15 Minutes
The most important thing we are to understand to find the truths that perfect our characters is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This thing must be reasoned with God for love is more important than knowledge. Those who followed Jesus loved him yet they lacked spiritual understanding. Jesus was the perfect teacher, but understanding spiritual truth is not a human achievement. Jesus fed thousands and warned his followers to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. His followers concluded that Jesus meant that, since they hadn’t brought any bread and would have to buy some on the other shore, they shouldn’t buy any bread from a Pharisee or Herodian because something was incorrect about the yeast they used. Why didn’t they simply ask Jesus what he meant? They did not reason with the purposes of God as to why Jesus was sent. They did not want to appear not knowing, so they reasoned among themselves. They could remember facts, but they didn’t draw right conclusions. Jesus could make bread miraculously. The disciples didn’t need to worry about bread or yeast.
Mark 8:14-21
Reasoning determines for us the fact that Jesus is our source of life, our source of truth. His teachings are what we need to live forever. What is it that prevents our learning truth as it is truth? Too many think ourselves correct even as we are to admit our fallibility. There is deep meaning in every word of God that only the Holy Spirit can teach. The dilemma is that not all are teachable. Too much pride fails to ask questions allowing reason to bring knowledge. If we would recount our experiences of ignorance due to denialism, which closes the door of opportunity to learn, we’d be more susceptible to reconciling the word.
Matthew 16:5-12
Mark 6:52
We must come to understand that “hard teachings” will be a path to eternal life. Many left Jesus...left truth. Some who did not understand, wisely reasoned not to leave. Faith and patience brought them eventually to learn what Jesus was talking about. Those who left him, however, remained in ignorance. The human desire is to understand everything right away, we need patience when dealing with the comprehensive teachings of Jesus Christ. Prayer and the Holy Spirit will reveal to us whatever we need to know, if our hearts are right, if we are trusting in him. We do not always understand the things of God. That should not surprise us or alarm us. When it happens, we need to patiently wait for God to reveal more to us. Of course, we need to do our part, searching the scriptures and asking God for understanding. We should also take advantage of the tool that God provides, community. We are all learners. As followers of Jesus, we have to continue learning. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, but this doesn’t happen instantly. Quite the contrary: Jesus will return before we know it all. That’s why it is reassuring to know that God looks on the heart.
Jesus revealed his glory to John, James, and Peter. He overshadowed their presumption, giving them spiritual vision allowing them to see Elijah and Moses in the present.
Mark 9:2-10
Peter didn’t know what to say. They could have asked Jesus what he meant, but they did not. Instead, they discussed it among themselves, sharing their ignorance instead of learning from the teacher. Jesus was the perfect embodiment of love and truth, but his disciples were afraid to ask him what he meant. Perhaps they were afraid of the truth.
Mark 9:30-32
The disciples didn’t understand. They argued. They did things they shouldn’t have. They didn’t ask questions they should have. They were ordinary people. God uses people like that. He can use people like us to help those, if our hearts and attitudes are right. It’s important that we always remain willing to examine the issues, admit our fallibility and be willing to change and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior. It may be difficult at times to change our ways, but that’s what we have been called to do. We are to be followers of Jesus, and thankfully, we are to be learning also.
Our attitude toward the truth determines the outcome of our lives. If we don’t love the truth, if we resist it, we resist Christ. If we resist Christ we resist salvation. The whole point of the truth is that we be transformed.
III John 3,4
There is no greater blessing, than to walk in the truth. This means to acknowledge it, to judge that which it shows us. We do this by rightly dividing the word of truth. Constant development, constant progress, continuous sanctification, and continuous transformation into the image of Christ. The more willing, obedient, and quick to acknowledge the truth, the quicker our progress will be. And what will the result of loving the truth be? That we are transformed from who we are by nature, and the life of Jesus will be manifested in us. Continuing diligence in the word, maintaining sound teaching allows us to handle straight truth and not allow our own opinions or views to cloud the meaning of what God has written.
We should study the word of God to first consider, understand, and comprehend it literally and not be distracted from the main thought, the context. Now know that the word of God is inspired, authoritative, to be understood under the divine influence of the Holy Spirit. The depth of the word is found when the spiritual understanding is gleaned from the word of God. Not by qualification, it is simply by the Holy Spirit. There is natural understanding and there is spiritual understanding. The reason why the word of God appears to be less effective or less potent in the lives of many believers today is simply because they go no further than to try to understand the word of God naturally. Natural understanding talks about the place of intellect and logic to find meaning or relevance to the word of God. But it does not work this way. The word of God cannot be understood naturally because it has been spiritually designed. And spiritual understanding is what we get when the Holy Spirit gives us insight into the word of God.
Colossians 1:9
We need to lean on the Holy Spirit. Literal words, natural words are not spoken by Jesus. The Holy Spirit opens our inner eyes to truth. He is to be our guide. John 6:63
Our intent in studying the word of God must be spiritual. It must be with the intention of laying hold of the promises of God. To gain spiritual understanding, we must be intentional with the word of God. We must take the word of God like all our life depends on it and without it, we are worthless. When we study the truth of the word to better gain understanding, we may ought to cultivate the practice of tarrying in the presence of God. And this is why we must not allow any other thing, any other being, to jeopardize our learning time with God. Deep spiritual understandings make most deliberate our coming into the character perfection of Christ.
We do not understand the word of God as we should because we do not see the revelations of God as being continual. We think that all that is written, is all that is said, is all that is meant. We don’t understand the eternal power and divinity behind the testimony of God making Himself known to us more clearly through the experiences of the human construction cooperating with the designs of the determinate counsel to bring us to consider this question... how should I read the word? And the answer must be spiritual in its content so as to say the scriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them; with a firm persuasion that they are the very Word of God, and that He only can enable us to understand them; with desire to know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed in them; with diligence, and attention to the matter and scope of them; with meditation, application, self-denial, and prayer and with much reverence. Let’s hear it this way...if we love God, we will love truth as God reveals it about Himself. That which He inscribed with His finger and that which He breathed out of His mouth.
Deuteronomy 4:10
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