I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU IGNORANT!

In the beginning of this series on truth, I endeavored to establish the fact that the truth that comes from God should be identified as Kingdom Truth. This is so, because according to Scripture, and consistent with hundreds of years of Christian witness, Kingdom Truth is not exclusively expressed in the Bible. That is not to say that the Bible is not Truth: quite the contrary. But throughout the Scriptures, Truth is characterized as coming from numerous Kingdom influences and conditions. I previously posted the following list, derived from the entirety of the Bible context, and repost it again for you to remember and consider as you read.

Truth in the Kingdom of God

(ALMOST ALWAYS PRECEDED BY MERCY)

Truth of God in His Character- Ex. 34:6; Jer 10:10

Truth of God in His Word- John 17:17; Ps 119:160; 1 Thess. 2:13 

Truth of God in His Spirit- John 16:13; 1 John 4:6

Truth of God in His Law- Ps 119:142

Truth of God in our Lives and His Ways- Way of Truth- Ps. 119:130; 2 Pet. 2:2

Truth of God in His works- Dan 4:37

Spiritual truths in doctrines-Gal. 5:7; 3:1

Jesus is- John 14:6

The message of the gospel- Col 1:5

The anointing- 1 John 2:27

Character Truth- Way of righteousness

Please take note that the Word of the Lord is one of numerous sources of Kingdom Truth! That being said, we need to seriously examine our heart attitudes when it comes to our personal estimation of how much truth we actually possess. Think about this. What did believers do for truth when the Bible had not yet been printed for the layman to read? What do believers do now, when a great number of them around the world don’t even own a Bible? Are they without hope for Kingdom Truth? Will God not speak to them if they don’t have a Bible? I regret to say that a wrongful arrogant attitude has settled in on many believers who think that because they have the Bible, they have more truth than those who don’t. Furthermore, have we who own Bibles and read them, albeit with often little understanding, taken upon ourselves an attitude of superiority? I hope not, but my observations have made me wonder. Furthermore, there are commonly accepted teachings that say that now that we have the Bible we don’t need anything else. Whoa! So what then do we do with all the different manners that the Bible itself even says we need to grow in Kingdom Truths? We contradict and indict ourselves of an independent spirit denying that we need to learn from God’s character, the person of Jesus, and in this posting, the person of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Truth. Let’s look at this now.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.(KJV)

Jesus expressly instructed his disciples that upon his departure the Spirit of truth would come to guide them into all truth! Didn’t this same Spirit of truth also fall on the Gentiles who didn’t know the Old Testament Scriptures? Hence, who is this person of the Holy Spirit? Obviously we need to be reminded that there is another venue for the Kingdom truths we so desperately need to live out our faith!

In the days of the ministry of Paul, who by the way was called to minister to the Gentile believers largely ignorant of biblical text, he spent significant time writing about the predominant ignorance that existed concerning the subject of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12-14. If we are going to cooperate with the Spirit of truth, we need to first recognize how little we really know of the Holy Spirit!

1 Cor 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.(KJV)

1 Cor 12:1 Now concerning spiritual {gifts,} brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.(NAS)

In keeping with the practice of accurately interpreting scripture, a good example in the literary contextual interpretation, translators caused problems preventing an accurate interpretation of what 1 Corinthians 12:1 actually says when Paul was addressing spiritual ignorance. In most Bible translations that you and I are familiar with, you will notice that the word “gifts” is italicized, or in brackets, as different from the regular texts. This was done when translators who possibly hoped to make the text clearer added in the word “gifts” which was not in the original manuscripts. So the verse should actually read: "Now concerning spirituals, or things pertaining to and of the Spirit, brethren I would not have you ignorant." The additional word complicates the interpretation and takes the emphasis away from the Spirit placing it instead on “gifts”. In reality, Paul was stating that he didn’t want the believers to lack information or intelligence about the things that pertain to and were of the Holy Spirit. Wow! That changes things radically. One can read through the verses of 1 Corinthians 12-14 and realize that more than gifts of the Spirit were addressed. So this challenges us with another question. Have we, like the Corinthian believers, been lacking knowledge and understanding about the things of the Holy Spirit? I believe so, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. We need to therefore realize that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and God wants us to cooperate and benefit accordingly as we grow.

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. KJV

In keeping with a biblical context, and by considering the first mentions of the person and activity of the Holy Spirit, we will see an amazing, wonderful principle presented us in Genesis 1. Here in these verses, the primary purpose and operation of the Holy Spirit reveals that one of the first and foremost functions of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of truth, is to bring about transformation, working through the Living Word and the Father. A beautiful heavenly drama plays out as the picture described  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth….” when there in a black, empty, and lifeless-void hung the water- covered, formless ball awaiting a spiritual life-giving, truth manifesting vocabulary. The wind-like force of the “ruwach” or  Spirit of God, hovered and brooded, as an expectant mother over this midnight lifelessness, dreaming, considering, anticipating birth. Adam Clark describes this in his commentary of Genesis 1. Time is not accounted for, but at some point in the anticipation of unforeseen potential, the spiritual gestation travailed and brought forth the words “Light Be!” and light was.  The heavenly luminaries did not yet exist. Light lived through God’s words. These are the essence of Kingdom Truth manifested. The subsequent days of creation erupted word by word, until the sixth wonderful day when God tenderly cupped, and molded, clay, fashioning an earthly shell into a creature bearing His likeness, fingerprinted for intimate fellowship. Breathing intimately into the nostrils of this being, the same Spirit, the breath and life of God which previously brooded over the face of the nearly forgotten emptiness, filled the molded dust frame, and a potential for spiritual words was multiplied into His new creation. The first Adam, untouched by the fall, and in the image of God was also made to imitate God with creative words as we saw when, one by one, each animal filed before the handiwork of God and was named by Adam with words. This spiritual-natural being spoke and created identity with amazing inventiveness and uniqueness.  But the fall of man perverted this tremendous privilege and power. Death and corruption replaced the life-giving tongue. Thankfully, the event of a second birth would offer a restoration of spiritual image, and eventually reclaim human-kind’s spiritual vocabulary and potential for truth.

Eze 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Consider, if you will with me, the uniqueness of spiritual language as demonstrated in Acts 2. One hundred and twenty of Jesus’ followers waited for a promise. For forty days this powerless, yet determined, band, sought the face of God, probably quite uncertain as to how and what Jesus meant would come at the conclusion of their prayer meeting.  The fortieth day exploded on the scene with heavenly fervor. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit, sounding as a rushing mighty wind was reminiscent of “In the Beginning” when the same spiritual wind descended on a lifeless planet and transformed it through words. In the beginning, God uttered His light-giving vocabulary of truth. Consequently, in the new beginning, that same wind of God blew in upon the awaiting gathering. Ezekiel had seen this wind and fire combination when he looked toward the northern heavenlies, and watched a fiery twister.  Who can imagine the awe the one hundred and twenty experienced at this sound? Yet so wonderfully, just as in the first creation, words were spoken inspired of God, and light was released. It only follows course that then the second creation, in the fellowship of the New born, would begin to utter spiritual words that rattled the strategies of the powers of darkness who were unprepared for the second-born host to speak the words not which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches. We will also learn in a future blog that these words are also directly connected with Kingdom Truth. Unspeakable panic must have terrorized the ranks of spiritual darkness. Satan had no idea that God would do a repeat act, and recreate through words once again. But this second time was different. This time God was not the one doing the speaking, nor did merely one Adamite speak. One hundred and twenty, new creations, endued with power from on high, all began to speak with that same supernatural, mind-stupefying ability to speak God’s mysteries for satan’s demise. How I would have loved to witness that event. Following this spiritual eruption, the once bumbling Peter, preached an evangelistic message that resulted in the conversion of 5000 souls, impacting many nations, and a large portion of Jerusalem. Well-meaning evangelists may seek to preach and see such results, while forgetting that the launching pad for that spiritual missile of evangelism was the many tongues the 120 uttered.

We’re going to spend a lot of time looking at how the Holy Spirit functions, and how the Spirit of truth guides, leads, teaches, speaks, instructs and so forth. This will be a wonderful time to renew your prayer life and seek God for a deeper revelation of the work of the Spirit in your life. Thank God the Spirit is not spooky or impractical. We need this expression of Kingdom truth to walk accurately and with spiritual fortitude in the days ahead.