God's Wisdom pt. 2
God's Wisdom pt. 2
1 Corinthians 2:10-16
September 21, 2008
Last week we began this section on the wisdom of God.
Paul has been writing to confront the arrogance of the Corinthians.
They were striving after earthly wisdom in order to look good in the world.
And so Paul told the Corinthians to be fools for Christ, just as he was.
However, simply because the world considers us to be fools,
Does not mean that is actually what we are.
For there is wisdom for God’s child.
And (2:6-16) reveals this wisdom.
It may look like we are fools, but it only looks that way.
In reality, Christians have more wisdom than anyone in the world, for we have the wisdom of God.
And it is that wisdom that Paul has been speaking about.
(2:6-16) serve as one thought,
But we have had to tackle it in two sermons for the sake of time.
Last week we saw the first aspect of God’s wisdom, and that is:
IT IS NOT ACHIEVABLE BY MAN
(7-8) “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 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;”
Man could strive, and man could study,
But there is no possible way for him to capture the wisdom of God.
Job said:
Job 28:12-13 "But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? "Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living.”
Wisdom is not within the grasp of man.
God’s wisdom is literally (9) “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man,”
And that was Paul’s point.
God’s wisdom is unnatural to natural man, it is not obvious,
And most importantly, it is hidden.
Man cannot find it, learn it, figure it out, or possess it by his own merits.
And that was the first part of Paul’s point in regard to God’s wisdom.
Tonight comes the second part of this same topic:
GOD’S WISDOM MUST BE REVEALED BY GOD.
Man cannot achieve this wisdom on his own.
The only way he can get it is if God chooses to reveal it to him.
3 things:
#1 THE REVEALER OF WISDOM
1 Corinthians 2:10-11
Paul just said in verse 9, that there were certain “things”
Which were not available to man through his own means.
But here Paul tells us how to learn about those “things”
“For to us God revealed them”
No man could search it out…
No man was just born understanding it…
The only way anyone ever got it was if “God revealed them”
And that is precisely what He did.
He reached down and opened the human mind
To enable it to understand something that it previously did not.
It was beyond the grasp…
Even beyond the imagination…
Yet God chose to make it known.
You will remember when Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared in the upper room to the disciples.
Luke 24:44-47 “Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
They didn’t get it until He revealed it to them.
This is what Paul had in mind when he wrote about the lost Jews today.
2 Corinthians 3:12-16 “Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
Jews today (and any lost person) do not understand the Scriptures of God,
Nor the wisdom of God because it is beyond them.
But “to us God revealed them”
HOW?
“to us God revealed them through the Spirit”
When a person comes to Christ for salvation,
God places in them the Holy Spirit.
And the Holy Spirit reveals to us the wisdom of God.
Remember what Jesus said about the coming Helper?
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
John 16:12-15 "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”
Jesus said the Holy Spirit would come and make the truth known to you,
And that is precisely what He did.
In fact, He is the one that makes God’s wisdom known.
2 Peter 1:20-21 “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
I tend to believe this is one of the most needed verses of our culture.
In regard to Bible reading, there are a couple of statements that really get under my skin.
1) WHAT DOES THE VERSE MEAN TO ME?
That is completely irrelevant, for the Scripture has 1 meaning.
2) HOW DO YOU INTERPRET THAT VERSE?
That also drives me crazy.
Truth is not interpreted, truth is revealed, and the meaning God gives
Is the meaning regardless of what you want it to be.
And I hope you caught the Mediator that makes that meaning known.
“no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
The Holy Spirit delivered the word, and therefore
It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the truth of the word.
And He is the One who will reveal it to us as well.
“to us God revealed them through the Spirit”
WHY THE HOLY SPIRIT?
“for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.”
What a statement!
In case you did not know it, GOD IS DEEP!
There is a depth to Him that is literally unfathomable.
Paul wrote in Romans:
Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”
And yet Paul says here that there is
One who “searches…the depths of God.”
It is the Holy Spirit.
He knows what is on God’s mind, and how God’s mind works.
WHY?
(11) “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.”
Humans are very adept at communicating with one another.
· We have learned to listen to what people say…
· We have learned to listen to how they say it…
· We have learned to read body language…
· (Janeen loves to look into the eyes of a person)
I have a friend named Dennis Westerman who works on the task force with the state troopers, and he is a human lie detector. He can read eye movement, body language and various other indicators and call a person on a lie.
BUT EVEN WITH ALL THE SKILL,
NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT A PERSON IS THINKING.
And so it is with God.
· We can see certain things that angered Him…
· We can listen to every word He says…
· We can see the types of behavior He rewards…
· And get a fair understanding of Him.
BUT NONE OF US CAN KNOW WHAT HE IS THINKING.
NO ONE KNOWS THE DEPTHS OF GOD.
Except for the Spirit of God.
And it is the Spirit of God who reveals these things to us.
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
But we can know the thoughts of God
As they are revealed to us by the Spirit of God.
DO YOU GET THE POINT?
God’s wisdom only comes by revelation from the Spirit of God,
Who is the only One with access into what God is thinking.
Wisdom is revealed by God.
That is why James says:
James 1:5 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
God’s wisdom is not achieved or learned.
God’s wisdom is revealed by the Holy Spirit of God.
The Revealer of Wisdom
#2 THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WISDOM
1 Corinthians 2:12-13
Now I certainly hope you don’t underestimate the immense value
Of being able to have the wisdom of God.
It is truly a blessing to be able to have God’s wisdom in our lives.
It is truly a benefit to be able to posses the wisdom of God.
And as believers in Christ we have.
BUT DO NOT ASSUME THAT THIS BLESSING
COMES WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY.
When you receive the Spirit of God,
And therefore have the ability to receive the wisdom of God,
Then that opportunity comes with much responsibility.
And to make sure you understand Paul says:
(12) “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,”
It is the Spirit of God who reveals wisdom,
And we have received that Spirit.
Every true believer in Jesus Christ, has received the Spirit of God.
It is a done deal, it is a permanent deal.
There is no concept in Scripture that teaches
Salvation at one point, and receiving the Spirit at another point.
Acts 2:38 “Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not some future, extra, mystical
Event reserved for the elite Christian.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at the point of salvation.
Matthew 3:11-12 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
It is clear that John spoke of the baptizing work of Christ.
1) Holy Spirit
2) Fire
The context makes it clear that the baptism of fire is judgment.
Every time fire is mentioned in that text, it is in regard to judgment.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is a reference to salvation.
Jesus will either save you or judge you.
Every true believer receives all of the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation.
I TELL YOU THIS, BECAUSE the responsibility that I am about to talk about is your responsibility if you are truly a believer in Christ.
And in these two verses, Paul gives two responsibilities
That are expected of those who have received the Holy Spirit.
1) SEARCHING
(12) “Now 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,”
Paul is very clear here.
Since we have the opportunity to know the things that are “freely given to us by God”, then we ought to find out what they are.
If God has given us the ability to understand His word,
Then there is no excuse not to go after it with everything we have.
1 Peter 2:2 “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,”
Paul told Timothy:
2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
Because of God’s mercy in giving you His Holy Spirit,
You now have the ability to know the depths of God,
And your responsibility is that you search them out.
CHRISTIANS OUGHT NOT JUST READ THE WORD OF GOD,
CHRISTIANS OUGHT TO DISSECT THE WORD OF GOD.
Proverbs teaches us how to read God’s word.
(I have tried to use this in my own life)
Proverbs 2:1-6 “My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
You can’t just read it, you have to dissect it.
If you don’t understand something, ask God for the explanation, and don’t leave that text until you do.
Studying 2 Kings, I have spent well over 3 weeks reading the same chapter every single day, because I did not yet see what I was supposed to see.
Get after the word of God.
God has given you the means by which to understand it, now get after it.
2) SPEAKING
(13) “which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”
The second responsibility is clear.
God doesn’t give His wisdom just for you to sit and ponder it.
Although times of meditation can bring further understanding
And are very beneficial,
MEDITATION IS NOT THE END GOAL, EVANGELISM IS.
God gives the ability to get His wisdom so you will search it out, Then He grants understanding so you will proclaim it to others.
“which things we also speak”
If anyone in here ever FEELS GOD’S CALL TO PREACH, then circle verse 13 in your margin, for this is how to preach.
I’ve heard preachers that search through sermon magazines…
I’ve heard preachers who purposely don’t preach deep truths…
I’ve heard preachers who love to deal in pop psychology…
BUT THIS VERSE TELLS US WHAT TO PRACH.
“not in words taught by human wisdom” (Remember 2:1-5) “but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”
In other words, you sit your rear down in your chair,
And you attack the word of God until God reveals it to you,
And whatever He reveals to you, that is what you preach.
AND PREACHING IS NECESSARY!
To those who God revealed the truth,
There is an obligation to speak the truth.
Listen to what Paul said of himself:
Ephesians 3:8-10 “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.”
If God has revealed it, we have an obligation to proclaim it.
God has given His Spirit, and now wisdom is available.
God get it and then present it.
The Revealer of Wisdom The Responsibility of Wisdom
#3 THE RECIPIENTS OF WISDOM
1 Corinthians 2:14-16
Paul’s purpose here is two-fold.
On one hand he is reminding those who take it upon themselves to proclaim God’s wisdom that they cannot expect everyone to listen to it.
On the other hand he is revealing that our quest for wisdom is the very thing that makes us different from a lost and dying world.
IF I WERE TO ASK YOU WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD?
Godly living…
Love for God…
You could list the fruit of the Spirit
Here Paul gives a big one.
A major difference between you and the lost world,
And that is your ability to understand the things of God.
(14) “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God”
People in the flesh, without the Spirit of God
Do not receive the things of God’s Spirit.
When God offers them, they won’t take it.
“for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised.”
“appraised” translated ANAKRINO
Ana = through or up
Krino – to judge
It is to judge something through, or think it through.
It was a legal term in Greek culture used of a lawyer gathering evidence.
But Paul says a natural man cannot do that with the things of God
Because the only way it can be done is spiritually.
Instead those things are “foolishness to him”
It is like a different language, they don’t get it at all.
THIS IS ONE OF THE TELL-TELL SIGNS OF LOSTNESS
Inability to understand the word of God.
Lost people just don’t understand what they are reading.
Remember the Ethiopian Eunich
Acts 8:26-35 “But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. "IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH." The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.”
BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE OF A CHRISTIAN
(15) “But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.”
There is nothing too deep for a man with the Spirit of God.
Even the very depths of God are available to those who have the Spirit of God.
And then Paul closes
(16) “For who has known the mind of the LORD, that He will instruct Him?”
Paul quotes Isaiah 40:31
It is the same verse he quoted in Romans 11.
And it questions if there is anyone in the world
That could be able to claim that they can understand God.
And of course the common answer is no.
“but we have the mind of Christ.”
Ordinarily you would say that no one could understand the depths of God,
And for a natural man that is true, for God is too deep.
But through the Spirit of God, God’s thoughts are revealed to us, and because we have the mind of Christ, we now can know the very depths of God.
In short, we can have the wisdom of God.
It is available to us, if we will only place our faith in Christ
And seek out the wisdom of God.
SO WHERE ARE YOU TONIGHT?
Do you understand the word of God?
Are you seeking to learn all you can?
Have you shared the great things God has taught you?
God’s wisdom is available, and it comes with great responsibility.
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 “Now 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, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”