1 Is the Holy Spirit in our Teaching: Principles of the Holy Spirit in Teaching-Learning. “The...

1

Is the Holy Spirit in our Teaching: Principles of the Holy Spirit in

Teaching-Learning.

“The often neglected person in the teaching-learning process is actually the most important. The Holy Spirit is the sovereign, most wise, and

ultimate teacher of spiritual truth. He makes God’s truth relevant to the persons involved and enables application that causes life & growth. Our

teaching and learning efforts are in vain unless we cooperate with the Holy Spirit.”

~ C. Fred Dickason

2

Principles for Holy Spirit TeachingSummary Outline:

A. Recognize the Holy Spirit as a Person.

B. Recall how the Holy Spirit teaches Believers.

C. Remember the Holy Spirit’s responsibility in the teaching-learning process.

D. Respect the Holy Spirit’s Results in Learners.

E. Respond to the Holy Spirit’s requirements for Teachers & Learners.

3

I. Recognize the Holy Spirit as a Person:

The Holy Spirit is a Person:

He possesses intellect (1 Cor. 2:10-11) He possesses emotions (Eph. 4:30) He possesses will (1 Cor. 12:11)

His Works Affirm Personality: Intelligent creator (Gen. 1:2) Giver of Personal Life (John 3:5) Teaches (1 John 2:20) Guides (Gal. 5:16-18) Speaks (Acts 10:19; 13:2)

4

I. Recognize the Holy Spirit as a Person:

Pronouns that Refer to Persons are used of Him (John 15:26; 16:7, 13-15)

He is the Object of our Personal Trust, whom we must Obey (Acts 10:9-21) or Disobey (Isa. 63:10)

He is Associated with the other Persons of the Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)

The Holy Spirit meets all the definitions of a person!

Therefore, our director & resource in teaching and learning God’s truth is a genuine person and genuinely God.

Without Him we can do nothing!

5

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

False Concepts on How the Holy Spirit Teaches: The Total Teacher

The Totalitarian Teacher

The Tandem Teacher

The Tethered Teacher

Biblical Concept on How the Holy Spirit Teaches: Principle of Personal Cooperation

Principle of Personal Cultivation

Principle of Interpersonal Communication

6

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

Erroneous View # 1: The Total View: The Holy Spirit is the Only Teacher: It is a Subjective Mystical View of the Teaching-Learning Process.

This view teaches that He illumines each believer directly; human teachers obstruct His work; the Holy Spirit is the only teacher.

This view ignores the revealed fact that the Holy Spirit uses human teachers: Great Commission, Matt. 28:19-20; the involvement of church leaders (Acts 5:42; 15:35; 18:11; 20:20; 28:31);the command to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:2); and the gift of teaching to believers (Rom. 12:6-7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11).

This view limits education, either because it is not needed, or because it excludes information or stimulation by other teachers.

This view can lead to an attitude of superiority & infallibility because one’s information comes directly from the Holy Spirit (fallible human understanding minimized).

7

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

Erroneous View # 2: The Totalitarian View: The Holy Spirit takes over the individual’s responsibility for personal study or development.

This view teaches that human teachers need little or no training or even preparation because the results in ministry come directly from the Spirit.

This imbalanced view results from a false view of the teacher. The teacher is more than a live book presenting truth. He is personally involved as example, expresser, and encourager for the truth (1 Tim. 4:12-16).

The teacher is personally concerned and contributes to the life and welfare of others (Acts 20:27-37; 1 Tim. 5:1-3, 17-18).

8

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

Erroneous View # 3: The Tandem Teacher teaches that Holy Spirit adds His part after the human teacher has done his part.

The view fails to recognize that God works in us & through us to will & to accomplish His good plan for our lives & others (Phil. 2:12-13).

As members of Christ’s Body, the church, we have spiritual gifts that are to be exercised in the power of the Spirit, including teacher (Rom. 12:4-7). As Dr. Roy Zuck states:

“When God is educating, the human teacher and the pupils are involved together in the teaching-learning process, and at the same time the Spirit is working within the teacher, on the Word of God, and within the pupils.”

9

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

Erroneous View # 4: The Tethered Teacher teaches that the Holy Spirit is regarded as unnecessary to religious teaching (humanistic philosophy of teaching):

This view teaches that with the proper materials, equipment, personnel, & program, creative & well-meaning teachers can operate efficiently on natural grounds without the aid of the Holy Spirit.

This view fails to comprehend the biblical estimate of man’s finiteness & fallenness, & has its only resource in sinful “flesh” (1 Cor. 2:14; 3:1-3).

This view elevates man’s creativity & methods over God’s & fails to realize that only the Spirit can accomplish the spiritual goals of Christian education.

10

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

Biblical Principles by which the Holy Spirit Operates in the Teaching Role:

# 1: The Principle of Personal Cooperation.

# 2: The Principle of Personal Cultivation.

# 3: The Principle of Interpersonal Communication.

11

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

Biblical Principles by which the Holy Spirit Operates in the Teaching Role:

# 1: The Principle of Personal Cooperation:

Though salvation is a gift totally received by God’s grace without any human effort (Eph. 2:8-9), growth in spiritual maturity requires the God-assigned cooperative effort of the believer; every command addressed to the human will is evidence of this truth. For example, we are told to grow in grace (2 Pet. 3:18), to diligently add virtues (2 Pet. 1:5-8), to teach others (2 Tim. 2:2), & to be diligent in not neglecting our spiritual gifts (1 Tim. 4:14-16).

“The Scripture does say very plainly that I am to do certain things that are a vital part of the process of sanctification….But even in verses where the Spirit is mentioned as being involved in carrying out the exhortation, the individual is also included as a necessary part of the process.” ~ Charles C. Ryrie, Balancing the Christian Life (Chicago: Moody, 1969), 64-65.

12

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

Biblical Principles by which the Holy Spirit Operates in the Teaching Role:

# 1: The Principle of Personal Cooperation:

“The Holy Spirit seeks to teach through human channels or instruments. Human teachers should seek to be under the full employment of the Spirit, as clean and capable instruments….in the final sense, it is not they who teach, but the Holy Spirit. As instruments of the divine Teacher, they teach what the Spirit of God has revealed in His Word.”

~ Roy B. Zuck, Spiritual Power in Your Teaching (Chicago: Moody Press, 1972), 59-65.

13

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

The Holy Spirit enables the teacher & learner to communicate & interact with God’s truth for personal & corporate growth:

# 1: The Principle of Personal Cooperation:

A. Personal Cooperation is required of the teacher: 1 Timothy 4:13 “…give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” 2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that you have heard from me…commit these

to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Titus 1:9 “holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be

able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”

|B. Personal Cooperation is required of the learner: Matthew 7:24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does

them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:” Hebrew 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need

someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God…” James 1:25 “...and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will

be blessed in what he does.”

14

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

Having made each believer a new creature in Christ (Eph. 4:24), the Holy Spirit seeks to cultivate life, character, and dynamic for conduct (Gal. 5:16-23) through accurate knowledge and right application of the Scripture (see chart on spiritual life). # 2: The Principle of Personal Cultivation:

A. The goal in sanctification for which we strive is personal maturity:

Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 3:17-18;

2 Tim. 3:16-17; Colossians 3:1-4;

|B. Every Person will be evaluated for His faithfulness when Christ rewards His servants:

1 Cor. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:10; Galatians 6:4-6.

15

II. Recall How the Holy Spirit Teaches:

The Spirit operates.

# 3: The Principle of Personal Cultivation:

A. The goal in sanctification for which we strive is personal maturity:

Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 3:17-18;

2 Tim. 3:16-17; Colossians 3:1-4;

|B. Every Person will be evaluated for His faithfulness when Christ rewards His servants:

1 Cor. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:10; Galatians 6:4-6.

16

The Holy Spirit in Teaching & Learning?

Recognize that His goal is personal development and maturity: the representation of Jesus Christ.

Allow His personal cultivation of your lives as teachers. Depend on Him as the only one who can make teachers

effective. Allow Him to facilitate interpersonal communication. Seek to cultivate your spiritual gifts and ministry under

His supervision. Promote reverence & response to His inspired Scripture.