Have you ever wondered why you can understand things from the Bible and other people can't? Have you ever wondered why you know things in the Bible are absolutely true while others reject it as false? Have you ever wondered how anyone could ever dispute the truth of the Bible when it is so plain and clear? It's because it isn't plain and clear to them.
Something we keep forgetting is that we read the Bible through the Holy Spirit. These aren't just words to us because the Spirit makes it life to us. He has already written God's law on our heart so when we read the truth our spirit confirms it because it is already in us. The Spirit gives us more than knowledge of the word, he gives us understanding through personal revelation of the Word. This is the reason the world reads and cannot understand, because they do so without the Spirit of God.
It is nothing more than words to them. Just words.
That's why they will not allow us to dispute their claims with the Word of God because they cannot accept it as truth. It is the reason disputing or trying to reason with someone without the Spirit is such a waste of time and energy. The only thing we can do for such people is bless them with kindness, patience and love. Their salvation is not by our argument but by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In saying this, anyone who is under conviction can be swayed by the Word of God.
This is another great blessing we have been given and that we can celebrate today. In fact, God has let us in on this, his great mystery. You may shrug your shoulders at it because to you it is old news but when understood by the Spirit of God it is incredible news:
And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. (Ephesians 1:9-10)
Most of the world is beating its head against the wall trying to get people to stop killing each other and polluting the planet. They put so much energy into the effort to get people to understand the preciousness of God's creation, although they leave God out. They think a clean environment and world peace is the great goal to work towards. But we know, due to man's sinful nature, these goals will never be attained, and that we are rushing toward a difference conclusion.
We know this because God has revealed the truth of it to us. Yes, we can read the Words of the Bible and have that knowledge, but we also have an understanding of the truth because of the Spirit of God in us. So we warn the world and they mock us. Don't be discouraged.
Look up!
The thing I want to encourage you with is that we have been blessed by the revelation of God's great mystery. It is more than knowledge. It is more than words. It is the conviction of the truth that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Be grateful and encouraged that we have been blessed with such a revelation of God's mystery.
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