1 Cor. 2:6-16 Wisdom From the Spirit
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him"--
but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but wisdom taught by the Spirit, expressing Spiritual truths in Spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are Spiritually discerned. The Spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?"
But we have the mind of Christ.
We saw in the last post that Paul did not want the Gospel to rely on the wisdom of man. He now goes more in depth in this passage. He writes that the Gospel is reliant on Spiritual wisdom. This is the wisdom that the rulers did not understand. A wisdom that evidently rulers today still do not understand. For they crucified Jesus Christ, and continue to persecute His people even today. Today, however, God has revealed it to many. To those who chose to accept that they are sinners and need Jesus Christ to save them. Those who believe in the Spiritual truth of what Jesus' death on the cross was really for. Those of us who accepted this free gift of Grace have now received the Holy Spirit. And this Spirit has revealed the nature of God to us.
What no eye had seen, no ear had heard, and what no mind had conceived was known by the Spirit since before time. The Spirit has always known the mind of God. This Spirit now shows us the truth about what God has freely given us: Joy, Peace, Love, eternal life, acceptance, it keeps going. The more connected with the Spirit we get, the more it reveals these gifts to us. As we grow in the Spirit, it also shows us what to do with these gifts. It shows us that we should use our eternal life as wisdom and comfort so we can live this life without fear and be willing to do anything God asks. The Spirit shows us exactly what God would have us do, and we can trust whatever it says because it knows the mind of the One who created us. The Holy Spirit knows what's best in each moment. So why do we ignore it so often?
Today we fill our lives with distractions that end up working in the world's wisdom. If we continue doing this than one thing will happen, the ways of the world will start to make sense. Sins can become more appealing to us. As a result, God's true Wisdom will seem more like foolishness to us. Studying His Word will seem like a waste of time compared to watching a new episode of some TV show or an internet video everyone is talking about on Facebook. Once it's time for game on at church, nothing will make sense. We can think that we know just what to say to get by in our Bible studies, but God sees right through it. Eventually, the people around us will too. Spiritual truths can only be Spiritually discerned. If we're not connected to the Holy Spirit, God's ways make no sense. It takes time an investment to have a deep connection with the Spirit of God. It takes discipline and a lot of time spent listening to God. Paul, the very writer of this letter, spent 3 years studying in his home town after his conversion. After the 3 years he went out and started the works God was calling him to do. He spent 3 years listening so that he would know what God's voice sounded like. How often do we listen today? Not enough by the looks of it. If we were, we'd see it.
The person that is connected to the Holy Spirit has 2 defining qualities when it comes to their interaction with the world around them. The first is that they can make judgments about all things in the world around them. They see the world through the Spirit's eyes. Therefore, they have the Spirit's understanding of what is right and wrong. They do not themselves declare what is right and what is wrong. Instead they hear what the Spirit says about the things around them. The spiritual person is then able to use this in declaration and action. The second quality is that no man is able to judge them. The person living by the Spirit is living the life that God created them to live. Telling that person they should live another way is like telling God that He was wrong. History in the Bible shows that it doesn't work out for the people who try to tell God that He's wrong. The Spiritual person has an understanding about the world around them, and can act on this understanding in the way God Himself predetermined. This person cannot be judged for they are the work of God that is doing the work of God. My question is, how many self professed Christians look like this?
I don't look very much like this at all. This I also believe is very characteristic today. If it weren't, the American portion of the Church would be much more active in the world. But instead, as many other authors today write, we all seem to be asleep. Day in and day out I find myself doing little compared to what I should. It's frustrating to see a lack of zeal in myself that should be there. I believe we need to take off the earphones and listen to God for once so that we can actually hear the truths from the Spirit we claim to be connected to. I believe that if we do this, we will be united and we will be used by God for something greater.
It all starts with listening to the Spirit. Cut out the distractions and listen. Pay attention. Then go out and do. Remember though, you are not alone in this. God is with you, and over time, the rest of the body of Christ around will be with you as well. 12 people came together and changed a world. Just like those 12 and like the Church in Corinth, it's out turn to do the same through the Holy Spirit. Why? Listen to the Spirit list off the reasons each day you continue. A list that will keep growing. And the very top will always have Jesus Death and Resurrection for you listed. There's every reason to go and do this.
Thank You For Reading
Long Live Jesus Christ
Amen
