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(This is the first post in a series on how to interpret the Bible.)
If you hope to understand the message of the Bible, start with the Holy Spirit. The One who breathed out God’s Words can explain their meaning to you. Let me illustrate this with my own experience.
Back when we were teenagers, my brother Steve responded to the gospel and gave his life to Jesus. Growing up nominally Catholic, both of us had drifted away from formal religion, but the Lord won over Steve’s heart. Soon afterwards, he started to share his faith with me.
However, I was unreceptive. Dabbling in eastern philosophies, I thought I knew more about spirituality than he did, and perhaps that was true. But Steve knew Christ, and that was something I couldn’t match!
My brother convinced me that I needed to return to Christianity and read God’s Word. I agreed, so I found our big family Bible, opened it up, and discovered that I couldn’t understand a word!
This surprised me! In school, I wasn’t a bad student, so “I should be able to comprehend what I’m reading, but I can’t, so I’m in trouble! The Bible is supposed to be the truth but I don’t get it!”
What could I do?
The only thing I knew – hop on my bike, ride over to the public library, and look for a something, anything, that could help.
By the grace of a loving God I didn’t yet know, I came across a book called, Peace with God, written by the evangelist Billy Graham. Within those pages, I learned what the gospel was all about: how the Lord loved me even though I was sinful, that I was guilty before Him but Jesus had died in my place, and that I could be saved by trusting in Christ’s finished work at the cross.
The end of the book contained a prayer that those who wanted Jesus to save them could repeat. Well, I prayed it twice because I wanted to make certain that God heard me. I didn’t want anything to jeopardize my eternal destiny!
After I’d asked Christ into my life, I knew I’d done the right thing, but I didn’t feel any different. Was I supposed to? Did something go wrong? What did I miss?
I struggled with this apprehension for a week. Maybe I was saved, but I lacked conviction.
After attending an overcrowded church service with my family, I returned home, feeling weary physically and emotionally. I just flopped down on the couch and cried out to the Lord.
It’s strange, carrying on a conversation with God when you’re not even sure you know Him, but that’s what I did. I asked Him if I was saved, if He’d forgiven me and made me a new person.
In spite of my doubts, I heard a voice in my heart ask me a few simple questions. Later on, I would recognize this as the voice of God, but at that moment, I was too busy concentrating on the dialog.
Did I believe that Jesus had died for my sins? I said, “yes.” Had I given my life to Him? Again, “yes.” The Lord pressed the issue. Did I trust in Christ and not my own good deeds to save me? No doubt, “yes!”
Immediately the Spirit asserted, “Well then, you’re saved!” And at that instant, I felt my heart change. I knew that I had passed from death to eternal life. I became as certain of my relationship with Jesus as I was of my own existence. I was saved, praise God, and I knew it!
Eventually, I realized that I should give the Bible another chance. So I opened that same big book, and — wouldn’t you know it? — I could understand it!
How could that be? The Scriptures hadn’t changed. But I had!
Before I knew the Lord, I couldn’t discern spiritual things. But the Spirit impressed on me my need for Christ. And having been the made new, I could now comprehend spiritual realities, including the meaning of the Bible. That’s what the Spirit does!
How’s your understanding of Scripture? Have you given your life to Christ? If so, then His Spirit lives within you and will help you to understand the Word. Yes, God can use people to teach you, but you always have access to the instruction of His Spirit.
How has the Holy Spirit helped you to understand and apply the Bible?
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