Is It OK To Celebrate Christmas?

Romans 14:1-12

SUBJECT: CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE

THEME: today I want to identify the boundaries of Christian liberty and the proper exercise of Christian love regarding Christmas holiday observances.  

In this study series, I hope to articulate the approach a Christian should take regarding holiday observances. Secondly, and in full disclosure, I aim to steer you clear of the two major pitfalls of license and legalism regarding holidays. That is we cannot allow nor forbid all aspects of any holiday observance as a standard practice for all believers. Some aspects may be morally acceptable while others are concretely violations of biblical truth. In those facets that are truly neutral, we must afford liberty to others. Thirdly, we hope to encourage you to live with a voluntary self-restraint regarding gray area issues that may offend others or hinder our efforts of reaching and helping people. We do not want our freedom in Christ to be regarded as evil or needlessly offensive. All of these are worthwhile goals; therefore, exploring this subject, though it came be volatile,  is still a worthwhile time investment.

The way a person observes the Christmas holiday can be a matter of controversy and unnecessary hard feelings or resentment. For example, someone may inquire, "Can I drink eggnog at the office Christmas party?" Another may ask, "Why erect a Christmas Tree? It has nothing to do with the birth of Christ...." Yet someone else may wonder if participation in any part of Christmas observances are pleasing to God...especially since its origin is pagan. Well, the Apostle Paul in Romans 14 gives us valuable guidance and relational principles in the areas of questionable things and practices. He shares powerful guidelines to enable believers to disagree on nonessentials (gray area issues) while maintaining love and unity in the churches and Christian homes.

With as much as Fundamental Christians agree upon, it's quite amazing what we can fight about, and even split churches over. Unfortunately, it has been this way with Christianity from its inception. And in those early days, God gave His people a way to handle these matters so they would not become divisive. His plan? Liberating love. This solid plan is delineated for us all in Romans 14:1–15:13 (also 1 Cor. 8-10), which describes two groups who are at odds with each other over two areas of concern. So let's keep open minds, laying aside our differences so we can hear what God has to say to us from these passages.  

HOW DO WE KNOW CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY OBSERVANCES ARE “GRAY AREA ISSUES”?

Simply stated we know that Christmas is a Gray Area Issue Because the Bible Does Not Address the Subject At All; therefore, the Christian Can Exercise Liberty in the Matter.

In other words, God does not forbid nor command us to observe the holiday. We cannot require another to honor this day, nor can we forbid another’s observance. The choice is up to you whether or not you participate or refrain. It is a matter of personal persuasion. Note what the Apostle Paul actually says in Romans 14:5-6,

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. [6] He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

It is up to the individual believer as to whether or not she or he will celebrate the holiday of Christmas. But let every believer be “fully persuaded in his own mind” that what he or she does is completely pleasing to God.  The choice is yours but it must be made in faith! Note that Romans 14:23, requires, “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

While there are a number of things associated with the observance of the Christmas Holiday that are biblically wrong like lying to children about Santa Claus and the godless parties promoting drugs and alcohol, there are many traditions that are healthy. Time reflecting on the actual meaning of Christ's birth, giving thanks to God for the "gift" of His only begotten Son, and worship services devoted to celebrating the incarnation of God are all worthwhile. Any Christian should be able to subscribed to worship emphasizing these truly scriptural realities without any difficulty. However, if a believer objects to Christmas trees, traditional Christmas tales like Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer, and swapping gifts then they are free to do so as a personal matter. We all must be careful to separate the biblical from the traditional in many matters. Each individual needs to be persuaded about these matters of conscious as a matter of faith. We must be watchful against imposing our personal convictions on another person; they must also be free to act according to their own conscious with impunity.
 

THERE ARE "GRAY AREAS" THAT ARE NOT EXPRESSLY RIGHT OR WRONG FOR EVERY BELIEVER. 

Some may view these as black and white matters while others disagree referring to them as gray areas. Consider these suggestions:

    1.  Consider Just a Few of the Gray Area Issues of Our Day.

         a. Consider the Issue of Christians in The Military and Fighting in War.

         b. Consider the Issue of Christians Holding Government Offices.

         c. Consider the Issue of Christians Attending an Office Christmas Party.

         d. Consider the Issue of Christians Playing or Owning a Pool Table.

         e. Consider the Issue of Christians Owning a Gun or Advocating for Guns.

         f. Consider the Issue of Christians Playing Card Games.

         g. Consider the Issue of Christians Working on the Lord’s Day– Sunday.
         h. Consider the Issue of Christians Working at Stores that sell Liquor and Tobacco. 

All of these issues have been debated for years with little or no resolution or coherency. My aim here is not to revisit them all individually, but to demonstrate that the subject of observing Christmas is categorized with them. In addition, I merely hope to emphasize that true matters of conscious can be real hot button subjects. They can generate much heated debate and drive deep the wedge of division in a family or church. People tend to be quite passionate about their position; they will vigorously defend their perspective. It seems to me the more deeply one's position is rooted in tradition, the more tenaciously it is held. Christmas observances typically present a vast array of secular traditions and of course teachings deeply rooted in biblical truth. It is a potentially explosive subject when a secularist and a believer address the subject to each other. It is also a challenging portion of discussion when two believers haggle over the significance of the holiday and devotion to biblical emphasis. I am simply contending that the proper balance can be struck if we observe the principles of Christian Liberty. Perhaps we need to visit the subject of "Christian Liberty" to help us understand how to handle all such matters.

     2.  “Christian Liberty” is Applied to These Areas of Moral Indifference.

To avoid confusion, please allow me to explore the subject of Christian Liberty so that we all understand what I am actually saying here.

Liberty Means that Believers Are Emancipated from the Bondage of Satan, the Domination of Sin, Guilt, and the Fear of Death. Christians are entirely free of any obligations to sin and its condemnation. Spiritual union with Christ, involving the service of Christ, is compatible with perfect freedom; inasmuch as we are thus restored to the right relationship to God and brought into harmony with His will (see Matt 11:28-30; James 1:25). The season of bondage and fear of death is over for genuine believers. Note that Hebrews 2:14-15, says, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; [15] And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (see John 8:31-36; Acts 26:17-18; Rom 7:24-25; 8:15; Heb. 2:14-15). 

Liberty Means that Christians Are Not under Obligation to Observe the Distinctly Jewish Regulations in the Bible. Paul says in Galatians 5:1, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."  We are not required to embrace the Jewish traditional holidays mentioned in the Old and the New Testaments. Christians should insist on liberty concerning such matters of culture, observing holidays, feasts, and ceremonies. All the while we accept the fact that Christianity will look and feel differently in different cultures, but the essential truths and message remain in tact. The result is not a watered down version of Christianity, but real Christianity in another cultural context. I certainly am not encouraging perversions of our Faith, but simply recognizing that Christianity is designed by God to be indigenous, lucid and relevant on many levels regardless of the people group. The Liberty we have through Christ tolerates such nuances as the Faith is expressed through a certain cultural setting. It will differ slightly in other social/ethnic situations without any violation of essential or fundamental truths.     

You see, circumcision, Animal Sacrifices, with the whole body of ceremonial requirements essential to the chosen nation, Israel, during the period that was preparatory to the gospel,  are set aside under the gospel. These features of religion were annulled by the incoming of the new dispensation in Christ. They were not in keeping with the dignity and inward liberty of redeemed souls, our new moral elevation and illumination, or our relationship as children of God. (see John 4:20-24; Acts 15:1-29; Gal. 2:1; 5:1-6; Heb. 8:10,13).  Hebrews 8:13, says, "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." The Old Covenant requirements were satisfied through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. They are accomplished on the behalf of every believer, thus they are nullified. These elements were not transferred to other people groups, but many Jewish converts still continued to observe these traditions for a while. 

                                                           

The Phrase, Christian Liberty, Also Refers to the Privilege of Christians to Regulate Their Lives as Individuals with Respect to Matters That Are Morally Indifferent. The NT instructions upon this point were developed for the most part on account of the attempt to impose Jewish regulations upon converts of Christianity. Again Christians are not obligated to observe these regulations or holy days. We must also understand the principles set forth by Paul have a much broader application and are still of great importance to us today (see Rom 13; 14:14; 1 Cor. 7:8; also Scriptures referred to above). He repeatedly advocated for Christian Liberty concerning days and diets.  

With Respect to Such Things that Are Not Commanded or Forbidden in the Word of God, Christian Liberty May Be Exercised and Should Be Allowed. Actions are not to be pronounced sinful that are not sinful. Different does not mean wrong or a perversion of the Faith. Often there is more than one way to obey a biblical requirement. Any scriptural injunction can be executed in a number of ways; multiple strategies could be employed by any congregation even. Nonessentials are not to be elevated to the place of essential virtues. Some things concerning our Faith are vital and necessary while others are not. Essentials (relative to Christmas) are fundamental teachings like the nature of God, the nature of Christ's birth, salvation by grace, propitiation through one ultimate Sacrifice, the inspiration and veracity of Scripture, and the significance of Christ's birth. Nonessentials are things like Christmas trees, a white Christmas (snow), sleigh rides, turkey dinners, Santa Claus (a lie), gift swapping, gingerbread cookies, and chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Each Christian is free to choose for themselves before their Lord on these matters that are truly neutral. Regarding the essentials, every believer should advocate for these truths, but all the rest is not worth bickering over except to demonstrate they are not fundamental to biblical Christianity.  

Proper Room must Be Left for the Exercise of Individual Judgment or of Enlightened Christian Conscience. That is correct, in these gray area matters it is permissible to allow your conscious to be your guide. Individual preference is appropriate as long as it is exercise with loving consideration for how our actions will impact others. 

But remember, this Liberty with Respect to Things Indifferent Is Not Absolute; There are Limitations. Its exercise is under the limitations of the principles of self-preservation, of expediency, of duty, and of love. Healthy concessions should be made for the sake of "the weak," though care should be taken not to make them in a way, or to such an extent, as to perpetuate their weakness or to promote superstition. If the former is not done "the weak" are needlessly injured. If the latter is omitted the principle of evangelical liberty is violated, Christians are reduced to un-Christian slavery, and the progress of Christ's kingdom is obstructed. Always keep the principles of expediency and edification in mind as you grapple with these matters. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:23, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." Is it expedient for the cause of Christ? Does it edify my brother or sister in Christ? These are good questions to grapple with. 

MANY BIBLE SUBJECTS ARE BINDING WHILE OTHERS ARE GOVERNED BY GENERAL PRINCIPLES.

     1.  Some Activities We Know Are Wrong, Because the Bible Clearly Condemns Them.  For instance we do not have to wonder or worry about whether drug usage, immorality, stealing or lying are wrong.  When we are faced with these temptations we do not have to stop and pray about whether or not we should indulge.  We do not need to analyze the situation to see if we should participate; no, we just simply believe God and refuse.  God already said NO about immorality, substance abuse, lying, and stealing.

     2.  Other Activities We Know Are Right, Because the Bible Clearly Commands Them.  Things like faithful church attendance, tithing one’s income, evangelizing the lost, living holy, being honest and beyond reproach, Bible study, and encouraging others with the Scriptures are clearly the expressed will of God as prescribed in the Bible.

But when it comes to areas that are not clearly defined in Scripture, we find ourselves needing some other kind of guidance. Paul gave Christian Liberty principles for this guidance. He explains how believers could disagree on nonessentials and still maintain unity in the church. He gave his readers three important admonitions. We will consider two of them in this series.

     3. Some Matters Can Be Settled Based on General Biblical Principles.

The following are general principles that can be applied to many of these gray area matters. Consider these as questions for personal examination:

       a. Will what I’m about to do raise questions about my motives? (1 Thes. 5:22; 1 Cor. 9:12, 18)

       b. Will what I do have a positive effect on others for the Lord? (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:23)

       c. Will what I do clearly bring glory to God? (1 Cor. 10:31)

       d. Will what I do result in the salvation of souls? (1 Cor. 10:33)

       e. Will what I want to do master or enslave me? (1 Cor. 6:10)

       f. Will what I want to do promote peace in the fellowship? (Rom. 14:19)

       g. Does what I want to do make me feel uneasy in my conscience? (Rom. 14:23)

Again through this study I hope to clarify what position a Christian should take on such holiday observances.  Secondly, I wish to steer you clear of the two major pitfalls of license and legalism regarding the holidays.  Thirdly, I want to encourage you to live with a voluntary self-restraint regarding gray issues that may offend others or hinder our efforts of reaching and helping people. Remember in all matters Christian Love is applicable and prescribed by our Heavenly Father. 

Yes, the way a person observes the Christmas holiday can be a matter of controversy and unnecessary hard feelings or even resentment. It may appear as hypocrisy to observe it or to refrain from observing it. The Apostle Paul gives us helpful guidance and relational principles in the areas of questionable things and practices. Study carefully the passages mentioned above in their original context. Then do the profitable work of working out how these principles apply to us today. You will be gloriously enriched! 

Yes, believers can disagree on nonessentials (gray area issues) and still maintain love and unity in the churches and Christian homes. If we understand and faithfully apply these principles we will not find ourselves tearing up our churches and our homes about things that are neutral before God. We will also learn to tolerate the different preferences of other believers; how to govern ourselves when dealing with “gray” issues are necessary relational skills.  

As always, I am not advocating the sacrifice of biblical truth and important principles of the Scriptures, but I am saying that we should be willing to give up our personal rights in order to win souls to Christ and build-up other saints in Christian love. It is not about what I want, but what is edifying, expedient, or others centered. I realize some folks want to make every subject an absolute matter with universal application. We all function a little bit better when we know the clearly defined boundaries.... In matters of conscious the boundary is the individual's choice or preference under the authority of Christ the Lord. That is the standard Beloved, for us all. 

Why Fuss Over Christmas?

Romans 14:1-12

SUBJECT: CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE

THEME: today I want to begin identifying the boundaries of Christian liberty and the proper exercise of Christian love with regards to the Christmas holiday.  

Through this study series, I hope to clarify what position a Christian should have on such holiday observances.  Secondly, I hope to steer you clear of the two major pitfalls of license and legalism in regards to holidays.  Thirdly, we hope to encourage you to live with a voluntary self-restraint in regards to amoral issues that may offend others or hinder our efforts in reaching and helping people.

The way a person observes the Christmas holiday can be a matter of controversy and unnecessary hard feelings or resentment.  The Apostle Paul in this chapter gives us valuable guidance and relational principles in the areas of questionable things and practices. He shares valuable insights on how believers could disagree on nonessentials (gray area issues) and still maintain love and unity in the church and Christian home. If we understand and faithfully apply these principles we will not find ourselves tearing up our churches and our homes about things that are neutral before God. We will also learn to tolerate the different preferences of other believers; how to govern ourselves when dealing with “gray” issues.  Of course we are not advocating the sacrifice of truth and important principles of the Scriptures, but we are saying that we should be willing to give up our personal rights in order to win souls to Christ and build-up other saints in Christian love.

                                                                       

Consider this powerful principle from the Apostle Paul in the book of Romans, "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself" (Rom. 14:7). Clearly, we influence the lives of others; therefore, we lovingly seek to have a positive impact. We take measures to guard against needless offenses. We are moved by a loving interest to edify and build up fellow believers in the Christian Faith. Beloved, we are accountable to God for how we interact and treat fellow Christians. 

Imagine That We Were Using Some Children's Building Blocks, to Construct a Building or Pyramid on a Table at the Front of the Church Auditorium.  Suppose I pulled a block from the bottom level of the pile . . .  what would happen?  The Apostle Peter once described Christians as lively stones or building blocks in God's house, the Church. As such, what we do affects the other blocks in the building. While God has granted us Liberty in Jesus Christ, we should be aware that our actions may have an important effect-for good or ill in the believers around us.

Disunity Has Always Been a Major Problem with God's People.  Almost every local church mentioned in the New Testament had divisions to contend with. The Corinthians were divided over human leaders, and some of the members were even suing each other (1 Cor. 1:10-13; 6:1-8). The Galatian saints were "biting and devouring" one another (Gal. 5:15), and the saints in Ephesus and Colossae had to be reminded of the importance of Christian unity (Eph. 4:1-3; Col. 2:1-2). In the church at Philippi, two women were at odds with each other and, as a result, were splitting the church (Phil. 4:1-3). No wonder the psalmist wrote, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Ps. 133:1).

Unfortunately, We Have Similar Division Problems Today with "Gray Area Issues" That Are Not Clearly Right or Wrong to Every Believer. If you ever want to put a spark in a gathering of Christians, voice a position about gambling, or mixed swimming, or smoking, or celebrating Halloween, or listening to rock or rap music, or public dancing, or watching R-rated movies, or whether you can be a Democrat or a Republican and still be a Christian.  Likewise the subject of Christmas and how it should be observed can generate heated arguments. By the way, most of this list is very bad! Never-the-less raise any of these issues—or any number of others—and watch what happens. The conversation may start politely enough, but soon you'll find signs of deep-seated disagreements, sometimes even hostility.

God Has Given Guidance to Enable Us to Handle These Concerns. With as much as Fundamental Christians agree upon, it's absolutely amazing to see what we can fight about, even split churches over. This habit is nothing new, unfortunately. It has been with churches and Christianity since its inception. And in those early days, God gave His people a way to handle questionable matters so they would not become divisive. His plan? Liberating love. And it's spelled out in Romans 14:1–15:13 (also 1 Cor. 8-10), which describes two groups who are at odds with each other over two areas of concern. So let's keep open minds, laying aside our differences so we can hear what God has to say to us from these passages. We have nothing to lose, except, of course, petty squabbling, fighting, prejudice, intolerance, and the world's opinion that we have nothing of value to offer. Remember, every Believer is accountable to God for how we treat His children. Our views on these matters matter to our heavenly Father. Therefore, they should matter to us. Stay tune for other articles advancing this discussion and exploring relevant passages.  

Will The Spirit Contradict The Bible?

Is it possible for the Spirit of God to teach us something different from the Bible’s statements? Must I choose between Bible knowledge and spiritual power? Is it pleasing to God to base my beliefs on my feelings and experiences? Should I discard a belief if it does not match the Bible’s statements? These are real questions sincere Believers grapple with on a regular basis. This is largely because “Christianity” in the modern world is extremely diverse in its practices. This is not only true when considering the entire country, but also within the average size city. In addition, there are a number of methods employed by Christians to interpret the Bible. Different groups have come to different conclusions based on their system of interpreting the Bible. Some movements emphasize Bible content, others the fundamentals of the faith, while yet others place more stock in experiences and feelings. As a result worship styles vary vastly across the land. My point here is not to debate worship styles, but to look at something more foundational to our spiritual formation. What is that you ask? Well…how we view the ministry of the Spirit of truth and His usages of the Word of truth to develop and mature disciples for the Lord Jesus. More specifically, should we be satisfied with any beliefs that do not match the Bible’s teachings? Is what we believe the same as what God believes? Such considerations focus our attention on the Author and the best Teacher of the Bible. Yes, God wants to teach us the Bible to establish how we view all of life.

THE INSPIRER OF SCRIPTURE

Think with me about the thoughts of Paul beginning in 1Corinthians 2:13, where we discover the Spirit inspires the truths He teaches to believers. So the Spirit is the Revealer, Investigator, and Inspirer of Truth! That is correct; the Spirit is the divine Author of the Holy Scriptures (2Pet. 1:19-21). Consider carefully Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 2:13, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” Recall how the Lord Jesus promised that the Spirit would faithfully teach His followers (John 14:26) and skillfully guide us into all facets of God’s eternal truth (John 16:13). It is also important to note carefully the sequence here: the Spirit taught Paul from the Word, and Paul then taught the believers. The truth of God is found in the Word of God because of inspiration. The Word is truth! Being taught by the Spirit is not a subjective intra-personal subliminal mental exercise! No, it is attention to objective inspired truth! The words of a self-proclaimed prophet may not be true at all, and the words and comments of a sincere pastor may be entirely wrong as well.  Truth is always found in God’s written Word. You may not be able to trust what well intentioned men say, but you can trust the Word of God.  Specifically, I trust my King James Bible.

In addition, it is very important to note that these spiritual truths Paul is referring to are given in specific “words.”  Yes, like other faithful Bible students, I believe in the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures. In the Bible, we Christians have much more than inspired thoughts; we have inspired words—words from the heart of God. Read carefully and thoughtfully what the Lord Jesus says, “For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest” (John 17:8). Jesus was referring to the verbal units that comprise thoughts and concepts; Beloved, He recognizes them as having belonged to God. By Verbal Inspiration is meant the very words of Scripture are God’s words. Inspiration goes beyond the concepts and message to the actual words. It is through specific words that we convey our exact meaning and message. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew  4:4,  “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Again Christ places extraordinary weight on the actual wording of a sentence of Scripture and not merely the general concepts. In this light it is utterly consistent to conclude the Bible is actually God’s Word. Yes, the Bible’s content testifies to the fact that God is its actual Author. Like anything God communicates, His words and message to us Christians is absolutely reliable and free of any error because of the Great Inspirer—The Holy Spirit.

THE INSTRUCTOR OF SCRIPTURE

Still how does the Spirit teach the believer? First of all Paul employed the word “teacheth” (1Cor. 2:13) to describe the Spirit’s work. The Spirit is the Teacher; He desires to instruct and guide every genuine child of God through the wealth of the Scriptures. Robertson (1931, Volume 4, p. 88,) in Word Pictures in the New Testament viewed this word as a reference to the teaching ministry of the Spirit.  Note his comment, “Paul claims the help of the Holy Spirit in the utterance … of the words, which the Spirit teacheth… in words taught by the Spirit”. Therefore one taught by God would be considered ‘instructed’ from a subjective standpoint, but objectively they were given spiritual insights ‘communicated by teaching.’ Thus the apostles were Spirit taught. The Spirit of God taught them objective spiritual truth.

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Zodhiates 1993) says this Greek word means “to teach” and states,

In 1 Cor. 2:13 it refers to things or lessons taught or imparted or suggested by the Holy Spirit as contrasted to the things taught by words of human wisdom. There are things that are not taught by human wisdom but by God's Spirit, and the possibility of that learning is with everybody as the word "all" makes clear in John 6:45.

One natural implication is that all believers are taught by the Spirit as they yield to Him. One more comment here will suffice to communicate most conclusively the teaching ministry of the Spirit directly and through human instrumentality. Paul emphasized that the intellectuals of this world could not teach the knowledge he was giving to the Corinthian believers. It has been further suggested (Nelson Study Bible 1997) that the Spirit did not simply dictate words to Paul and the other apostles; He taught them. The apostles related with their own vocabulary and style what they had learned from the Spirit. Thus in many regards they wrote and taught Scripture from highly developed understandings of the material.

 Not only does the Spirit teach directly and indirectly, but He combines and compares “spiritual things with spiritual” realities (1Cor. 2:13). He habitually shows the relationship between concepts and truths. The Spirit repeats and reminds the student of the insights, messages, and truths He has taught us previously (John 14:26). He relates the formerly learned truth to something new he desires to educate and edify with. Then the Spirit wisely leads the child of God into new discoveries, new insights, and new applications of old truth. The grandness of this privilege cannot be overstated—believers are taught by God! What a blessing it is to research, compare passages, cross reference verses, and grasp Bible terms as the Spirit of the Living God reveals truths about the Father, the Lord Jesus, Himself, redemption, sanctification and on and on the wonderful list goes. One of the joys of Bible study is suddenly seeing a concept in broader biblical usages. Another blessing is realizing that I have been brought to a certain conclusion by the Spirit’s teaching ministry in my life. Beloved, how cool is that!

What a wonder to witness the Spirit combining, connecting, and linking spiritual realities to other truths. With awesome skill He carefully synchronizes, blends, inculcates, compares, distinguish, contrasts, and harmonizes God’s truths to the benefit of the believer’s comprehension of God and His will. The tragedy of all tragedies is many Christians are too busy or too distracted by the entertainment world for this kind of research and quiet meditation before the Word.  The priorities of worldliness, materialism, and personal achievement have effectively crowd out any faint ambitions to know God intimately. The result is a spiritually bankrupt brand of Christianity where all types of maladies further and hasten its deterioration. This is why Christians are so impoverished, weakened, and ignorant of God. It is not that Christianity is irrelevant, or inconsequential. No Christians are attempting to live without a Spirit-taught knowledge of God. What enrichment they forfeit, what peace they forego, and what principles they live without! Warren Wiersbe (1989, Vol. 1, p. 576) in The Bible Exposition Commentary said further,

The Holy Spirit is like a householder who “bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old” (Matt 13:52). The new always comes out of the old and helps us better understand the old. God gives us new insights into old truths as we compare one part of Scripture with another. Jesus based His teaching on the Old Testament, yet people were amazed at what He taught because it was so fresh and exciting.  I suggest that you make time every day to read the Word and meditate on it. Follow a regular schedule in your reading and give yourself time to pray, think, and meditate. Let the Spirit of God search the Word and teach you. The study and application of basic Bible doctrine can transform your life.

Beloved, life was designed to be experienced with God; God created us for Himself. We are grossly incomplete without Him. The Holy Spirit’s teaching and instruction ministry in our lives brings us into some realizations of this original design of God. Mentoring and coaching are intimate interactions among people. The same is true of the Spirit’s mentoring and teaching ministry in our lives. Some lessons we will enjoy more than other. There will be occasions when the Spirit confronts our sin and seeks restoration with God. While this may feel uncomfortable it is so vital to our spiritual formation. We can count on the Spirit to always be timely and relevant in what He teaches us because He knows us far better than we know ourselves. Trust His guidance from one subject to the next knowing He always has our highest good in mind.

Lastly, prepare yourself for a few surprises. The Spirit will correct our misconception about God more than once. You and I do not know yet what we presently know wrongly. Again trust the Spirit of God to carefully guide you through the applicable Bible passages to help you come to the correct conclusions. Honestly, all of us without any exception have some misconceptions about God that requires tweaking. Just be honest with God and submissive to the Scriptures.

Remember, what the Spirit of God teaches will always be consistent with what is taught in the body of Scripture. The Holy Spirit is not confused. He does not impress us with ideas or concepts that contradict His own statements in the Bible. The Spirit teaches from the Bible. If we think or believe something and it does not align with the Scriptures, then we have believed a lie. The Spirit of God is the Author and Teacher of the Bible. He will not lead you and me to contradictory conclusions. He always agrees with the Bible He wrote. I have heard sincere Christians say, “I do not care what the Bible says…I know what the Spirit of God told me!” I have also witnessed Christians saying, “I just go with it…I cannot explain it from the Bible, but I believe it is of the Spirit of God.” May I say with all humility of heart, that the Bible’s statements matter most to the Spirit of God, and He will not show us or teach us anything that is not consistent with His Bible. Our experiences do not establish truth; the Bible is truth. Our conclusions do not establish truth; the Bible is truth according to the Lord Jesus (Jn. 17:17). The Spirit of Truth (Jn. 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1Jn. 4:6) will only communicate truth from the Word of Truth (2Cor. 6:7; Eph. 1:13; 2Tim. 2:15; Js. 1:18) as written in the Bible. Beloved, when we believe something claiming it is from the Spirit of Truth, but cannot substantiate that conclusion from the Word of Truth, it is quite likely we have believed a lie. Listen carefully…have the faith and holy courage to take what the Bible clearly says when correctly interpreted over what you feel, have experienced, or think. Submit yourself to the teaching and instructing ministry of the Spirit of God on that subject with the hope of emerging from that study with a correct perception of God and His Word. Whenever you open your Bible, ask the Spirit of Truth to teach and guide you into all truth. He will teach you wondrous things out of His holy Book. May you know wonderful blessings as you chose to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus and a student of the Spirit in the Word of God. 

The Sherlock Holmes of The Bible

We Believers can also know God’s Word and plans through what the Spirit searches out for us. Not only is the Spirit the Revealer, but He is also the Investigator of truth. His investigative skills are infinitely more exquisite than the fictional Sherlock Holmes! That is correct; the Spirit of Grace is a researcher, who often conducts systematic investigations into the deep mysteries of God to disclose them to us. Paul emphasized this point in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 saying,

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Paul clearly says, “The Spirit searcheth all things.” The word “searcheth” means to search into, examine closely, explore, and investigate (Zodhiates, 1993) according to The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament.  The Spirit is the Researcher who delights in exploring the infinite depths of His own divine mind and Word, and then revealing these valuable insights to God’s people. It is not that He requires additional information; His aim is to determine what truth or insight is appropriate for us to be exposed to. The Spirit helps believers “examine closely” and “search diligently” the Scriptures to discover truths we had not been aware of heretofore. He discloses truths largely according to the individual’s maturity, and capacity to comprehend them (Deut. 29:29). Not all Bible teaching is appropriate for every Believer. Some insights are more fitting for new converts, while others are better suited to maturing Christians. 
           We as Believers never would have discovered the mysteries of God or the benefits of Christ’s death without the Holy Spirit revealing this to us. Nevertheless, we can know and experience truth because it has been freely given to us Christians by God through His Word. Believers have a wealth of spiritual resources because the Spirit lives within us! One cannot know what is going on within another’s personality, but the human spirit within knows. Neither can we know “the deep things of God” unless somehow we can enter into God’s personality. This is humanly impossible, but by His Spirit, God has entered into each Believer’s personality. This positions Him to communicate quite richly into our awareness incredible truths and principles about our Lord, our salvation, and the goodness of God toward us. 

Through the Holy Spirit, each convert becomes a participant in the very life of God. The Spirit of God gives glimpses of God’s plans to his people. Only the Spirit can reveal to Believers God’s profound nature and wonderful plan, especially that previously hidden mystery—salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit even shows “the deep things of God” to Christians. Precious insights that communicate comfort, joy, peace, conviction, reverence, awe, and faith into our never dying souls. Sometimes what He introduces us to is so stirring that all we can do is look upward towards our heavenly Father while tears of joy race down our cheeks. There are characteristics of Almighty God that, upon our being exposed to them, deepen our appreciation and stimulate intensely heartfelt worship. His grace and mercy graduate from mere words in our Christian vocabulary to penetrating awareness of who God really is. We are made sober, striped entirely, filled to overflowing, and stabilized in our innermost person. I can personally testify that some biblical teachings fascinated my little brain so much that all I could do was chuckle to myself upon discovering them. First Corinthians 2:10, demonstrates how “the deep things of God” are another description of “the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1Cor. 2:9). God desires for you and me, His children, to know today all the blessings of His grace that He has planned for each of us.

Clearly, the Holy Spirit’s assistance with understanding God’s plans is available to every Christian according to 1 Corinthians 2:12-16. Paul points out three important ministries of the Holy Spirit of God. First of all, the Spirit indwells genuine Believers (2:12).  Notice the phrase, “Now we have received . . . the spirit which is of God.”  The very moment we trusted Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God entered our body and made it His temple (1 Cor. 6:19-20).  Christians have not received the “spirit of the world” because we have been called out of this world and no longer belong to it (John 17:14, 16). We are not under the authority of Satan and his world system. The “spirit of the world” refers to the wisdom of Satan and his demons; his is the “wisdom of this world” (1 Cor. 1:20; 2:6; 3:19), manifested in human efforts and philosophies. Therefore, we Believers do not depend on worldly wisdom because the Spirit we have received is not of this world. Instead, we Believers have received the Spirit who is from God (Gal 3:5). The Spirit can enable Christians to grasp what God has “freely given to us.”  The salvation, accomplished through Jesus’ death, could only be understood as the Holy Spirit revealed it. God’s Spirit dwells within Christians to execute this teaching ministry.
So when we take the time to be the Spirit's understudies, we afford ourselves a tremendous growth opportunity. We can know God and His incredible plans with brilliant clarity and extraordinary depth. While it is good to consult with study helps, study Bibles, sermon CDs and DVDs, the best Bible teacher, investigator, explorer, and revealer is the Holy Spirit of God. Make it your habit to not only study the Word regularly, but to invite the Spirit of grace to teach and instruct you as you read and study. Not every Bible study session will prove to be a stunning experience, but a consistent study life under Professor Holy Spirit will take us quite far into the heart and mind of God our Father. God wants you and me to know Him deeply. He knows He is the absolute best knowledge we could ever attain. Anything we need to know about God, the Sherlock Holmes of the Bible can teach us. 

The Ultimate Transformer

Spiritual change and development is the product of intimate interactions with the Spirit of the Lord. Bible study in and of itself is very good, but it is not an end. The study of the Scriptures is a means to an end. The goal is life with God. Living intercourse with Him daily is nothing short of revolutionary in our experience. Yes, beloved, intimacy with God will transform you and me. Do not fear, child of God, this is why God deposited His Spirit within you. He is the Ultimate Transformer!

TRANSFORMER

 The Apostle Paul highlighted the wonder of the Spirit transforming believers from being carnal to spiritual (1 Cor. 2:14-16).  Because of the Spirit’s dynamic teaching ministry, believers will grow as they cooperate with Him.  This is one of the reasons He undertakes a teaching ministry—to mature saints. The saved person is referred to as “spiritual” simply because God’s Spirit tabernacles in him.  The lost person is called “natural” because he does not possess the Spirit.  Dr. Wiersbe (1989, Vol. 1, p. 576, 577) pointed out,

In 1 Cor. 3:1-4, Paul will introduce a third kind of person, the “carnal man.” He is the immature Christian, the one who lives on a childhood level because he will not feed on the Word and grow…. But as the Christian day by day receives the things of the Spirit he grows and matures.

ILLUMINATOR

Though the growth process is gradual and sometimes imperceptible, God is very much at work.  First Corinthians 2:14, reveals that the gospel can only be received by the power of “the holy Ghost.” Since only Spirit indwelt people have the capacity to receive spiritual truths, it follows that an unregenerate person, would not and could not receive the message of wisdom regardless of his intellectual aptitude.  Unassisted, the unsaved natural person does not get “the things of the Spirit of God.” They are regarded as absolutely foolish by him. He cannot possibly understand them because they can only be “spiritually discerned” (1Cor. 2:14). This highlights the need of the Spirit to illuminate the truth—make it understood to the reader. Walvoord and Zuck (1985) in their Bible Knowledge Commentary said, “Like a deaf critic of Bach or a blind critic of Raphael is the unregenerate critic of God’s Word.” The unsaved individual really cannot penetrate into the full understanding of what the Christian's life is all about. The insightful Vance Havner (MacDonald & Farstad 1985, p. 1753) advises:

The wise Christian wastes no time trying to explain God’s program to unregenerate men; it would be casting pearls before swine. He might as well try to describe a sunset to a blind man or discuss nuclear physics with a monument in the city park. The natural man cannot receive such things. One might as well try to catch sunbeams with a fishhook as to lay hold of God’s revelation unassisted by the Holy Spirit. Unless one is born of the Spirit and taught by Him, all this is utterly foreign to him. Being a Ph.D. does not help, for in this realm it could mean ‘Phenomenal Dud!’

Conversely according to The Life Application Commentary Series (Livingston Cooperation 1994), a believer, possessing the Spirit and guided by Him, is equipped to scrutinize, evaluate and apply all things the Spirit reveals (v. 10). He is illuminated by the Spirit of God and can discern these wonderful truths even though he himself cannot be rightly judged by the unconverted. MacDonald and Farstad (1995, p. 1753-1754) observed,

Perhaps he is a carpenter, or plumber, or fisherman; yet he is an able student of the Holy Scriptures. “The Spirit-controlled Christian investigates, inquires into, and scrutinizes the Bible and comes to an appreciation and understanding of its contents” (KSW). To the world he is an enigma. He may never have been to college or seminary, yet he can understand the deep mysteries of the word of God and perhaps even teach them to others.

The spiritual man can be judged only by God (4:3-5), not by unregenerate people (2:15) or by worldly Christians (3:1-3). The believers in Christ Jesus “have the mind of Christ” (1Cor. 2:16). To have the mind of Christ is to know and be obedient to God’s revealed plan and will (Phil. 2:5-8). God cannot be known through the wisdom or power of men. He is known only as He chooses to make Himself known.

However, since Christians have the mind of Christ we are able to understand the deep truths of God. In practical terms to “have the mind of Christ” is looking at life from the Lord’s point of view, having His values and desires in mind. It refers to thinking God’s thoughts and not the world’s. Believers can never fully know everything God is thinking (Romans 11:34), but because we have the Holy Spirit, we can develop a relationship with God. And, as with any relationship, when one spends time with someone, one begins to understand their thoughts, plans, and ways. This is illustrates in marriage. After years of marriage couples can finish each other's sentences and anticipate each other’s thoughts. It is the same with God. As one spends time with Christ in his Word and prayer and the relationship develops, one begins to gain the mind of Christ. Intimacy with God transpires and one knows what He desires, appreciates, cherishes, and plans. Also one will understand what He hates, rejects, and what He finds offensive and wicked.

So there it is. God’s Spirit reveals and teach things to Christians what they would not and could not know otherwise. The Spirit is the Revealer, Inspirer of Scripture, the Illuminator of truth as the Teacher and Transformer of repentant sinners who trust in Christ as Savior. He enables God’s people to understand and apply what He has already revealed in the Scriptures. Still the pull to sin that is within each child of God clouds their minds and their wills so that they misunderstand, misinterpret, and resist the full truth of Scripture. Even though they are believers, they in themselves lack both the ability and the inclination to understand. Max Anders (1995, Chapter 4) observed, “The Holy Spirit, however, opens their minds and warms their hearts so that they gain a growing understanding and a growing inclination to follow Scripture” (Ephesians 1:17–18; 3:18–19; 2 Corinthians 3:14–16; 4:6). It may not be as sudden and clear-cut as the experiences of others, but the Holy Spirit will open the mind of the Christian to the truth of Scripture. David prayed again and again, especially in Psalm 119, that the Lord would teach Him. He said,

Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. ¹⁸ Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. ¹⁹ I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. ²⁰ My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times” (Ps. 119:17-20).

This is a prayer every believer can and should pray. Is this not the longing of your heart? To be close to God and listening to His instructions and insights.... David's prayer is a plea God truly delights in answering thoroughly. Listen carefully, depend on ‘Professor Holy Spirit’ like a nursing infant upon his mother and you will learn and grow. He is the finest Teacher we believers can ever have. Go ahead and clear the schedule.  Make some time to be His student.  Get your Bible, and prepare yourself to be changed from deep within. You will know God as a result of such a study with the Spirit. Such knowledge can change you and me forever.