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Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:12
When I was in college, I had to take a string of statistic classes. I learned that one of my stats professors could not teach. I say “I learned” because events would come to show it. He was hard to follow, talked a lot about his airplane flying, and referenced his gambling. I was a Baptist boy and didn’t get the card references. It wasn’t just me, before class everyone would lament of him. While we all complained, we all fruitlessly tried to follow. I got low marks on my quizzes, and just assumed everyone else was having the same problem. Very soon my classmates began discussing how good their daily quiz grades were. I was so puzzled. I felt like the dumbest person on earth. One day I asked those around me how their daily quizzes were so high. They revealed that most of the class was going to a nightly tutor. What? Why didn’t anyone tell me? I found the address and joined in. Instantly my grades went from failure to passing exceptionally. I was amazed. The paid tutor simply retaught us at night (literally the entire class and the same material) what we should have been learning in class during the day. The frustrating part was that we paid twice to learn once.
The good news for the Christian is that you have a tutor that teaches you the deep and hard things of God, and you paid nothing for it. You are not left to discern biblical concepts alone. The promise of Scripture is that Christ gives his children the Holy Spirit. While the Holy Spirit has many jobs, one is to teach and guide the believer in all truth.
Paul told the Corinthians that they had been given the ability to read the Scripture and discern the truths of God from a Spirit driven perspective. This was not about context per se, but about attitude. How many times have we witnessed people attend a church service only to have hard hearts? Have we known people who read the same Bible we read only to reject it? Why? The heart matters. While we do have to do the work of reading and studying, we also must rely on the Holy Spirit to open our eyes that we may see wonderful things in the word (Psalm 119:18).
One of my favorite verses to pray over myself is Psalm 119:36. It states: “Incline my heart to your word, and not to selfish gain.” My heart is selfish and deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), and most mornings my heart needs a Holy Spirit jumpstart. Praying for God to incline my heart attitude toward his words allows me to not only read it but accept it. Knowing that God’s Spirit takes my heart and inclines it to love His word. That inclination is very much like a car on a cold morning. God cranks us up, and warms us up, so that we are ready to travel his direction.
The Scripture promises that God will teach you (Psalm 119:33-34), and that you will have a heart to know what the truth says. “These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God (1 Corinthians 2:10). That promise helps us become less intimidated when we go to God’s word. We do not have to fear that we are studying this complex mass of books and letters alone. While Peter said it best concerning Paul’s writing, “There are some things in them that are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16).” Still, we have this command, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).” Yes, the Bible is a big book. Yes, you will never master it. Still, you must commit to it. The Holy Spirit will guide you.
In your teaching the Holy Spirit will also bring to your remembrance the truths you study in Scripture. I cannot count the times when I believe the Holy Spirit brought to my mind some truth of Scripture that I read earlier. That Scripture was fuel in many situations. I never would have had such fuel on my own, but because I was in the Word, the Spirit later reminded me of that word. What a glorious and free tutor we have. He will teach you, and you will pass whatever test comes your way.
Discussion Questions:
How do you lean on the Holy Spirit in your Bible study?
Have there been instances when the Holy Spirit brought a truth of Scripture to your mind in a timely situation?
What are some specific truths the Holy Spirit has helped you grasp or digest?
