Spiritual sense is made possible by the presence of certain characteristics. Among them are teachableness, sincerity, and an intimate knowledge of God. The more one possesses these, the more profound will be one's insight into Biblical truth. For they make possible receptivity to God's Spirit, who, having motivated and guided the experience of Scriptural authors, is also their best interpreter. As a result they look for trick or magical explanations.
Imagery is taken literally, and literal statements are construed figuratively.
What we need throughout the study of Scripture is common sense. It may be assumed that if Biblical statements are true, they will correspond with the facts of human existence and experience. If, then, certain interpretations contradict the observable data of life, then one ought at least to question them, if not discard them. One finds that such a comparison of Biblical interpretations with experience often serves as a helpful corrective to erroneous exegesis. Because of the importance of this item, I use many language aids in my study of the Bible.