The Person and work of the Holy Spirit

From the heart of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Teacher & Expositor. I was asked the question, “How do you accurately interpret the Bible?” Accurate interpretation of Scripture involves understanding the original intent of the author and their intended audience by carefully examining the text and its context. This process seeks to uncover the author's message without imposing modern ideas or biases. Interpretation has to do with our reception and understanding of that which God revealed and recorded. Human reason and thought has a significant part to play in the interpretation of Scripture. Yet if interpretation of Scripture were to come down to human reason alone, how could we be certain of its truth? How can we be sure that what we read is indeed truthful and beneficial to us, and interpret it appropriately? This is where the Person and work of the Holy Spirit comes to help! He aids in interpreting Scripture. He does this by illumination. The Bible says, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130). When God’s Word enters the heart of a person, it gives light and understanding to them. This is why Paul said, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Corinthians 2:12-14). The unsaved person (the natural man) who lives without the Holy Spirit cannot understand the things taught by the Holy Spirit because they consider them to be foolishness. They do not have the illumination of the Holy Spirit to help them understand spiritual wisdom. Bringing faith and the Holy Spirit’s guidance to the reading of Scripture brings a depth of understanding for the believing reader that unbelievers cannot grasp. First Corinthians 2:6–16 (context) describes the difference between human wisdom and God's wisdom. Human wisdom is limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reason. Scripture points out the value of reason and knowledge (2 Timothy 2:15), while demonstrating a difference between what man's mind can achieve and what God's Spirit can reveal. God's wisdom  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. Christians, though, have access to the mind of Christ because of God's Holy Spirit with us. Be encouraged!