It’s a common mistake I hear every time.
I hear people say things like, “That was a great teaching of the word. You guys are great at teaching God’s word. But I just didn’t feel the Spirit moving. You guys have the Word but you don’t have the Spirit.”
Such people, intentionally or unintentionally, are pitching the Spirit against the Word.
The Bible says “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Two things are clear from these verses.
First, The ministry of the word of God, including teaching, is a ministry done in the Spirit of God. No one can teach sound doctrine and be faithful to the word without the Holy Spirit.
Secondly, the ministry of the Holy Spirit cannot be separated from the ministry of the Word, because the Spirit of God inspired the Word and continues to minister through the word; illuminating it.
If we separate the Spirit from the Word, we will end in theological excesses.
We live in a time when to minister in the Spirit of God means speaking in tongues, perform signs and wonders only. Experience, experience, experience. Very little time is given to the word of God.
Little is talked about the Spirit as the one who inspired the Word. In fact, the Spirit, not only gives gifts (1 Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12), but he also produces spiritual fruit (Galatians 2:20).
Where the Spirit of God is, the Word of God will be found and where the word of God is taught soundly and faithfully there you will find the Spirit of God.
The Spirit and the Word cannot and should not be separated.
For discussion
Is it true that Baptists don’t have the Spirit because they emphasize the word and not speaking in tongues?
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