Know: Understand that the Bible is the revealed will of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is a safeguard to his or her faith and a standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested.
Feel: Experience an attitude of complete submission to the Holy Spirit’s guidance through the Word of God rather than one of independent judgment and human pride.
Do: Choose to allow the Holy Spirit to shape his or her thinking through the Word of God and through the Spirit’s prompting and power, leading the student to surrender any attitudes and actions not in harmony with God’s Inspired Word.
Learning Outline:
Know: Understanding the Holy Spirit’s Role in Revelation and Inspiration
A What is the difference between the terms revelation and inspiration?
B Because the Holy Spirit works through the human agents who wrote it, how can we be certain that the Bible is God’s reliable revelation to us?
C How does inspiration shape what God reveals through the Bible writers?
Feel: Approaching the Bible With an Attitude of Humility
A How does the attitude with which we approach the Bible determine the Holy Spirit’s ability to change us through the texts of Scripture?
B Why is it so easy to substitute human opinions about the Bible for what the Bible actually says?
Do: Experiencing the Power of the Word
A Why is it so important to allow the Holy Spirit to shape our understanding of the Word of God?
B What are the steps God is leading you to take in your own spiritual life so that you may appreciate the Bible more and experience its life-changing power in a fuller way?
Summary: When we decide to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit and humbly accept the divine instruction in the Bible, our lives are changed by God’s grace, and our minds are protected against the deceptions of the devil.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, 17
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The Bible is more than merely a collection of inspirational writings. It is the authoritative, life-changing Word of God. When prayerfully read with a humble, teachable attitude under the influence of the Holy Spirit, it transforms our lives.
Just for Teachers: This week’s lesson opens our quarter’s study on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has spoken through the Word. God has revealed Himself in Scripture. The truths of the Bible tell the story of who God is and how He works in human lives. Without the Spirit’s working through the Word, we would be left to our own human, misguided understanding of truth.
Emphasize the fact that without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knowing God’s will and understanding His truth would be a matter of guesswork that would leave us uncertain and confused. God’s Word provides clarity and certainty regarding knowing and understanding His will.
Opening Discussion: Let’s suppose that Sister Jones attends your Sabbath School class for the very first time. About halfway through the discussion, she raises her hand and says, “The Holy Spirit has impressed me that we are living at the time of the end.”
You respond, “Why, yes, sister, we certainly believe that.”
She continues, “No, I mean we are really close. I have been impressed that the economy is about to crash, that God’s people should not have any debt at all, and that we should all move into the country to grow our own crops immediately. The end may be within two or three years. Now, I am not setting a date for the coming of Jesus, because I know Scripture says, ‘No one knows the day or hour of His coming,’ but let me tell you, it has been revealed to me that it is sooner than any one of us thinks.”
Questions for Discussion:
In light of today’s lesson, how would you respond to Sister Jones? What insights might you share that would be helpful to her and to the class?
How does this week’s lesson give you guidance for your answer? What principles in the Word of God would be helpful to Sister Jones?
Why is the Word of God a safeguard against speculative ideas?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: There is a difference between revelation and inspiration. Revelation has to do with the unfolding or revealing of God’s unchangeable truth. God’s truth is not dependent on human thought or activity in any way. Truth is truth, whether human beings accept and believe it or not. God’s truth is both eternal and universal. It is eternal in the sense that it applies to every generation at all times. It is universal in the sense that it applies to all people in all cultures. God’s truth, like the law of gravity, applies at all times and in all places. Culture does not shape or alter truth. Truth shapes and alters culture.
Inspiration, on the other hand, is God’s working by His Holy Spirit through human agents to communicate His truth. The same God who revealed truth guided the writers of the Bible as they wrote it down. God did not dictate each word of the Bible to the biblical writers. He directed their thoughts, inspired their minds, and guided their pens. They wrote in their own words with the vocabularies available to them under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to communicate the infallible Word of God.
Bible Commentary
I The Holy Spirit: The Teacher of All Truth (Review John 16:13 with the class.)
One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into truth. Notice that the Holy Spirit does not coerce us to follow truth. He does not force truth upon us. He does not compel us to obey. He “ ‘guide[s]’ ” us into “ ‘all truth’ ” (NKJV). He gently leads us to understand that God’s way, revealed in His Word, is the best. As the Holy Spirit guides us, we discover that Jesus’ words “ ‘I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly’ ” are true in our own lives (John 10:10, NKJV).
What is this truth that the Holy Spirit guides us into? It is the truth about God. Each doctrine of the Bible reveals something of the beauty of the truth about the God who loves us and longs for us to be saved in His kingdom. In light of the great controversy between good and evil, the purpose of the Inspired Word is to reveal the truth about God’s character of unselfish love in contrast to Satan’s character of self-centered pride.
There are at least two more aspects of the Spirit’s guiding us into all truth. First, the Holy Spirit leads us to understand the doctrinal truths of the Bible in order to protect us from the deceptions of the evil one, deceptions that distort God’s character. Jesus declares, “ ‘Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth’ ” (John 17:17, NKJV). He also declares, “ ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ ” (John 8:32, NIV). Truth frees us from the theological errors that have so captivated the religious world.
Second, the Holy Spirit also guides us to the truth about ourselves. When we come to Jesus, our guilt is gone (1 John 1:9, Rom. 8:1). We are sons and daughters of God, members of His family (John 1:12, Eph. 2:19). Despite our own feelings of unworthiness, guilt, or shame, the Holy Spirit guides us to the truth of the Word. We were created by God, redeemed by Christ, and transformed by the Holy Spirit. The authoritative, infallible Word of God does not lie. We are His children, forever secure in His love and grace.
Discussion Questions
One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to lead or guide us into truth, as opposed to coercing us. Define the words guide and coerce. What is the distinction between the two? What does this distinction reveal about how the Spirit leads us?
What truth does the Holy Spirit guide us into?
What does the truth set us free from? And how does it do that?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The religious world is filled with scores of so-called Christians with a very shallow Christian experience. Discuss with your class how to avoid the trap of religious superficiality. Talk about why some Christians spend so little time contemplating God’s Word.
Thought/Application Questions:
What is it that keeps some people from understanding the truths of God’s Word?
Why do even some Adventist Christians fail to embrace the joy of being redeemed sons and daughters of God?
How can we better understand the Word and receive the full blessing that God intends for us?
Application Question:
What are some of the things that keep us from a deep, abiding experience with Christ through His Spirit-inspired Word?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: The apostle Peter summarizes the key thoughts in our lesson well with these words: “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Pet. 1:23, NKJV). The focus of our lesson today is twofold. First, God’s Word is authoritative and reveals His truth. Second, God’s Word is life changing. Help each class member to see that truth is not a matter of personal opinion. Truth is found in God’s Word. Guide your students also in understanding that, as they study God’s Word with prayerful hearts, their lives will be completely transformed.
Class/Individual Activities:
Invite each class member to turn to the person next to him or her and share the key thought that he or she will take home from today’s class.
After class members have shared with one another, invite them to share with the entire group the single most important thing that they have discovered personally in this week’s lesson for their spiritual lives.
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Key Texts: 2 Peter 1:19–21
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Summary: When we decide to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit and humbly accept the divine instruction in the Bible, our lives are changed by God’s grace, and our minds are protected against the deceptions of the devil.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, 17
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The Bible is more than merely a collection of inspirational writings. It is the authoritative, life-changing Word of God. When prayerfully read with a humble, teachable attitude under the influence of the Holy Spirit, it transforms our lives.
Just for Teachers: This week’s lesson opens our quarter’s study on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has spoken through the Word. God has revealed Himself in Scripture. The truths of the Bible tell the story of who God is and how He works in human lives. Without the Spirit’s working through the Word, we would be left to our own human, misguided understanding of truth.
Emphasize the fact that without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knowing God’s will and understanding His truth would be a matter of guesswork that would leave us uncertain and confused. God’s Word provides clarity and certainty regarding knowing and understanding His will.
Opening Discussion: Let’s suppose that Sister Jones attends your Sabbath School class for the very first time. About halfway through the discussion, she raises her hand and says, “The Holy Spirit has impressed me that we are living at the time of the end.”
You respond, “Why, yes, sister, we certainly believe that.”
She continues, “No, I mean we are really close. I have been impressed that the economy is about to crash, that God’s people should not have any debt at all, and that we should all move into the country to grow our own crops immediately. The end may be within two or three years. Now, I am not setting a date for the coming of Jesus, because I know Scripture says, ‘No one knows the day or hour of His coming,’ but let me tell you, it has been revealed to me that it is sooner than any one of us thinks.”
Questions for Discussion:
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: There is a difference between revelation and inspiration. Revelation has to do with the unfolding or revealing of God’s unchangeable truth. God’s truth is not dependent on human thought or activity in any way. Truth is truth, whether human beings accept and believe it or not. God’s truth is both eternal and universal. It is eternal in the sense that it applies to every generation at all times. It is universal in the sense that it applies to all people in all cultures. God’s truth, like the law of gravity, applies at all times and in all places. Culture does not shape or alter truth. Truth shapes and alters culture.
Inspiration, on the other hand, is God’s working by His Holy Spirit through human agents to communicate His truth. The same God who revealed truth guided the writers of the Bible as they wrote it down. God did not dictate each word of the Bible to the biblical writers. He directed their thoughts, inspired their minds, and guided their pens. They wrote in their own words with the vocabularies available to them under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to communicate the infallible Word of God.
Bible Commentary
One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into truth. Notice that the Holy Spirit does not coerce us to follow truth. He does not force truth upon us. He does not compel us to obey. He “ ‘guide[s]’ ” us into “ ‘all truth’ ” (NKJV). He gently leads us to understand that God’s way, revealed in His Word, is the best. As the Holy Spirit guides us, we discover that Jesus’ words “ ‘I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly’ ” are true in our own lives (John 10:10, NKJV).
What is this truth that the Holy Spirit guides us into? It is the truth about God. Each doctrine of the Bible reveals something of the beauty of the truth about the God who loves us and longs for us to be saved in His kingdom. In light of the great controversy between good and evil, the purpose of the Inspired Word is to reveal the truth about God’s character of unselfish love in contrast to Satan’s character of self-centered pride.
There are at least two more aspects of the Spirit’s guiding us into all truth. First, the Holy Spirit leads us to understand the doctrinal truths of the Bible in order to protect us from the deceptions of the evil one, deceptions that distort God’s character. Jesus declares, “ ‘Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth’ ” (John 17:17, NKJV). He also declares, “ ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ ” (John 8:32, NIV). Truth frees us from the theological errors that have so captivated the religious world.
Second, the Holy Spirit also guides us to the truth about ourselves. When we come to Jesus, our guilt is gone (1 John 1:9, Rom. 8:1). We are sons and daughters of God, members of His family (John 1:12, Eph. 2:19). Despite our own feelings of unworthiness, guilt, or shame, the Holy Spirit guides us to the truth of the Word. We were created by God, redeemed by Christ, and transformed by the Holy Spirit. The authoritative, infallible Word of God does not lie. We are His children, forever secure in His love and grace.
Discussion Questions
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The religious world is filled with scores of so-called Christians with a very shallow Christian experience. Discuss with your class how to avoid the trap of religious superficiality. Talk about why some Christians spend so little time contemplating God’s Word.
Thought/Application Questions:
Application Question:
What are some of the things that keep us from a deep, abiding experience with Christ through His Spirit-inspired Word?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: The apostle Peter summarizes the key thoughts in our lesson well with these words: “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Pet. 1:23, NKJV). The focus of our lesson today is twofold. First, God’s Word is authoritative and reveals His truth. Second, God’s Word is life changing. Help each class member to see that truth is not a matter of personal opinion. Truth is found in God’s Word. Guide your students also in understanding that, as they study God’s Word with prayerful hearts, their lives will be completely transformed.
Class/Individual Activities: