THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US UNDERSTANDING

Scripture:  I Corinthians 2:12 – Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

When I was growing up, my mother used to read Bible stories to me; and my parents took me and my siblings to church every Sunday.  I thought the Bible was like any other book/novel.  I wondered if what was in the Bible was true/real.  I wasn’t a Christian then, and I didn’t realize that the Bible was the true/authentic word of God.  I didn’t realize that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Timothy 3:16-17).  I didn’t know that “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:21).   I invited Jesus Christ into my life in August of 1978 – when I was 23 years old.  Then, the Bible became so real in my life, because I had a personal relationship with the Lord – and the Holy Spirit was within in!

Paul knew that the Corinthian Christians had received God’s Holy Spirit, because they had genuine faith in Christ and they were saved (I Corinthians 1:4-9.  Every believer who trusts in Christ for salvation is indwelled with the Holy Spirit when they trust Christ. I Corinthians 12:13 says  “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”  (Romans 8:9 and Ephesians 13-14)  Paul wrote that as Christians we have not received the spirit of the world.  When we came to faith in Christ, that worldly spirit was replaced with the Spirit of God.  through Him, we gain the ability to understand what can only be understood spiritually apart from our physical senses.  God has freely revealed these things to us about His Son and the opportunity to be included in His family.  He wants us to know them and trust them as being absolutely true.  I Corinthians 2:6-16 describes the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom,  Human wisdom is limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reasoning. Colossians 2:8 says “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”  On the other hand, God’s wisdom includes His plan to offer salvation through Christ’s crucifixion, must be received and believed spiritually through God’s Holy Spirit.  Without the help of the Spirit, people cannot believe what is spiritual, so they reject all spiritual truth as foolishness. The Holy Spirit illuminates to us God’s Word!

Prayer:  Thank you Lord for helping me to see things more clearly because of the Holy Spirit within me.  Thank You for the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and for forgiving me of my sin.

(by Marsha Williams)