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NASB | 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. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 7:17 "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know whether the teaching is of God or whether I speak on My own accord and by My own authority. |
Bible Question:
John 16:13 tells us the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. We know it is true because GOD'S word says it. If we then have differing interpretations of GOD'S word, and assuming we are to rely on the Holy Spirit for the guidance, why would the Holy Spirit teach people totally different things on the same Scrpiture? Romans 14:5 also tells us, "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind". Romans 2:15 says God's laws are written on our hearts. If further says in Matthew, Mark, and Luke that a kingdom divided against itself will not stand. With these scriptures in mind, can it be assumed the reason for the division among Christians is the fact that some are not being guided by the Holy Spirit - Spirit of Truth? I mean the really major issues like: Can you loose your salvation, Baptism being required for salvation, etc. I am a new Christian and amazed at the lack of unity regarding the interpretation of scripture. Any thoughts that can help? Please try to keep it simple, I have no formal education in any of this like it sounds that some of you have. Thanks Sam |
Bible Answer: I'd like to share my experience that may be relevant to the question. Perhaps reading 1Corinthian Chapter 1 thru 4 might help. It helped me when I had issues with my church pastor's sermon about pursuing excellence. I felt that they were very "work" based. Thus a difference in opinion. I was asked by my concerned elder from where I got my feeding from and I shared with him that I read Watchman Nee, Kenneth Hagins, Derek Prince books. My elder gave me the impression that I have to be careful about the books that I read. So who is right , who is wrong? I believe the Lord then led me to 1Cor which was very appropriate and His message is very clear in the 4 chapters. Chapter 1:10 ( Division) I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. Chapter 1: 20-25 (feeding from men?) 20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 1Cor 2:4-5 ....but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. 1Cor 2:6-16 (Wisdom from the spirit) We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.[c] 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?"[d] But we have the mind of Christ. 1Cor 3:5-9 (Does it matter who I get the feeding from i.e. my pastor vs Hagins, Prince etc) 5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1Cor 4:5 (God will reveal in His own time) 5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. Finally, 1 Cor 4:20 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. I'm sorry that I have to almost list out the 4 chapters for I do not know how explain with just one ot two verses. Anyway,I believe that it is still the spirit in us that will guide and reveal at an appropriate time. We must continue to soak ourselves in the Word, and that's one way of getting to know Him just as faith comes by hearing the word of God. I'd like to mention also that my pastors sermon last week took a 180 degrees turn to my surprise and delight. He said. "The church building is secondary" (we are moving to a new bigger and modern premise). "The efforts that we put in is secondary. It must always be about Jesus Christ. It is always His show. not ours." |