There are many libraries across the globe and many writers who have written excellent pieces of poetry, fiction, drama, action, and other best-seller genres of literature. From Engineering to medicine and adventure, it is impossible to exhaust the number of books out here for our development and sharpening. Reading is good since it opens our minds to other realities, and, much as we may not want to think so, it is in reading that we grow the capacity of our minds by learning from others.
Read the Bible More!
However, We are all aware that these books, be they about science, physics, biology, mechanics, and all engineering, have nothing more than a temporal impact. At this point, if there were a scale to measure the value of books, the Bible would stand as the book to be treasured most. This is because it gives us hope for now and for eternal life. In reading the Bible, we engage in spiritual fitness, which promises a double reward, both now and later (1 Timothy 4:8). We need to read the Bible as urgently as possible. Why?
- The voice of God is heard through the pages of Scripture (Hebrews 1:1- 2, 2 Timothy 3:16- 17). You will be rebuked, corrected, and trained in righteousness every time you open this book.
- Our faith strengthens by reading and studying the Bible (Romans 10:17, John 16:13-14).
- We are reminded of the hope we have (Romans 15:14). Our life is beyond our struggles or this temporary aboard. We must always hope to see a better day soon.
- We are freed through Christ, the living Word (John 8:32). Knowing the truth comes from reading and studying God’s Word.
All the above benefits come through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through the Bible. That is why the impact of Bible reading cannot be compared to any random reading.
What is the Role of the Holy Spirit?
How can we get the most from our Bible study sessions? Is it best to study the Word alone or as a group? The Holy Spirit is the one who guides us into all truth (John 16:12-14), even as we engage in Bible study. We can’t understand the Bible only with the help of personal wit and knowledge. Spiritual things can only be discerned spiritually (1 Corinthians 2:14), so we cannot just approach the Bible study hour carelessly and loosely. The Holy Spirit plays two significant roles as we read and study the Bible.
Inspiration
When people speak of the Bible as inspired, they are referring to the fact that God divinely influenced the human authors of the Scriptures in such a way that what they wrote was the very Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:12-13, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Peter 3:15-18). In the context of the Scriptures, the word “inspiration” means “God-breathed.” Inspiration means the Bible truly is the Word of God and makes the Bible unique among all other books. Because God is Spirit (John 4:24), his Spirit is the One who inspired the writers of Scripture, giving them the very words of God, also called verbal plenary inspiration.
When we consider inspiration, it is crucial to note that God did not just inspire part of Scripture but all of it, as Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16. Furthermore, this inspirative work of the Spirit is enduring; that is to say, it does not become obsolete. Peter asserts in 2 Peter 1:20–21 that there is no way that Scripture is a work of man. It is God who moved the men who wrote to write. He says the Holy Spirit carried them along.
When approaching quiet time, the first consideration is that the words we read are not just wishful, positive moral guidelines. They are God’s words backed with the power of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit accomplished what God needed to do to make Bible study impactful through inspiration. Your Bible is not just a poetic book. It is the inspired—God-breathed—Word!
Illumination
Secondly, we see the present continuous role of the Holy Spirit in Bible study: illumination. Biblical illumination is the process by which the Holy Spirit helps us to understand the truth of God’s Word (John 16:13-14). It means that our understanding of the Bible is not dependent upon our feelings or perceptions of the texts in question.
During Bible study, it is not so much what I feel about the verse or what I think about that counts. Asking people what a verse means to them does not help build biblical theology during our Bible studies. The Bible–inspired as it is–can bring us the light of understanding, guiding us into God’s truth. In our Bible study hour(s), we must heavily depend upon the help of the Spirit because he searches God’s mind and knows the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:9–11). It is, therefore, practical for Bible students to go to great lengths in submitting themselves to the Lord and depending upon his Spirit for understanding.
Interpretation
Illumination also affects interpretation, which is the other role of the Spirit in Bible study. Bible interpretation is also referred to as hermeneutics. Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles and methods of interpreting the scriptures. 2 Timothy 2:15 commands believers to be involved in hermeneutics: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who . . . correctly handles the word of truth.” The purpose of biblical hermeneutics is to help us know how to interpret, understand, and apply the Bible correctly.
The most important law of biblical hermeneutics is that the Bible should be interpreted literally. We are to understand the Bible in its ordinary or plain meaning unless the passage is intended to be symbolic or if figures of speech are employed. The Bible says what it means and means what it says. A second crucial law of biblical hermeneutics is that passages must be interpreted historically, grammatically, and contextually. Interpreting a passage historically means we must seek to understand the cultural background and situation that prompted the text. A third law of biblical hermeneutics is that Scripture interprets Scripture. For this reason, we must always cross-reference Scripture with Scripture, even as we try to determine the meaning of a passage.
Though this might sound technical, it is all within the illumination of the Spirit that we get to interpret the Bible correctly. The work of the Spirit of God in the process of interpretation–and application–is to elevate the Bible above any other thought or writing. The central task of interpretation is to discover the intention of the text as constructed by the author. And in saying author, we mean both the human agent (writer) and the Spirit of God who inspired them to write.
Our Bible study hour(s) are crucial moments, for therein, the Spirit of God is at work in us, using the Word of God to transform our hearts for the glory of God. Because of this, we must be in prayer and earnestly expect that the Word of God will cut through our thoughts and intentions (Hebrews 4:12-13), causing us to know his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). It is the work of the Spirit of God to make the Law of God refreshing to the soul (Psalm 19:7-14) of the servant of God, making him acceptable and pleasing before God’s sight. May the Spirit of God minister to us as we study his Word. Amen.
References:
https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-inspired.html
