Ever found yourself reading the Bible only to encounter a fog of confusion, longing for a clear path through the text? Today, we spotlight the Holy Spirit's role in illumination, a concept that is often misunderstood but is fundamental to our grasp of God's Word. With insights from Dr. Brad Klassen of The Master's Seminary, we'll decipher the coded messages of the Scripture, ensuring that your study is not just an intellectual exercise, but a journey towards a more intimate relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit's whisper is not one of new revelations but rather a guide in comprehending the eternal truths already present in the Bible. In this conversation, we tackle how the Holy Spirit enriches our understanding without altering the sacred text, serving as the divine lens through which we can view Scripture. We navigate through the murky waters of common misconceptions, clarifying that the Spirit's engagement is through, not apart from, the Word of God. It's a profound reminder that the improvement we seek lies within us, as the scripture remains unchangeably perfect.
Concluding the episode, we reflect on how the Holy Spirit's illumination is not a solitary beacon but works hand in hand with the teaching gifts of the church. Drawing from Paul's letters and the Psalms, we examine the partnership between divine enlightenment and pastoral teaching—and how both are vital for understanding, conviction, and obedience to God's Word.
Ever found yourself reading the Bible only to encounter a fog of confusion, longing for a clear path through the text? Today, we spotlight the Holy Spirit's role in illumination, a concept that is often misunderstood but is fundamental to our grasp of God's Word. With insights from Dr. Brad Klassen of The Master's Seminary, we'll decipher the coded messages of the Scripture, ensuring that your study is not just an intellectual exercise, but a journey towards a more intimate relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit's whisper is not one of new revelations but rather a guide in comprehending the eternal truths already present in the Bible. In this conversation, we tackle how the Holy Spirit enriches our understanding without altering the sacred text, serving as the divine lens through which we can view Scripture. We navigate through the murky waters of common misconceptions, clarifying that the Spirit's engagement is through, not apart from, the Word of God. It's a profound reminder that the improvement we seek lies within us, as the scripture remains unchangeably perfect.
Concluding the episode, we reflect on how the Holy Spirit's illumination is not a solitary beacon but works hand in hand with the teaching gifts of the church. Drawing from Paul's letters and the Psalms, we examine the partnership between divine enlightenment and pastoral teaching—and how both are vital for understanding, conviction, and obedience to God's Word.
Illumination isn't some mystical revelation of the Holy Spirit into God's Word. It's a ministry of the Holy Spirit whereby he develops in the believer a clearer understanding of a stronger certainty, a deeper love for, a greater obedience to the meaning of the text of Scripture. Do you have trouble understanding the Bible or even sometimes being motivated to read it? Well then, join my club here on Informed Faith. My name is Patrick, your host, and I am excited to be here with you because I desire in my life to not just have a surface understanding of Scripture, about what I say, I believe, but to really understand it, be able to apply it to my life, to have it affect my life. And if that's your desire, then join us. We're going to be starting on a series called Five Keys to Studying the Bible. In today's episode we're going to start in with the first key, which is illumination. But first, if you're new to this podcast, then you could go to our webpage, and that is on informedfaithbuzzsproutcom. That's informedfaithbuzzsproutcom. You can learn about the purpose of our ministry and you can also become a support champion by clicking on the little heart there where it says support in the square, and for as little as $3 a month you can become a supporter of this ministry, helping us to reach out to Christians, help them better deal with life's trials by understanding the Word of God. In fact, I want to give a shout out to Mary Jane. Thanks so much for your support this last week and the giving that you did. That goes a long way in helping us continue this podcast and we greatly appreciate you and everyone who helps support us.
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Today's podcast. We're starting the five keys to studying the Bible with the first key, which is illumination. Illumination, and what's that? What do I mean by illumination? Well, I mean illumination given to us by the Holy Spirit, because this stuff reading the Bible can be hard, it's difficult to understand and, as I said, I find it hard sometimes to be motivated to understand. And, as I said, I find it hard sometimes to be motivated to read because sometimes, when I do read, I don't get anything from it.
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In fact, I want to read here from 2 Peter 3, verses 14 through 16. It says this, or actually 14 through 17. It says in all his letters, speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to understand. Yes, Paul is hard to understand. Peter was even admitting that Paul can be difficult to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, and they do also the rest of the scriptures to their own destruction, and we'll be talking more about that in just a few minutes. But yeah, the Word of God can be difficult to understand.
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But let's get into this whole topic of illumination and the Holy Spirit's role in Bible study, and I want to go to an expert here, dr Brad Klassen. He is with the Master Seminary and he's got a really good blog post called what is the Holy Spirit's Role in Bible Study. That was done February of 2020, and you can find this by going to blogtmsedu, and I just want to read here a little bit and talk about this. And he starts off by saying the making and breaking of secret codes. Kids love it. Think of the invisible spy pen that writes messages in disappearing ink that can only be read with that nifty ultraviolet light gadget. I remember those, don't you? Well, you may not be as old as I am, but I remember them. Or the ever-popular coded messages. Only those with a special code key can decipher the otherwise meaningless combination of letters, digits, symbols and emojis.
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It turns out that children are not the only ones fascinated by the making and breaking of secret codes. A surprising number of adult Christians approach God's Word in the same manner. To them, the Bible is a book of secret codes. I know I've thought that way. Its words have some meaning at face value, but true meaning is hidden beneath the surface. The decoder is the Holy Spirit. When he mysteriously imparts his special code to the reader or shines a special light on the text, the letters on the page rearrange to communicate new meaning. This new meaning remains intensely personal. This new meaning remains intensely personal, known only by the Spirit and the one to whom he has provided the code. That sounds interesting. Is that even correct, it says here.
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Such an approach is just one illustration of the many misunderstandings that exist among Christians with respect to the Holy Spirit's role in Bible study. This role called illumination is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Bible interpretation. This confusion exists for several reasons, and he says. For one, there's a vacuum of solid biblical teaching on the topic. Many contemporary textbooks and hermeneutics simply neglect the issue. The trend in scholarly circles is to discuss Bible interpretation from an academic or philosophical perspective rather than a theological one. This leaves little room for discussion about the operation of the Spirit.
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Secondly, anything related to the person and work of the Holy Spirit is usually treated with a high degree of mysticism. In today's evangelical church. That's very, very true. Consequently, a biblical teaching like illumination, simply because it is connected to the Holy Spirit, is subject to all kinds of abuse. Half a century ago, ji Packer observed that pitfalls and perplexities regarding the ministry of the Spirit abound among Christians today. This has only intensified in recent years. The Holy Spirit is the most maligned person of the triune, godhead, today treated by many popular speakers and ordinary readers as an impersonal, magical power rather than as God Almighty. This shows itself particularly in the confusion over illumination. So if we are going to use illumination as a key to studying the Bible, we first need to understand what illumination is not. So here are a few things that illumination is not All right. Number one the Spirit's ministry of illumination is not his ministry of revelation, and there's been some teaching flying around, especially on YouTube, about studying the Bible, and the very first key that they give to good Bible study is revelation of the Holy Spirit. So let's see what Dr Brad Klassen says about that.
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Revelation refers to the Spirit's act of revealing that which was previously hidden from human understanding. Now, since God's will for us in the church age is now perfectly revealed in the scriptures. He gives some examples, like Ephesians 3, 3-7, and 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. There is no ongoing revelation of new divine knowledge. The Spirit's work in revelation has been completed. So unless the Christian is going to quote Scripture verbatim, he must put away the inaccurate and deceptive language reflected in the popular refrain and in quotes. He says God revealed to me today, dot, dot, dot. Such statements are often clever attempts to canonize one's own opinions about God and his own self-importance. Turn to Ephesians 3 and look at verses 3 through 7. It says this that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before and briefed, by referring to this. When you read, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit. To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, through the gospel, of which I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of his power, all right. So the Spirit's ministry of illumination is not his ministry of revelation. It's all perfectly revealed in the scriptures and completed.
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Number two the Spirit's ministry of illumination is not his ministry of inspiration. Inspiration pertains to the manner by which the Holy Spirit superintended the biblical writers in their recording of divine revelation. So if we go back to 2 Peter 1, verses 19 through 20, so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention, as to a lamp, like a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation. It goes on in verse 21,. For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. So the Spirit's ministry of illumination is not his ministry of inspiration. It pertains to the Spirit's role of ensuring that the original words recorded in human language, even to the level of the smallest letter or stroke, were exactly those intended by God. Only the biblical writers experienced inspiration in this theological sense. So that's number two.
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Number three the Spirit's ministry of illumination does not occur apart from the Bible. The Spirit's ministry of illumination is inseparable from his ministry of sanctification, which is separating yourself from the world and becoming more Christ-like, living more righteously and according to the prayer of Jesus. Sanctification does not occur apart from God's word. Jesus said sanctify them in the truth. Your Word is truth. That's John 17, 17. In other words, the Spirit works with the Word and through the Word, but never apart from the Word.
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Number four the Spirit's ministry of illumination does not change the nature or message of the biblical text. So it's important to recognize that it is not the Word of God that needs improvement, but the person reading it. And I know that from my own self. I'm not reading the Word of God to try and improve it. I need help. The Word of God possessed all the qualities necessary for it to be read and comprehended Consequently when the Spirit looms, for it to be read and comprehended Consequently when the Spirit looms. He is not shining a light on a dark or mysterious text. Instead, he's shining a light on the believing reader, removing the cataracts from his or her spiritual eyes.
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That makes a lot of sense to me. I know there's been times when I've been reading where I'll read something. I'll read a passage. Maybe this has happened to you over and over again and I won't get it. I won't get it. I'll read commentary on it, I'll read some notes on it, but then all of a sudden it's like the curtain is opened and I'm able to understand what it is that I'm reading and I'm able to apply it to my life. But it takes me a lot of repetition.
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Here's number five the Spirit's ministry of illumination does not ensure an errant interpretation. As Peter indicates in 2 Peter 3, 14 through 16, and if you're still turned there you can quickly flip over says this therefore beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by him in peace, spotless, blameless. We just wrote this in regard the patience of our Lord is salvation, just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, and they also do also the rest of the Scripture. So they don't just do it with Paul's stuff, they do it with everything, they distort all of Scripture. So just as spiritual perfection is unattainable in this life, so is absolute understanding of God's word.
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Illumination is needed precisely because of this. It does not impart perfect knowledge, but it does empower us in the pursuit of constant improvement, us in the pursuit of constant improvement. 2 Peter 3.18 says this. It says but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. So grow in that grace and knowledge, it says down in the notes. Peter ends this letter with a summary statement of the same instruction of which it began in pursuing Christian maturity and deepening knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ will lead to doctrinal stability and prevent a Christian from being led astray.
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So number six, the Spirit's ministry of illumination, is not limited to certain members of the church. The Bible was withheld from ordinary church members for many centuries of church history, because of the conviction that the code of the Bible was too obscure and that the Holy Spirit only decoded it for the Pope. So the Reformers, though, delivered a fatal blow against that premise, asserting that the Bible was clear enough for all believers to study and understand, and that the Holy Spirit was clear enough for all believers to study and understand, and that the Holy Spirit was given equally to all who are born of God. The Spirit's ministry of illumination isn't limited to just special people. I used to feel like I wasn't holy enough, I wasn't good enough to read the Bible. You ever felt that way. You've done too many things wrong. Or you'll go to church and you'll see some folks and be like man. They are really holy, right, they have a great family, they make a lot of great decisions. Maybe they're really financially sound. You can paint all kinds of pictures in your head that can make you lead yourself to believe that you're not capable of understanding Scripture. But the Spirit's ministry of illumination isn't limited to a certain person or certain members of the church. It's open and available for everyone.
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Number seven the Spirit's ministry of illumination does not negate the need for pastor-teachers. The same Scriptures that teach the doctrine of illumination also teach the necessity of pastor-teachers for the equipping of believers. Also teach the necessity of pastor-teachers for the equipping of believers. 1 Corinthians, 12, 28, and 29,. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 says all are not apostles. Are they All? Are not prophets, are they All? Are not teachers? Are they All? Are not workers of miracles, are they? Just because we have the power of illumination through the Holy Spirit does not negate the need for pastors and teachers, those that help us understand the Word of God.
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The Spirit's ministry of illumination works hand and glove with the pastor's expository ministry of the Word. Robert Thomas, he says, writes this undoubtedly, the Holy Spirit does illuminate believers by a direct ministry to them, but to say that he does not use means to do so is also anti-scriptural. 1 Corinthians, 12, 28 and 29, ephesians 4, 11 and 12 are extremely specific in showing that teaching is a prominent gift of the Spirit to the body of Christ and that teachers have a major role in promoting the growth of this body. These teachers teach through an oral ministry, but they also teach through a written ministry. A rich storehouse of Spirit-given teaching based on the Bible is available in the writings of these teachers whom Christ has given to this church, and it should not be ignored. It should not be viewed as data that excludes what the Spirit teaches directly, but should be used alongside it as a supplement. So that makes sense. All right. Here's number eight.
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The Spirit's ministry of illumination does not negate the need for disciplined study, as Paul states in 2 Timothy 2.15,. He says be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed accurately handling the word of truth. So certainly any reader of Scripture can grieve the Spirit through disobedience, like it says in Ephesians 4.30. But for the reader who walks by the Spirit, like Galatians 5.16 says, prays diligently and seeks to be a doer of the word, just like James, don't be just a hearer of the word but a doer of the word. His diligent efforts to study must never be construed as competition to the Spirit's work.
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Psalm 119, verses 18, verses 33. Verse 18 here says open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from your law. Verse 33 from Psalm 119 says teach me, o Lord, the way of your statutes and I shall observe it to the end. Then verse 144 in Psalm 119 says this your testimonies are righteous forever. Give me understanding that I may live. And James 1, 22 to 25 says but prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he's like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror. For once, he has looked at himself and gone away. He has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was, but one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it. Not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
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So, having described what illumination is not, we're in a better position to understand what it is. And here's a general definition that Brad gives. He says "'Illumination is that ministry of the Holy Spirit whereby he develops in the believer a clearer understanding of, a stronger certainty in, a deeper love for and a greater obedience to the meaning of the text of Scripture'". Wow, that's a really cool definition. So, when pulled apart, this definition yields several important ingredients, and here they are. The first one is illumination is a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Illumination is a ministry of the Holy Spirit. The second is it applies only to those who are regenerate, only to those who are saved and changed, repented and seeking after righteous holy life. The third is it occurs only in conjunction with the Word of God, whether spoken or read. The fourth it improves the believer's cognitive understanding of the objective unchanging meaning of the text. Cognitive understanding of the objective, unchanging meaning of the text. The fifth it testifies within the believer that the text he is reading is indeed the Word of God, nurturing a fullness of conviction that this Word is ultimately authoritative and necessary for life. The sixth it nurtures the believer's appreciation and hunger for the truth communicated by the text. And the seventh it motivates the believer to apply what he has come to understand and in turn serves as the means of sanctification or separation from the world, the transformation of the believing reader into the image of Jesus Christ, the Word of God. So how is this definition established from Scripture?
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The best place to look are to the prayers of two key biblical characters, two key biblical characters the writer of Psalm 119 and the Apostle Paul. So their prayers reverberate with the ingredients just listed. So here we go. Psalm 119 is filled with petitions for illumination and with testimony to its effects. The psalmist recognizes that, even though the text of the law is set before him, its understanding comes from God alone. So, like verse 18, here's an example Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from your law. So he asserts that faithful obedience is possible only through this word-centered spiritual enlightenment. And then there's verse 34. It says Give me understanding that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. Give me understanding so I can do these things.
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As he learns about this word, his love for it grows. Like in verse 97, oh, how I love your law. It's my meditation all the day, as does, by the way, his hatred for everything. Contrary to the word Verse 104 says, from your precepts I get understanding. Therefore, I hate every false way. So by understanding this word he can make sense of his circumstances. Like verse 105, your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. It revives and sustains my life.
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He says in verse 116. Sustain me, according to your word, that I may live, and do not let me be ashamed of my hope. And this illumination provides what no other form of education can offer. So verse 130 is an example of this. The unfolding of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple. It is the object of his most passionate pleas. He says in what 145 and 46, I cried with all my heart. Answer me, o Lord. I will observe your statutes. I cried to you save me, and I shall.
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So even more detailed are the prayers of Paul in his letters. More than anything else, his prayers are for illumination that the Holy Spirit would grant believers a clearer understanding of, a stronger certainty in, and a deeper love for, and a greater obedience to, the Word of God communicated through his apostolic preaching. For example, ephesians 1, verses 17 through 19,. He says that the God of our Lord, jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you, and of revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe.
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Then, paul, in Ephesians 3, 14 through 19, he says this for this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. It's beautiful. Philippians 1,. Then verses 9 and 10, and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may prove the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. Then Colossians 1, 9 through 12,. For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the attaining of all stead. Strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in life.
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I want to go back to that original definition, and in what we just read out of Scripture you can hear it Illumination is that ministry of the Holy Spirit whereby he develops in the believer a clearer understanding of, a stronger certainty in, a deeper love for and a greater obedience to the meaning of the text of Scripture. I thought that was just amazing. So what's the Spirit's role in your study of the Bible? Just amazing. So what's the Spirit's role in your study of the Bible? Does he give you secret codes to unlock personalized messages? Does he shine special lights so you can see the invisible ink in the white spaces of your Bible? Does he speak new words just to you, and still small voices? No, those things have much more to do with the fun and games of children than with the work of Almighty God. Then what is the Spirit's role? His role is to develop in you a clearer understanding of, a stronger certainty and a deeper love for, and a greater obedience to, the once-for-all meaning of the biblical text set before you, and I think that that is just amazing, amazing work.
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I like to do podcasts on topics that I struggle with. And if you struggle with understanding scripture or applying it to your life, even having the motivation to read. That happens to me all the time. I hope that this was eye-opening, no pun intended. The first key to studying the Bible, that being the illumination of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit's role in Bible study. I know it was for me. Follow us or subscribe so you can be notified about the next episode, which will be covering the second key to studying the Bible. I guess you'll just have to listen so you find out what that is. Have a great week.
