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During many discussions here on CC someone will quote something said by someone else. Many times these quotes come from well known Theologians, Biblical Scholars or Apologists. Most of the time within 2 or 3 posts someone else will say something like "You need to stop following "so and so" and start reading the Bible". It is quite ironic because that same person will end up quoting someone else at a later point. C. H. Spurgeon had this to say in response to these types of "attacks"; "It seems quite odd, that certain men who talk so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves, should think so little of what He has revealed to others.".
God has given us a great "gift" in giving us His Word in written form so that we may study Him and grow closer to Him. He has also given us another "gift" which we all too often "blow off to the wind". God has given some people the gift of teaching. Ephesians 4:11-12 "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.". There are a few passages in Scripture which can be hard to understand for the "average lay person" so we must turn to these teachers which God has appointed for understanding. Peter even mentions this fact in 2 Peter when mentioning Paul's writings. 2 Peter 3:15,16 "-as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, has written to you, as also in his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of Scripture.".
Upon any study of God's Word we are to pray to the Holy Spirit for understanding (Pslams 119:34; Proverbs 3:5). If after this we are still having problems understanding, God actually tells us that He has appointed teachers to help us understand (refer to Eph 4:11-12).
God's Word should be first in our study but do not say "God cannot help me understand through the words of others". The Holy Spirit will teach you but sometimes He will use the words of others to help you understand. If we completely dismiss what others might have to say then we should delete Eph 4:11-12 from our Bibles.
In my study of God's Word the Holy Spirit has directed me to what someone else has said. Does this mean I follow that "other" person? Or would this mean that the Holy Spirit has directed me to a teacher appointed by God?
God has given us a great "gift" in giving us His Word in written form so that we may study Him and grow closer to Him. He has also given us another "gift" which we all too often "blow off to the wind". God has given some people the gift of teaching. Ephesians 4:11-12 "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.". There are a few passages in Scripture which can be hard to understand for the "average lay person" so we must turn to these teachers which God has appointed for understanding. Peter even mentions this fact in 2 Peter when mentioning Paul's writings. 2 Peter 3:15,16 "-as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, has written to you, as also in his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of Scripture.".
Upon any study of God's Word we are to pray to the Holy Spirit for understanding (Pslams 119:34; Proverbs 3:5). If after this we are still having problems understanding, God actually tells us that He has appointed teachers to help us understand (refer to Eph 4:11-12).
God's Word should be first in our study but do not say "God cannot help me understand through the words of others". The Holy Spirit will teach you but sometimes He will use the words of others to help you understand. If we completely dismiss what others might have to say then we should delete Eph 4:11-12 from our Bibles.
In my study of God's Word the Holy Spirit has directed me to what someone else has said. Does this mean I follow that "other" person? Or would this mean that the Holy Spirit has directed me to a teacher appointed by God?