The Scriptures and Human Intellect

Corinthians 2:14

    The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

    Ephesians 1:17,18

    I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

    I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

    It is by the ability of our intellect that we read and understand the meaning of the words of Scripture. We are able to recognize the historical background and context in which the Scriptures were written. There is a definite place for the human intellect in the life of the believer.

    However the natural man with his natural mind is unable to recognize the divine truths which the Spirit of God is conveying through the Word. It takes spiritual discernment (or insight) to receive the things of the Spirit. This is where the ability of the human intellect ends and we must now depend on the work of the Holy Spirit.

    The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of revelation. He enables us to see (or gain insight) into the divine truths contained in Scripture. He takes us beyond the meaning of the words that were penned by the men of old, and into the original thoughts expressed by God.

    There is a vast difference between the thoughts of man and the thoughts of God. The Lord God said: "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

    Revelation is the process of moving from intellectual understanding to spiritual understanding. It is through revelation that we are able to receive the thoughts of God. We are now able to understand spiritual truths. When a person does not receive a revelation of spiritual truth (that is, does not get a spiritual understanding of the Word), Jesus said that "then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart" (Matt. 13:19).

    When through the process of revelation you receive spiritual understanding you are able to "give a defense to every one who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you..." (1 Peter 3:15).

           
           
                    Jane Sheeba is passionate about issues and their fixes in Self Improvement, Time Management, Personal Development, Productivity, Motivation and Relationship. Visit: http://findallanswers.blogspot.com/ for more.

    She also writes about Christian Spirituality at http://zionrevivalministries.blogspot.com/ where you can find useful messages and tips for a healthy spiritual life.

           

       
                Article Source:
                http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_Sheeba
           



       
                   

No comments:

Post a Comment

Search

Blog Archive

Blog Archive