Coconut
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- Joined
- Feb 17, 2005
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Truth Stands Alone
There are two portions of scripture that seem to me to be oft quoted, but which meaning is just as oft misapplied..or misconstrued...however it may be...
John 16:12 "I still have a lot to say to you, but you cannot bear it now. Yet when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own accord, but will speak whatever he hears and will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you."
2Pe 1:19 "Thus we regard the message of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp that is shining in a gloomy place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision. Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
I`ve heard the question asked many times- if you have the Spirit and I have the Spirit, why do we not agree? Look at the beginning of the above verse. "I still have a lot to say to you, but you cannot bear it now." If God revealed every ounce of Himself/ His Truth to any of us, all at once, we could never bear it. I`m pretty sure our human brains would implode. Having the Spirit as our guide, does not mean we posses ALL truth. If any question that statement, they each one only need ask themselves, "do I already fully know Christ?"
It is a fact, that we do not possess truth at all. (please dont stone me just yet) Truth is God, God is truth, and you and I are not either. We are vessels, and God pours into us as little or much of Himself as He wills...according to His own wisdom...and timing....in essence, you belong to the truth, the truth does`nt belong to you [1 John 3:19] Let me put that another way, you don`t posses the Spirit of Truth, but hopefully the Spirit of Truth has possession of you...and you continue to yield to Him.
Joh 14:16 I will ask the Father to give you another Helper, to be with you always. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, for it neither sees him nor recognizes him. But you recognize him, for he abides with you and will be in you. [enfolds you, and fills you - has possession of you]
There is great consolation for our foolishness in those words, as we are told we will recognize the Spirit of Truth, if we indeed belong to the Father [born of Him]...praise God!
Here`s another verse that comes to mind, usually only half quoted (and some may be thinking refutes what I am saying)
Joh 8:31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are really my disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Don`t neglect the first part of that "If you continue in my word.."
This speaks again of a carrying, a continuing on, a growing in grace and knowledge of the truth, a following of Christ [who is Truth] not of an immediate and full understanding and knowledge of Christ or Truth.
We are fallible human beings, trusting in the Spirit to guide us into all truth, as He has promised. The trouble is, some of us think we have arrived. I said the trouble is, some of us think we have arrived. You can be as sure as sure as sure, and...big surprise...you can be dead wrong. How is that possible? Simply because we have not arrived yet...we will never come to such knowledge of the truth we wont need that guide anymore either. Hear that?
Lets move on to the second portion of scripture I quoted. "No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation" Lets insert the word Truth into this passage...'no truth in Scripture is a matter of one`s own interpretation.' Now what does that mean? Some think it means: "I have the Spirit, and so I have interpreted scripture right....but others have (according to my observation) interpreted it wrong, and so this verse applies only to them, and they are obviously using private interpretation." Ah...hold unto your run-away horse! What this verse is telling you, is Truth stands alone. Can we know truth? Yes. (but only as the Spirit gives us the understanding) Can we speak the truth? Yes.(but only as the Spirit enables us to speak) But finish the statement please - "Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
What? Men (having theology degrees, or great degrees of wisdom) spoke from themselves as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit? No, thats not what it said, read it again. But you say "I studied this, and I figured out the truth and ...(my favorite) ...God told me..."
Well my friend, what you got is a conclusion, and that conclusion is subject to your limited understanding... Not only that, if you receive the credit, because you are such an apt student, then you deserve the glory, yes? If God indeed "told you" this or that...then let the Word carry the burden of the proof of your words and agree with them, and let the Spirit agree...else you only imagined God told you this or that. Spiritually speaking, we can have imaginations as wild as run-away horses, and we need to learn to rein them in, and quit letting our imaginations exalt themselves against the knowledge of God as revealed in His Word.
The truth however, is still standing alone, the truth is God, the truth is from God, and the truth is carried by God. So lets read that verse again.
"Yet when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own accord, but will speak whatever he hears and will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you."
The Spirit of Truth will glorify Who? You? This is why I dislike mans "theology" = definition used here being "God-logic" Mans theology, can, and does, tend to make us plum full of ourselves.
We hold forth our "truth" and get offended if everyone does`nt accept it. You wouldnt get offended if you would realize that any "truth" you speak isnt originating from YOU.
"First of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision."
First of all, you must understand this! Truth is not originating from you!
Then we will understand (hopefully) why letting the Holy Spirit do the 'inspiring' and the 'carrying' is so critical. "Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
1Co 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I didn't come and tell you about God's secret with rhetorical language or wisdom.
1Co 2:2 For while I was with you I resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1Co 2:3 It was in weakness, fear, and great trembling that I came to you. [not the very theologically educated Paul did`nt think himself a great bearer of Truth]
1Co 2:4 My message and my preaching were not accompanied by clever words of wisdom, but by a display of the Spirit's power,
1Co 2:5 so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on God's power.
1Co 2:6 However, when we are among mature people, we do speak a message of wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world or of the rulers of this world, who are passing off the scene.
1Co 2:7 Instead, we speak about God's secret wisdom that has been hidden, which God destined for our glory before the world began.
1Co 2:8 None of the rulers of this world understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. [the religious rulers thought they possessed ALL of Gods Truth-and not even Jesus Christ could convince them otherwise]
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him."
1Co 2:10 But God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 Is there anyone who can understand his own thoughts except by his own inner spirit? In the same way, no one can know the thoughts of God except God's Spirit.
1Co 2:12 Now, we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we can understand the things that were freely given to us by God.
1Co 2:13 We don't speak about these things in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual things to spiritual people.
1Co 2:14 A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the things of God's Spirit, for they are nonsense to him. He can't understand them because they are spiritually evaluated.
1Co 2:15 The spiritual person evaluates everything but is subject to no one else's evaluation.
1Co 2:16 For "Who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can advise him?" However, we have the mind of Christ.
There are two portions of scripture that seem to me to be oft quoted, but which meaning is just as oft misapplied..or misconstrued...however it may be...
John 16:12 "I still have a lot to say to you, but you cannot bear it now. Yet when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own accord, but will speak whatever he hears and will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you."
2Pe 1:19 "Thus we regard the message of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp that is shining in a gloomy place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision. Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
I`ve heard the question asked many times- if you have the Spirit and I have the Spirit, why do we not agree? Look at the beginning of the above verse. "I still have a lot to say to you, but you cannot bear it now." If God revealed every ounce of Himself/ His Truth to any of us, all at once, we could never bear it. I`m pretty sure our human brains would implode. Having the Spirit as our guide, does not mean we posses ALL truth. If any question that statement, they each one only need ask themselves, "do I already fully know Christ?"
It is a fact, that we do not possess truth at all. (please dont stone me just yet) Truth is God, God is truth, and you and I are not either. We are vessels, and God pours into us as little or much of Himself as He wills...according to His own wisdom...and timing....in essence, you belong to the truth, the truth does`nt belong to you [1 John 3:19] Let me put that another way, you don`t posses the Spirit of Truth, but hopefully the Spirit of Truth has possession of you...and you continue to yield to Him.
Joh 14:16 I will ask the Father to give you another Helper, to be with you always. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, for it neither sees him nor recognizes him. But you recognize him, for he abides with you and will be in you. [enfolds you, and fills you - has possession of you]
There is great consolation for our foolishness in those words, as we are told we will recognize the Spirit of Truth, if we indeed belong to the Father [born of Him]...praise God!
Here`s another verse that comes to mind, usually only half quoted (and some may be thinking refutes what I am saying)
Joh 8:31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are really my disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Don`t neglect the first part of that "If you continue in my word.."
This speaks again of a carrying, a continuing on, a growing in grace and knowledge of the truth, a following of Christ [who is Truth] not of an immediate and full understanding and knowledge of Christ or Truth.
We are fallible human beings, trusting in the Spirit to guide us into all truth, as He has promised. The trouble is, some of us think we have arrived. I said the trouble is, some of us think we have arrived. You can be as sure as sure as sure, and...big surprise...you can be dead wrong. How is that possible? Simply because we have not arrived yet...we will never come to such knowledge of the truth we wont need that guide anymore either. Hear that?
Lets move on to the second portion of scripture I quoted. "No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation" Lets insert the word Truth into this passage...'no truth in Scripture is a matter of one`s own interpretation.' Now what does that mean? Some think it means: "I have the Spirit, and so I have interpreted scripture right....but others have (according to my observation) interpreted it wrong, and so this verse applies only to them, and they are obviously using private interpretation." Ah...hold unto your run-away horse! What this verse is telling you, is Truth stands alone. Can we know truth? Yes. (but only as the Spirit gives us the understanding) Can we speak the truth? Yes.(but only as the Spirit enables us to speak) But finish the statement please - "Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
What? Men (having theology degrees, or great degrees of wisdom) spoke from themselves as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit? No, thats not what it said, read it again. But you say "I studied this, and I figured out the truth and ...(my favorite) ...God told me..."
Well my friend, what you got is a conclusion, and that conclusion is subject to your limited understanding... Not only that, if you receive the credit, because you are such an apt student, then you deserve the glory, yes? If God indeed "told you" this or that...then let the Word carry the burden of the proof of your words and agree with them, and let the Spirit agree...else you only imagined God told you this or that. Spiritually speaking, we can have imaginations as wild as run-away horses, and we need to learn to rein them in, and quit letting our imaginations exalt themselves against the knowledge of God as revealed in His Word.
The truth however, is still standing alone, the truth is God, the truth is from God, and the truth is carried by God. So lets read that verse again.
"Yet when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own accord, but will speak whatever he hears and will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you."
The Spirit of Truth will glorify Who? You? This is why I dislike mans "theology" = definition used here being "God-logic" Mans theology, can, and does, tend to make us plum full of ourselves.
We hold forth our "truth" and get offended if everyone does`nt accept it. You wouldnt get offended if you would realize that any "truth" you speak isnt originating from YOU.
"First of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision."
First of all, you must understand this! Truth is not originating from you!
Then we will understand (hopefully) why letting the Holy Spirit do the 'inspiring' and the 'carrying' is so critical. "Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
1Co 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I didn't come and tell you about God's secret with rhetorical language or wisdom.
1Co 2:2 For while I was with you I resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1Co 2:3 It was in weakness, fear, and great trembling that I came to you. [not the very theologically educated Paul did`nt think himself a great bearer of Truth]
1Co 2:4 My message and my preaching were not accompanied by clever words of wisdom, but by a display of the Spirit's power,
1Co 2:5 so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on God's power.
1Co 2:6 However, when we are among mature people, we do speak a message of wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world or of the rulers of this world, who are passing off the scene.
1Co 2:7 Instead, we speak about God's secret wisdom that has been hidden, which God destined for our glory before the world began.
1Co 2:8 None of the rulers of this world understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. [the religious rulers thought they possessed ALL of Gods Truth-and not even Jesus Christ could convince them otherwise]
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him."
1Co 2:10 But God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 Is there anyone who can understand his own thoughts except by his own inner spirit? In the same way, no one can know the thoughts of God except God's Spirit.
1Co 2:12 Now, we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we can understand the things that were freely given to us by God.
1Co 2:13 We don't speak about these things in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual things to spiritual people.
1Co 2:14 A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the things of God's Spirit, for they are nonsense to him. He can't understand them because they are spiritually evaluated.
1Co 2:15 The spiritual person evaluates everything but is subject to no one else's evaluation.
1Co 2:16 For "Who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can advise him?" However, we have the mind of Christ.
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