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.

The Mighty Revealer of Secrets

The apostle John emphasized in two places in the Epistle of 1 John the teaching ministry of the Spirit.  Notice in 1 John 2:20, he said, “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” This “Unction” is a reference to the Holy One, the Spirit of God, as the Teacher of the believer. This Professor dwells within. Then John later emphasized this same truth in 1 John 2:27, which says, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”  The “Anointing” in this passage is none other than the blessed sweet Spirit of God in the ministry of teaching believers the things of the Lord.  He remains in believers to teach and affirm the truth of the Word. Praise the Lord, the believer is not left to figure it out alone!  The Spirit will diligently teach the children of God.

THE REVEALER 

The Apostle Paul taught how believers can know God’s thoughts and plans through the study of the Scriptures. Revelation is what Paul emphasized in 1 Corinthians 2:9-12. He illustrated the futility of human wisdom, compared with the power and wisdom of God (1Cor. 2:1-8). The apostle reminded the Corinthians of his ministry among them and how he sought to glorify God and not himself.  Complete dependence and submission to God’s authority marked Paul’s ministry (Eph. 6:5; Phil. 2:12). He came to Corinth proclaiming the testimony of God, but not with excellent oratory or human wisdom. He was not at all interested in showing himself off as a gifted speaker or astute philosopher. His style of preaching was unimpressive from a human point of view (2 Cor. 10:10). Paul’s unembellished message was Jesus Christ, and Him crucified as the only means of salvation.

MacDonald and Farstad (1995, p. 1751) affirmed that the Apostle Paul recognized the difference between ministry that is soulish and that which is spiritual. By soulish ministry, he means that which amuses, entertains, or generally appeals to man’s emotions. Spiritual ministry, on the other hand, presents the truth of God’s Word in such a way as to glorify Christ and to reach the heart and conscience of the hearers. This is clearly the aim of the Holy Spirit as He open to believers the Scriptures. Therefore, as Paul preached the Gospel, dynamic faith was induced by a “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1Cor. 2:4) and was not a product of human ingenuity or rhetorical excellence. Paul wanted to be sure their “faith” would not rest “in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1Cor. 2:5). Then Paul is lead by the Spirit to unveil the wisdom of God’s great plan of salvation. The result is insight into God’s thoughts and plans!

Never-the-less, I am reminded that people do not understand everything with respect to God’s Word and will!  This is why revelation is necessary. In 1 Corinthians 2:9, Paul said, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” This wonderful passage communicates how believers often are not ready to comprehend everything in reality as God knows it. Some things Christians may consider “hidden wisdom” (2:7) that are not understandable to them at the moment. The Spirit must lead believers into the deeper truths of God. Also a part of living by faith is trusting God with those things we do not, as of yet, understand. God did not promise to answer all of our questions. Everything consistent with salvation and spiritual growth needful for our, the child of God’s, current experience the Spirit will help us learn.

Through what the Spirit reveals to Christians, we can know the plans and thoughts of God through the Scriptures. In 1 Corinthians 2:10, Paul says “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” Clearly the primary Teacher of Christians is the Spirit of God!  The Bible Exposition Commentary (Wiersbe 1989, p. 575) affords some helpful insight into Paul’s emphasis.

We have considered two fundamental truths of the Gospel: this message centers in the death of Christ and it is part of the Father's vast eternal plan. The believers at Corinth had forgotten the cost of their salvation; they had gotten their eyes off of the cross. They … had lost the wonder of the greatness of God's plan for them. They needed to return to the ministry of the Holy Spirit…. 

The Holy Spirit then is the ‘Revealer’ of the mind of God.  The blessings of salvation were prepared by the Father, carried out by the Son, and applied by the Spirit (Eph. 1:3-14) to all believers. “God hath revealed them unto us by [through] His Spirit” (1Cor. 2:10)—these truths foretold in the Old Testament were made known to the apostles of the New Testament era. It was by the Spirit of God that the apostles and prophets were enlightened, because “the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1Cor. 2:10). In other words, the Spirit of God, a member of the Godhead, is infinite in wisdom and understands all the truths of God. He is able to impart such insight to Christians who are willing to learn. The only way the Corinthians could know God’s redemptive plan was by the Spirit, who knows and reveals these “deep things of God” about salvation. Certainly every believer should turn to Him for a spiritual education.  While it is good to listen and learn from gifted Bible preachers and teachers, the Christian must not overlook or ignore this ministry of the Spirit in their Bible study life.

Now that the Spirit is understood to be the Revealer, what is “revelation?” Revelation is the unveiling of something previously hidden so that it may be seen for what it is. “Revealed” in 1Corinthians 2:10 expresses how God has made known to men truths and realities that men could not discover for themselves (Deut. 29:29; 1Cor. 2:7-10). The Holy Spirit, as God, reveals God to people. He ministers to them and makes the Father real to them. Without revelation, people would not know anything about God or even that there is a God. Thus it is vital to accept the premise that God desires to make Himself known to man, and has in fact revealed Himself at various times and in different ways (Heb. 1:1-2). This automatically eliminates mere imagination, reason, philosophy, intuition, speculations, Aristotle, Plato, and any other love of knowledge as equals with the revelation of God in the Bible.  Only the Apostles and Prophets knew the mind of God; Christians have it today in the written Word of God.  God has revealed Himself to man and the Scriptures are the single authoritative disclosure of Him to modern humanity.  If believers really want to know God they must turn to the Scriptures.  No other writings should be placed on the same level with them. They are Spirit-given—His revelation of God to man—and He skillfully uses them to teach believers.

Professor Holy Spirit

Once a person comes to Christ for salvation, a life of discipleship begins. Teaching converts the things of God is another fundamental ministry of the Holy Spirit. A great deal is to be discovered about God, the Christian faith, life, and the Bible.  Even though a person may be intellectually exceptional, they still must not presume to be fit to unravel divine truths. God’s thoughts and ways are often infinitely different from the notions of a new convert.  The values and priorities of the world system are culturally incompatible with Christ’s in most regards. Though a person is indeed saved, they will not automatically think God’s thoughts. They must be educated in the truths, doctrines, and principles of the Christian Faith. This is true of the average convert; even for those reared in good Christian homes where the Bible is taught with accuracy and clarity. Simply put the new convert much still grasp and experience Christianity firsthand after conversion.

Because new converts are substantially uneducated in spiritual matters, God must undertake the function of Teacher.  Sonship to God is a whole new unexplored and fascinating reality for new believers.  Thus it is nothing short of a monumental undertaking to bring believers to maturity where they think God’s thoughts, live His values, and exercise themselves in His principles and priorities.  In fact this task is so tremendous, that none but God can do it. 

This is where the Holy Spirit plays the role of Professor. The Lord Jesus said in John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” Christ referred to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of truth” Who will “guide” believers “into all truth.” The Spirit’s ministry is to guide in learning, instruction, and explanation of all truth concerning the faith. The Lord Jesus also said in John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” The Holy Spirit works in the office of a Teacher giving believers insight into the wisdom of Christ, instilling doctrines, and explaining the meaning for practical adherence.

But, how does the Spirit of God teach the Christian?  The short answer is the Spirit of the Living God divinely enables a Christian to understand Scripture in a way that he could not before becoming a Christian. Consider the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 to note this. Paul said,

 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ¹⁰ 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. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 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. ¹⁴ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. ¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).

THE SPIRIT WILL TEACH THE BIBLE

Clearly the Spirit of Grace uses the Bible to train believers in the Faith. This is not only a basic ministry of the Spirit but an essential one as well. Though the Scriptures are infallible and inspired, people need help understanding them. The illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit makes this possible. Because the Bible must be spiritually discerned, the natural mind unaided by the Spirit cannot grasp its truths (D. Williams, 1994, pp. 39-41). The believer can learn and grow under God’s direct tutelage. Without the Spirit’s ministry, people absolutely cannot know spiritual things.

I can recall when I was a pre-teen my pastor gave me a New Testament and instructed me to read it diligently every day.  Well, since this encouragement came from my preacher, I felt it was important to obey him.  Therefore, all through my teen years as a young person I read my New Testament and latter my grandmother’s Bible at the very least five to six days each week.  It was a part of my bedtime ritual.  I can recall understanding some of what I read and other parts simply went over my head.  Though I did not make many decisions based on what I was reading each day I still felt it important to read my Bible.  I still have that New Testament, and it has many places where I highlighted verses or placed them in brackets to indicate their significance.  Apparently I was impressed to some degree with the statements of the Lord Jesus and the passages on salvation.  Though I was not saved at the time, God was still communicating to me through the Bible and laying a foundation for my salvation.

But there was much that confused me; I could not make heads or tails of some passages. I can even recall debating the Bible’s instructions about sexual experimentation, heavy teen petting, and fornication among youths!  Though I attended church regularly, I evidently did not attend to learn the Bible. I was basically missing more than I was taking in from the Word.

Finally, I was saved August twenty-first in the year 1990 in Plattsburgh, New York.  I was now a young man serving in the Air Force on Plattsburgh Air Force Base.  After trusting Christ as Savior, God gave me a hunger for the Bible and a sense of obligation to read His Word and obey His requirements. I remember being deeply convicted about Bible reading a week after my conversion experience.  According to my recollections, I had not been instructed to do this through the church I was currently attending.  I believe it was God’s Spirit prodding me and directing me in this essential exercise. My girlfriend and I went to the local Christian book store and purchased two King James Bibles. My reading soon took off like a rocket.  Naturally, I started reading in the Book of Genesis.  But, now when I read the Bible, it comes alive with meaning.  No, I did not understand it all, far from it, but the stories and remedial lessons in them absolutely occupied my mind and deeply encouraged my reading. I could not get enough of it. I read on and on each day, consuming large portions at a time. I did not understand everything I read, but I was ecstatic with what I did know. So I read and read, not worrying about what I did not grasp, just trying to increase my knowledge of what I did.  I was seeing elementary truths like never before.  It became natural and normal for me to discuss what I was learning with fellow believers. I firmly believe the Spirit of God was teaching and training me with His Word.

I do not mean to imply that everyone will experience this exact kind of difference upon conversion. But it is an example of the illumining and teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. What made the difference between my Bible reading in my teen years and when I tried to read the Bible as a new convert? As a convert I had the Holy Spirit living inside me, teaching me, opening my mind to the truths of Scripture, helping me understand.  I still deeply treasures this wonderful experience and Bible based reality. If you are serious about learn spiritual matters, I can hardily recommend the Professor Holy Spirit. He is a Teacher like no other...absolutely peerless!