CE 1 YEAR: 48 God’s Guidance I: Scripture, Spirit, Authority, & Conscience

Week 48

God’s Guidance I: Scripture, Spirit, Authority & Conscience

God’s guidance through Scripture

The Bible says, “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim 3:16). By “Scripture” the Apostle meant direct revelation from God that has been recorded in writing (Deut 31:19; 1 Sam 10:25; Isa 30:8; Jer 30:2; Ezek 43:11; Eph 3:2-5; 2 Pet 3:15-16).

The Greek word translated “inspired” (theopneustos) literally means “God-breathed.” Most NT scholars agree that Paul is referring to “the creative activity of God.” The Bible is another creation of God through the creative breath of God (Gen 2:7; Ps 33:6). This is why Scripture is supernatural and properly called “God’s word,” not just the writing of men. “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim 3:16).

How did this inspiration occur? Through men who were chosen by God to receive divine revelation. These men were the OT Prophets, the NT Apostles, and Jesus Christ. This is why Scripture says God’s Church is built on the foundation of these men (Eph 2:19-20). They gave us the revelation we needed. How do we know that? Because, as explained in Week 40, they were authenticated by working miracles.

You desperately need the truth. If you do not know the truth or where to find it, you cannot be secure in a world full of lies. The vital question then is this: Where can you confidently find the words God has for you? Only in Scripture.

The words in Scripture are not merely human words, but the words of God. To disobey, distort, dilute, degrade, alter, or misuse the words in the Bible is nothing less than an arrogant insult to the Author of those words. Anything less than the highest honor and obedience to Scripture is simply sin against God.

Trusting Scripture is trusting God. More than that, loving Scripture is loving God. In fact, you do not love or trust God any more than you love and trust Scripture. While Scripture is not the Person of God, it is the Word of God. Therefore, Scripture is where we hear and meet God.

The completeness of Scripture

The Corinthians were tempted to find the word and authority of God apart from Scripture. They followed men rather than God (1 Cor 1:10-13; 3:1-4). They valued worldly wisdom (1:18-24). They were vulnerable to false revelations (12:2-3; 14:29).

To Christians who looked for the word and will of God apart from Scripture, the Apostle Paul told them, “Learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written’” (1 Cor 4:6). Paul was repeating a common saying in the early Church that encouraged Christians to only hear God in Scripture. This is because God’s will for your life is completely communicated in Scripture.

The only authoritative revelation on Earth from God is written Scripture. This is why the Protestant Reformation had a saying: “Scripture Alone.” This is why the ancient church had a saying: “Do not go beyond what is written” (1 Cor 4:6). Nobody and nothing speaks for God to direct your life apart from Scripture.

God believes Scripture is the only word of God we need. Do you believe that? This belief has historically been called “the sufficiency of Scripture.” It seems more accurate to call it “the completeness of Scripture.” This essentially means that Scripture contains everything God needs to communicate in order for us to know and obey His will. God’s will for your life is completely communicated in Scripture. If something is not spoken of in Scripture, then God does not have an opinion on it. God’s repeated command to not add or subtract anything from Scripture, illustrates the “completeness of Scripture” (Deut 12:32; Rev 22:18-19).

Jesus illustrated His belief in the “completeness of Scripture” when He defeated all temptations from the Devil by simply quoting what “Scripture says” (Matt 4:4, 7, 10). If God’s written word was good enough for Jesus to defeat the Devil, then it is good enough for us. Likewise, God’s advice to Joshua to be “successful” in all the challenges facing him was to simply obey written Scripture (Josh 1:7).

The Bible says God’s will for your is to be holy (1 Thess 4:3). That gives you a lot of divine guidance for your life. Likewise, God tells you in Scripture to glorify Him in everything you do (1 Cor 10:31). These biblical commands tell us how to make God-pleasing decisions.

Why is Scripture such a complete revelation of God’s will for your life? Because the commands to love God and people are such a complete revelation of God’s will for your life (Matt 7:12; 22:37-40; Phil 1:9-10; 1 Thess 4:3). If you want to obey God perfectly, you only need to do these two things: Love God and people. What else is there?

Mysticism claims that God will lead us to love certain people at certain times in certain ways. But we don’t need such guidance because Scripture tells us to love all people at all times. It is as if God is saying, “Needs that you see are a nudge from Me.” This is not some sort of mystical revelation, but rather, obeying biblical commands. If you just love, you will be doing essentially all of God’s will for your life in essentially every circumstance.

God’s guidance through the Spirit

The Bible says that when God’s Spirit comes to live inside of us, we have a “new self” already created to be like God (Eph 4:24). We have God living in us. Which is why we can “put on” Christ (Rom 13:14) and “imitate God” in everything we do (Eph 5:1). Obviously, having God live in you will help you know and do God’s will. The Bible repeatedly speaks of us being “led by the Spirit” (Rom 8:12-14; Gal 5:16-18, 22-23). How does this happen?

God’s Spirit in us knows God’s will in every situation. When He controls us, we will desire and do God’s will. This is how God is working in you to desire and act according to His will (Phil 2:13). David described being indwelled with God’s Spirit as having God’s law in your heart (Ps 37:31; Jer 31:33). God promised that when He put a “new spirit” in us, it would cause us to know and obey His written commands (Ezek 36:26-27). Why? Because His written commands reveal the will of God for your life.

This reminds us of the relationship between God’s word and God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit inspired the Word of God. God’s Spirit leads us to desire and obey the Word of God. This agreement between what God’s Word commands, and what God’s Spirit desires is a confirmation of God’s will for us. Both God’s Word and God’s Spirit testify to the moral biblical will of God, which confirms its truth (Deut 19:15; Matt 18:16). For example, the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22) is the love and holiness commanded in Scripture.

To be “led by the Spirit” means to experience “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:16-23) and the gifts of the Spirit. You read in Week 42 that your spiritual gifts are among the most specific direction God will give you for your life.

When God’s Spirit controls us, we will know and do the will of God in every situation. This is why John said that those who have the Holy Spirit do not need human teachers to tell them what is morally right. God’s Spirit leads us in these things (1 John 2:27).

Virtually none of the Christians living in the first 200 years of Christianity possessed a NT. Yet even in the face of great persecution, they influenced the Roman Empire to become essentially a Christian empire. Why were Christians who possessed no NT so godly, loving, and powerful? Because God’s Spirit in them enabled them to know and do God’s will.

How is this biblical view of the Spirit’s guidance different from the mystical view? Mysticism claims that God’s Spirit regularly reveals extra-biblical things through planting extra-biblical thoughts in our mind. What is a biblical response to this?

First, God’s Spirit is not in the habit of giving us direction and desires that go beyond God’s written word. His purpose is to help us understand and obey God’s written word, not give us more revelation apart from God’s word. Everything the Spirit would prompt us to do is moral in nature and can be found as a clear command in Scripture. Mysticism wants to separate the revelation of God’s Word from God’s Spirit. God always wants those things to be united together.

Secondly, the real leading of God’s Spirit can always be tested with the commands of Scripture. But the extra-biblical direction claimed in mysticism cannot. If the Spirit leads you to love someone, Scripture can confirm this. But if you think God’s Spirit is leading you to move to Australia, God’s word cannot confirm this.

Finally, the divine revelation provided by God’s Spirit is a Person, not mere inspirations, impressions and impulses telling us to do things beyond what Scripture says. God has given us a “new self created to be like God” (Eph 4:24), not an oracle to whom we can ask extrabiblical questions about our decisions. We don’t need God to “whisper” to us. He lives inside of us and can control us. The Spirit’s leading does not normally occur from getting messages from Him. Rather, the leading of the Holy Spirit is a Person living through you! His leading comes from an incarnation within us, not an inspiration from outside of us.

We know the answer to “What would Jesus do?,” not because we are having a continual conversation with God. Rather, because we are controlled by God’s Spirit within us, we will think, act, and talk like Christ. The Spirit’s primary ministry in our lives is not to provide us with new revelations, but a “new self” that instinctively knows what God’s will is.

God’s guidance through human authorities

Human authorities are another source of knowing God’s will that is often overlooked. The Bible says we are to obey the following human authorities: 1) husbands (Eph 5:22-24; Col 3:18; 1 Pet 3:1-6); 2) parents (Eph 6:1-3; Col 3:20); 3) pastors (Heb 13:17; Tit 2:15); 4) government officials (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-17); and 5) employers (Eph 6:5-8; Col 3:22-24; 1 Pet 2:18). God has delegated His authority to such people and desires for us to know and do His will through them.

We will discuss the limits of human authority in a moment. But first, do not miss how specifically God wants to direct your life through your human authorities. The mere preferences of a human authority are the commands of God. Scripture tells children to “obey your parents in everything” (Col 3:20), and “wives should submit to their husbands in everything” (Eph 5:24), and employees should obey their employers “in everything” (Col 3:22). Therefore, the mere preferences of a human authority are the commands of God.

Even the petty desires of parents, husbands, presidents, employers, and pastors are to be heeded as God’s specific will for any situation within their God-given sphere of responsibility. Accordingly, otherwise amoral issues become moral ones in which sin can occur.

For example, it would normally be an extra-biblical issue as to where a family would live, and one that not even God would have an opinion on. However, if for whatever reason the husband and father of a family decides to choose a particular place for the family to live, then it does become God’s will, something that He cares about, and a moral issue in which the rest of the family could sin against God if they do not respect the man’s decision.

When we understand the amount of authority God has given to some of the people in our life, we recognize how much specific guidance God is providing through them. Christians want to know how to please God in every situation. One important way is to please your human authorities.

If a child wants to please God, then they will do “everything” their parents tell them to do. If a wife wants to please God, she will do “everything” her husband tells her, as if Christ Himself were commanding it. If an employee wants to please God, then they will do their best to do everything their employer tells them to do. To do otherwise in any of these situations will displease God.

Why has God ordained that even the preferences of human authorities are to be obeyed? Because God desires unity and order and dislikes chaos and conflict. God is not a God of disorder and confusion, but a God of peace (1 Cor 14:33). Many group decisions come down to preferences. If everyone’s preference is given equal value, chaos will result and no united decision will be able to be made.

Therefore, it is very helpful if there is a mutual understanding that the preferences of the person in authority (parent, husband, pastors, etc.) are to be prioritized. Unity, peace, and progress are all easier in a marriage, family, business, and church if human authorities are respected.

What has been the result of Christians abandoning God’s desire to provide specific guidance of His will through human authorities? They have lost their confidence in knowing God’s will. They have pursued mystical teaching that claims God wants to lead us independently through impressions and “signs.”

But God wants us guided by the mere preferences of our authorities more often than many think. It is foolish for a Christian to expect any further guidance from God (let alone blessing), unless they are honoring and obeying their God-given authorities. Many of those who complain of a lack of specific divine guidance for their lives are the very ones who do not properly respect their God-given authorities, thus forsaking an essential means of knowing God’s will.

Of course, there are limits to the divine authority of any human authorities. When their direction violates Scripture, their authority ceases, and we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). God never wants us to do something immoral or unbiblical. There are other limits as well on human authorities.

If a husband is emotionally or sexually abusing his wife, God wants her to get help from other authorities, including pastors.

God does not expect us to follow pastors we do not trust. Rather, He wants us to find spiritual leaders who earn our respect because of their character (1 Pet 5:2-3; 1 Tim 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-9).

We are drawing principles for employees from the Bible’s instruction to slaves (Eph 6:5-8; Col 3:22-24; 1 Pet 2:18). However, unlike first-century slaves, most employees today have the God-given freedom to leave an employer they do not like.

Obviously, God always wants us to respect and honor our parents. But there comes a point when He no longer expects us to obey their preferences in everything. It can be suggested that a child is no longer under the authority of their parents when they get married or become financially independent (Gen 2:24). However, as long as a person is dependent on the finances of their parents, then it would seem they remain under their authority.

There are limits to human authority. But it is easy for us to make excuses for not respecting them simply because we do not like the direction they are giving us. There is a difference between an unbiblical authority, and a difficult and unwise one. We need not obey the former, but must obey the latter if we want to please God.

This is why the Apostles addressed the need to fully respect difficult husbands (1 Pet 3:1-6) or harsh employers (1 Pet 2:18-21). Their lack of skill or character is not an automatic excuse in God’s eyes to disrespect or disobey the authorities in our life. He wants us to know His specific will through the preferences of our human authorities. He wants us to please Him by pleasing them.

God’s guidance through conscience

God has delegated authority to the human conscience. Like God’s Word and Spirit, it is a guide to what is right and wrong. Paul equated its moral authority to the OT Scriptures (Rom 2:14-15). The conscience is another way God’s Spirit guides us (Rom 9:1). It confirms the morality of Scripture (2 Cor 1:12). The conscience can be a helpful guide in areas the Bible does not specifically speak. We may not have a specific verse for all the “right” decisions we make, but our conscience provides the confidence that we are indeed doing the right thing.

Perhaps it is only the right thing for us. People’s consciences rightly differ on many things. And if Scripture is not clear on such things, God wants us to follow our conscience (Rom 14:2-6). This is why there are repeated encouragements in Scripture to obey our conscience. When we do, we will have a “clear” or peaceful conscience and be in God’s will (Job 27:6; Acts 23:1; 24:16; 1 Tim 3:9; 2 Tim 1:3; Heb 13:18).

Correction from others is often valuable. But only our conscience can tell us if their criticism is legitimate (Job 27:5-6; 2 Cor 1:12; 1 Pet 3:16).

God gives our conscience a lot of authority in our lives. This is demonstrated by Paul’s instruction about “acceptable” matters of conscience. Simply put, an “acceptable” conviction is one that 1) ignores clear biblical teaching, but 2) does not involve an issue that is automatically harmful to people. This is the major topic of Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 and 10.

Some with “weak” consciences believed it was sinned to eat meat that was sacrificed to idols, drink wine, or disregard the Sabbath and other Jewish holidays. But the Bible clearly teaches these are not sins (Mark 7:18-19; Rom 14:14; 1 Cor 10:25; 1 Tim 5:23; Rom 14:5). But again, God has given the conscience a lot of authority. Therefore, God wants those with a “weak” or misinformed conscience on “acceptable” matters to obey their conscience (Rom 14:14, 23; 1 Cor 8:7).

Likewise, it is sin to try to change someone’s conscience in “acceptable” matters (Rom 14:13, 15, 20, 22; 1 Cor 8:9-12). The only way to move a conscience against itself is to destroy it. God deems the conscience as a sacred thing that should be followed like a personal “Bible.”

However, this does not mean the conscience is always correct. A “weak” conscience is not fully informed of God’s grace in certain areas. Someone’s conscience can be “wrong” due to incorrect training. Therefore, the Christian must admit that their conscience is not perfect (1 Cor 4:3-5; 1 Tim 4:2; Tit 1:15).

Practical application: Who is a God-ordained authority in your life that you could respect and please more? Decide how to do this and begin doing it.

In your small group meeting this week, share praises and prayer requests and then discuss these questions:

1) How do we know the Bible is the word of God?

2) Why did the Apostle Paul write 1 Corinthians 4:6 to this church? How does it apply to your life?

3) What do we mean by the “completeness of Scripture”?

4) Why is Scripture such a complete revelation of God’s will for your life?

5) What is the relationship between God’s word and God’s Spirit? How do they confirm one another?

6) Why were the first Christians so godly, loving, and powerful, even though they did not possess a NT?

7) What are some unique things about the Christians living in the first 200 years of Christianity? How could they do this?

8) What are problems with the mystical view of the Holy Spirit’s work in our life?

9) What do we mean by saying that the Holy Spirit’s leading comes from an incarnation within us, not an inspiration from outside of us?

10) We claim that the mere preferences of a human authority are the commands of God. What do you think?

11) What is at least one reason God wants us to respect the preferences of our human authorities?

12) What are some limits to human authority?

13) Why is our conscience an important guide to knowing God’s will in our decisions?

14) What was most meaningful to you in this chapter? Why?