Featured Revealed and Concealed Truth.

The Word of God is the source of everything spiritual and faith is the prerequisite of understanding. Scripture speaks of spiritual truths – things that are not discerned intellectually via human wisdom but spiritually and to a greater extent as the believer moves towards a more mature position in Christ. Spiritual truth, these “deeper things of God”, are different from doctrines. Spiritual truths, the things the Spirit leads us into, are not words or speech but the result of these things. It is the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Scripture gives us a few examples, probably the best known being the Spirit’s revelation to Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

(2 Corinthians 3; John 16; Isaiah 28; John 4; Matthew 16:16; 1 John 1:8-10; 1 John 4)

I say that to say this – be careful about people who tell you that God has led them to an interpretation of Scripture as “spiritual truth” or one that links the Spirit to a particular theology or understanding. They often mean well but ultimately rob God in their immaturity. It is easy for one to say God showed them “(fill in the blank) ism” as a spiritual truth and insist it a result of maturity. This is how the Deceiver works to sow discord.

Those who are mature in Christ know spiritual truth is not doctrine to be accepted but the Spirit’s use of God’s Word in the life of a believer. It does not matter if that person is a Calvinist or a free-will theologian. Spiritual truth is not merely Christian knowledge. I have seen too many people deceived into believing their understanding of Scripture (often Calvinism or SDA) to be spiritual truths. The problem is that they do not seek truth but knowledge and if they are saved they will never mature spiritually. They will always be the theology thumpers decrying all who disagree with their understanding, never understanding why Jesus commanded otherwise.

 

Knowledge is good. Doctrine is good. And spiritual truth is good. I absolutely agree.

We have God's Word, we seek knowledge, we seek wisdom, and we seek spiritual truth.

But what some confuse knowledge with spiritual truth. They ignore the face that we cannot know all we may want to know (they ignore the fact we now see through a glass dimly, we know in part, and we lean not on our understanding).

I do not mean to dismiss knowledge and doctrine. But there seem to be some people who lack spiritual understanding in general.

As far as knowledge goes - Scripture is sufficient. The Spirit leads us into spiritual truth through our study of Scripture.

 

I think I see your objection but I probably was not clear enough.

I believe we can understand Scripture because that is its purpose. It is God revealing Himself to us.

Where things get dicey is those things that are not actually in God's Word but things we want to know (things people may say are "necessarily contained" or "implied" or "taught" even though those things are not actually in the Bible).

I can be completely confident in God's Word. That is firm ground. I have other beliefs that I hold as true but am less confident (like historical pre-mil).

I would be wrong to say that pre-mil is a spiritual truth. The same is true with Calvinism, Arminianism, ect. One may be correct but those are not "spiritual truths" (they are Christian understandings of Scripture).

We have to know where Scripture ends and our theology begins.

I think you make a very good point about Scripture being written to Christians with a purpose. Some believe the purpose to be God explaining how he chose the saved (the mind of God). Some believe the purpose to be an explanation if God's will and man's will. But as you aptly point out, it is none of these things. It is God demonstrating His love and His own glory.

 

I agree that anyone who argues against "what is written" is arguing against Truth. They are arguing against God.

I also will defend historic pre-mil as being true, but I will not elevate that belief to the level of Scripture. I can't because that would be elevating myself to the place of God. I know why I believe it accurate, but I can also discern the difference between the view and the text of Scripture.

At one time I strongly defended Calvinism (to my discredit on the level of Scripture). We learn from our mistakes, I suppose, and I absolutely have no issue about having held the position. My sin was how I held Calvinism (not as my understanding but on par with God's Word). God has used the experience to teach me, and I try to be as careful as possible to distinguish between knowledge, wisdom and spiritual truth as I strive to know where Scripture ends and my theology begins.

 

The problem comes in when people see their philosophies and theories as revealed truth. This makes their view of Scripture by definition subjective. Ellen While can say all day long that God revealed to her spiritual truths.

Take for example Calvinism. The theology could be correct. BUT it is also dependent on a philosophy of justice and human reasoning of matters of the will (among other things). There could be some who hold Calvinism itself as spiritual truth (the "Ellen Whites" of Christianity), but to do so elevates man above God.

The fact is spiritual truth is NOT Calvinism, Arminianism, ect. Spiritual truth is what the Spirit reveals to mankind in the Word of God and is spiritual in nature (verses already provided).

A Christian is no more or less gifted with spiritual truth, no more or less spiritually mature, based on how he or she measures up to Calvinism or Free-Will theology.

Unfortunately there are some who are spiritually immature and others who are spiritually blind. Only God can open their hearts to spiritual truth. But men are by nature hardened. They do not seek that which is spiritual but strive for human knowledge and that which is their own.

 

To give an example - @Dave Gilbert could be correct about Calvinism. I believe he is wrong, but I am not his judge and am not here to change his mind. Dave is a brother in Christ and I want for him and I to understand one another's positions - not try to change one another.

As a Calvinist Dave sees things in Scripture a specific way. I have a bit of a benefit in that I was for a long time a Calvinist as well, so I understand his position. I see false charges levied at his theology and understand why they are false charges. My hope would be that Dave would be able to understand my view, NOT that he would come over to my "side" but that he could evaluate my position and give honest feedback.

Understanding one another prevents people from talking past one another.

Dave may be more spiritually mature than I. But it is not because he is a Calvinist. Spiritual truth is not along the lines of human knowledge (it is not accepting one theology over another) but it is spiritual truths revealed by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God (through what is written) and is spiritual in nature, having a spiritual effect and realization on the believer.