Bible Study Literal - Spiritual

[for_his_glory]

John 2:1-11 New Wine - New Man

How can we decipher what is Spiritual or literal when we are studying the Bible? Doesn’t everyone have their own opinions when it comes to studying and can we trust those opinions? Can Gods word be Spiritual and literal at the same time? Only the Holy Spirit can answer these questions when we ask for wisdom and understanding because God is not the author of confusion and wants to reveal all the hidden mysteries of his word to us.

God is Spirit and much of his written word is also Spiritual as much as it is literal. Like man is human in the flesh, but Spiritual through the rebirth or renewal in Gods Holy Spirit. I believe the Bible is more Spiritual than literal in many ways as when we read a chapter at a time we can have many different points of views on it, but if we take each chapter and read it word by word and verse by verse then as a whole it brings life to the whole chapter and reveals the importance of the knowledge God wants us to learn and share with others.

The story of Jesus first miracle of turning water into wine is an excellent example of both being a literal and Spiritual teaching as you will see as you study the scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit minister this wonderful event in your life as well as it was revealed to the Disciples being with Jesus on that day of the wedding. When you look for the Spiritual in all of scripture so many new revelations in the word will be revealed to you that you have never seen before and it will be hard to even try and contain your exuberance of the wisdom and understanding you will gain.

 

[Serving Zion]

John 2:1-11 New Wine - New Man

How can we decipher what is Spiritual or literal when we are studying the Bible? Doesn’t everyone have their own opinions when it comes to studying and can we trust those opinions? Can Gods word be Spiritual and literal at the same time? Only the Holy Spirit can answer these questions when we ask for wisdom and understanding because God is not the author of confusion and wants to reveal all the hidden mysteries of his word to us.

God is Spirit and much of his written word is also Spiritual as much as it is literal. Like man is human in the flesh, but Spiritual through the rebirth or renewal in Gods Holy Spirit. I believe the Bible is more Spiritual than literal in many ways as when we read a chapter at a time we can have many different points of views on it, but if we take each chapter and read it word by word and verse by verse then as a whole it brings life to the whole chapter and reveals the importance of the knowledge God wants us to learn and share with others.

The story of Jesus first miracle of turning water into wine is an excellent example of both being a literal and Spiritual teaching as you will see as you study the scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit minister this wonderful event in your life as well as it was revealed to the Disciples being with Jesus on that day of the wedding. When you look for the Spiritual in all of scripture so many new revelations in the word will be revealed to you that you have never seen before and it will be hard to even try and contain your exuberance of the wisdom and understanding you will gain.

"The natural man does not perceive the things of the spirit, but they are foolishness to him. But the one who is spiritual perceives (judges/discerns) all things and is not himself judged by any man". So it is clear there is a type of believer who cannot see the spiritual things .. everyone has encountered those types at some time. Also there are unbelievers who do not hear the spiritual truths - as for instance a man who told me the other day when I showed him Jesus' words "my sheep hear my voice" - he said "I'm not a sheep" and his friend said "don't worry bro, we've got your back" - that is interesting hypocrisy I thought later, because his back was literally still attached to his body and yet he didn't deny that metaphor.

So it's a willing refusal to go near the light that keeps them quickened (John 5:39-40), and that is begun because the sin took root in them to cut them off from the spiritual life that is in Christ (James 1:15, Romans 7:11). Therefore Jesus says to Nicodemus "[sic] you believe that God is with me because you see signs, but truly I tell you, no man can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again .. those born of the spirit are spiritual".

Then, when we become aware of the spiritual realm, wherein there is a deeper meaning to words, we are recognising the kingdom of God is spiritual - for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but those powers, the principalities, the spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places - the thief that steals, taking captives through deceit, and blinding them that they are unable to see the glory of the light in our gospel message.

Thus, St. John warns "do not believe every spirit, but prove the spirits", for we have not been given a spirit of timidity, because He who is in us is greater than the one in the world - and that is how we can recognise the spirit of the antichrist, for those so possessed do not confess that Jesus has come into the flesh. They are the ones not perceiving the spiritual, having not become mature in faith, and St. Paul says we have all been that way while we were yet growing into the fulness of the stature of Christ Ephesians 4:14 : the unstable ones being tossed to and fro by every wind of teaching and the trickery of men with cunning deception.

Yes, Father in heaven, let your kingdom come, that then your will be done.