The Word of God
- Central to every level of Lutheran theology and spirituality -- its source, its method, and its practice -- is the insight that God Himself addresses human beings through human language.
- For Lutherans, God comes from the outside; the Holy Spirit is to be found objectively. God speaks directly and effectually to us in His Word.
- The Christian's relationship to God, like all other relationships, thrives on two-way conversations - the Christian speaks to God by prayer, and God speaks to the Christian who rad His Word.
- Lutherans insist that the Bible, though written by human beings, is indeed the Word of God.
- The main difference between God's Word and merely human words, is that God -- the Holy Spirit -- promises to be at work whenever His Word is spoken. "My word that goes out from my mouth", says the Lord, "will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11).
