The Bible and the Holy Spirit: Maturity!
In recent months, I have focused on the work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life. However, I want to make sure there is no doubt that we need both the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Without the Bible, we can easily fall into error. Remember, Satan is a deceiver, as the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:14, “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” So, how do we know what is from God and what is from the enemy of our soul, or just wrong thinking? The Bible is the standard of truth for life and godliness. Show More
Listen to 2 Peter 1:2-4, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” You see, with the Bible and the Holy Spirit, we have all we need to live in truth and victory.
The Holy Spirit and the Bible are inseparable in the Christian faith, working together to guide, teach, and transform believers. The Bible provides the roadmap for life, revealing God’s character, promises, and purposes for humanity. The Holy Spirit, as our personal guide and teacher, enables us to understand and walk in the truth revealed in Scripture.
Christians throughout history have recognized that we need both Scripture and the Spirit. In short, God has given us two great gifts – His Word (the Bible) and His Spirit – and we need both for a healthy and growing faith.
Here are two thoughtful quotes from the theologian A.W. Tozer,
- “The Holy Spirit is the key to understanding the Word of God. Without Him, we can only read the words, but not the meaning behind them.”
- “The Word of God is like a well; the Holy Spirit is like the water. The well is there, but it’s the water that makes it useful.”
The Bible: God’s Revealed Word: Christians affirm that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, written by human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). As Paul reminds us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This means that although human authors wrote the Bible, God’s Spirit guided them so that what they wrote is exactly what God wanted to say.
Through Scripture, God reveals His truth, love, and will for His people. It serves as a trustworthy guide for faith and daily living. In other words, God breathed out His truth into the words of the Bible, and those words help us learn what is true, realize what is wrong in our lives, correct our mistakes, and train us to do what is right. Because of this, the Bible is the foundational text for Christians – the ultimate source of truth that tells us what to believe and how to live. It contains the teachings of Jesus, the history of God’s people, instructions for daily living, and promises that give us hope. No wonder the psalmist wrote that “God’s Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105), guiding us even when life feels dark or confusing
Here is an acronym to help you appreciate the bible. B.I.B.L.E. Believer’s Instruction Before Leaving Earth. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the only way to the Father and eternal life. By placing our trust in Jesus, we have assurance. The Bible also teaches us how to live a life on earth that glorifies God. So again, the Bible is the believer’s instruction before leaving earth!
Real-life example: Think of the Bible as an instruction manual for life given by our Creator. Just as you would read the manual to learn how to safely use a new phone or game, Christians read the Bible to understand how to live in a way that pleases God. For instance, if a person is upset and doesn’t know how to handle an argument with a friend, they might remember a Bible verse like “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31) or “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other” (Ephesians 4:32). Even though these verses were written long ago, they reveal what God wants us to do today – to act in love and forgiveness. By following the Bible’s guidance, the Believer can decide to apologize or forgive, restoring the friendship. In this way, the Bible gives practical direction.
Biblical example: Jesus Himself showed us how powerful God’s written Word can be. When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus answered each temptation by quoting Scripture. He said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4) and likewise used Scripture to reject other temptations (Matthew 4:7, 10). By using the truths from the Bible, Jesus stood against temptation and did what was right. This story illustrates that the Bible helps us know right from wrong and gives us the strength to make good choices. Just as Jesus relied on God’s written Word, we too can rely on the Bible when we face challenges or tough decisions.
The Holy Spirit: Teacher and Guide: The Holy Spirit is God’s presence and power in the lives of believers. Jesus promised that after He returned to the Father, He would send the Holy Spirit to be our helper. In the Bible, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of truth” who “will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13) and “teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). This means the Holy Spirit helps us understand what is true and reminds us of Jesus’ teachings when we need them. While the Bible is like our textbook or map, the Holy Spirit is like the teacher who explains the lessons and the guide who leads us on the right path.
When we read Scripture, it’s actually the Holy Spirit who opens our minds and hearts to grasp the meaning. Without His help, a person might read the words of the Bible and still feel confused or unmoved. The apostle Paul explained that understanding God’s message is not just about being smart or educated – it’s a spiritual matter. He wrote that someone without the Spirit’s help will consider the truths of God “foolishness” because those truths “are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Have you ever read a difficult chapter in a school textbook and then a teacher comes along and makes it clear with a simple explanation? In a similar way, the Holy Spirit makes the Bible clear to us. He might cause a certain verse to stand out and speak to our situation, or give us an “aha!” moment where suddenly we understand what a passage means and how to apply it.
Biblical example: In the Book of Acts, there is a story that shows the Holy Spirit as a teacher and guide. An Ethiopian official was traveling in his chariot, reading the Scriptures (specifically, the book of Isaiah), but he didn’t understand what he was reading. God sent a Christian named Philip to help him. Philip ran up to the chariot and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8:30-31 NIV). So, Philip, guided by the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:29), climbed in and began to explain the Scripture, telling him the good news about Jesus (Acts 8:30-35). After this Holy Spirit-arranged Bible study, the Ethiopian official understood the message and believed in Jesus, even getting baptized right away. This story (Acts 8:26-39) shows that the Holy Spirit guides people to the right understanding of Scripture. Just as Philip was directed by the Spirit to explain God’s Word, the Holy Spirit today can lead us to understanding – sometimes by directly giving us insight as we read, and other times by providing good teachers or mentors to help us.
Real-life example: The Holy Spirit also guides us in our everyday choices, often by reminding us of what we’ve read in the Bible. For example, imagine you are about to say something hurtful in anger. At that moment, you might suddenly recall a Bible verse you read or learned in church, such as “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). That gentle nudge in your heart or memory is the Holy Spirit acting as a guide, bringing God’s Word to your mind to help you do the right thing. If you listen to Him, you may decide to speak calmly instead of yelling. In this way, the Holy Spirit not only teaches us what the Bible means but also helps us apply it to our lives at the right time. He gives us the strength to obey God’s instructions and to make wise decisions that line up with Scripture. The Holy Spirit truly is a wonderful teacher and guide who wants to lead us into all truth and help us live it out.
Interdependence of the Holy Spirit and the Bible: The Bible and the Holy Spirit operate in a divine partnership. Scripture provides the content of God’s revelation, while the Holy Spirit brings that content to life in our hearts. Without the Spirit, Scripture can become a dry text; without Scripture, spiritual impressions can become untethered from truth. This is where we get the expression, “The Bible only, you will dry up. With the Spirit only, you will blow up. With the Bible and the Spirit, you will grow up!”
This interdependence is beautifully illustrated in Acts 2. At Pentecost, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaimed the Gospel by quoting Old Testament Scriptures. The Spirit empowered Peter’s understanding and boldness, and the Scriptures gave convincing foundation to his words. The result: about three thousand people were saved that day. Similarly, the Spirit ensures that our experiences and revelations align with God’s Word, safeguarding us from error.
Transforming Power: The Word and the Spirit together transform the believer’s life. God’s Word reveals areas needing growth, while the Spirit empowers change. As Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of God is alive and active… it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Through the Spirit’s conviction, Scripture moves from head knowledge to heart transformation. It renews our minds (Romans 12:2), shapes our character, and produces the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Consider Paul, once a fierce persecutor of Christians. After encountering Christ and being filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul’s deep knowledge of the Scriptures found new meaning. Empowered by the Spirit, he became a passionate preacher of the Gospel, writing much of the New Testament and laying the foundation for the early church.
Conclusion: The Christian journey requires both the anchor of Scripture and the living guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible reveals the way; the Spirit empowers us to walk in it. Together, they safeguard our faith, fuel our growth, and deepen our relationship with God.
As believers, we must be committed to immersing ourselves in God’s Word while remaining sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. With the Bible in our hands and the Spirit in our hearts, we are equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17) and prepared to walk faithfully with our Lord.
By embracing both the Word and the Spirit, we experience the fullness of the Christian life—a life rooted in truth and energized by divine power.
Next time, I will have more to say about the Interdependence of the Holy Spirit and the Bible’s Transformative Power.
