Understanding Scripture
1. God is Omnipotent- Jesus looked at them and said, "With
man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew
19:26 (NIV) and Why should any of you consider it incredible that God
raises the dead? Acts 26:8 NIV
2. God is Omnipresent- Where can I go from your Spirit? Where
can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of
the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will
guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalms 139:7-10 (NIV)
3. God is Omniscient- Nothing in all creation is hidden
from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of
him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13 NIV
4. God is Immutable- He who is the Glory of Israel does not
lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."
1 Samuel 15:29 (NIV)
5. God is Holy- When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting
me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; James
1:13 (NIV)
God has revealed himself to mankind through the Bible. He did
this though men by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 1:10-12 (NIV)
Since God cannot lie and since He revealed Himself, it follows that His Revelation
is truth.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17
(NIV)
So how does the Holy Spirit help us understand the Bible?
1. It is possible to distort the meaning of Scripture. 2 Peter
3:16 (NIV)
But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your
mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause
that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it
is right.
Doctrine and Covenants 9:8 (mormon scripture)
2. The Holy Spirit speaks to the believer’s soul, convicting, comforting
and opening up applications of His truth through His prompting.
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. But he who is spiritual appraises all things,
yet he himself is appraised by no one. 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 (NASU)
1. The word for ‘accept’ is dechomai.
2. The more frequently used word in Greek is lambano which means
‘to receive.’
3. Dechomai sometimes has a different shade of meaning, ‘to
receive willingly.’
4. For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you
with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.
2 Corinthians 8:17-18 (NIV) ‘Welcomed’ is translated from the
Greek ‘dechomai’
5. ‘Understand’ was translated from ginosko which has the sense
of ‘discerning as good and true’ or ‘to know experientially by entering into.’
6. ‘Appraised’ was translated from anakrino which means ‘to
spiritually appraise something.’ (See Acts 17:11)
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I
have said to you. John 14:26 (NIV)
1. The context given in verses 25, 28-29 show that the disciples themselves
were being spoken of and not believers in general.
2. In John 17:20-21, Jesus makes a distinction between the disciples
who were present and believers in general.
c. In 1 John 2:27; If we don’t need a teacher, then we wouldn’t
need John to teach us we don’t need a teacher!