"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with
God in the beginning...The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who comes from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:1-2, 14

I start out with this to make a point. We talk of worshiping God versus worshipping the Bible, but we forget one of the titles the Bible wears. It is called the Word of God. And from the above text we know that Jesus was the Word of God made flesh. Should we worship the Word? Absolutely! Without Him we would be lost.

Let us look at it from this angle. The Bible is a book. I do not intend for anyone to place a book on a pedestal and worship it. But we need to be careful. By attempting to avoid idolatry in one vein, we miss out on the divine revelation of scripture in the other.

And think of it this way. Do you not realize that there is a correlation between Genesis 1 and John 1? Both start with, "In the beginning..." What happened in the beginning? God spoke creation into being. He spoke. That is important to remember.

We find elsewhere in Scripture that all things were made through Christ. In fact John 1:3 says, "Through Him (that is the Word, or Jesus) all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made." What does this tell us? God spoke creation into being, and Christ was the catalyst.

Also, if the Bible is God's Word to men, then Christ is the catalyst of those words. He is what God has said made flesh. As made clear in John 1, the Word of God is Jesus Christ. How can we not have reverence for it?

And what is the purpose of the Word? It is to bring us into the knowledge of God. Ultimately, ever piece of it was written to point us to Christ, and how we may be reconciled to God through Him.

Should we worship the Bible, as a book, in place of God? Certainly not! But we absolutely should hold it in reverence, hold to its teaching. Think of how the psalmists extol the Word of God.

David said in Psalm 1 that a man who delights in the law of the Lord is blessed. In fact, he said that a man who keeps it forefront in his thoughts day and night would always prosper, even in harsh conditions. He also teaches us throughout Psalm 119 that to hold the Word in its proper perspective leads us to truer worship of the Lord. And what is that proper perspective?

Here is a smidgen of it. Psalm 119:9-16

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

I do not think it can be any better said than that.

Learn more about this author, J. D. Campbell.
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