the WORD of God, which the scriptures themselves clearly declare.

This is critical to understand the meaning of the phrase, "the Word of God," as it is commonly used, and how it relates to and is distinguished from the terms, "Revelation" and "Inspiration."

Since "Revelation" and "Word of God" boils down to God revealing Himself, they can be understood to mean the same thing, (e.g., things equal to the same thing are equal to each other).

Embracing this definition, all scripture cannot necessarily be the Word of God (God revealing himself, or Revelation). While I do embrace the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Autographs, I do not embrace the notion that every word in the Autographs is Revelation.

Most, especially evangelicals, use the word, "Bible," and "Word of God," synonymously. It is this writer's view that this construct is misguided. It is of interest to note that the Bible itself nowhere declares itself the be "The Word of God." The scriptures use this phrase many time to refer to the spoken word, but never to the written word, and obviously not to the compendium of books we identify as the "Bible," today.

For those who hold to the notion that those who "canonized" the books of scripture were themselves inspired in the same sense that the biblical writers were inspired, it is critical to note that there exists no evidence at all that this is true.

It is clear that the reference in Hebrews 4:12-13 is not applicable to the written scriptures, but to Jesus Christ himself.

Inspiration (God-breathed or supervised) cannot be identified as, nor is it the same as Revelation. Inspiration concerns itself with the accuracy of what is written, (facts, history, revelation). Inspiration is unrelated to the meaning of what is said. Inspiration declares that everything that is written in the original Autographs, are, in themselves, the facts as written. Facts and history are not necessarily, Revelation. Inspiration guarantees the accuracy of all of it, including Revelation.

Revelation concerns God revealing Himself, as in certain biblical passages and in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. The "Word of God" then, can only concern God revealing Himself; in other words, "Revelation." Where Revelation occurs within the pages of the Bible, it is without question, the "Word of God."

This earnestly begs the question then, How does one know when he is reading the Word of God (Revelation) in the Bible, and when he is not? How is one to distinguish Revelation when reading biblical history and facts? This is a critical question.

Those who might take issue with the analysis above might object, "The deciding factor then, must be of our own making. If we believe it to be the Word of God, then it is. If we do not, then it is not. We are the decision makers, not the definitive Word of God (the Bible)."

Just to be clear: No one wants confusion with biblical teaching. Especially me.

One understands what is and is not the Word of God by adhering to the Primal Hermeneutic of Jesus Christ himself. Anything in the scriptures that is contradictory to or inconsistent with the character and teachings of Jesus, cannot be the "Word of God," since Jesus is himself, the WORD of God. He came to reveal the Father, and it is only through him that we can begin to comprehend God as our Father. He, along with accommodating and relevant biblical passages, both Old and New Testament, is the "Word of God."