First Corinthians 2 Part 4 Holy Spirit Led Bible Study.

A note about the archive index containing all Bible lessons posted on this blog since its inception in 2019. 

An index for all lessons posted from 2019 through 2021, was published on September 7, 2022.

An index for all lessons posted in 2022, was published January 24, 2023.

An index for all lessons posted in 2023 was posted on February 28, 2024. 

Each index lists lesson titles and the date each one was posted, so that you can study subjects that we have written about.

Delving deeply into the scriptures brings pressure.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10)  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 

God reveals His truth to us by the ministry of His Spirit. He takes the cover off of His mysteries that previously were sealed and hidden to make them fully known to us.

The word “prepared” refers to sending a crew out to repair a road prior to kings traveling on it to make their journey smoother and safer. 

God made all the necessary preparations to get wonderful things ready to show us.

The Greek word translated “deep” is used today for diving vessels called bathyscaphs. They can dive to about 36,000 feet below the surface. 

However, the deeper the bathyscaph dives, the pressure on its hull increases exponentially.

Hull pressure is about 16,000 pounds per square inch at 36,000 feet below the surface.

This idea of increasing pressure the deeper down that one goes has some implications for Bible study. 

Most Christians want to know God better, more intimately. We want to know His Word better because that is how God speaks to us. 

The more deeply we delve into the scriptures the more pressure we will face.

We may face opposition from the Devil who clearly does not want us to study and learn the Word of God. 

We may face pressure from people around us when we seek to dig deeper into the word of God.

Sickness, accident or injury may suddenly happen and take away time for reading and learning God's Word.

Family, work, or education obligations may suddenly infringe upon our time for Bible study.

The wonderful things of God cannot be known without the aid of His Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11-12  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12)  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  

The spirit of a man knows the things of a man. That is, a man is conscious of all the schemes, plans, and purposes, that pass in his own mind. 

No one else but God can know the things that we think about (See Psalm 139:1-4). 

The Spirit of God, who is the Third Person of the glorious Trinity, knows all the counsels and determinations of the Supreme Being.

He indwells each believer in Christ at the moment of their conversion and regeneration (See Ephesians 1:9-14).

He is our teacher, guide and instructor as we seek to learn God's Word (See John 14:26; 16:9-15).

What a joyful truth communicated to us by the apostle Paul. The Spirit of God Himself lives in each believer. He unites us together with Jesus Christ our Head, and with each other. 

Thus, our Teacher in the Word is always with us, ready to teach us, ready to help us understand the glorious truths of God. 

When the Holy Spirit regenerates us and comes to live in us, the Bible tells us that He was shed or poured out on us abundantly (Titus 3:4-6). 

This means that the Holy Spirit is all sufficient to teach and guide us in our Bible studies. He will teach us all that our Father has prepared and is freely giving to us. 

The Spirit of God uses the didactic method to teach us. 

1 Corinthians 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 

The word "teaching" refers to the didactic teaching method. 

The didactic method means that a teacher is the expert, and the students are receiving great benefit from the teacher's knowledge and experience.

It is each Christian's responsibility to listen, heed and apply what we are taught. It is our duty to take notes and listen, answer and give responses when required.

The Holy Spirit is the perfect expert in all the things of God. There is nothing He does not know, for He is omniscient. 

When He teaches and instructs us, we must listen and apply what we learn in making our choices.

The Spirit of God teaches the willing heart about the deep things of God.

Isaiah 28:9-10  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10)  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 

How does the Spirit teach? We already learned that the Bible is a book of progressive revelation. 

He will help us build truth upon truth, line upon line, here a little and there a little as we read through the Bible and study it from cover to cover.

As an example, the doctrine of salvation by the death of an innocent substitute and the application of its blood is first introduced in Genesis 3:15 & 21).

It is revealed more fully in Genesis four, where Cain brings a sacrifice to God that is not accepted by God because it is a product of the cursed ground. 

God told Cain that his sacrifice would be accepted if he brought an innocent spotless lamb and shed its blood as Abel did (See Genesis 4:1-7).

It is more fully revealed in Exodus twelve and thirteen with the Passover Lamb of God.

The threads of this doctrine begin in Genesis and continue all the way through the book of Revelation. This is progressive revelation. 

God gives doctrinal truth line upon line, here a little and there a little. 

Thus, the Holy Spirit helps us make the connections from the many different places where a doctrine is taught. 

Part of His teaching method involves comparing one scripture with another. 

The Spirit of God compares spiritual things with spiritual things.

1 Corinthians 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 

The word translated “comparing” means that after He searches out the deep things of God, He joins or fits various truths together perfectly for our understanding.

As the Holy Spirit compares one thing with another, He helps us see similarities and differences. He does this by comparing Old Testament and New Testament scriptures.

He compares, contrasts and combines the texts of scripture as we read and learn. He fits them together for our edification and understanding. 

He takes many lines upon lines, from various books of scripture to assimilate them together for a greater understanding of the work and person of Jesus Christ.

This is always His goal. To elevate the work and person of Jesus Christ, to exalt Him and the cross of Christ.  

John 16:14-15  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15)  All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

All that the Spirit of God teaches to us is meant to give us a growing love and appreciation for the Father's plan of salvation. 

It is meant to draw us close to Christ, and to conform us more and more into His likeness. 

How do I know that the Spirit of God is at work in me or if He is leading me in what I am thinking about doing? 

If we are growing in our awareness of Jesus Christ, and all that the Father gives us in Christ, then that is the Spirit at work in us.

If our thoughts are increasingly focused upon God and our Savior, then that is the work of His Spirit. 

If He is prompting us to serve Christ, what we contemplate doing will bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. 

If our heart is so full of joy for who God is and what He has done for us through the sacrifice of His son, then that is the work of His Spirit. 

If we cannot wait until we can sing praises to His name or to enter our prayer closet to pray, then that is the work of His Spirit.

If we see a brother or sister in Christ in need and we seek to meet that need without hesitation, then that is the work of His Spirit. 

If we love giving our tithes and offerings to the Lord and are not inwardly grumbling about it, then that is the work of God's Spirit. 

If we love to tell others about Jesus because we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, then that is the work of God's Spirit. 

 

We could add much more on what it is like when the Spirit of God is having His way on our heart. 

You can read Galatians 5:22-26 to study the fruit that the Holy Spirit wants to produce in us. This is His work and is not something that we can try to emulate in our flesh.

Finally, the Spirit of God will never lead us to do or say or think something that is contradicted by the Word of God. 

We have much more to learn about how the Spirit of God teaches us in Bible study and I will give some examples in our next post.

I hope that each of us will seek these things of God so that our minds can be renewed and our heart conformed to Christ. 

I pray that we will call out to the Spirit of God to bring His mighty help and aid to us as we seek to study the scriptures.

May the Holy Spirit have His way in our heart this day.

Bob