When the Church Worships the Bible instead of Holy Spirit

When the Church Worships the Bible Instead of Holy Spirit 

I'll never forget my first five years as a Christian. I was hungry for God, diving deep into Scripture at a church that offered incredible Bible classes—better than seminary, honestly. But there was a disconnect that frustrated me to my core. 

These wonderful, well-meaning people taught that God stopped speaking when the canon was closed. Everything you need is in the Bible, they said. If God's still speaking, He's just repeating Himself. 

The problem? I was reading about a God who spoke from Genesis to Revelation, while being told He'd gone silent. 

The Danger of Replacing the Author with His Letter 

Without realizing it, my church had begun worshiping the Father, the Son, and the Holy Bible instead of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. They meant well—they were honoring God's Word. But they were unwittingly making the Bible an idol that replaced its Author. 

Think about it: if God only speaks through written Scripture, what kind of Father would He be? Imagine a dad telling his child, "I wrote you this book. If you need counsel or want to visit with me, don't bother me—just read the book because I'm done speaking with you." 

Would that be a good father? Our Heavenly Father is the perfect Father. 

The Irony No One Talks About 

Here's what struck me: if the Bible were truly the only way God could speak, how did humans know which books to include in the canon? The Bible itself doesn't tell us that. Those early church leaders had to rely on God's voice to put His book together. 

And consider this—the printing press wasn't invented until 1440 AD. Before that, only a few priests could read, and they had access to just a few precious scrolls. If God only spoke through written Word, the vast majority of human history would have missed out on hearing from Him entirely. 

We live in an incredibly blessed generation with access to multiple translations and high literacy rates. But limiting God's voice to only written Scripture is like putting blinders on our eyes and a muzzle on His mouth. 

Jesus: Perfect Theology 

One phrase that changed everything for me came from Bill Johnson: "Jesus is perfect theology." If you're confused about something, run it through the life and words of Christ, and it will bring clarity. 

Did Jesus only look to the Scriptures? Or did He have to listen for the Father's voice Himself? As a human, Jesus said, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, only what He sees the Father do" (John 5:19). He had to hear and see what the Father was saying and doing in real time. 

If Jesus—fully God yet fully human—needed to hear the Father's voice daily, how much more do we? 

When Scripture Reveals Our Heart 

The Bible is written in such a way that it reveals our heart. Want to make a case for polygamy? You could find biblical characters who were polygamists and God never corrected them. But if you're seeking God's heart—not just trying to prove a point—you'll discover His original design: one man, one woman, for life. 

This is why we must come to Scripture with humility, asking "What is Your heart on this matter?" rather than proof-texting to win arguments. 

The Living Word vs. Written Word 

The Bible calls Jesus "the Word" (John 1:1,14). It was Jesus—not the Bible—who became flesh and dwelt among us. The written Word reveals Him and connects us to Him, but it never replaces Him. 

When Jesus fought temptation in the wilderness, He quoted Scripture that says we live "by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"—not "preceded." Even while using past Scripture, He was making the case that God still speaks in the present tense. 

Finding Our Way Back 

God is speaking. He's alive, and He wants intimate relationship with His children. The question isn't whether He's communicating—it's whether we have ears to hear. 

Scripture doesn't teach that God stopped speaking. It never claims to be all-inclusive or to replace relationship with the living God. Instead, it consistently points us toward the One who spoke it into existence and continues to speak today. 

The most repeated phrase in the New Testament is "for those who have ears to hear, let them hear." 

Lord, let us have ears to hear. 

This topic is explored in depth in my course "Honoring God's Voice," where we dive into the practical aspects of recognizing and responding to God's communication in daily life. 

Blessings, 
Susan Dewbrew