Bibliology, Part 5: Divine Illumination
This past month has been given to briefly addressing the teaching of the Bible on the character of the Bible itself. We’ve discovered that the Scriptures (66 books of the Old and New Testament) carry the dominant theme describing Christ as the Messiah and His atoning work for mankind (Part 1). We’ve also learned that the Scriptures are divinely inspired including all of the words and the entirety of the Old and New Testaments(Parts 2 and 3). Finally, since they are inspired (breathed) by God they are authoritative in every aspect that they address (as God is holy, honest, and true)(Part 4).The final question I would like to address along the lines of Bibliology (the study of the bible) is this: How does one understand what the bible is saying to us today? This is a very important question when it comes to daily studying and understanding the Bible because it will affect the conclusions you come to in your study of the Scriptures. The answer is contained in several passages of Scripture and it is this: the Holy Spirit is given to us as a teacher so that we can understand the teachings of Scripture. This ministry of the Holy Spirit is called “ILLUMINATION”.
“Sometimes called “divine illumination,” this is the Holy Spirit’s giving His people an understanding of divine truth (John 14:26; I Cor. 2:7-14).” (Barackman, Practical Christian Theology, 209)
When you come to meet the Lord in studying His Word (daily) you cannot learn the truth of scripture apart from the Holy Spirit. This is true because the teachings of Scripture are spiritual truths and therefore they are spiritually discerned, which means we need the help of the Holy Spirit to teach us. Notice the teachings in I Corinthians 2:11-14:
11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Notice the following truths taught by the above passage: 1) No one can know the thoughts of a man except his spirit. 2) No one knows the thoughts of God except His Spirit. 3) The Spirit believers have received is the Spirit of God. 4) He has been given to us so that we might know the things given to us and taught to us in God’s self revelation, His Word! 5) These truths that Paul is now teaching have been taught to him by the Holy Spirit. 6) Unsaved individuals cannot understand fully comprehend God’s truth contained in the Scriptures because these truths can only be illumined (taught) by the Holy Spirit who resides in believers.
“Apart from this divine ministry, it is impossible for anyone to understand the spiritual teachings of God’s Word (I Cor. 2:11-14).” (Barackman, PCT, 209)
All of this serves to teach us a very valuable lesson: humbly come to the Lord in studying His Word. Seek the help of the Holy Spirit who resides inside you, and pray for the Spirit to open the eyes of unbelievers when you witness, for they cannot understand spiritually discerned truths without Him. Therefore, when we come to the Scriptures, we should have an attitude of prayer, asking God to teach us from His wondrous Word, and as we witness we should have an attitude of prayer, asking God to open the blind eyes.