Because our blessed Lord, His apostles, and prophets have said such things, many think they believe them, when in truth they do nothing less. The reason why they so deceive themselves, is, that what they read in the Scripture, they readily make bond to their own fancies; but were they to hear the same words from any minister of the gospel in a sermon, or to read them in any evangelical author, they would immediately exclaim against them, as Methodism, Enthusiasm, Calvinism, Antinomianism, and what not. To make us believe God’s word upon its own record and upon its own authority, requires a power more than human. Sir Richard Hill
The truth of the words above has much to teach all, from the lowest to the highest in understanding. It is easy to read the Bible and think that the words are understood, but what is hidden to us is that we read the Bible and we understand it according to our own ways of thinking. That way of thinking may have been developed by history or by others around us, but that is not the same thing as reading the Bible and understanding it according to the intent of the Author of Scripture. We can see that in others when they read the Bible to find proof of their own positions. This is quite easy to do, as those who know their own hearts even a little will testify that they have done so. The Scriptures say what they say, indeed, but our intent and motives in reading them will cause us to twist things to our own prejudices if we are not very careful. The understanding we have combined with self-love will always move us to read the Bible in accordance with our present understanding and it will also move us to interpret things in a way that make them easier on our own hearts and sin.
Every single time a person reads the Scriptures something changes. The Scriptures (by the power of the Spirit) will change the person to be more in line with the will of God or the person will change the meaning of the Scriptures to be more in line with the person. Indeed there may be a middle ground where a person is reading so lightly that no real changing is taking place, but instead the person is just reading to be reading or to do the ritual for the day and no understanding is taking place. But if a person is paying attention to the Scriptures, that person will either be changed or will change the Scriptures. It must happen.
The nature of the unregenerate is to hate the truth of God and of true light holiness. The unregenerate person will twist and turn the Word of God to where s/he is comfortable with it or can like it at that point, but at the same time will insist that s/he is simply reading or interpreting the Bible as to what it clearly says. The regenerate person has to watch his or her own heart as well. True holiness and love for God is not natural, but instead must come from God each time it comes. Reading the Bible can cause the regenerate person to become uncomfortable as well. The regenerate person is in a spiritual battle each time s/he reads the Bible as well. Reading the Bible, then, is not an easy task where the calm person simply takes a seat in a comfortable chair and reads the Bible while sipping on a hot drink. If a person is really engaging the Scripture, a battle is taking place and the Scriptures may be insulting the person doing the reading. If a person is wrestling with God while s/he reads, this person can actually be groaning, weeping, praising, and even crying out to God in a loud voice.
Reading the Bible with the intent to be conformed and transformed is not an easy task, but instead it is a battle with self and the devil. We cannot come to the Scriptures with a proud heart and a confidence in our methods of interpretation and our own intelligence if we wish to find out the true meaning of Scripture. The true meaning of Scripture has more to do with the work of the Spirit in us in conforming us to Christ and transforming us as it does just simply understanding the doctrine or narrative. We cannot claim to understand Scripture unless we see how Christ shines forth in them and His Spirit is working the fruit of the Spirit in us to make us like Christ. Believing the Scriptures is not just saying we believe them, nor is it just an intellectual exercise we go through. It is being changed by the living God who speaks in the Scriptures and through His people.
John 7:17 “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.
John 13:17 “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
Ezekiel 36:27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
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