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Bible Will I Find: The Teaching About Direct Help From The Holy Spirit? By: Gary Colley
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Bible Will I Find: The Teaching About Direct Help From The Holy Spirit? By: Gary Colley
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Though the Bible commands us to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15), few today seem to reading the Bible and applying it. The Bible also teaches that we are not to be "unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:17). Paul wrote about Timothy, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (II Timothy 3:15). Yet today there are some who want direct intervention and help in understanding the Scriptures. Some even state that the Holy Spirit directly enlightens them as they read the text of the Word of God. It is true that Peter spoke of some of Paul's writings as being "hard to be understood, which they are that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction" (II Peter 3:16), but PETER SAYS NOTHING ABOUT AN INFALLIBLE HELPER OR INTERPRETER THAT WE MUST HAVE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES. It is not to suggest that "we should go to the church for an official interpretation," nor does Peter even intimate that either he, or anyone else were authorized to interpret or enlighten people as to what these teachings meant for folks in the church! Peter, though being inspired himself, did not undertake the work of expounding on the difficulty that he mentions in the writings of Paul. What then makes the so-called "Pope" or other mere mortals today think that we can do any such work? The truth of the matter is, no one ever approached the Sacred Scriptures with an humble, honest, teachable heart, who did not find the Scriptures themselves enlightening and able to make one "wise unto salvation" (II Timothy 3:15). It is only the "unlearned", those without competent knowledge, and "unstable", those with no settled principles or views, who twist the Scriptures instead of understanding them who have a problem. These are unstable souls, who embrace one view today and another view tomorrow on a single passage of Scripture! Paul exhorts, "Henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:14). Let us remember that every good thing, even the Bible, is liable to abuse!