.. are spiritually discerned" (I Cor.
ii. 14), says Paul. It is not by searching and philosophising
that these things are found out, but by revelation. "Flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee," said Jesus to Peter, "but
My Father which is in Heaven" (Matthew xvi. 17). The great
teacher of truth is the Spirit of Truth, and the only safe
expounders and guardians of sound doctrine are men filled with
the Holy Ghost.
Study and research have their place, and an important place; but
in spiritual things they will be no avail unless prosecuted by
spiritual men. As well might men blind from birth attempt to
study the starry heavens, and men born deaf undertake to expound
and criticise the harmonies of Bach and Beethoven. Men must see
and hear to speak and write intelligently on such subjects. And
so men must be spiritually enlightened to understand spiritual
truth.
The greatest danger to any religious organisation is that a body
of men should arise in its ranks, and hold its positions of
trust, who have learned its great fundamental doctrines by rote
out of the catechism, but have no experimental knowledge of their
truth inwrought by the mighty anointing of the Holy Ghost, and
who are destitute of "an unction from the Holy One," by which,
says John, "ye know all things" (1 John ii. 20, 27).
Why do men deny the divinity of Jesus Christ? Because they have
never placed themselves in that relation to the Spirit, and met
those unchanging conditions that would enable Him to reveal Jesus
to them as Saviour and Lord.
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