The Holy Spirit and Spirituality

QUESTION: IS SALVATION COMPLETE IN JESUS?

Colossians 2:9-10 – For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.  New Living Translation

Ephesians 3:19 – May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  New Living Translation

QUESTION: IS SALATION A FREE GIFT?

Romans 5:16-17 – And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.  New Living Translation

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.  New Living Translation

QUESTION: IF SALVATION IS COMPLETE IN JESUS AND IS AVAILABLE TO ME AS A FREE GIFT, CAN YOU NOT BE SAVED EVEN IF THERE WAS NO HOLY SPIRIT? SO WHY SPEND TIME STUDYING THE HOLY SPIRIT?

EGW, The Desire of Ages, p. 671 – The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer.

That is why Jesus said:

John 3:5-6 – Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. New Living Translation

John 16:7 – But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. New Living Translation

QUESTION: IS THE HOLY SPIRIT A DOVE, TOUNGE OF FIRE, WIND, OR PERSON?

Matthew 3:16-17 – After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” New Living Translation

John 20:19-22 – That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  New Living Translation

Acts 2:1-4 – On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. New Living Translation

Exodus 31:1-4 – Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. New Living Translation

John 15:26-27 – “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry. New Living Translation

John 16:12-15 – “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’ New Living Translation

EGW, Evangelism 616 –  We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds (From a talk to the students at the Avondale School.).

The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person; else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God. 1 Cor 2:11-12 – No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. New Living Translation

Acts 13:2-3 – One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” New Living Translation

EGW, The Faith I Live By 52 – From the beginning God has been working by His Holy Spirit through human instrumentalities for the accomplishment of His purpose in behalf of the fallen race…. The same power that sustained the patriarchs, that gave Caleb and Joshua faith and courage, and that made the work of the apostolic church effective, has upheld God’s faithful children in every succeeding age.

Psalms 51:11 – Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. New Living Translation

• Many of us have heard the words: “And I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” And, if baptized, we surely heard them just before a minister immersed us in the water (see Matt. 28:19). Baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Spirit is mentioned right there with the Father and the Son. And no wonder.
• The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Fundamental Belief no. 5, “God the Holy Spirit,” reads, “God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption. He is as much a person as are the Father and the Son. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ’s life with power. He draws and convict’s human beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth.”

QUESTION: WHY DON’T WE SEE A MORE COMPLETE REVELATION OF HOLY SPIRIT IN SCRIPTURE?

• As we read the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, we see the direct activity and work of God the Father. His actions are everywhere. In the New Testament, especially the Gospels, we read again and again about the work and activity of Jesus, the Son. Jesus—His life, death, and ministry in heaven—dominates the New Testament.
• In contrast to the activity of both the Father and the Son, the work of the Holy Spirit is not as openly depicted in either Testament. But there is a reason for this contrast: the Holy Spirit does not seek to be the center of attention. He plays more of a behind-the-scenes role. The Father and the Son are more directly revealed in the Word. And that’s because the Holy Spirit is there to point us not to Himself but to Jesus and what Jesus has done for us.

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE REGENERATING RESULT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN MY LIFE?

Titus 3:4-8 – But—”When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”  New Living Translation

1 . The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin.

John 16:8 – And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

2. The Holy Spirit gives assurance of our salvation through Jesus.

Rom 8:16 – For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

3. He gives spiritual life.

1 John 3:24 – Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

EGW, Humble Hero 138 – God’s ideal for His children is higher than the highest human thought can reach. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” NRSV. This command is a promise. The plan of redemption aims at our complete recovery from the power of Satan. Christ always separates the sorrowing one from sin. He has made provision to give the Holy Spirit to every repentant person, to keep him from sinning.

2 Cor 1:21-22 – It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us. New Living Translation

QUESTION: HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT COMMUNICATE GOD’S THINKING TO MY MIND?      

        (Through the Revelation of Scripture)

2 Tim 1:13 – Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.  New Living Translation

• As we study the work of the Holy Spirit, we will see how central He is to our Christian experience. The Holy Spirit, God Himself, knows God as no person can; thus, He reveals God to us in a trustworthy and reliable manner.

• The Holy Spirit first inspired the Bible writers, and the Holy Spirit today guides us in our study of what He inspired these writers to communicate.

QUESTION: What did Jesus say was the primary purpose of scripture?

John 5:39 – “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!  New Living Translation

John 5:46-47 – If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47 But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”  New Living Translation

John 7:38 – Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'” New Living Translation

2 Timothy 3:15-16 – You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. New Living Translation

QUESTION: HOW DOES SCRIPTURE REGENERATE MY MIND?

2 Tim 3:16-17 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. New Living Translation

Teaches truth. One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into truth. Notice that the Holy Spirit does not coerce us to follow truth. He does not force truth upon us. He does not compel us to obey. He “‘guide[s]’” us into “‘all truth’” (NKJV). He gently leads us to understand that God’s way, revealed in His Word, is the best.

John 14:16-17 – And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. New Living Translation

John 15:26 – I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. New Living Translation

John 16:13 – When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. New Living Translation

2 Peter 1:21 – No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. New Living Translation

QUESTION: What does it mean for something to be “true”?

1. The Bible is is the revealed will of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is a safeguard to our faith and a standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested.

John 8:31-32 – And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” New Living Translation

John 14:17 – He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. New Living Translation

John 17:16-19 – Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. New Living Translation

EGW, Manuscript 153, 1898 -The truth if received is capable of constant expansion and new developments. It will increase in brightness as we behold it, and grow in height and depth as we aspire to grasp it. Thus it will elevate us to the standard of perfection, and give us faith and trust in God as our strength for the work before us.

EGW, Manuscript 24, 1886 – It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man’s words or his expressions but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind and will; thus the utterances of the man are the Word of God.

2. Identifies wrong and mistakes

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. New Living Translation

EGW, Messages to Young People 274 – The carnal mind rejects the truth; but the soul that is converted undergoes a marvelous change. The book that before was unattractive because it revealed truths which testified against the sinner, now becomes the food of the soul, the joy and consolation of the life. The Sun of righteousness illuminates the sacred pages, and the Holy Spirit speaks through them to the soul.

3. Corrects our Faults

2 Tim 3:16-17 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. New Living Translation

EGW, In High Places 133 – The Bible is the great standard of right and wrong, clearly defining sin and holiness. Its living principles, running through our lives like threads of gold, are our only safeguard in trial and temptation.

4. Equips us for good work

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. New Living Translation

In the Bible, the Holy Spirit Reveals God’s will to us, showing us how to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

EGW, Our High Calling 36 – The Lord has uttered His voice in His Holy Word. Those blessed pages are full of instruction and life, harmonious with truth. They are a perfect rule of conduct. Instructions are given, principles are laid down, which apply to every circumstance in life, even though some particular case may not be stated. Nothing is left unrevealed which is essential to a complete system of faith and a correct line of practice. Every duty that God requires at our hands is made plain…. None will err from the right path who meekly and honestly take the Bible as their guide, making it the man of their counsel.

QUESTON: WHAT TWO RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ENSURE GODS WILL IS FAITHFULLY TRANSMITTED TO US?

Through Revelation and Inspiration.

  2 Peter 1:18-21 – We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.  New Living Translation

1. According to the apostle Peter, the prophetic message of the Old Testament was not of human origin. The prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit in such a way that the content of their message came from God. These men did not create the message themselves. They were merely the vessels of the message, not the originators.
2. Peter was very intentional in stressing the Spirit-inspired source of the prophecies: though written by men, “prophecy never came by the will of man” (2 Pet. 1:21, NKJV). And it is this divine origin that gives the Bible its ultimate authority over our lives.

QUESTION: HOW DOES GOD GET TRUTH FROM THE BIBLE INTO MY MIND?

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 – But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. New Living Translation

• In the process of revelation, human beings are dependent upon the help of someone outside of ourselves to reveal things to us that we, as created (and fallen) beings, cannot know of ourselves. That is, the Holy Spirit teaches us truths that have to be told to us (see, for example, Dan. 2:19–23); otherwise, we could never know them through natural means.
• Revelation is a process in which God makes Himself and His divine will known to humans. The basic idea associated with the word revelation is an unveiling, or uncovering, of something that otherwise is hidden. We need such a revelation because, as finite and fallen beings separated from God because of sin, we are greatly limited in what we can learn on our own. We are dependent upon God to know His will. Hence, we are dependent on God’s revelation because we are not God and have only a very limited natural knowledge of Him.
  

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “REVELATION” AND “INSPIRATION?”

While revelation is the supernatural act by which God reveals truth to chosen human beings, inspiration is the activity of the Holy Spirit that safeguards the truthfulness of what the human authors wrote, so that their words have the full approval of God.

 Psalms 119:160 – The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever. New Living Translation
 
 John 17:17 – Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. New Living Translation

There is a difference between revelation and inspiration. Revelation has to do with the unfolding or revealing of God’s unchangeable truth. God’s truth is not dependent on human thought or activity in any way. Truth is truth, whether human beings accept and believe it or not. God’s truth is both eternal and universal. It is eternal in the sense that it applies to every generation at all times. It is universal in the sense that it applies to all people in all cultures. God’s truth, like the law of gravity, applies at all times and in all places. Culture does not shape or alter truth. Truth shapes and alters culture.
Inspiration, on the other hand, is God’s working by His Holy Spirit through human agents to communicate His truth. The same God who revealed truth guided the writers of the Bible as they wrote it down. God did not dictate each word of the Bible to the biblical writers. He directed their thoughts, inspired their minds, and guided their pens. They wrote in their own words with the vocabularies available to them under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to communicate the infallible Word of God.

The Word of God is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. It is not our task to sit in judgment over Scripture. Scripture, rather, has the right and the authority to judge us.

Inspiration is the term used to describe God’s influence through the work of the Holy Spirit in transmitting His message through human instruments. The work of the Holy Spirit in the process of inspiration is the reason we find a fundamental unity in all of Scripture in regard to truth. As the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13), the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.

The apostles received this “Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:12, NASB). Then in verse 13 he moves to the work of inspiration, where he speaks of things “not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words” (NASB). Paul had no doubt about the source and the authority of what he was proclaiming.

Romans 15:4 – Things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. New Living Translation

EGW, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 26. – “God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the world by human agencies, and He Himself, by His Holy Spirit, qualified men and enabled them to do His work. He guided the mind in the selection of what to speak and what to write. The treasure was entrusted to earthen vessels, yet it is, nonetheless, from Heaven.”

2 Tim 3:16-17 – All Scripture is inspired by God. . .

QUESTION: WHAT GIFT DO I NEED FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CORRECTLY UNDERSTAND DIVINE REVELATION FROM SCRIPTURE?  

 (He gives me understanding)

Mark 4:24-25 – Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. 25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” New Living Translation

Philippians 1:9 – I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. New Living Translation

Hebrews 6:1-2 – So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. New Living Translation

1 John 2:27 – But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. New Living Translation

EGW, Ye Shall Receive Power 57 – It is not enough that we merely profess the faith; something more than a nominal assent is wanted. There must be a real knowledge, a genuine experience in the principles of the truth as it is in Jesus. The Holy Spirit must work within, bringing these principles into the strong light of distinct consciousness, that we may know their power and make them a living reality. The mind must yield obedience to the royal law of liberty, the law which the Spirit of God impresses upon the heart, and makes plain to the understanding. The expulsion of sin must be the act of the soul itself, in calling into exercise its noblest powers.

2 Peter 1:3-5 – By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. New Living Translation

EGW, Signs of the Times, September 12, 1900 – These promises are the assurance that through the influence of the Holy Spirit we are strengthened to become like God in character. By beholding His purity and holiness, we become partakers of His nature, overcoming the selfishness of the natural heart. There is a power in truth that will always work if the human agent will heartily co-operate, allowing himself to be brought by faith into captivity to Jesus Christ. The Savior’s virtues and excellencies then become the savor of the whole being. “And besides this,” the apostle continues, “giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” This is not a surface work. It means a clear understanding of spiritual things, and a genuine sense of the practical working of the Holy Spirit upon mind and heart.

EGW, Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists 215 – What these brethren need is elevation of thought, and refinement of character. They need to make the Bible their guide; the study of God’s holy word will strengthen and expand the mind. But they must learn the truth as it is in Jesus, or they might better never have received it. It is not the mere reading of the word that gives light, but the word opened to the understanding and applied to the heart by the Spirit of God.

Ps 119:130 – The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. New Living Translation

EGW, In High Places 139 – The more closely we adhere to the simplicity of truth, the more surely do we comprehend its deep meaning. Then if the heart is under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, it can say, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple” ( Psalm 119:130). This means the word is interpreted by the Holy Spirit, not merely as perused by the student. It is not the mere letter of the words which gives the light and the understanding, but the Word is in a special manner written upon the heart, applied by the Holy Spirit. To the mind and heart consecrated to God, an increased measure of understanding is given as the light is communicated to others….

EGW, That I May Know Him 192 – The Holy Spirit brings the saving truths of the Scriptures within the comprehension of all who desire to know and do the will of God. Uneducated minds are enabled to grasp the most sublime and soul-stirring themes that can engage the attention of men—themes that will be the study and the song of the redeemed through all eternity.

The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, Chapter 200 – It is time that the men and women who have the Word of God in their hands rested not until the Holy Spirit gives them an understanding of the Word and works a reformation in their hearts.

John 6:63-64 – The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. New Living Translation

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SCRIPTURES AND THE PROPHETIC GIFT OF ELLEN WHITE?

EGW, Evangelism 257 – Little heed is given to the Bible, and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light.

EGW, Evangelism 256 – The testimonies of Sister White should not be carried to the front. God’s Word is the unerring standard. The Testimonies are not to take the place of the Word. . . Let all prove their positions from the Scriptures and substantiate every point they claim as truth from the revealed Word of God.

EGW, 5 Testimonies for the Church 663 –“The word of God abounds in general principles for the formation of correct habits of living, and the Testimonies, general and personal have been calculated to call attention more especially to these principles,”

QUESTION: IS THERE EVER A TIME WHEN WE SHOULD IGNORE OR THROW OUT SOMETHING WRITTEN IN SCRIPTURE?

1 Cor 11:5-6 – But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.

 1 Cor 14:34-35 – Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.

1 Tim 2:11,12 – Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. ESV

Principle: A Call to Orderly Worship

1 Corinthians 14:26 – But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. New Living Translation

1 Corinthians 14:40 – But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. New Living Translation

Paul gave rules for orderly worship. Rules may change according to culture and circumstances. Principles never change because they come from God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

 1 Corinthians 7:17 – Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches. New Living Translation

1 Corinthians 11:33-34 – So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. 34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive. New Living Translation

EGW, 1 Selected Messages 57– Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored, nothing is cast aside: but time and place must be considered.

EGW, Review and Herald, June 25, 1859 – We see those who will select from the testimonies the strongest expressions, and without bringing in or making an account of the circumstances under which the cautions are given make them a force in every case.

EGW, Manuscript. Release, Vol. 19, 91 – The character of Christianity is intensely practical. It adapts itself to every circumstance of actual life, and fits in with everyday trials in sympathy, and carries with it the divine credentials. Great truths are brought into immediate contact with that which are regarded by finite man as “little things.” On one side is supplied the motive for purity and holiness, while on the other is furnished the grand, noble, principles for the regulation of the conduct and the well balanced character of a Christian.

EGW, 3 Selected Messages, 217 – “God wants us all to have common sense, and he wants us to reason from common sense. Circumstances alter conditions. Circumstances change the relation of things.”

QUESTION: WHY IS IT DANGEROUS TO READ THE WORD OF GOD IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE YOUR MIND?

The Holy Spirit is instrumental, not only in giving us the Written Word of God but also in helping us understand it properly. Human beings are darkened in their understanding of truth; they are, by nature, alienated from God.

Ephesians 4:17-18 – Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. New Living Translation

1. Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knowing God’s will and understanding His truth would be a matter of guesswork that would leave us uncertain and confused. God’s Word provides clarity and certainty regarding knowing and understanding His will.
2. That’s why the same Spirit who revealed and inspired the Word of God is the One who enables us to understand it.
3. The problem is not that the Bible is an obscure book. The problem is our sin tainted attitude toward God, who reveals Himself in the Bible.

• The Holy Spirit is a Teacher who desires to lead us into a deeper understanding of Scripture and to a joyful appreciation of the Bible. He brings the truth of God’s Word to our attention and gives us fresh insights into those truths so that our lives can be characterized by faithfulness and a loving obedience to God’s will.
• This can happen, though, only if we approach the Bible with a humble and teachable heart.

 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 – When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. New Living Translation

 In our understanding of the Bible, we are dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, the spiritual significance of the biblical words is not discerned, only its linguistic meaning. Furthermore, as sinful human beings we often are opposed to God’s truth, not because we do not understand it but because we would prefer not to follow it. Without the Holy Spirit there is no affection for God’s message. There is no hope, no trust, and no love in response. What the Spirit brings to life is in harmony with the truth already proclaimed in the Bible.

EGW, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, January 27, 1885. “Many contradictory opinions in regard to what the Bible teaches do not arise from any obscurity in the book itself, but from blindness and prejudice on the part of interpreters. Men ignore the plain statements of the Bible to follow their own perverted reason.”

QUESTION: DOES GOD EVER GIVE TO A PERSON A REVELATION THAT IS CONTRARY TO SCRIPTURE?

Some people claim to have received special “revelations” and instructions from the Holy Spirit that go against the clear message of the Bible. For them the Holy Spirit has attained a higher authority than God’s Word. Whenever the inspired and Written Word of God is nullified and its clear message is evaded, we walk on dangerous ground and do not follow the leading of God’s Spirit. The Bible is our only spiritual safeguard. It alone is a reliable norm for all matters of faith and practice.

EGW, The Desire of Ages, p. 671 – “Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself.”

EGW, The Great Controversy, p. 9 – “the Spirit was not given—nor can it ever be bestowed—to supersede the Bible; for the Scriptures explicitly state that the word of God is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested.” The Holy Spirit is never given to replace the Word of God. He, rather, works in harmony with and through the Bible to draw us to Christ, thus making the Bible the only norm for authentic biblical spirituality. We can be sure that when someone comes making claims that are in contradiction to the Word of God, that person is not speaking the truth. We can’t judge hearts or motives. We can, though, judge theology, and the only standard we have to judge it with is the Word of God.

Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The Bible is more than merely a collection of inspirational writings. It is the authoritative, life-changing Word of God. When prayerfully read with a humble, teachable attitude under the influence of the Holy Spirit, it transforms our lives.

QUESTION: WHAT TRUTHS CAN YOU THINK OF THAT HAVE ONLY BEEN REVEALED IN THE BIBLE?

1. Creation. What a contrast between what the Word of God teaches about how we were created and how humanity teaches we were created—that is, through the process of what is now called “the neo-Darwinian synthesis.” Look at how wrong humans have it!
2. The second coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead at the end of the age. These are truths that we could never learn on our own. They have to be revealed to us, and they are, in the Word of God, which was inspired by the Holy Spirit.
3. In fact, the most important truth of all, that Jesus Christ died for our sins and that we are saved through faith in Him and His works for us, is a truth that we never could have figured out on our own. We know it only because it has been revealed to us.   

While many parts of the Bible are a result of God’s direct supernatural revelation, not everything in the Bible was revealed in that manner. Sometimes God used biblical writers in their careful personal investigation of things or in their use of other existing documents (Josh. 10:13, Luke 1:1–3) to reveal and communicate His message. Thus, all parts of the Bible are revealed and inspired (2 Tim. 3:16). This is the reason Paul states that “whatever” was written, was written for our instruction, so that through “the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4, NASB). The God who speaks and who created human language enables chosen people to communicate in human words the inspired thoughts in a trustworthy and reliable manner.