The Bible is Not God's Word?

Let me pose a provocative question:  What if the Bible wasn't really God's Word? 
Would you think me a heretic for even asking the question?

Well, when it comes to Divine Truth as a foundational part of what Christ's Church should be built upon, we have to take a close look at what the source of that truth is.  In reality, when there is a reference to "the Word" (as in John 1), it is indeed a reference to Jesus Himself.  So, to be precise, the Word of God is Jesus.  This has to be the starting point of any discussion about church or ministry or mission.  We are first and foremost guided by our relationship to the supernatural Savior.

Beyond this, we have more inspired writings, the holy Scriptures, that reveal that supernatural Savior to us.  More than anything else, this is what the Bible is.  It is a revelation, an unveiling, of a divine being in a format that mere mortals can begin to comprehend.  One of my new definitions of the Bible is "God taking a risk."  It is a risky endeavor to let your personality, divinity, power, holiness, judgment, etc. be expressed through the pen of man.  It is brave to allow the words of our limited language and the thoughts of our limited minds to offer us the most important snapshots of the holy and divine.  Honestly, as we all know, this method can lead to confusion and conflict about the most important thing in the world - understanding our God - who He is, what He does, when/where/how He exists.

Yet, this is what the Bible is for us - a means of revelation - a means to an end.  The end is the relationship itself, the interplay between the holy and human, between Spirit and flesh, between God and man.  It is in the intimacy of knowing and being known.  The Bible is not the prize; it is the lens by which we view and magnify the Prize!  The Bible is not the end.  It is not the goal to know the Bible.  It is the goal to know the Christ revealed through the Bible.  And often, no one misses this most basic and fundamental truth more than the religious folks!  Let's never forget Jesus' words in John 5:39-40.