A plaque hanging on the wall at the YMCA uses the words “that they all may be one” (John 17:21) to speak of the unity that exists between all races and religions through the teachings of Jesus. Such a pluralistic statement clearly reveals that the plaque’s creators do not get it.  1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “the man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

One of the Holy Spirit’s tasks is to “illuminate” or open the understanding of believers so they might comprehend and do God’s will. Two basic scriptures emphasizing this truth are John 14:26, which says, “but the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” and John 16:13 which tells us, “but when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

When it seems as if everyone, including God, hates you, that you are less than worthless as a human being, and you have not a clue as to what to believe or do, the Holy Spirit opens the believer’s mind so you may understand how God sees you as opposed to how you feel. He then gives you the next step to know how to respond by faith without necessarily taking away the confusion.  Because the Holy Spirit is God, and also lives within us, he intimately knows everything God desires as well as everything we face.  He is our eternal instructor and encourager.

Sometimes he tells us to do things that simply do not make sense, like “forgive one another.” Unbelievers scoff at such a notion; whereas those who follow the Holy Spirit’s leading find that when they forgive others, they really are gaining forgiveness, healing, and peace for themselves. Similarly, the non-Christian can understand that Christians believe that Jesus’ death can take away their sins, but it makes no sense and therefore they reject that truth. However, in the cross of Christ the Christian finds more than he or she could ever fathom because the Holy Spirit is making it known to them.

Dana Arledge, Kevin Farmer, Will Uminn, Phil Meade