1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Q.1. What makes God’s wisdom unique? How did the world show it failed to understand the wisdom of God? Can anyone really understand all that God has prepared for His own? – (1 Cor.2:6-10)
Many people are smart, and academically clever (c.f. 1 Cor.2:13). However, compared with God’s wisdom, our knowledge is just foolishness (1 Cor.1:25). Wisdom comes by reckoning God into our experiences of life (1 Cor.2:6). Paul described it as – 6 … a wisdom not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor.2:6-8). It is on the wisdom of God, Who predestined before time to bring sinners to glory, that eternal life is founded. Paul went on to explain that it is by faith that believers perceive the almost unimaginably wonderful things that God has planned for His blood-bought children – 9 … Things which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit … (1 Cor.2:9-10). We are blessed that the Holy Spirit moved the prophets, to reveal the future that we can anticipate in eternity
Q.2. How is it that the believer understands any spiritual truth at all? From where does this wisdom come? To what does wisdom point? Why does this wisdom not make sense to the unsaved? – (1 Cor.2:10-16)
Believers only understand the truths, because – for us God revealed them through the Spirit – Who dwells within (1 Cor.2:10). Real understanding requires the enabling of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.2:11). Believers differ from the world, because – we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God (1 Cor.2:12). The Gospel truths we proclaim come from the Spirit of God and are discerned spiritually. This message is nonsense to the world at large, yet understandable to those responsive to the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.2:14-15). Though God is way wiser than us, we can understand spiritual truth, by divine revelation – For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor.2:16).