Monday, November 12, 2018

Understanding the Word of God

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”

1 Corinthians 2:13–15

In 1799, Pierre-Francois Bouchard, a soldier in Napoleon’s army fighting in Egypt made one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history—what is now known as the Rosetta Stone. Students of history had long recognized Egyptian hieroglyphic pictures as a written record, but had been unable to decipher what they meant. The stone contained the same text in both hieroglyphics and in ancient Greek, allowing the Egyptian written language to be understood for the first time. Information that they had not previously been able to translate could now be learned.

The Bible is a perfect book, inspired by God and completely without error. Yet the truth in its pages is like a foreign language to those who do not know the Lord. They may see the words, but they cannot comprehend the truth of Scripture. Such understanding and comprehension only comes through the work of the Holy Spirit.

And even as believers, we are not meant to rely on our own intellect and understanding when it comes to handling the Word of God. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Instead we are to rely on the indwelling Spirit of God. One of His primary works in our lives is to help us understand and apply what God has given us in His Word. Of course we should study and try to learn as much as we can from the Bible, but we cannot succeed without His help.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The Bible is not grasped and understood through great intelligence, but through Divine power.

"If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing"

1 Timothy. 6:3-4