123…ABC… Theology

Biblical answers to questions you and those around you are asking or should be asking.

1 CAN THE BIBLE BE UNDERSTOOD WITHOUT GOD?

The Bible is God's statement concerning Himself and how we know Him. Luke 24:13-35 illustrates that it is impossible to understand God without the Bible. But did you know that it is also impossible to understand the Bible without God? This is illustrated in verse 27 that states that Jesus interpreted the Scriptures to them. In doing this, Jesus was performing the work that the Holy Spirit would do for all believers following Pentecost.

2 THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE WORD OF GOD

In John 14 Jesus said that upon His enthronement He would pour out the Holy Spirit on His church (also see Acts 2:33). Among other things, the Holy Spirit teaches God's people the meaning of the things God has said (John 14:26). In 1 Cor. 2:12-14, Paul says that God has given us His Spirit so that we will understand what God has given us. Paul also says that without God's Spirit it is impossible to understand God's revelation.

3 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

There are several things we should learn from this:

Ø To understand God and His revelation you must read the Bible;

Ø Since God's revelation is all around us and also inside us, then to properly understand all of reality a person must read the Bible;

Ø Just as a person cannot understand God (or His revelation) without reading the Bible, so a person cannot understand the Bible without God's Spirit – Jesus has poured out His Spirit upon us, in part, so we may understand God and the world around us;

Ø We ought to read the Scriptures with humility, asking God to teach us what He has written there (2 Peter 1:21, Isa 55:8-9)