"That the Father may give unto you
a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of
your heart enlightened." Ephesians 1:17, 18
In
the Word of God we find a wonderful combination of the human and the divine.
The language is that of a man. Any one who has a good understanding can grasp
the meaning of the words, and the truths contained in them. Yet this is all
that man, in the power of his human understanding, can do.
There is a divine side in which the holy God expresses His deepest thoughts to us. The carnal man cannot attain to them, or comprehend them, for they must be "spiritually discerned." Only through the Holy Spirit can the Christian appropriate the divine truth contained in God's Word. Paul prays earnestly that God would grant the spirit of wisdom to his readers, eyes that are enlightened through the Holy Spirit to understand what is written, and to know the exceeding greatness of His power working in all who believe.
Much of our religion is ineffectual, because people accept the truths of God's Word with the intellect, and strive to put them into practice in their own strength, but it is only the Holy Spirit that can really reveal divine truth to us. A young student in a theological seminary may accept the truths of God's Word as head knowledge, while the Word has little power in his heart to lead to a life of joy and peace in the Lord Jesus. Paul teaches us that when we read God's Word, or meditate on it, we should pray: "Father, grant me the spirit of wisdom and revelation." As we do this each day we shall find that God's Word is living and powerful, and will work experience in our hearts: God's commands will be changed into promises. His commands are not grievous, and the Holy Spirit will teach us to do lovingly and joyfully all that He has commanded.
There is a divine side in which the holy God expresses His deepest thoughts to us. The carnal man cannot attain to them, or comprehend them, for they must be "spiritually discerned." Only through the Holy Spirit can the Christian appropriate the divine truth contained in God's Word. Paul prays earnestly that God would grant the spirit of wisdom to his readers, eyes that are enlightened through the Holy Spirit to understand what is written, and to know the exceeding greatness of His power working in all who believe.
Much of our religion is ineffectual, because people accept the truths of God's Word with the intellect, and strive to put them into practice in their own strength, but it is only the Holy Spirit that can really reveal divine truth to us. A young student in a theological seminary may accept the truths of God's Word as head knowledge, while the Word has little power in his heart to lead to a life of joy and peace in the Lord Jesus. Paul teaches us that when we read God's Word, or meditate on it, we should pray: "Father, grant me the spirit of wisdom and revelation." As we do this each day we shall find that God's Word is living and powerful, and will work experience in our hearts: God's commands will be changed into promises. His commands are not grievous, and the Holy Spirit will teach us to do lovingly and joyfully all that He has commanded.
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