GRASSROOTS CHRISTIANITY
How to live my life wisely
1 Corinthians 2
Jerry A Collins
SCC
What is the content of the wisdom of God?
Why is it, that unbeliever cannot understand
Gods wisdom?
How did we receive God’s wisdom?
I visited the father of a friend of mine last week. His father is over 80 yrs old and is an unbeliever in a hospice home. After exchanging some pleasantries I engaged him in conversation about Jesus Christ. He said he believed in God and in Jesus. After asking him about his own salvation, he clarified that life is meant to be lived for this side of the grave and when God assess everything it is those who have believed in God and taken care of their families and loved others that will be in heaven. He said the Bible was a good book but not a necessary book. I enquired as to how he was so sure of his own place in heaven. He said he has always believed in God and God would see to it he was there. When I quoted that the Bible clearly teaches only one way to enter heaven—that is thru faith in Christ and heaven was a gift not earned—he said that was my problem not his. What I believed about God was my belief—what he believed about God was his. Then he pointed his finger toward me and said that I had better hear him when he said that and not think that my way was the only way because faith is a personal thing. I should have expected the conversation to progress this way. It always will with people who do not have spiritual discernment. Human wisdom is futile when compared with the power and wisdom of God. This is what we will learn as we track thru this passage.
1. GOD’S WISDOM IS PRESENTED IN THE MESSAGE OF THE
CROSS 1-5
Presentation of God’s testimony is not marked by techniques designed to manipulate a response 1 & 4 Paul brot this gospel message to them in Acts 18. And when he came his presentation was not marked with superiority of speech. In fact he described himself as unskilled in speech 2 Cor 11:6, 1 Cor 1:17. Or did he present of wisdom—that is worldly wisdom or that devoid of spiritual discernment. In chp 1 redemption cannot be obtained by worldly wisdom. Here it cannot be presented by means of worldly wisdom either. His message was a simple, straightforward testimony of God’s salvation message in simple terms with sensationalism. Furthermore, his message and preaching vs 4 were not in persuasive words of worldly wisdom—techniques designed to manipulate a response, words void of the cross. It was not about the messenger but the message.
Presentation was in manner that demonstrated power of God 2-5 First,
it had to do with message of the cross of Christ vs
2. It is about the message! The cross reveals 4 things: (1) What
man is—sinful. (2) What God is—justice, holiness, mercy.
(3) What sin is—death & must be
paid for. (4) What salvation is—faith
alone in blood atonement. Second, manner presented was
in weakness, fear, much trembling vs 3. His presentation unimpressive from human point of view. Only
God could get the credit for persuading anyone in
2. GOD’S WISDOM IS UNDERSTOOD BY DIVINE REVELATION
NOT HUMAN DISCOVERY 6-16
Not humanly discovered 6-9 First, the ones who had believed his
message, this wisdom of God, are complete now in Christ 6a. These are only ones
among whom the gospel can be wisdom. To world it is only foolishness. Second, this
wisdom (gospel) was not grasped by leaders of Christ’s and Paul’s time in
human history 6b & 8. (1) They are ones passing away meaning coming to nothing.
They have a futile end. (2) They cannot understand this
wisdom vs 8. Even the wisest and most powerful people
were unable to grasp it’s
meaning. The evidence for this lack of understanding was their crucifixion of
Christ. There at the cross they obviously rejected Messiah as God’s means of salvation. God’s wisdom clearly demonstrated in person of
Jesus Christ and the best of the age did not recognize Him. God’s wisdom was rejected. The man I spoke with
carried on that tradition. You cannot reason your way to salvation. It will not be humanly discovered either. WW
will even turn one against God’s
wisdom. Instead, thirdly, it was God’s
secret (mystery)
wisdom known only by God’s revelation vs 7. (1) It was hidden wisdom. The product of gospel, the
church, was not revealed in the OT. (2) God predestined her existence in
eternity. God planned for this new venture before time began. (3) To our glory in
order that we too can have our eternal destiny secured in heaven. God did all
of this for us. We could have never done it for ourselves. He took care of
things. Fourthly, vs 9 distinguishes between God’s
wisdom and WW. Natural eyes, ears and hearts cannot know or comprehend God’s wisdom and the fruit of that wisdom in a
person’s life. Salvation is a first
step but the there is the work of God in the life of believer that ripens and
matures based on God’s love for him.
The life of a believer is so far superior to the mere natural man. Productive,
perspective, priority, purpose, pursuit are deeper, richer, powerful and
eternal in nature! God’s
wisdom divinely revealed 10-16 in at
least 3 ways: (1) By
revelation 10-11 First, God disclosed Himself and His view of the world
thru the HS 10. What man in WW cannot discover, God has given. This special
revelation was written down for us in pages of scripture. This revelation was
entrusted to HS not an angel. Second, the author of Bible is HS—the one who knows the depths & thots of
God vs 11. How they think in heaven. We could never
come up with those thots ourselves. (2) By
inspiration 12-13 First, God’s wisdom not received by WW by by HS from God
vs 12. God’s wisdom cane be received because it is freely given. Bible is vehicle for
bringing God’s revelation to us. Second, These
words are not WW, clever speech or reasoning vs 13.
But taught as Jesus told disciples in Jn 16 by Spirit
of truth so that the heavenly thots of God the Father
not become the words of the Bible 2 Pt 1:21.
(3) By Illumination 14-16 First, unbeliever without HS calls God’s revelation useless 14. Can read, memorize, study Bible & still
not understand it like scribes & Pharisees in Jesus’ day. Reason is because Bible understood with assistance of HS. It is
spiritually evaluated, discerned, understood &
natural man without HS is dead, blind, lacks comprehension. Second, because believer
has HS he can discern and make judgments about life from God’s Word 1 Jn 2:27 vs
15. But unbelievers will not understand that discernment and judgment about
life and may even persecute, ridicule, marginalize or ignore one because of it.
Third, unbelievers without HS can never
think Gods thots after Him vs
16 but instead will only want to correct or change or contradict scriptural
teaching and the discernment & judgment derived from understanding it.
However, as Chirstians God instructs us since we have
the mind of Christ to think God’s thots
and understand His revelation. (1)
Determine to know nothing more than OT & NT. (2) Communicate gospel thru truth of Word not
by persuasive style. (3) Teach gospel as
hidden from the past but also as hidden from world. (4) Understanding of God
from Spirit of God to people of God who are spiritual. It is not available to
natural man. There is n way to get to God. He must come to you. (5) When
unbeliever interested in Bible, spiritual truth, evidence spirit of God at work
in Him.