seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Corinthians 2:1 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[b]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[b]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”[d]
so as to instruct him?”[d]
But we have the mind of Christ.
a. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts proclaimed to you God’s mystery
b. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isaiah 64:4
c. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual
d. 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13
IMHO.... this short little chapter gives a lot of people a real problem. This is from enduringword.com.
That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men: Preaching strategies centered on the wisdom of men – around emotion, entertainment and human personality – may yield response, but not results for the kingdom of God.
Many people use slick, entertaining, or even deceptive means to “lure” people into the church, and justify it by saying, “we’re drawing them in and then winning them to Jesus.” But the principle stands: what you draw them with is what you draw them to.
Not be in the wisdom of men: If someone’s faith is in the wisdom of men, and not the power of God; if someone can be persuaded into the kingdom by human wisdom, they can also be persuaded out of the kingdom by human wisdom.
Which none of the rulers of this age knew: Why did the rulers of this age fail to recognize God’s wisdom? Because it came in a mystery; a “sacred secret” that could only be known by revelation. It is the hidden wisdom that is now revealed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul preaches.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: The ancient Greek word for natural man is “psuchikos.” It describes the materialist, who lives as if there were nothing beyond this physical life. This is the kind of life common to all animals.
Does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: The natural man doesn’t want the things of God because he regards them as foolishness. What is more, he can’t understand the things of God (even if he wanted to) because they are spiritually discerned. It would be wrong to expect the natural man to see and value spiritual things, just as it would be wrong to expect a corpse to see the material world.
If I wanted a loaf of bread I would go to the baker.... or the middleman..... but I wouldn't go to the public works guy and ask for a shovel.
If I wanted a book I would go to the library.... [or google it] .... but I wouldn't go to the field and ask for a tree to sit in.
If I wanted to teach a baby to roll over..... I wouldn't go to the Washington football team and borrow an old shirt.
Christians cannot entice non-Christians to come to Salvation. They don't know enough.
There use to be a term that was thrown around a lot.... "it's kizmit".... it's destiny.... it's fate.... but finding that kizmit..... well it's not easy.... The Bible says that God created each and every one of us. He counted the hairs out for our head. He loves to sculpt.... He's the one that put that little inch to pinch on at our waist. The Bible said He cares about us. Like a father.
Now I don't know if many of us can do this..... but imagine being in the crib.... a newborn..... not a toddler... I'm talking brand new to the world.... now how would a newborn describe mama?
Now I don't know if many of us can do this.... but imagine being that mom..... [or dad but the words have to change]..... and mom says "ma ma"..... the newborn doesn't know what speech is..... it's been in the womb.... the newborn doesn't understand that lips part.... sounds come out.... all generated by the brain and the desire to communicate. The newborn only sees "ma ma". And at this point.... even though the newborn has all the information necessary to figure out what's going on.... the newborn doesn't know how..... but deep inside the brain.... there's a little sync going on..... the newborn is opening a new file in the brain.... and labeling it "ma ma"..... and when "ma ma" gives the baby a warm smile..... that file will be marked "keep".
So that's what I think this chapter is all about. The "Spirit" is our navigator.... it keeps the files straight in the brain..... it helps us comprehend good and harmful. When we are on the right track... it gives us a warm tingle down our spine.... and when we do wrong... it sends a wave of cold down that same spine.
I can't trick people into believing that Jesus went to the Cross. Kizmet.... some people aren't meant to get it. Neither can I tell who is going to accept the message that Jesus went to the cross and who is going to reject it. So.... I have to share the story with everyone.... so those who hear it can choose to believe or not. If a person chooses to believe.... well they're believers for life.... kizmet.
The Bible says God knows how we will choose.... Each of us is in control of a personal life.... and our decisions make a path twist and turn..... in the end though.... we will wind up in a spot that God knew we would choose.... not because He willed us to be there.... but because He knew we would be there... because He is not restricted by time and space.... He created time and space.... so He knows "kizmet".
IMHO.... the Spirit will help us with our "kizmet".
