The Fundamentals - Torrey - XXXI - Chapter 7 (Life in the word) continued

Required reading
The Fundamentals edited by R. A. Torrey (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 7 (Life in the word) by reading up to the heading 'X. A life-giving word'.

My summary
Today we continue Mauro's teaching that the word of God is alive.

We see that the Bible is living because it is a discerner of hearts: 'The power of discernment belongs only to an intelligent living being ; and the power of discernment possessed by man does not go beneath the surface of things. Yet the passage in Hebrews, already quoted (4:12), asserts that the Word of God is a "discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."'

Next we learn that the word is living because it has the unique property of adapting itself and its message to all peoples, and of speaking in all languages, tongues and dialects: 'Like a living person, the Bible has made its way into all lands, has adapted itself to all environments, entered into relations of the most intimate kind with all peoples, and has exerted upon them all its own unique influence.'

Then we hear that the Bible is living because it exhibits the characteristic of growth: 'Growth is one of the characteristics of a living being. The Word of God lodges and grows in human hearts, for there is its real lodgment, rather than in the printed page.'

What grabbed me
I loved this point about who is the real higher critic: 'It has been pointed out that the Greek word rendered "discerner" in Hebrews 4:12, means, literally "critic" (kritikos), and that this is its only occurrence in Scripture. How very significant is it that the designation "higher critics" has been assumed by that little coterie of men who claim to be able, by their own powers of literary discernment, to assign the dates of production of books and parts of books of Scripture, to detect spurious passages, alleged interpolations, and the like, and to split up books into fragments, assigning bits to one imaginary author and other bits to another; whereas as a matter of fact, it is the Bible itself that is the "Critic" of men.  This is in keeping with the subversive principles of this present evil age, wherein man is seeking to put himself in the place of God. This is "man's day." Man is now the critic of everything, and particularly of God's Word. Of that he is a "higher critic."'

One day those who have called themselves higher critics of the Word will be frightened to find out who is the real higher critic!

Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 7 (Life in the word) by reading up to the heading 'XI. The life-sustaining word'.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.