Scripture Knowledge

Reminiscences of a Public Meeting in June, 1829.

WHAT is the value of Scripture knowledge? Just in the measure that God’s mind is believingly discovered, so do we enjoy blessing. It is only in Scripture that His mind is revealed―His mind in Christ.
There is not a single word more nor less than we need in that blessed book.
As we believingly understand the Scriptures aright, so do we become fruitful, and so do we become conformed to Christ.
He is a wise believer who is brought into subjection to the testimony of God.
The true character of everything is given in this blessed book; moreover, there is an intrinsic value in the Scriptures to strengthen the renewed mind.
The Word of God is a powerful lever in the hands of the Holy Spirit to raise us up above the flesh, and above this present evil world.
Abstraction with heavenly things, communion with God―the blessed results of meditating on His Word―enable us “to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.”
Any person of moderate understanding may get a knowledge of other books, or of science, but not so with this book of God: all natural understanding, as natural understanding, is useless.
The Spirit of God works in the heart through the Word; in this way we get present power and joy.
Ignorance of God, in the natural man, is the barrier of separation from God; ignorance of the mind of God in saints, separates and unsettles them, hence differences of judgment, and denominations.
We have a Word which is very pure, very plain. God has given us this Word, and He has given us an unction from the Holy One. There is no obscurity in the word, except that which is caused by the flesh; let us bring our minds into subjection to the truth, so shall we be brought into union with each other. How may we discern between that which is of the Spirit’s teaching and mere intellectual attainment?
In entering upon the study of Scripture, we must enter upon it in a spirit of dependence and prayer, not leaning to our own understanding. When we read the word of God intellectually, we shall not be really strengthened, nor comforted; we shall find no joy, nor will any real service to God be the result; but when we are taught by the Spirit, we have something to stand by us in the hour of temptation; something which will afford us comfort, and by which we shall be enabled to meet the difficulties and annoyances of every-day life.
That which we learn from the Spirit will endure, whilst that which comes through the natural intellect will be soon dissipated and pass away.
When we find we have occasion to stop during the reading of the Word, and to say, “I must learn, and ask of my Father,” so do we study in the right way. To set about making progress with the natural mind is not the way to bring our souls to God. We require a spirit of self-renunciation, and dependence on the teaching of the blessed Spirit.
Take for instance the passage, “All things work together for good to them that love God;” if my natural understanding merely take in this great truth, it will afford me no comfort in trial; whereas, if I have been taught it by the Holy Spirit, when I come to be tried, I prove and know, that all things do so work-together for my good, and this affords me solid comfort and peace in affliction and trial. It is important to advance in the knowledge of God’s truth, but it is more important to have that which we already know deepened in our souls.