The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. Consequently, he preaches to us in
our hearts—especially in reminding us of what Jesus said, renewing this in
our minds and making it ever clearer to us. And so the believing disciple
carries, or ought to carry, this master teacher within himself.
Thus, it is not particularly necessary for him time and again to bear some
human preacher who tells him every detail and splits hairs in explaining
things. It ought not to be the case that a person is without further
instruction just because no bodily teacher is present. No, the instruction
continues—and just that much more powerfully because it comes not simply
to
the outward ears but from within, awakening the mind and spirit.
Everything
becomes much clearer than when one is instructed primarily through
external
words and still has to consider at length, "What do these words mean?"
But the Spirit, as master teacher, grants us inward revelation; we "see"
what otherwise is only heard and thought. We under-stand profoundly, even
when, now and then, words fail. Thus should the Holy Spirit be our
teacher.
- Johann Christoph Blumhardt
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