Rely on Spiritual Wisdom

Rely on Spiritual Wisdom
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
June 30, 2024

     We are continuing our study of the book of Corinthians. Paul is writing to the church in Corinth. At this point, the church is only about five years old and therefore all of them are young in their faith. Because of this there’s a lot of spiritual immaturity.

     Paul is writing to strengthen their faith and give them guidance so that they can mature in their faith in Christ. As we said before, when people come to faith in Christ, they come out of the world and in their immaturity bring a lot of the world with them.

     The culture at the time in Corinth and in Greece in general was that they loved to debate the latest philosophy and they celebrated those who were skilled in oratory, in smooth and flowery speech. Many people became amateur philosophers and loved to debate other amateur philosophers.

     This mentality found its way into the church at Corinth. So that they were even debating who they followed and who the best leader was. As we saw last time, this brought some division in the church.

     Paul confronts the inconsistency; the wisdom of the world stands in direct contrast to the wisdom of God. Do not rely on the wisdom of the age, the wisdom of the philosophers. The philosophers of the day were debating from a worldly perspective without any view of eternity. In fact, they didn’t even believe in eternal life.

     Therefore, Paul is saying, you can’t discern spiritual things from a worldly perspective, so don’t use worldly wisdom and the world’s methods of debating in the church or to build your life on. This is not where the power of God lies.

     Paul is speaking of spiritual things here in these chapters. There are certainly aspects of the world’s wisdom that we can appreciate. We’ve all benefited by advancements in medicine and technology, for example. And some of the world’s natural wisdom can be very practical.

     We can gain some words of wisdom from this world. Here are some classic and humorous examples…

• Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
• Or advice a doctor might give, “Never under any circumstance take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time.”
• When in doubt, look intelligent.
• If you want more money, spend less.

     But tonight, we are going to contrast the wisdom of this world with the wisdom of God.

     Spiritual wisdom is on a higher plane than worldly wisdom. It is rooted in eternity and speaks from that vantage point which the world cannot fathom.

     The wisdom of this world is focused on the things of this world. To get ahead, make money, gain influence, get control over people, look for the right angle, make sure you get out on top.

     Godly wisdom and the ways of God is totally different from this, because it addresses things that are not of this world.

     Paul contrasts worldly wisdom to spiritual wisdom that God reveals to us through His Spirit, a wisdom that is eternal in nature. His point –  spiritual wisdom makes spiritual men. If you want to grow in spiritual things, you need spiritual wisdom given by the Spirit of God.

I. Build Your Faith on the Power of God

• In the first verses Paul said that he did not proclaim the testimony of God with superiority of speech or in persuasive words of wisdom.
• In other words, they did not come to faith because of smooth and persuasive oratory. In fact, he says that he was with them in weakness and fear and much trembling.

Illus – Some background – Paul had just come through quite a rough time. On the command of God, he was teaching in Philippi where they grabbed him and threw him in jail and beat him. This is where God shook the jail and opened the doors. Then he went to Thessalonica, and as he preached, they started to riot, and he had to flee. Then he went to Berea where there was another uproar against them, so he headed out to Athens. On Mars Hill he was mocked as he proclaimed the truth of Jesus. He left there and then came to Corinth. So, by now, he says that he is coming in weakness fear and much trembling. In other words, he doesn’t rely at all on his own power and his oratory prowess.

• Rather, Paul said, his message and his preaching was in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. He was leaning on the power of the word of God and what the Spirit of God accomplishes in the hearts of those who hears him.

A. God demonstrates His love

• The word ‘testimony of God’ in verse 1 is important. It means that God gives testimony or witness of Himself in the demonstration of His love and of His power.
• Who else would be able to testify for God? No one was there to see Him speak creation into life. God did not grow up and mature with someone bearing witness to it, because He is the all sufficient, all powerful, eternal, most high God who never changes. Thus, only God can testify about Himself and His Son.
• So Paul wasn’t trying to impress people with philosophies that bring more questions than answers, he brought the truth as testified by God himself. God said of Jesus “This is my beloved Son…”

Illus – God sent His Son as a witness and testimony of His love.  “God loved the world so much that He sent His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

          Jesus then demonstrated that He was sent by God through the demonstration of God’s power in Him. In Luke 5 He touched a leper and healed him of his leprosy, but then said…

Luke 5:14, “Show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

• Talk about a testimony, later ten lepers were healed and were told to go show themselves to the priest! Can you imagine the shock the priest had when 10 lepers showed up?
• The greatest demonstration of God’s love and power, however, is what Paul calls the word of the cross.

Romans 5:8, 10, God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us… While we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.

• As we mentioned last time, the ultimate proof of God’s power is when He raised Jesus from the dead.

Acts 17:30-31, “Having overlooked times of ignorance, God is now declaring to all men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

B. Faith is reasonable

• Paul says in these chapters that what the world calls foolishness is actually a wisdom of God far beyond their capacity to understand. “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
• Therefore, we can also understand that God’s wisdom is reasonable. Revelation from God makes you see the truth and see everything from an eternal perspective. It is like a veil that is lifted from your eyes.
• Verse 6 – “We do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away.”
• For example, it’s reasonable to believe that God made the world by the word of His power…

Hebrews 11:3, By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

• In another place, Paul wrote that we walk by faith; it’s very reasonable to walk by faith. Because God has proved that He is trustworthy through His prophecies that has already come to pass.

2 Corinthians 5:7, For we walk by faith, not by sight…

John 20:25-31 “Blessed are those who did not see, and yet believed.”

• We are amongst those who did not see and yet believe; is that reasonable? Absolutely. It’s reasonable to believe eyewitnesses.

1 Corinthians 15:4-6, He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures and He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, after that, He appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now…

• Worldly wisdom, and I use the term loosely, in the modern age too easily brush off our faith as believing in fairytales. This stems from a place of ignorance because they believe the lie that the word of God is just a story instead of history. And because they believe the lie, they do not explore the word for themselves and stay in that ignorance.
• Those who do explore the possibility and then start to study the word, soon realize that it is the truth and the truth sets them free.

C. We speak God’s wisdom

• The word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
• Therefore, Paul said, we speak God’s wisdom, a wisdom, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age; a wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; if they did, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. That’s a powerful statement.
• On the cross Jesus said…

John 23:34, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

• However, it’s important to understand that they could have known… and should have known.

Romans 1:18, 20, The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness… For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen… so that they are without excuse.

• Some Jews gathered around Jesus and asked Him to say it plainly if He is the Messiah…

John 10:24-27, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe? The work that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.”

• When Paul says that God’s wisdom is a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory, he means that God has been pointing to the cross throughout the entire Old Testament, but now plainly revealed through Jesus. They didn’t see it.
• After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to two men walking on the road to Emmaus…

Luke 24:25-27, He said to them, “O foolish man and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets of spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the scriptures.

II. God Reveals the Wonder of His Love

• The things which were formerly hidden, God has now revealed “to our glory” for those who love Him.
• There is a powerful quote here from Isaiah in verse 9 and some believe Paul is referring to the unimaginable and wonderful things God has in store for us in heaven.
• But verse 10 says that he’s speaking of things God has already revealed to us through the Spirit.

A. The Spirit reveals the thoughts of God

• The great truth that God revealed was the eternal plan of salvation through His son, Jesus Christ. Before that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.
• What is the revelation? It is the awesome privilege of being brought into an intimate relationship with God himself, being made part of His household, knowing that God is not angry with you but loves you and has made a way for you to stand before Him with confidence through the righteousness that He has applied to you by the work of His Son.

Illus – What greater thing is there? Let’s say God gave you a mansion in Malibu overlooking the sea, with whatever luxurious car you like, with all the riches in an unlimited bank account, but when you die you would still be separated from Him for eternity being punished for all your sin for eternity.

• If I could choose, I would say you take the whole world, but give me Jesus. That is true wisdom. In Him we have received eternity with God and all the provision and riches that that entails. Nothing compares to this.
• God has revealed these truths through the Spirit, who knows the depths of God; the same Spirit we have received when we opened our hearts to Christ.
• Through the Spirit, God gives us spiritual thoughts and spiritual words to strengthen our faith and to give us a depth of maturity.
• A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, they are foolishness to him. They care nothing about faith or spiritual maturity.
• But if you have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you’re no longer a natural man, you are now spiritual, and God wants you to grow in spiritual depth; be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

B. Spiritually appraise all things

• We now think and have wisdom, from a different perspective. An eternal perspective.

Illus  – When someone is rude to you, with hurtful words…

• Verse 14 – A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually appraised.
• But he who is spiritual appraises all things, Paul wrote.
• In other words, when you have God’s thoughts and God’s words, you have God’s perspective and from God’s perspective you must appraise all things.
• The word ‘appraise’ is important. It means to judge a thing’s value, to estimate the worth of something. In other words, what is its spiritual value?

Illus – This is a great exercise. Appraise everything in your life. What is its spiritual value? When we do this, we will come to realize that the things we consider high value, in all honest truth, sometimes are worthless, and the things that cost nothing and have very little monetary value are priceless.

• It should change how we live, how we think, what we do. It should change our values, impact our morals, change how we spend our time.
• Because now we don’t live as people who think they need to hoard, get out on top, do as much as they can before they die because they death is the end. We see even this life in the light of eternity.
• Everything doesn’t stop when we die, but what we do on earth impacts eternity.
• How we act towards people can impact them for eternity. What I do on this earth, can either bring reward in heaven, or it will be useless in heaven.
• If we only understood the eternal value of our soul from God’s perspective, we would be forever changed.

Luke 9:24-25, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his soul?”

• And this is a challenge to us as verse 16 says, who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
• When we surrender to the Holy Spirit, who knows the innermost thoughts of God Himself, because He is God himself, we can be aligned with the mind of Christ.
• This happens by the renewing of our minds through the word, but then also allowing the Holy Spirit and asking the Holy Spirit to quicken the word in our minds so that our lives will be permeated with it. Our lives will reflect the mind of Christ.
• God, let me see what you see, let me stand where you stand, my hope secure in you.