Post by Zac Loh on Sept 11, 2005 2:19:00 GMT -5
A sister-in-Christ recently asked: ¡°what is truth?¡± So, we conducted a Bible Study session entitled `How To Get Revelations Through The Bible.¡¯ This article is an attempt to encapsulate the teaching of that night.
Approximately nineteen years ago, in a missions camp, a teacher of the Word confronted us in an extraordinary way. He challenged us get a pair of scissors along with the Bible for our daily devotion - so that we could cut away words or portions of the Bible every time we encounter something unacceptable. The teacher said that we should then examine the number of holes in our Bible at the end of one year.
We need to be free to read the Bible. Free from prejudices, and from the fear of what we do not like. Every one of us has a mental box: our preconceived ideas and concepts. This is the result of our exposure, reading and training. In reality, we read into the Bible. We read what we want to know... we look for what we want to find... and see what is appealing to us personally. None of us are free from bias. We wear a mental spectacle whenever we read the Bible. Paul was physically blinded by the supernatural light of Jesus on his journey to Damascus. During that three days, it gradually dawned on Paul that he was spiritually blinded by his religious upbringing and education. The physical scales that fell from his eyes signified the spiritual scales that had came off [Acts 9:17-18]. We need to be aware, apart from religious scales, of other scales i.e. naturalism, humanism, philosophy, tradition and etc. Let us begin to remove our mental boxes. How do we do that? A simple exercise might help. Draw an imaginary square in front of you. Imagine that this a heavy box full of things. Lift this heavy box and place it somewhere. Consider it your mental box.
You heart's attitude will be free... free to read the Bible... free from baggage. And there is nothing there except you, the Bible... and God revealing truths to you.
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Parakletos), that He may abide with you forever - the spirit of truth, ... [John 14:16-17, italics and parentheses mine]
A. TWO KEYS TO REVELATIONS
1. Dependence On The Holy Spirit
What is the reason that the Spirit of truth is given if none other than revealing truths to you? Some people know all the facts of the Bible. They scrutinized every tiny part of the text. They had looked at it from all the known angles, and pondered the various related aspects from the available resources.
But wouldn't it be better if they knew the author of the Bible? Observe two different persons who obtained the same book for study. The first person studies the book by himself. On the other hand, the second person accessed to the author. Not only that, the author became his personal tutor. Can you guess which person is better off? Our dependency is not to be on ourselves but on the Holy Spirit. We may know the Bible cover to cover... up-side down and downside up. But would we know how Paul felt when he wrote those words? We can only make a rational assumption based on the many details. Yet, unless we go through the same things that Paul had, in our own life, and somehow became like Paul himself in his unique set/combination of specific circumstances and situations; I doubt we can sincerely fathom the implication of Paul's writings.
Let's be true to ourselves, can we really identify with each and every one of Paul's calling, ministry, miracles, encounters, struggles, challenges and persecutions? Not a single one of us can. Yet the same Holy Spirit who spoke through Paul can give us the heart of Paul's message. By the ability of the Holy Spirit, we can feel what Paul felt when he wrote the epistles. We can know what was in Paul's mind when he wrote them. We can know the train of his thoughts. It is because the same Holy Spirit who filled Paul, and inspired him, can give us the same experience.
2. Pray Because Revelations Are From Heaven
Would it be shocking if I say that there is a huge library in heaven containing all the needed revelations, and the messenger angels are maintaining it? I pray more for revelations than study for them. After I got a revelation, then I study. Let it be known that divine truths are not from the Bible, but through the Bible, and revealed by the Holy Spirit.
B. TWO POINTERS TOWARD A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
If you have the nature of a person, don't you think the Creator who made you according to His likeness has the nature of a person too? We cannot treat the Holy Spirit like a thing. He is a real person!!!
1. Another Helper
How would you like if Jesus suddenly appears to you? If you find Him sitting beside you while driving, you would probably park the car somewhere right away. If, suddenly, you see him sitting next to you at the pew, you would probably shut yourself off from everything else in the church service. The disciples left nearly everything, and followed Jesus for about three years. They walked, talked, eat and rested with Jesus almost daily. And they came to depend on Jesus very much. At one juncture, Jesus said that they will have `another¡¯ to replace Him. This `another' was the Holy Spirit. It means that the Holy Spirit was not to be inferior to Jesus. It means that they could have a relationship with the Holy Spirit as real as they had with Jesus. The Holy Spirit was to be to them... as Jesus was to them. The plus point was that the Holy Spirit could be more accessible and intimate because He was not limited to a physical body. The promise is for us now.
2. `Para' Of The `Parakletos¡¯
There was once I prayed in tongues until I slept off. When I woke-up in the morning, I heard the word `para' inside my heart. I was a military buff, so I immediately thought of `paratrooper.¡¯
But I sensed the Holy Spirit. So I reasoned that He couldn't be talking about `paratrooper.¡¯Then it occured me that this is the `para' of `parakletos.¡¯ `Parakletos' is translated as Helper, Counselor, Comforter, Consoler, Intercessor and Advocate. Its related word `parakaleo' describes someone who beseech, call, comfort, desire, exhort, entreat and pray. Having been a child of the pentecostal movement, I was one of them who thought only of the function of the Holy Spirit. It did not enter my mind otherwise. We wanted Him only for the power. He became intermittently relevant because we needed Him to minister. `Para¡¯implies being alongside and being near. The Holy Spirit wants to be near us. He wants to be alongside with us in our life. He does not want to be a mere function to us.
C. TWO WAYS TO HELP US VERIFY A TRUTH
1. Examine The Context
If you believe that you have received a revelation through the Bible, do read upwards and downwards: the before and the after. This way, you will be able to follow the flow of thoughts of the writer. In addition, you will know the subject or scenario that was being addressed. This is a layman's short definition of what-it-is to interpret the scripture within context. I believe that God does speak using a scripture that is non-connected with the context. But my stand is that it should not to be contrary to the context. God would be lawless and unrighteous should that be the case. Wouldn't it be better if He speak to you using a direct word, vision or dream... instead of going against His own scripture?
2. Research Key Words
You need to use a comprehensive Bible Concordance with A Concise Dictionary Of the words of the Bible such as Strong's. Words are birthed, shaped and influenced by culture and history. It is impossible to translate with extreme accuracy. The same English word appearing in the Bible may actually be two, or more, separate words in the original. Today's English vary from location to location. Language is indeed changing in accordance to the places and the times. The above two ways are basic and fundamental, explained in simple terms, so that it is easy to start with. If you want to, you can read from an interlinear Bible, which will enhance the richness of the scripture. Occasionally, you would like to research the historical, chronological, numerical, geographical and cultural background of the text.
Approximately nineteen years ago, in a missions camp, a teacher of the Word confronted us in an extraordinary way. He challenged us get a pair of scissors along with the Bible for our daily devotion - so that we could cut away words or portions of the Bible every time we encounter something unacceptable. The teacher said that we should then examine the number of holes in our Bible at the end of one year.
We need to be free to read the Bible. Free from prejudices, and from the fear of what we do not like. Every one of us has a mental box: our preconceived ideas and concepts. This is the result of our exposure, reading and training. In reality, we read into the Bible. We read what we want to know... we look for what we want to find... and see what is appealing to us personally. None of us are free from bias. We wear a mental spectacle whenever we read the Bible. Paul was physically blinded by the supernatural light of Jesus on his journey to Damascus. During that three days, it gradually dawned on Paul that he was spiritually blinded by his religious upbringing and education. The physical scales that fell from his eyes signified the spiritual scales that had came off [Acts 9:17-18]. We need to be aware, apart from religious scales, of other scales i.e. naturalism, humanism, philosophy, tradition and etc. Let us begin to remove our mental boxes. How do we do that? A simple exercise might help. Draw an imaginary square in front of you. Imagine that this a heavy box full of things. Lift this heavy box and place it somewhere. Consider it your mental box.
You heart's attitude will be free... free to read the Bible... free from baggage. And there is nothing there except you, the Bible... and God revealing truths to you.
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Parakletos), that He may abide with you forever - the spirit of truth, ... [John 14:16-17, italics and parentheses mine]
Depend upon it, the best commentator upon the Word of God is its author - the Holy Spirit, and if you would know the meaning, you want to go to Him in prayer.¡±
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon
A. TWO KEYS TO REVELATIONS
1. Dependence On The Holy Spirit
What is the reason that the Spirit of truth is given if none other than revealing truths to you? Some people know all the facts of the Bible. They scrutinized every tiny part of the text. They had looked at it from all the known angles, and pondered the various related aspects from the available resources.
But wouldn't it be better if they knew the author of the Bible? Observe two different persons who obtained the same book for study. The first person studies the book by himself. On the other hand, the second person accessed to the author. Not only that, the author became his personal tutor. Can you guess which person is better off? Our dependency is not to be on ourselves but on the Holy Spirit. We may know the Bible cover to cover... up-side down and downside up. But would we know how Paul felt when he wrote those words? We can only make a rational assumption based on the many details. Yet, unless we go through the same things that Paul had, in our own life, and somehow became like Paul himself in his unique set/combination of specific circumstances and situations; I doubt we can sincerely fathom the implication of Paul's writings.
Let's be true to ourselves, can we really identify with each and every one of Paul's calling, ministry, miracles, encounters, struggles, challenges and persecutions? Not a single one of us can. Yet the same Holy Spirit who spoke through Paul can give us the heart of Paul's message. By the ability of the Holy Spirit, we can feel what Paul felt when he wrote the epistles. We can know what was in Paul's mind when he wrote them. We can know the train of his thoughts. It is because the same Holy Spirit who filled Paul, and inspired him, can give us the same experience.
2. Pray Because Revelations Are From Heaven
Would it be shocking if I say that there is a huge library in heaven containing all the needed revelations, and the messenger angels are maintaining it? I pray more for revelations than study for them. After I got a revelation, then I study. Let it be known that divine truths are not from the Bible, but through the Bible, and revealed by the Holy Spirit.
B. TWO POINTERS TOWARD A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
If you have the nature of a person, don't you think the Creator who made you according to His likeness has the nature of a person too? We cannot treat the Holy Spirit like a thing. He is a real person!!!
1. Another Helper
How would you like if Jesus suddenly appears to you? If you find Him sitting beside you while driving, you would probably park the car somewhere right away. If, suddenly, you see him sitting next to you at the pew, you would probably shut yourself off from everything else in the church service. The disciples left nearly everything, and followed Jesus for about three years. They walked, talked, eat and rested with Jesus almost daily. And they came to depend on Jesus very much. At one juncture, Jesus said that they will have `another¡¯ to replace Him. This `another' was the Holy Spirit. It means that the Holy Spirit was not to be inferior to Jesus. It means that they could have a relationship with the Holy Spirit as real as they had with Jesus. The Holy Spirit was to be to them... as Jesus was to them. The plus point was that the Holy Spirit could be more accessible and intimate because He was not limited to a physical body. The promise is for us now.
2. `Para' Of The `Parakletos¡¯
There was once I prayed in tongues until I slept off. When I woke-up in the morning, I heard the word `para' inside my heart. I was a military buff, so I immediately thought of `paratrooper.¡¯
But I sensed the Holy Spirit. So I reasoned that He couldn't be talking about `paratrooper.¡¯Then it occured me that this is the `para' of `parakletos.¡¯ `Parakletos' is translated as Helper, Counselor, Comforter, Consoler, Intercessor and Advocate. Its related word `parakaleo' describes someone who beseech, call, comfort, desire, exhort, entreat and pray. Having been a child of the pentecostal movement, I was one of them who thought only of the function of the Holy Spirit. It did not enter my mind otherwise. We wanted Him only for the power. He became intermittently relevant because we needed Him to minister. `Para¡¯implies being alongside and being near. The Holy Spirit wants to be near us. He wants to be alongside with us in our life. He does not want to be a mere function to us.
C. TWO WAYS TO HELP US VERIFY A TRUTH
1. Examine The Context
If you believe that you have received a revelation through the Bible, do read upwards and downwards: the before and the after. This way, you will be able to follow the flow of thoughts of the writer. In addition, you will know the subject or scenario that was being addressed. This is a layman's short definition of what-it-is to interpret the scripture within context. I believe that God does speak using a scripture that is non-connected with the context. But my stand is that it should not to be contrary to the context. God would be lawless and unrighteous should that be the case. Wouldn't it be better if He speak to you using a direct word, vision or dream... instead of going against His own scripture?
2. Research Key Words
You need to use a comprehensive Bible Concordance with A Concise Dictionary Of the words of the Bible such as Strong's. Words are birthed, shaped and influenced by culture and history. It is impossible to translate with extreme accuracy. The same English word appearing in the Bible may actually be two, or more, separate words in the original. Today's English vary from location to location. Language is indeed changing in accordance to the places and the times. The above two ways are basic and fundamental, explained in simple terms, so that it is easy to start with. If you want to, you can read from an interlinear Bible, which will enhance the richness of the scripture. Occasionally, you would like to research the historical, chronological, numerical, geographical and cultural background of the text.