Everything good that Christians do is the product of the Spirit of God. When we get to Heaven, all the good that has been done by us is done through us in the power of the Holy Spirit. Regarding Christian Education, how can we understand the Bible? Asking this question is like asking, how can I understand Geography, Science, etc.; the answer is to go to school. The same kind of answer is given in the Bible, in God’s school—the text is the Bible and the teacher is the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is our Professor of Christian Education. If we had only the Bible, it would be something like a dead letter.
Alternatively, if we had the Holy Spirit and did not have the Word, we would be inclined to fall into fanaticism. That is what has happened within Christian circles to so many who have rested their Christian experience all on experience and not on the Word of God. It results in speculation, in misunderstanding, and it ultimately results in sorrow and disappointment in the Christian life. There are two passages that tell us that the Holy Spirit is our teacher. In John 16, Jesus said that it was better for the disciples if He went away; if He should go away, then the Holy Spirit would be free to come to everybody. Therefore, every one of us is now in position to have Jesus Christ as our ultimate teacher. This happens through the Spirit coming to dwell within us.
Our Lord said He was going to give the Spirit and that the Spirit was going to guide the Disciples into all truth. This suggests to us that He is still teaching within the Spirit. It suggests to us that there are still things in the Word of God that we can discover. This should give us tremendous incentive to study the Bible. As long as we are here, the Spirit will teach us and Jesus said He will guide us in the sphere of the truth—all the truth. The other passages are in I Corinthians 2:6 and 3:4, where we are told how the Spirit teaches and provides the requirements for being a good student. The latter is that we be subject to the Holy Spirit.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
In the School of Christian education, the Bible is our text, the Spirit of God is our teacher, and we are progressively led by Him into all truths. In the third chapter of Corinthians, it says that as carnal beings, we will hinder His teaching. However, if we are spiritual and grow under His instruction, becoming mature Christians, then we are able to understand all of the deep meanings within the Word of God. This will allow us to meet the problems of life, for it is not that we should understand the Bible in order to be knowledgeable in the scriptures. But it is rather that we might meet the problems, the trials, the difficulties, and the challenges of life. That is why we learn the scriptures. Hence, we see that the Holy Spirit is involved in the writings of the scriptures, involved in the creation, involved in the work of redemption, and specifically involved in our Lord’s life. He is involved in the work of regeneration; He is our teacher. Therefore, it is tremendously important that we understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.