The question of biblical truth has been under assault for decades. The EFCA, however, has always affirmed and taught that the Bible is the revealed word of God and, as such, is our “ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged.”*

As you saw in the articles in this issue of EFCA Today, that confidence in God’s Word remains our bedrock.

However, God’s Word without the Holy Spirit is lifeless and dead. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to convict us, encourage us, and help us understand the Word and its implications for our lives. As Hebrews says, “The Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).

This is the work of the Holy Spirit as we dwell on His Word.

There is another aspect to this equation: As the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, He prompts us to respond to God in specific ways. His prompts may pertain to an issue of sin in our lives, or a new direction that God has for us. He may prompt us to speak to the individual next to us on the plane, or to our neighbor next door. The reality is that through the Holy Spirit, God regularly gives us promptings and guidance if we can learn to “hear His voice” in our lives.

This work of the Holy Spirit is not new revelation from God but is often the application of God’s Word in our lives or His direction for us at a certain time. Thus, in John 14, Jesus says that “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, … will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).

Later He tells the disciples that “when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).

As we learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings in our lives, He helps direct the course of our lives, uses Scripture to teach us truth and serves as our counselor. I hope you are encouraged by this issue of EFCA Today and are challenged to be even more sensitive to the Word of God, the source of all truth, and to the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of Truth.”