Topical Bible: Character of Saints: Taught of God

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The concept of being "taught of God" is a significant aspect of the character of saints, reflecting a deep, personal relationship with the Divine that transcends mere human instruction. This divine teaching is a hallmark of the believer's journey, indicating a transformation that aligns the heart and mind with God's will and wisdom.

Biblical Foundation

The idea that saints are taught by God is rooted in several key biblical passages. In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah speaks of a future where God's people will be directly instructed by Him: "All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their prosperity" (Isaiah 54:13). This promise highlights the intimate and personal nature of divine instruction, suggesting a direct impartation of knowledge and wisdom from God to His people.

In the New Testament, Jesus reiterates this concept in the Gospel of John: "It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me" (John 6:45). Here, Jesus emphasizes that those who are truly taught by God are drawn to Him, indicating that divine teaching leads to a deeper understanding and acceptance of Christ.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the teaching of saints. Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would be their teacher: "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you" (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit guides believers into all truth, illuminating the Scriptures and applying them to the believer's life.

The Apostle Paul also speaks of this divine instruction in his letter to the Corinthians: "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us" (1 Corinthians 2:12). This passage underscores the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in imparting divine wisdom and understanding to the saints.

Characteristics of Those Taught by God

1. Wisdom and Understanding: Saints taught by God exhibit a wisdom that surpasses human understanding. This wisdom is not merely intellectual but is deeply spiritual, enabling them to discern God's will and apply it in their lives.

2. Obedience and Faithfulness: Divine teaching leads to a life of obedience and faithfulness. As the psalmist declares, "Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground" (Psalm 143:10). Those taught by God are committed to following His commandments and living according to His precepts.

3. Peace and Assurance: Being taught by God brings a profound sense of peace and assurance. Isaiah's prophecy that "great will be their prosperity" (Isaiah 54:13) suggests that divine instruction results in spiritual well-being and confidence in God's promises.

4. Love and Compassion: The teaching of God instills a deep love for others, reflecting the character of Christ. As John writes, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7). This love is a direct result of being taught by God, who is love Himself.

Practical Implications

For the believer, being taught by God is an ongoing process that requires openness and humility. It involves regular engagement with Scripture, prayer, and a willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit. The saints' character, shaped by divine teaching, becomes a testimony to the transformative power of God's instruction, drawing others to the truth of the Gospel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 54:13
And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 John 2:27
But the anointing which you have received of him stays in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God's Inheritance in the Saints
... Assimilation to His character makes us own and have Him ... belongs, and can only belong
to, 'the saints.' So, then ... place,' as the great Puritan poet taught us, 'and ...
/.../gods inheritance in the saints.htm

Messiah the Son of God
... the faith once delivered to the saints, have laboured ... only, are Christians indeed,
who are thus taught. ... are synonymous terms, expressive of the same character. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xxvii messiah the son.htm

The Beatific vision
... all along; for wherever men have been taught what is ... in one, to make one perfectly
good character"and then you ... No wonder that the saints of old called it the ...
/.../kingsley/the good news of god/sermon i the beatific vision.htm

The Life of God
... God's life, we must know God, and God's character, to know ... For if the saints' delight
was to do good on ... they helped poor sufferers, if they taught the ignorant ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/the good news of god/sermon iii the life of.htm

The Great Commandment
... is no wonder if persons who have been taught in their ... Jesus Christ, or the Virgin
Mary, or the saints, or any ... more or less like that person in character and in ...
/.../the water of life and other sermons/sermon xiv the great commandment.htm

Contents and Character of the Extant Works.
... a) The character of the ... to some to encourage undue honour to and invocation of saints
and martyrs ... I have stated the opinions taught by the majority of heresies ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/ix contents and character of the.htm

His Perfect Holiness.
... all, only the negative side of his character; which rises ... by their conduct.[31]31
The greatest saints of the ... both was and did that which he taught: he preached ...
//christianbookshelf.org/schaff/the person of christ/his perfect holiness.htm

Perseverance Proved.
... This is the real character of all true saints. ... in true obedience is a characteristic
of all real saints. ... in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xlix perseverance proved.htm

Prison Meditations Directed to the Heart of Suffering Saints and ...
... no craft, nor guile, nor hypocrisy about his character, but a ... he became one of the
most honoured of his saints. ... They were no fables that I taught, Devised by ...
/.../the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/prison meditations directed to the.htm

Perseverance of Saints.
... Moreover, the doctrine as here taught is, that perseverance in holiness, in ... in their
view accords with the Bible description of the character of the saints. ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture l perseverance of saints.htm