YOU CAN READ THE BIBLE AND STILL MISS GOD

YOU CAN READ THE BIBLE AND STILL MISS GOD “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV You can spend your entire life studying the Bible and still miss the God who wrote it. A man can learn Hebrew and Greek, understand the history, study the manuscripts, memorize Scripture and become extremely knowledgeable about Christianity while remaining completely blind to spiritual truth. Paul tells us exactly why. The things of God are spiritually discerned. That doesn't mean an unbeliever is incapable of reading a Bible or understanding the basic meaning of its words. Plenty of unbelieving scholars know more about ancient languages and biblical history than the average Christian ever will. The problem goes much deeper than education. The natural man approaches Scripture with the natural mind. He can examine what God said intellectually, but the Holy Spirit is the One who opens a man's understanding to the spiritual reality behind what he is reading. Look at the cross. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV Nothing about the message changed. The difference is the man hearing it. One sees a crucified Jewish carpenter from two thousand years ago. The other understands that the Son of God took his sin upon Himself, satisfied the judgment of God and purchased his redemption with His own blood. That's spiritual discernment. Jesus said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” John 16:13 KJV This is also why studying Scripture isn't merely an academic exercise. I love digging into the Greek and Hebrew. I love archaeology, history, prophecy, manuscripts and biblical chronology because they help us understand what God actually said. Still, none of those things can replace the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees are probably the greatest warning in the Bible about this. These men knew Scripture. Jesus told them, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39 KJV Imagine knowing the Scriptures well enough to teach Israel while standing face to face with the Messiah those Scriptures promised and wanting Him dead. That's how close a man can get to the Bible while still missing God. When the Holy Spirit opens Scripture, you're no longer reading simply to collect information. God begins correcting your thinking, exposing your sin, strengthening your faith and showing you things you may have read fifty times without ever truly seeing. You should absolutely study your Bible with your mind. Just never make the mistake of thinking your mind is enough. #MoreJoyMinistries