I Corinthians 2 Devotional
by Pastor Mark Hudson
There is a way to share the gospel in a way that robs the gospel of its power. We can publicly speak in a way that draws attention to ourselves and therefore away from Christ. We cannot make Christ mighty to save and ourselves wise and important at the same time. This chapter cautions all who speak for God to speak in a spiritually manner and not in a fleshly or natural way. Admittedly, these distinctions are not easily articulated or understood. But this discussion is essential to all who listen to gospel speakers or those who claim to speak on God’s behalf.
In Corinth there were many public speakers who gloried in their rhetoric. They used “lofty speech or wisdom” v. 1. Everyone knew they used “plausible words of wisdom” to achieve popularity, so their speeches elevated the speaker’s status. Paul eschews that style of preaching. Rather Paul preaches a rather simple message of Christ crucified. Not a message that will bring honor to Paul (well, it certainly brought honor to Paul after his death).
Paul boasts about his weakness, his fear, and trembling. Most of us hid our weaknesses and boast about our accomplishments. Paul was never center stage when he preached Christ. Christ was always front and center. Paul wants his preaching to demonstrate the Spirit and God’s power. Paul is not pointing people to himself but to Christ. Paul is determined to be and speak in this manner which is antithetical to the popular speakers of his day (only Paul’s day?). He makes a conscious decision to be and speak in a way to exalt Christ and subordinate himself. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). This is not a natural way to speak. There is a wisdom of man and a wisdom of God. They are opposed to one another. This involves the character of the person not just the speech or words of the person.
Then in verse 6, Paul claims wisdom but contrasts God’s wisdom from the wisdom of this age. Generally, this wisdom of this age or the leaders of any age in any country in every place reject God. Most hold to a wisdom of this age. The wisdom of this age will never tell you to repent of your terrible sins. The wisdom of this age will never exalt Christ. Not in Russia, China, the US, Australia, not anywhere. Only Christians will do this. Paul calls God’s wisdom “secret and hidden.” He means, God reveals this wisdom to His chosen believers, and He has not revealed His wisdom to unbelievers.
We can only know God by revelation. This revelation is not given to “the rulers of this age” (v. 8) because they killed God in the flesh. This proves how ungodly they were, and we see evidence of this same ungodliness in our current leaders of this world. I do not just mean political leaders, but this includes educators, entertainers, businesspeople, journalists, etc. This does not mean we can’t learn from these people or respect their authority or positions. It does mean that unbelievers are in the dark, not woke to the things of God, and are actively rejecting the Spirit of God.
The message of our status before a holy God, the gospel and the ethics we are to live by cannot come to us by what our eyes can see, our ears hear, nor through our own mind (v. 9) but can only come from God (v. 10). I hasten to add that this does not imply we do not need to get an education, read about our world or give up rational thought. There is a massive difference between being rational and rationalism. We must be rational and use our God given abilities like thinking, discernment, and study. However, the focus of the wisdom of this age is on man’s attempt to find one’s own way to God all by oneself. That is the wisdom of this age. But that does not mean we don’t value all forms of knowledge and information. But whenever someone sets aside God’s revelation and tells their own “gospel” that is what God utterly rejects. We are dependent upon God’s revelation. Who else knows who God is and what He is like except Himself or His Spirit?
Paul states that God’s Spirit is the only way we can receive and understand God revelation. The Spirit takes the written word of God and through various means (teachers, preachers, friends, etc.) opens our minds and hearts to see and love the beauty and glory of Christ. This is not revelation but illumination. The Spirit takes what is there and helps us understand and apply the truth. The Spirit does not bring us new revelation but shines a light on God’s truth so we understand and love the truth.
We cannot understand or love God without His Spirit. After understanding (v. 12), we are to teach others (v. 13). Yet notice, the Spirit is primary in our teaching. Those who teach the Bible are not just lecturing or speaking as any other speaker might do. A person speaking in a way the Bible commends is to rely on the Spirit to take their study, their words, and their speech and drive it home to their listeners and do a work only God perform. This total dependence on God’s Spirit is what v. 13 intends, “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”
This is not an easily understood concept. And to play off verse 10, this is a deep and important contribution to our understanding of living the Christian life. As you mature in the faith, you can ask yourself, “Did I do that in the flesh?” and be able to have a grid or paradigm to sort through that question. No one can live as perfectly as our Lord Jesus but He gives the Spirit to assist us in every way so we can live “in the Spirit.” We strive to love Him more, obey Him from the heart, and keep in step with His Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
Father, You are so great and glorious, surrounded by the glories of heaven, yet You give us the best helper in the universe in the person of the Holy Spirit. I am still learning the difference of the wisdom of this age and the wisdom from You. I live in this world and although I am ashamed to admit it, I love this world. I drink in the Spirit of this age like I breath in oxygen.
Keep my vigilant over my heart. My heart is cold, icy, hard as a rock yet I long for a heart of flesh responsive to Your Spirit. Help me to seek the wisdom from You and reject the wisdom of this age which, by its very definition, is passing away and will never be lasting. Pour out Your Spirit on Your church so others may be drawn to Christ. In the name of the wisest person ever to be 100% man and 100% God. Amen.