The Wisdom of the Spirit 1 Cor 2:6-16
Introduction
Riddle- It comes from a fountain, but you can't bottle it. We were designed to live with it, but it never comes naturally. It is a vital commodity for a meaningful & useful life, but you can't purchase it. Most people think that it comes by experience, or research, but it doesn't. The elderly would like to think they are rich in it, when actually, many are still poor. What is it? True Spiritual Wisdom. Wisdom is rarely talked about these days. Although most in our modern world are inclined to think they are gifted with wisdom, and many see wisdom as incompatible with the Christian Faith, even though, the Bible is littered with entire books that deal with its value [Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, James]. Yet, in one way, the world is right, because they are thinking of worldly wisdom, and Paul would agree with their assessment. He would say, “Human wisdom cannot be mixed with God's Revelation.” That has been his point in the 1st chapter of his letter to Corinth. He had demolished that idea, which many of the Corinthian Christians were splintering over. Of the 47x that Paul speaks of wisdom in all of his letters combined, 27 are in 1 Cor. And in fact, he mentions wisdom in both forms, [noun & adjective]15x in the 1st 2 chapters, and he had nothing good to say about wisdom, because he been using the word sophia, only in relation to man's wisdom.
But here beginning in v.6, Paul says that what the world thinks is foolish is actually True wisdom, and it's wisdom of a superior kind. It's an electing & eternal wisdom ...It's a spiritually set apart wisdom, and ...it's an incomparable & unfathomable wisdom, because it comes from the Mind of the Infinite Triune God. God, as Father, Son, & Holy Spirit, brings this Wisdom just as He brings Redemption. So, just as in Salvation- where the Father thought it, the Son bought it, and the Spirit wrought it, wisdom is provided by The Trinity, which bathes the background of much of Paul's writings. The Persons of the Trinity become most evident when the Holy Spirit is spoken of. Yet, He is rarely the center of attention, and that is by God's design. In the Eternal Relationships of the Trinity: the Father glorifies the Son, the Son glorifies the Father, & the Spirit glorifies both Father & Son. Human relationships, are supposed to pattern this idea of selfless service.
The Decree of God. The Mind of Christ. & The Wisdom of the Spirit harmonize to form the essence of the Christian Faith. The Father chooses the Bride. The Son lays His life down for the Bride. The Spirit empowers the Bride to give all her devotion to the Bridegroom. This is the essence of our Christian Faith. Plans, ...purchases, ...procures! So, I've categorized this portion like this: In ...vs.6-8, The Wisdom of the Father is- Imparted from Eternity. In ...vs.9-12 The Wisdom of the Spirit is- Chartered for the Fraternity, and in ...vs.13-16 The Wisdom of the Son is- Discarded by Modernity. Since, over the past 2000 years, the Wisdom of the Son is still being discarded by the bulk of modern society, this message is a timeless one. Here, Paul will tell us why it is discarded. So, after denouncing human wisdom beginning in v.6, Paul now turns to affirm what True Wisdom is, who gets it, and where it comes from...
I. The Wisdom of the Father is- Imparted from Eternity ...vs.6-8
It may not match the wisdom of this age, and the so called 'wise rulers' may not get it,“Yet among ...the mature”, Paul says, “we do impart wisdom” It gets heard by those who have ears to hear! The mature or as some English versions render it ...the perfect are ...those who are reaching a completed end; as contrasted with 'those who are perishing'. Notice Paul says that the rulers of this age ...are doomed to pass away.” Question- Who among us knows the names of the rich & famous of Paul's day? Corinth is a city buried in the rubble of time. And America will not last without Christ either. If the Lord tarries, America 'will be weighed and found wanting in the balance', unless a great repentance is procured. We will perish as a nation, just like every prior Kingdom has perished! Individuals too- “One short life that soon will pass. Only what's done for Christ will last.”
Everyone who doesn't know the secret perishes. Sounds like the esoteric language. Paul will use the ideas of the culture. He says that the wisdom which he & the others bring is a secret ...a mystery, and that it was hidden ...concealed by God in the past. This is why he calls it a mystery. He doesn't mean mystery, the way the pagans in Corinth viewed mystery. To the pagan, mystery had to do with secret societies & initiation into occultic rituals. Paul always uses the word, mystery, in light of something God reveals. God decreed it that way, for 2 reasons: 1] so the rulers of this age would carry out His Plan. He says in v.8 “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” And the 2nd reason, he mentions in v.7“God decreed it before the ages ...for our glory! ...for our glory!” What amazing words, ...for our glory! Who are we, right? Notice, Paul keeps alluding to the this age, v.6 'the wisdom of this age, & the rulers of this age”. And again, in v.8, None of the rulers of this age understood this.” Why does he keep mentioning this age? Because he has seen a glimpse of ' the Age to come'! It has come hurtling in like a meteor from heaven, crashing into this old age of sin and death. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set us free to overcome 'the Law of Sin & Death'! And that will come to full fruition in the Age to Come, as we await the redemption of our bodies! How do we know that's true? Because that is exactly what Christ has accomplished! He has overcome 'the Law of Sin & Death! The Gospel Age ushers in & establishes the New Creation, because Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death! The Gospel Age is the transition between the age that's passed and the age that's last! [Already/not yet]
Notice, Paul calls Jesus, the Lord of glory! This is, perhaps, the most exalted title used of Jesus Christ. James uses it too“show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” Jas 2:1 It points emphatically to His full deity! they would not have 'crucified' the Lord of glory Yet, 'crucified' speaks loudly of His Humanity, because as a man, He was tortured and killed. Pilate had no clue that he was cross examining Truth Himself, and none of the rulers, Jew or Gentile had a clue that they had done the unthinkable, such is the product of human wisdom. They made themselves fools in the presence of True Wisdom Himself. They couldn't see, because...
II. The Wisdom of the Spirit is- Chartered for the Fraternity ...vs.9-13
This wisdom from God is given only to those whom Paul would call brothers, because they have been adopted with 'Christ as their brother', into God's Family. It is said in various parts of Scripture to be 'hidden from the wise & prudent' Luk 10:21 from the proud and boastful, from the rich & famous. In fact, all the nations were excluded, as such. The majority of the world had not, at least, up to that time been able to understand that God's Great Plan was to send a coming Redeemer, One Who would pay the ransom for God's Own Wrath against the sin of those who would be called out of 'every tribe, nation & tongue'. Paul addresses this in Eph 3:4-5., which was read in our 2nd Scripture Reading. He wrote there that “the mystery of Christ, was not made known to the sons of men in other generations but it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets ...by the Spirit.” What was once hidden from the senses of natural man, yet prophesied, has now been revealed by the Holy Spirit, who has been given.
This is what Paul is pointing to in v.9 when he uses the familiar phrase, “as it is written”, showing he is quoting from the God Breathed authority of the O.T. where he cites [Isa 64:4] "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared ...for those who love him" Here, a total picture of man, in his fallen natural wisdom, is represented through his key sense organs, portals of perception, his eyes, his ears, & his heart [mind]. “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.”Mat_13:16 [Synechdochy] Man couldn't ever perceive what God had prepared in order to procure a beloved bride for His Son, whose life was given for that bride. Notice, it has only been prepared 'for those who love Him'.
And to Paul, that preparation is now complete! This text is often cited, by the way, at funerals in order to imply that it concerns the final destiny of believers. But this passage, in its context, is not about your heavenly future, [although I would not exclude that idea as an application!] But, this is really about the Special Revelation, hidden through the ages, which is the wisdom of the Gospel now unveiled in Christ, by and through, the Holy Spirit. Look at v.10a “these things God ...has revealed to us ...through the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit has illuminated our minds & hearts, Paul would say, so that we, who have been born of the Spirit can see the light of the Gospel of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ! The H.S. gives us new eyes to see and new ears to hear, and He connects us to God. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Plan ..v.10, God's Person ...v.11, God's Provision ...v.12, & God's Prophetic Plainness ...v.13. First,
A. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Plan ..v.10b
“For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God or the deep things of God.” Now, this doesn't imply that the Spirit doesn't know everything, simply because Paul uses the word 'searches'. What Paul is saying is that the Spirit of God is intimately involved with all that God thinks & reasons, ...all that God ordains & executes, all that God plans & purposes. Every detail, every contingency, every event that affects all other events, and all that is involved in leading to the salvation of His people, and for this reason...
B. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Person ...v.11[illustration]
And here Paul uses a human analogy to make his point. “For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” Only God knows God! The Holy Spirit is a Person and the Holy Spirit is God. Paul uses this allusion to imply that the Holy Spirit is in God in the same way as a man's mind is contained within his person. Now, it is clear, says Matthew Henry, that “ A man cannot be without his mind! ”, although there may be some wives here who would seriously question that axiom. “A man cannot be without his mind! ” As my wife nods her head ever so vigorously. Well, in the same way, God cannot be without his Spirit anymore than He can be without His Mind or without His Knowledge or without His Wisdom. In fact, the writer of the Proverbs said this of wisdom in ch.8, "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.” Pro 8:22 . He is as much, and as intimately one with God as a man's mind is with the man. The man knows his own mind, because his mind is one with himself. The Spirit of God knows the things of God because he is one with God. This is a tremendous blessing to us, because if we have God, the Holy Spirit we have all of God's Present & Future Promised Blessings. So, in this intimate union we have...
C. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Provision ...v.12
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit, who is from God”, and here's the connection w/ blessings “that we might understand, ...that we might know the things ...freely given us ...by God.” such as justifying righteousness, remission of sins, adoption, and eternal life; all which has been provided for us, as John Gill terms it, “in the council and covenant of peace”. All was freely given to us, in Christ before the time began. In Eph.1:17-18, as Joel exposited last week, Paul prays “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him” so that “the eyes of your hearts will be enlightened” For what purpose? So,”that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints”. Without the Spirit's Wisdom, no one would even comprehend what God has and will continue to provide. The assurance of that Provision has been delivered by the process theologians call Inspiration. We see Paul declaring that in v.13...
D. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Prophetic Process ...v.13
Paul was taught the simple Truths of the Gospel directly by God Himself. He told the Galatian Christians, “the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” Gal 1:11-12 And that revelatory process came via the Holy Spirit. And so, Paul is simply passing on what he was given in Spirit directed words,“And we impart this in words ...not taught by 'human' wisdom but ...taught by the Spirit's wisdom” Paul is saying that the Truths of God don't need any garnishing by human skill or eloquence, as these Corinthians had experienced with great orators such as Apollos. Yet, the Truths of God look best in the words which the Holy Spirit teaches plainly. The main things are plain, and the plain things are main. The Spirit of God knows much better how to speak of the things of God than the best critics, orators, or philosophers.
Paul goes on to say, that the Spirit conveys those spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. or as some interpret this, “attaching spiritual things ...with spiritual words.” This is difficult to interpret, because what it literally says is 'comparing spirituals with spirituals'. Wm. Vines says,”After speaking of spiritual things in vs.11, 12, & 13, Paul now speaks of the forms in which they are conveyed - spiritual forms or words answering to spiritual matters, and says, we combine spiritual things with spiritual forms of expression.” Worldly wisdom cannot expound spiritual Truths! And worldly wisdom cannot extoll Spiritual Truths! In other words, only Spirit-taught men can comprehend spiritual truths. He is saying that in v.6. He is saying that in v.9, He is saying that in v.10. He is saying that here, and he is saying that in the next 2 verses. And the H.S. has revealed this wisdom to Paul & the apostles, so that they can, not only teach the Corinthians, all future generations of brothers and sisters in Christ. The Forever Fraternity will benefit through this inspiration, actually expiration of God. “All Scripture is breathed out by God”, and because of that, it is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2Ti 3:16-17 Praise God that He does grant Spiritual Wisdom to be complete, equipped for every good work., but more often than not...
III. The Wisdom of the Son is- Discarded by Modernity ...vs.14-16
This is what Paul is telling us in v.14, when he writes 'The natural person', the man who relies on his nature, his senses, his fleshly mind, the natural person ...does not accept the ...things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly [moronic] to him, and he is not ...able he is not ...able to understand them” Why? Paul says he like a deer in the headlights, cognitive dissonance, its like you're talking to his hand! He cannot perceive these Truths,“because they are spiritually discerned.” and he is not of the Spirit. Natural man is of the flesh. and“the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it 'cannot'.” Rom 8:7 John the Baptist said in Joh_3:27 , "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven!” Why? Because “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Joh 3:6 And never the twain shall meet, unless God intervenes! Jesus told a Spiritual teacher in Israel, “unless one is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God."Joh 3:3 Even a Bible teacher can be without the Spirit!“no man 'can' come to Me unless it is given to him of the Father.” Joh 6:65 “So then”, says Paul in Rom 9:16 “it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who shows mercy.”
Natural Man's inability to discern ...receive or ...submit to Spiritual Truths is foundational to the Gospel Message. The Natural man cannot discern or judge properly, the Christian Gospel. He cannot even judge properly the Christian. The Christian makes no sense to the natural person. The natural mind cannot relate to ...how we think ...what we think or ...why we think what we do. And yet, the Christian understands the unbeliever, because a Christian was once a natural man, and a Christian still has a body of flesh. We can judge how the unbeliever thinks and we know why he does what he does. We can say, “been there ... done that!” So, this is what Paul means when he says in v.15, “The spiritual person judges all things but is himself ... judged by no one.” A blind man cannot evaluate a painting! If I lost my sight my children would no longer share their drawings with me. It would be futile for them to do that, because I couldn't judge their drawings. [Spiritual sight]
And what are 2 of the most vital things that the spiritual person judges or discerns? Spiritual people discern ...their own sin & Christ's own glory ...The Spiritual man sees his own poverty & Christ's own Riches ...The Spiritual woman hears the noise of her life and the music of Christ's Life. These things cannot be discerned, seen, or heard by the natural person. The natural man can accept the rules, regulations, & religion of men. But not a relationship with God! They don't understand us nor can they teach us about [anything Spiritual]! Why? Because, according to Paul, we already have all that is Spiritual through the Spirit, Himself. He ties us to God and they can't teach God anything! “v.16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?"
Do you see what Paul is saying here? He is saying that the natural mind of the natural world cannot instruct us in its wisdom, or judge us in our faith, or discern of the reality of our hope, because it cannot comprehend God ...it cannot understand the mind of the Lord! Paul, here in v.16, has now quoted from the prophet Isaiah, for the 4th or 5th time in these 2 chapters! This time it is from that famous 40th chapter where, he offers great hope of deliverance to His Covenant people. The prophet Isaiah reminds Israel that nothing is too difficult for the God who “has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance! For the One to whom “the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales ...as nothing before him, ...as less than nothing and emptiness.” And yet He, also says, that this same Almighty God“will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” Isa 40:11-17. And then, the prophet reminds all people of the absurdity of trying to correct or teach God anything! He asks in vs.13-14, “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice? Who taught him knowledge, and who showed him the way of understanding?”
I might add as Paul does, "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Rom 11:35 This is our unfathomable heritage! We are connected intimately to the Mind of the One who 'justifies the ungodly' [Rom 5:6] So,“Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding ...for us.” Rom 8:33-34 The Holy Spirit has tied the Man of God to the Mind of God. And in v.16 the Holy Spirit, has tied the Mind of God [Jehovah] to the mind of Christ. “who has understood the mind of the Lord? But we have the mind of Christ.”
And, so Paul's point is that since, we are so connected with God, because we are in Christ, and we are alive by the Holy Spirit, they have nothing to say to us about ...human behavior, about ethics, about meaning, about purpose, about joy, about life and peace, about death and grief, about all the ultimate questions pertaining to human existence! We have all we need that pertains to life and godliness. The Father is sufficient! The Son is sufficient! The Holy Spirit is sufficient! His Word is sufficient! The words of the Apostles are a Divinely Revealed Message, which comes through Divinely Chosen Thoughts communicated by Divinely Chosen Words, and these words give us access to the Mind of Christ. Do you see why it is so important to read and study the Bible? If you are have the Mind of Christ, you have to know how He thinks, and that is revealed in His Word.
So, what is Spiritual Wisdom? Spiritual Wisdom is Trinitarian Wisdom! The Wisdom of the Spirit is the Mind of the LORD, and the Mind of the LORD is the mind of Christ. So, what are we to do with the Mind of Christ? 2 things, one directed at the world and one directed at the church. 1] With the Mind of Christ we are to interpret & confront the world, which is a revolving door of human wisdom. What was true yesterday is false today. What was in yesterday is out today. What was meaningful yesterday is mundane today. The Mind of Christ exegetes the Scriptures of this world, and confronts its so called wisdom with supernatural reason and eternal hope. 2] Church; we are called to have the Mind of Christ when we relate to one another. Listen to Paul's heart:
So, The Mind of Christ seeks the glory of God, and the welfare of others! And we are supposed to have that mind! That is the Wisdom of the Spirit, and that wisdom has no value to the world, because it is spiritually appraised! Does it have value to you? Ask yourself, “Does my life represent a person who seeks the Glory of God and the welfare of others?” If the answer is “No”, then you should fear, because you are perishing with the wisdom of this age. If the answer is yes, then you have the fear of God' and that is “the beginning of wisdom.”
Lets pray.
Introduction
Riddle- It comes from a fountain, but you can't bottle it. We were designed to live with it, but it never comes naturally. It is a vital commodity for a meaningful & useful life, but you can't purchase it. Most people think that it comes by experience, or research, but it doesn't. The elderly would like to think they are rich in it, when actually, many are still poor. What is it? True Spiritual Wisdom. Wisdom is rarely talked about these days. Although most in our modern world are inclined to think they are gifted with wisdom, and many see wisdom as incompatible with the Christian Faith, even though, the Bible is littered with entire books that deal with its value [Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, James]. Yet, in one way, the world is right, because they are thinking of worldly wisdom, and Paul would agree with their assessment. He would say, “Human wisdom cannot be mixed with God's Revelation.” That has been his point in the 1st chapter of his letter to Corinth. He had demolished that idea, which many of the Corinthian Christians were splintering over. Of the 47x that Paul speaks of wisdom in all of his letters combined, 27 are in 1 Cor. And in fact, he mentions wisdom in both forms, [noun & adjective]15x in the 1st 2 chapters, and he had nothing good to say about wisdom, because he been using the word sophia, only in relation to man's wisdom.
But here beginning in v.6, Paul says that what the world thinks is foolish is actually True wisdom, and it's wisdom of a superior kind. It's an electing & eternal wisdom ...It's a spiritually set apart wisdom, and ...it's an incomparable & unfathomable wisdom, because it comes from the Mind of the Infinite Triune God. God, as Father, Son, & Holy Spirit, brings this Wisdom just as He brings Redemption. So, just as in Salvation- where the Father thought it, the Son bought it, and the Spirit wrought it, wisdom is provided by The Trinity, which bathes the background of much of Paul's writings. The Persons of the Trinity become most evident when the Holy Spirit is spoken of. Yet, He is rarely the center of attention, and that is by God's design. In the Eternal Relationships of the Trinity: the Father glorifies the Son, the Son glorifies the Father, & the Spirit glorifies both Father & Son. Human relationships, are supposed to pattern this idea of selfless service.
The Decree of God. The Mind of Christ. & The Wisdom of the Spirit harmonize to form the essence of the Christian Faith. The Father chooses the Bride. The Son lays His life down for the Bride. The Spirit empowers the Bride to give all her devotion to the Bridegroom. This is the essence of our Christian Faith. Plans, ...purchases, ...procures! So, I've categorized this portion like this: In ...vs.6-8, The Wisdom of the Father is- Imparted from Eternity. In ...vs.9-12 The Wisdom of the Spirit is- Chartered for the Fraternity, and in ...vs.13-16 The Wisdom of the Son is- Discarded by Modernity. Since, over the past 2000 years, the Wisdom of the Son is still being discarded by the bulk of modern society, this message is a timeless one. Here, Paul will tell us why it is discarded. So, after denouncing human wisdom beginning in v.6, Paul now turns to affirm what True Wisdom is, who gets it, and where it comes from...
I. The Wisdom of the Father is- Imparted from Eternity ...vs.6-8
It may not match the wisdom of this age, and the so called 'wise rulers' may not get it,“Yet among ...the mature”, Paul says, “we do impart wisdom” It gets heard by those who have ears to hear! The mature or as some English versions render it ...the perfect are ...those who are reaching a completed end; as contrasted with 'those who are perishing'. Notice Paul says that the rulers of this age ...are doomed to pass away.” Question- Who among us knows the names of the rich & famous of Paul's day? Corinth is a city buried in the rubble of time. And America will not last without Christ either. If the Lord tarries, America 'will be weighed and found wanting in the balance', unless a great repentance is procured. We will perish as a nation, just like every prior Kingdom has perished! Individuals too- “One short life that soon will pass. Only what's done for Christ will last.”
Everyone who doesn't know the secret perishes. Sounds like the esoteric language. Paul will use the ideas of the culture. He says that the wisdom which he & the others bring is a secret ...a mystery, and that it was hidden ...concealed by God in the past. This is why he calls it a mystery. He doesn't mean mystery, the way the pagans in Corinth viewed mystery. To the pagan, mystery had to do with secret societies & initiation into occultic rituals. Paul always uses the word, mystery, in light of something God reveals. God decreed it that way, for 2 reasons: 1] so the rulers of this age would carry out His Plan. He says in v.8 “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” And the 2nd reason, he mentions in v.7“God decreed it before the ages ...for our glory! ...for our glory!” What amazing words, ...for our glory! Who are we, right? Notice, Paul keeps alluding to the this age, v.6 'the wisdom of this age, & the rulers of this age”. And again, in v.8, None of the rulers of this age understood this.” Why does he keep mentioning this age? Because he has seen a glimpse of ' the Age to come'! It has come hurtling in like a meteor from heaven, crashing into this old age of sin and death. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set us free to overcome 'the Law of Sin & Death'! And that will come to full fruition in the Age to Come, as we await the redemption of our bodies! How do we know that's true? Because that is exactly what Christ has accomplished! He has overcome 'the Law of Sin & Death! The Gospel Age ushers in & establishes the New Creation, because Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death! The Gospel Age is the transition between the age that's passed and the age that's last! [Already/not yet]
Notice, Paul calls Jesus, the Lord of glory! This is, perhaps, the most exalted title used of Jesus Christ. James uses it too“show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” Jas 2:1 It points emphatically to His full deity! they would not have 'crucified' the Lord of glory Yet, 'crucified' speaks loudly of His Humanity, because as a man, He was tortured and killed. Pilate had no clue that he was cross examining Truth Himself, and none of the rulers, Jew or Gentile had a clue that they had done the unthinkable, such is the product of human wisdom. They made themselves fools in the presence of True Wisdom Himself. They couldn't see, because...
II. The Wisdom of the Spirit is- Chartered for the Fraternity ...vs.9-13
This wisdom from God is given only to those whom Paul would call brothers, because they have been adopted with 'Christ as their brother', into God's Family. It is said in various parts of Scripture to be 'hidden from the wise & prudent' Luk 10:21 from the proud and boastful, from the rich & famous. In fact, all the nations were excluded, as such. The majority of the world had not, at least, up to that time been able to understand that God's Great Plan was to send a coming Redeemer, One Who would pay the ransom for God's Own Wrath against the sin of those who would be called out of 'every tribe, nation & tongue'. Paul addresses this in Eph 3:4-5., which was read in our 2nd Scripture Reading. He wrote there that “the mystery of Christ, was not made known to the sons of men in other generations but it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets ...by the Spirit.” What was once hidden from the senses of natural man, yet prophesied, has now been revealed by the Holy Spirit, who has been given.
This is what Paul is pointing to in v.9 when he uses the familiar phrase, “as it is written”, showing he is quoting from the God Breathed authority of the O.T. where he cites [Isa 64:4] "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared ...for those who love him" Here, a total picture of man, in his fallen natural wisdom, is represented through his key sense organs, portals of perception, his eyes, his ears, & his heart [mind]. “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.”Mat_13:16 [Synechdochy] Man couldn't ever perceive what God had prepared in order to procure a beloved bride for His Son, whose life was given for that bride. Notice, it has only been prepared 'for those who love Him'.
And to Paul, that preparation is now complete! This text is often cited, by the way, at funerals in order to imply that it concerns the final destiny of believers. But this passage, in its context, is not about your heavenly future, [although I would not exclude that idea as an application!] But, this is really about the Special Revelation, hidden through the ages, which is the wisdom of the Gospel now unveiled in Christ, by and through, the Holy Spirit. Look at v.10a “these things God ...has revealed to us ...through the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit has illuminated our minds & hearts, Paul would say, so that we, who have been born of the Spirit can see the light of the Gospel of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ! The H.S. gives us new eyes to see and new ears to hear, and He connects us to God. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Plan ..v.10, God's Person ...v.11, God's Provision ...v.12, & God's Prophetic Plainness ...v.13. First,
A. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Plan ..v.10b
“For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God or the deep things of God.” Now, this doesn't imply that the Spirit doesn't know everything, simply because Paul uses the word 'searches'. What Paul is saying is that the Spirit of God is intimately involved with all that God thinks & reasons, ...all that God ordains & executes, all that God plans & purposes. Every detail, every contingency, every event that affects all other events, and all that is involved in leading to the salvation of His people, and for this reason...
B. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Person ...v.11[illustration]
And here Paul uses a human analogy to make his point. “For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” Only God knows God! The Holy Spirit is a Person and the Holy Spirit is God. Paul uses this allusion to imply that the Holy Spirit is in God in the same way as a man's mind is contained within his person. Now, it is clear, says Matthew Henry, that “ A man cannot be without his mind! ”, although there may be some wives here who would seriously question that axiom. “A man cannot be without his mind! ” As my wife nods her head ever so vigorously. Well, in the same way, God cannot be without his Spirit anymore than He can be without His Mind or without His Knowledge or without His Wisdom. In fact, the writer of the Proverbs said this of wisdom in ch.8, "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.” Pro 8:22 . He is as much, and as intimately one with God as a man's mind is with the man. The man knows his own mind, because his mind is one with himself. The Spirit of God knows the things of God because he is one with God. This is a tremendous blessing to us, because if we have God, the Holy Spirit we have all of God's Present & Future Promised Blessings. So, in this intimate union we have...
C. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Provision ...v.12
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit, who is from God”, and here's the connection w/ blessings “that we might understand, ...that we might know the things ...freely given us ...by God.” such as justifying righteousness, remission of sins, adoption, and eternal life; all which has been provided for us, as John Gill terms it, “in the council and covenant of peace”. All was freely given to us, in Christ before the time began. In Eph.1:17-18, as Joel exposited last week, Paul prays “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him” so that “the eyes of your hearts will be enlightened” For what purpose? So,”that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints”. Without the Spirit's Wisdom, no one would even comprehend what God has and will continue to provide. The assurance of that Provision has been delivered by the process theologians call Inspiration. We see Paul declaring that in v.13...
D. The Holy Spirit connects us to God's Prophetic Process ...v.13
Paul was taught the simple Truths of the Gospel directly by God Himself. He told the Galatian Christians, “the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” Gal 1:11-12 And that revelatory process came via the Holy Spirit. And so, Paul is simply passing on what he was given in Spirit directed words,“And we impart this in words ...not taught by 'human' wisdom but ...taught by the Spirit's wisdom” Paul is saying that the Truths of God don't need any garnishing by human skill or eloquence, as these Corinthians had experienced with great orators such as Apollos. Yet, the Truths of God look best in the words which the Holy Spirit teaches plainly. The main things are plain, and the plain things are main. The Spirit of God knows much better how to speak of the things of God than the best critics, orators, or philosophers.
Paul goes on to say, that the Spirit conveys those spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. or as some interpret this, “attaching spiritual things ...with spiritual words.” This is difficult to interpret, because what it literally says is 'comparing spirituals with spirituals'. Wm. Vines says,”After speaking of spiritual things in vs.11, 12, & 13, Paul now speaks of the forms in which they are conveyed - spiritual forms or words answering to spiritual matters, and says, we combine spiritual things with spiritual forms of expression.” Worldly wisdom cannot expound spiritual Truths! And worldly wisdom cannot extoll Spiritual Truths! In other words, only Spirit-taught men can comprehend spiritual truths. He is saying that in v.6. He is saying that in v.9, He is saying that in v.10. He is saying that here, and he is saying that in the next 2 verses. And the H.S. has revealed this wisdom to Paul & the apostles, so that they can, not only teach the Corinthians, all future generations of brothers and sisters in Christ. The Forever Fraternity will benefit through this inspiration, actually expiration of God. “All Scripture is breathed out by God”, and because of that, it is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2Ti 3:16-17 Praise God that He does grant Spiritual Wisdom to be complete, equipped for every good work., but more often than not...
III. The Wisdom of the Son is- Discarded by Modernity ...vs.14-16
This is what Paul is telling us in v.14, when he writes 'The natural person', the man who relies on his nature, his senses, his fleshly mind, the natural person ...does not accept the ...things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly [moronic] to him, and he is not ...able he is not ...able to understand them” Why? Paul says he like a deer in the headlights, cognitive dissonance, its like you're talking to his hand! He cannot perceive these Truths,“because they are spiritually discerned.” and he is not of the Spirit. Natural man is of the flesh. and“the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it 'cannot'.” Rom 8:7 John the Baptist said in Joh_3:27 , "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven!” Why? Because “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Joh 3:6 And never the twain shall meet, unless God intervenes! Jesus told a Spiritual teacher in Israel, “unless one is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God."Joh 3:3 Even a Bible teacher can be without the Spirit!“no man 'can' come to Me unless it is given to him of the Father.” Joh 6:65 “So then”, says Paul in Rom 9:16 “it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who shows mercy.”
Natural Man's inability to discern ...receive or ...submit to Spiritual Truths is foundational to the Gospel Message. The Natural man cannot discern or judge properly, the Christian Gospel. He cannot even judge properly the Christian. The Christian makes no sense to the natural person. The natural mind cannot relate to ...how we think ...what we think or ...why we think what we do. And yet, the Christian understands the unbeliever, because a Christian was once a natural man, and a Christian still has a body of flesh. We can judge how the unbeliever thinks and we know why he does what he does. We can say, “been there ... done that!” So, this is what Paul means when he says in v.15, “The spiritual person judges all things but is himself ... judged by no one.” A blind man cannot evaluate a painting! If I lost my sight my children would no longer share their drawings with me. It would be futile for them to do that, because I couldn't judge their drawings. [Spiritual sight]
And what are 2 of the most vital things that the spiritual person judges or discerns? Spiritual people discern ...their own sin & Christ's own glory ...The Spiritual man sees his own poverty & Christ's own Riches ...The Spiritual woman hears the noise of her life and the music of Christ's Life. These things cannot be discerned, seen, or heard by the natural person. The natural man can accept the rules, regulations, & religion of men. But not a relationship with God! They don't understand us nor can they teach us about [anything Spiritual]! Why? Because, according to Paul, we already have all that is Spiritual through the Spirit, Himself. He ties us to God and they can't teach God anything! “v.16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?"
Do you see what Paul is saying here? He is saying that the natural mind of the natural world cannot instruct us in its wisdom, or judge us in our faith, or discern of the reality of our hope, because it cannot comprehend God ...it cannot understand the mind of the Lord! Paul, here in v.16, has now quoted from the prophet Isaiah, for the 4th or 5th time in these 2 chapters! This time it is from that famous 40th chapter where, he offers great hope of deliverance to His Covenant people. The prophet Isaiah reminds Israel that nothing is too difficult for the God who “has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance! For the One to whom “the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales ...as nothing before him, ...as less than nothing and emptiness.” And yet He, also says, that this same Almighty God“will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” Isa 40:11-17. And then, the prophet reminds all people of the absurdity of trying to correct or teach God anything! He asks in vs.13-14, “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice? Who taught him knowledge, and who showed him the way of understanding?”
I might add as Paul does, "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Rom 11:35 This is our unfathomable heritage! We are connected intimately to the Mind of the One who 'justifies the ungodly' [Rom 5:6] So,“Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding ...for us.” Rom 8:33-34 The Holy Spirit has tied the Man of God to the Mind of God. And in v.16 the Holy Spirit, has tied the Mind of God [Jehovah] to the mind of Christ. “who has understood the mind of the Lord? But we have the mind of Christ.”
And, so Paul's point is that since, we are so connected with God, because we are in Christ, and we are alive by the Holy Spirit, they have nothing to say to us about ...human behavior, about ethics, about meaning, about purpose, about joy, about life and peace, about death and grief, about all the ultimate questions pertaining to human existence! We have all we need that pertains to life and godliness. The Father is sufficient! The Son is sufficient! The Holy Spirit is sufficient! His Word is sufficient! The words of the Apostles are a Divinely Revealed Message, which comes through Divinely Chosen Thoughts communicated by Divinely Chosen Words, and these words give us access to the Mind of Christ. Do you see why it is so important to read and study the Bible? If you are have the Mind of Christ, you have to know how He thinks, and that is revealed in His Word.
So, what is Spiritual Wisdom? Spiritual Wisdom is Trinitarian Wisdom! The Wisdom of the Spirit is the Mind of the LORD, and the Mind of the LORD is the mind of Christ. So, what are we to do with the Mind of Christ? 2 things, one directed at the world and one directed at the church. 1] With the Mind of Christ we are to interpret & confront the world, which is a revolving door of human wisdom. What was true yesterday is false today. What was in yesterday is out today. What was meaningful yesterday is mundane today. The Mind of Christ exegetes the Scriptures of this world, and confronts its so called wisdom with supernatural reason and eternal hope. 2] Church; we are called to have the Mind of Christ when we relate to one another. Listen to Paul's heart:
So, The Mind of Christ seeks the glory of God, and the welfare of others! And we are supposed to have that mind! That is the Wisdom of the Spirit, and that wisdom has no value to the world, because it is spiritually appraised! Does it have value to you? Ask yourself, “Does my life represent a person who seeks the Glory of God and the welfare of others?” If the answer is “No”, then you should fear, because you are perishing with the wisdom of this age. If the answer is yes, then you have the fear of God' and that is “the beginning of wisdom.”
Lets pray.