Acts 18:1-4

The Bible is the inspired word of God.  I do not believe God dictated it word for word; rather the Holy Spirit influenced the men who wrote our scriptures.  That influence was so powerful that the words they wrote contain theological truth and every bit of knowledge we need to recognize God and receive Salvation.

Paul wrote a large percentage of the New Testament.  The letters he wrote to the churches are full of theological truth.  I do not believe God poured that truth into his brain while he slept.  I think that as Paul lived and worked in obedience to God’s will the Holy Spirit revealed truth to him.  God reveals some of that truth to Paul as he studied the Old Testament. God filled Paul full of new understanding of how the Old Testament scripture revealed Jesus.  His new understanding of Old Testament scripture allowed Paul to persuade many Jews in the synagogues that Jesus was the promised messiah.

Some of the theological truth that Paul put into his letters resulted from the Holy Spirit enlightening him through every day events.  When Paul arrived at Corinth, he met Aquila and Priscilla.  When Claudius, the Roman emperor, ordered all Jews to leave Rome, it had forced them from their homes.  Paul went to see them and because they shared a common occupation, they stayed and worked together.  Paul was able to help them grow in the Christian faith, and they helped Paul financially, supporting his ministry.

The Holy Spirit used events like this to shape Paul’s theology.  God did not cause Claudius to order all Jews to leave Rome, and that order did not work for anybody’s good, but in the midst of all the hardship, God created good for Paul, Priscilla and Aquila.  The Holy Spirit was teaching Paul, and years later, he wrote, “…  we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…“ (Romans 8:28 NIV).  Paul did not write inspired theories; he wrote from his experienced truths.