•I Corinthians 2:6-16
•True Spiritual Wisdom
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
(I Corinthians 2:6-9, ESV)
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 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. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
(I Corinthians 2:10-13, ESV)
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
(I Corinthians 2:14-16, ESV)
Main Point
• These verses show the difference between the world and the Spirit of God
• Those who have the Spirit are gaining more understanding into the mind of God
• The wisdom attained is not from this world, but God Himself from the Spirit concerning the crucified Christ
•
Application Points
• True Spiritual Wisdom
– Some conclude those who belong to the Spirit are “super spiritual people”
– Paul is emphasizing there is a transformation which occurs
– It is all focused on the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
– In this current age we can either follow the wisdom of this world, or the wisdom of God Almighty
– The “world” represents the ways of the world
– “Power” is the ability to accomplish something
– This world claims to be able to accomplish much
– All that matters is the “power” to do what one wants to do
– There is a spiritual element because false beliefs play their part (like divine energies from crystals)
– This is the way of the spirit of the world
Application Points
• True Spiritual Wisdom (2)
– It is no surprise then that Paul would say that the wisdom of this world is coming to nothing
– If I believe something which is not true, then I believe in nothing because it does not actually exist
– If I believe in something and trust in the wisdom of the world to…give life or liberty…in the end it will come to nothing because the world cannot do what it claims
– If we contrast this with what we learn today we will find a complete alternative in the Gospel of Jesus
– The Spirit comes upon those who believe and they can discern what is real
– The truths we speak every week is not a matter of being wise enough to understand, but whether God has given His Spirit to understand these truths
Application Points
• True Spiritual Wisdom (3)
– We do not need any greater amount of deeper truth
– All we really need to know is God
– I know I do not understand everything perfectly
– The more I walk with God the more truth I come to understand
– The more it causes me to love Jesus who saves
– The way of the world is all about you
– The way of the Spirit is all about Jesus Christ
– With God He does accomplish what He sets out to do
– We know this because we understand the height, and depth, and width of the love of God through Jesus
Application Points
• True Spiritual Wisdom (4)
– Be warned against falling prey to anything that would cause you to turn away from Jesus
– Be warned against the wisdom of this world
– I know it can be hard to believe that this world is coming to nothing
– Many of us see that hideous strength of darkness
– In the end of all things those who belong to Christ are being ushered into glory
– All the ways of the world can never attain the glory of God which lasts forever
– We have the truth, and we have hope
– God gifts us with the Spirit, and with this comes true Spiritual Wisdom to understand God
– Praise God for His Spirit
•Application Points
•The Gospel of Christ
–Origins
–Where we began
–Fall
–What went wrong
–Redemption
–How it is fixed
–Glorification
–Where it at leads
