A God-Given Understanding

By Ray Burkholder

May 1, 2022

Have you ever noticed that some people understand Scripture differently than you do? You can discuss Scripture and think that you agree, but the next time that you talk about the same issue, it is like water rolling off a duck’s back; it just doesn’t seem to sink in. I’m not talking about a slight difference of interpretation. I’m talking about a general understanding of Scripture.

Interpreting Scripture outside of context is a big problem. Many people can memorize whole books of the Bible almost word for word, but they still don’t understand Scripture. Perhaps it is because of spiritual blindness.

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

A person won’t understand Scripture until they have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior!

“But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3: 14-17).

It is not with water baptism, or anything else, but by believing the gospel unto salvation. Then, the spiritual blindness will disappear.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17).

In Luke 24:31-32, we read:

“And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?’”

Luke 24:45 says:

“Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.”

Ephesians 1:17-19 says:

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.”

See? We can’t just grab the Bible and think that we will understand it. We have to have a God-given, spiritual understanding. (Salvation is a free gift according to Ephesians 2:8,9)

“For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead” (John 20:9).

“And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken” (Luke 18:34).

It is obvious that there is more to it than just picking up a Bible and thinking that we will understand Scripture. We must also pray for Jesus to open our hearts and minds and to help us to understand and discern Scripture, Bible studies, etc. If we have a closed mind that has already been made up on how we will believe before we pick up the Bible, we are wasting our time to even attempt to read it.

Are we reading Scripture to memorize it, or to learn from it? It is very important because the Bible is also written for false teachers. How will we discern what we are hearing in church if we don’t know what the Bible says? Are we just trusting in what we hear to be the truth? How does it match with what the Bible says?

Some people believe that a preacher is automatically inspired by God. The question then is whether it is the gods of this world (Satan) or the real God?

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” (2 Peter 2:1-2).

Are you just following along? Or are you sure that what you hear matches the words of the Bible?

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest,(twist)as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15-16).

We must also learn how to rightly divide God’s word.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

This is very important. This is why people are spiritually blinded and don’t understand the Scriptures; it is because they are not born again. Do you know of Jesus? Or do you know Jesus? There is a big difference.

“Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (water sack in a natural birth) and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh (1^st birth, natural); and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’” (2^nd birth, Holy Spirit) (John 3:5-6)

This is believing in the Gospel.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10: 9, 13).

Once we have his Spirit in our hearts, the Scriptures open up to us.

“Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit” (1 John 4:13).

“Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:22).    

“He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:8).                                                                      

We see that when we are born again by believing in the gospel, God will put his Spirit inside of us. We will start to understand Scripture a lot differently than we did before because we will be a new man.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Do you see that? We will become a new person. Praise the Lord!

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Do you see what that says? It tells us to STUDY to be approved of God. Many people want to do things that they think will be pleasing to God, but many people won’t even read their Bible, let alone study it. Why not? Is it because someone doesn’t think that it is a good idea?

What are you going to say when it is just you and God standing there, and He asks you why you didn’t do as His book instructed? Are you going to say that someone told you not to?

“Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Galatians 5:7).

“Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7).

Will you know everything once you have a spiritual understanding? No. It takes studying and meditating, but gradually you will be amazed at what you have learned. It is not as hard as you think. There are plenty of resources available to help nowadays.

If anyone would be interested in learning more or doesn’t know where to get help or to get started, please contact this publication, and they will help you.

“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).

 

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