Lesson 32: Grow in Grace and Knowledge (3)
Read John 16 - https://www.bible.com/bible/59/jhn.16

God intended His words to be understandable by even a child who is willing to hear. But to someone who does not want to hear they become “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Therefore, understanding the Bible needs a second element or stimulus, and God tells us this is His Holy Spirit (John 16:13).

With the Holy Spirit as our Teacher, then, we can discover incredible things in the Bible that guide us even today, more than three thousand years after the first books of this wonderful Bible were written. Since God never changes (Hebrews 13:8); neither do His principles. God does not lead us by rules but by principles. Mankind, because it’s easier to follow rules, always tries to change these principles into rules, and this brings about the misunderstanding of what Scripture is capable of doing for and in us today. The rule says “do not murder” while the principle says “do not get angry” (Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-22). Where the first may be possible for us to achieve in our own strength, the second is not – for this we need God’s help.


Is the Bible true? Yes, it is. Every historical or scientific fact written in it is true. Every emotion recorded was what the individual felt. Every doubt expressed was what the individual thought at the time. Every story contained is there for a reason, for us to learn from it (1 Corinthians 10:11). Every action of God is either a warning or a promise for us.

Is the Bible valid for today? Absolutely! No, it does not tell us which specifically job to take, which house to buy, or other such details, but it does give us every principle by which we need to live and make those kinds of decisions even today in the twenty-first century. All we need to do is believe – believe God, believe His word. If we are going to believe part of it, we may as well believe the whole of it. Believe God is the “same – yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Questions about creation disappear, as do most of our questions about His second coming, His coming judgment, His ultimate plan for this universe, His plan for our lives, and so many more things.

*What in the Bible do you find hard to believe?
*How would your life change if you did believe it?
*Ask God to show you the truth this matter. Be willing to accept what He says.