When I was in college, I was reading a book called "Billy Budd". I hated that book. More than just hate it though, I didn't understand it. It was confusing and I might as well of been reading French or some other language foreign to me. I complained to a friend's mother about it and she took pity on me and bought me a copy of the cliff notes for the book. Largely because of those cliff notes, I was able to make enough sense of it to pass.
And that is largely how I would approach most subjects. I feel like I am intelligent enough that if I simply study hard enough and work hard enough then I can figure it out. Many people approach trying to read the Bible and understand spiritual things in the same way. But, the Bible declares that we need to not only have intelligence, but to be spiritual appraised in order to understand God's Word. In fact, it says regarding the natural man and the Bible that:
"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man."
Maybe this is why we have so many theories and ideas about spiritual things. So many churches and cults and false religions. Because there is a way that seems spiritual and good and right to man and then there is another way that is right to God. And also the thing is, that unless God gives understanding and gives us guidance and understanding from the Holy Spirit, then no cliff notes in the world are going to help. We must be willing to swallow our pride to understand that.
I think this is why Paul said this in the book of Colossians, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form." Colossians 2:8-9. He said this because he said that the cross of Christ was foolishness to those who are lost. They don't understand how victory can come through a cross. They want to continue to add to Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 2:16 it says, "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." So what does that mean to have the "mind of Christ"? I believe it means that God reveals truth to the believer through His Spirit when we are truly depending on Him. It means we have to humble ourselves and realize that interpreting and understanding the Bible requires more than our own insights or intelligence.
And that is largely how I would approach most subjects. I feel like I am intelligent enough that if I simply study hard enough and work hard enough then I can figure it out. Many people approach trying to read the Bible and understand spiritual things in the same way. But, the Bible declares that we need to not only have intelligence, but to be spiritual appraised in order to understand God's Word. In fact, it says regarding the natural man and the Bible that:
"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man."
Maybe this is why we have so many theories and ideas about spiritual things. So many churches and cults and false religions. Because there is a way that seems spiritual and good and right to man and then there is another way that is right to God. And also the thing is, that unless God gives understanding and gives us guidance and understanding from the Holy Spirit, then no cliff notes in the world are going to help. We must be willing to swallow our pride to understand that.
I think this is why Paul said this in the book of Colossians, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form." Colossians 2:8-9. He said this because he said that the cross of Christ was foolishness to those who are lost. They don't understand how victory can come through a cross. They want to continue to add to Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 2:16 it says, "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." So what does that mean to have the "mind of Christ"? I believe it means that God reveals truth to the believer through His Spirit when we are truly depending on Him. It means we have to humble ourselves and realize that interpreting and understanding the Bible requires more than our own insights or intelligence.
