One of the mistakes I’ve seen some people make is to assume that since they know a little bit more about a subject than others, they’ve become custodians of the entire truth. This false perception leads to arrogance and stunted growth of both the teachers and listeners.
As long as you are a man, you’ll never know all that there is to be known. You can only know the much that has been allowed you to know by the Almighty God. You’ll only know the much that experience, studies and insights have exposed you to. And it is out of this ‘part’ that you operate on. So, make room for humility that will enable you to learn from others who also know the part that you don’t know.
When God decides to reveal some truth to you, He does so knowing what you need and what those whom you’ll teach need. Also, certain understandings are given for a given generation and more understandings are revealed in generations to come. For instance, some things that Apostle Paul taught about were so hidden from the prophets and men of God of the old testament, that if someone came teaching those doctrines then, the person would be considered a heretic.
Now, some of the things that the Apostle wrote in his numerous epistles by the inspiration of God are being explained in clearer terms to the believers of today who do not share the same context as the believers of those days. This doesn’t in any way mean that God changes his standards on righteousness, it simply means that certain depths are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit the more we walk with Him.
Another instance is this: a written word (logos) which in its context means a certain thing could mean something completely different when the Holy Spirit impresses that same word on the heart of a praying believer. So, you may find a scripture that is talking about giving turned into a motivation for great accomplishments and to another praying believer an instrument of spiritual war.
No scripture is of private interpretation by man, but the Holy Spirit can and always gives an understanding to believers according to their times, such that the word of God is new every day, fresh and current every single day. This permits the Word to be used at every time and for every season because the inspiration from God’s Spirit adapts God’s Word to us, making it relevant in our day, time and circumstance.
