The doctrine of the Spirit’s illumination should be an encouragement to ordinary people that they can read the Bible with profit. Contrary to what the Roman church claimed at the time of the Reformation, we do not need some external human authority to present us with a sound interpretation of the Bible. And contrary to the fears of some people in the church, we do not need to have advanced degrees in Bible and theology to be able to read and understand God’s Word. Right understanding of the Bible is not dependent upon what the world considers great learning. As the Lord Jesus said, the truths of Scripture are often concealed from the wise and learned and revealed to babes. With the aid of the Spirit, all of God’s people can understand His Word.

Alwyn York, Geistlicher, Kirchenhistoriker, Autor

Topics: The Bible & the Word of God, Wisdom & Understanding

Occasions: Encouragement

Alwyn York

Alwyn York ist ein US-amerikanischer kongregationalistischer Pastor im Ruhestand, Kirchenhistoriker und Autor. Bekannt wurde er vor allem als langjähriger Historiker der Conservative Congregational Christian Conference sowie durch seine Veröffentlichungen zur puritanischen und freikirchlichen Geschichte. Bibellesern vermittelt er ein fundiertes Verständnis für reformierte Ekklesiologie und die kirchengeschichtlichen Wurzeln evangelikaler Gemeindeleitung.

All quotes by Alwyn York (5)

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The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid.

Martin Luther

The law is divine and holy. Let the law have its glory, but yet no law, be it never so divine and holy, ought to teach me that I am justified, and shall live through it. I grant it may teach me that I ought to love God and my neighbor; also to live in love, soberness, patience, etc., but it ought not to show me how I should be delivered from sin, the devil, death, and hell. Here I must take counsel of the gospel. I must hearken to the gospel, which teaches me, not what I ought to do but what Jesus Christ the Son of God hath done for me: that He suffered and died to deliver me from sin and death. The gospel wills me to receive this, and to believe it. And this is the truth of the gospel. Most necessary it is, therefore, that we should know this article well, teach it unto others, and beat it into their heads continually.

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Jesus was not a theologian. He was God who told stories.

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