(J.C. Ryle, “Having the Spirit“) LISTEN to audio! Download audio
All who have the Spirit–are taught by Him. He is called in Scripture, “The Spirit of wisdom and revelation.” Because it was the promise of the Lord Jesus, “He shall teach you all things.” “He shall guide you into all truth.“
We are all by nature ignorant of spiritual truth. Therefore “The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God–they are foolishness to him.” Our eyes are blinded. We neither know God, nor Christ, nor ourselves, nor the world, nor sin, nor Heaven, nor Hell–as we ought. We see everything under false colors.
The Spirit alters entirely this state of things. He opens the eyes of our understandings and illumines us. As He calls us out of darkness into marvelous light, He takes away the veil. He shines into our hearts, and makes us see things as they really are!
No wonder that all true Christians are so remarkably agreed upon the essentials of true religion! Because the reason is, that they have all learned in one school–the school of the Holy Spirit. No wonder that true Christians can understand each other at once, and find common ground of fellowship! They have been taught the same language, by One whose lessons are never forgotten!
Therefore “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He shall guide you into all truth.” John 16:13
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