Troy wrote in the comments section:
"I am one of the ignorant ones with no formal Bible college education. I agree with Regan and yet disagree with Regan. I do believe that we should seek the Holy Spirit's input and direction. I do not believe that every minister needs a formal college education. Look at the church in China. Many housechurches have a single Bible to use. Those people still have the faith to heal the sick. They are growing (in numbers and spiritually) by leaps and bounds. How much formal Bible education do you think they are getting? I doubt if they have a Strong's or a Greek or Hebrew study. No, they have a faith that the Holy Spirit still guides and teaches. Yes I do own a Strong's. I do have Greek and Hebrew study helps. I do not let them dictate my view on scriptures. I think we may have too many study helps. Too many translations. If we don't agree with one translation, it's off to the next until we find one that matches what we feel. I think we need to rely more on the Holy Spirit's leading."
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Hi Troy and everyone else.
I respect your faith. Your life as a Christian is one of the few I know where a person is totally dedicated to God. I don't think you are an "ignorant one." You are trained. You know how to serve God and study the Scriptures. I admire and am encouraged by that, so I hope this isn't misconstrued as a personal attack. It is just the thoughts and questions I have from the approach you mentioned above.
I agree that ministers don't need to have a formal education because they should be receiving all the necessary training from the church they attend. There should be no Bible colleges or seminaries in the ideal church. The church would be an institution of training and knowledge. But not having formal training doesn't mean not having any training. The church should be sending out people who are not ignorant of the Scriptures and the life of the Spirit, but people who have learned them while ministering in a practical setting.
How would you measure the truth if you don't weigh your leadings with the Scriptures? What if what I feel the Spirit leading me to believe is different from what you feel the Spirit is leading you to believe? Do you not use your knowledge and common sense along with the leading of the Spirit when you come to Scriptures? If we just let the Spirit lead, then does it doesn't really matter what any translation says - does it even matter what the Bible says?
I think we run the risk of running too far either way. We need to be guided by the Spirit and we also have to be filled with knowledge. I think a lot of the time we use the Holy Spirit as an excuse for ignorance, and we use knowledge as an excuse for ignoring the Holy Spirit. Some churches go way too far one way and other churches go way too far the other way. Knowledge is not an enemy to the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not an enemy to knowledge. I don't see anywhere in Scripture where they are pitted against one another.
I know you don't throw out the Scriptures, but I'm just wondering what role they play if we don't look for what the original author intended to say and discern through the guidance of the Spirit how that applies to us today. If I was to just read your words not knowing you, I would have to say you don't have a high regard for Scripture. I know that's not true, but it is the feeling your comments gave me. As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Watch out for the potholes.
