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1CORINTHIANS 2
Lesson #03
WORLDLY WISDOM AND GODLY WISDOM CONTRASTED
- Memory Verse: 1Cor 2:12
- Read Rom 12:2
- The problem is how to start thinking the way God thinks and stop thinking the way the world thinks.
- Paul is going to give us some answers as the Holy Spirit put these principles in this letter to Corinth.
- Read 1Cor 2:1-9
- Paul lays the foundation by explaining the difference between Gods wisdom and mans wisdom.
- Because these people elevated mans wisdom to the position of a god, Paul had to explain that Gods wisdom is very simple and superior.
- Gods wisdom manifests itself through the power of the Holy Spirit. (4)
- These people had experienced the power of God to change a life when Paul came to them and preached about the crucifixion of Christ. They were born again by the Spirit of God.
- Pauls method of preaching:
- Paul did not preach like a great worldly orator even though he was a very educated man. He did not use fancy words according to a text or topic. He preached explaining the Word of God in simple language. That is Gods method of preaching.
- If you attend classes at a seminary, they will teach you how to preach intellectually in a prescribed way using basic points and bringing your message to a prescribed conclusion.
- However, Paul did not preach that way. He simply explained the Word of God guided by the Holy Spirit.
- Notice that Paul did not say he preached to them about Christ, but about the crucifixion of Christ.
- What is the difference?
- There are many churches that preach good things about Christ, but if they never preach about the crucifixion of Christ, no one gets saved.
|
Some Important Aspects of the Crucifixion |
Scripture |
| The crucifixion emphasizes the wickedness of the human heart that joyfully put an innocent man to the public shame of a criminals death. | Heb 12:2 |
| The crucifixion emphasizes mans denial that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, is his God. | Psa 14:1 |
| The crucifixion emphasizes the hopeless nature of sin that cries out for a remedy that no other remedy could satisfy. | Heb 9:26 |
| The crucifixion emphasizes Gods love for a lost world. | Joh 3:16 |
| An emphasis on the crucifixion should make a difference in the Christians life style. | Gal 6:14 |
- Pauls purpose was to see that these people were saved by the blood of Christ shed for them at the crucifixion, and that they would move forward so that their lives would be an example of a life where self-will and fleshly desires were crucified. (Rom 8:13)
- Then, after they were saved and moving toward maturity, Pauls purpose was to see them live in the power of God.
- The message that Paul desired to preach was to bring them the wisdom of God that would move them forward in their Christian walk.
- The wisdom of God involves Gods revelation of His mysteries that Paul wanted to open to them.
- What does Paul mean by “mysteries”?
- The secular meaning of the word, mystery, literally meant = to shut the mouth.
- However, a Biblical mystery is some deep concept that was hidden in the Old Testament and then revealed and explained in the New Testament. It is something that cannot be understood by human wisdom (philosophies), but can only be brought to light by God.
- The Holy Spirit dispenses Gods wisdom in three ways:
- =1= By divine revelation, as He did with the prophets of the Bible.
- =2= By divine inspiration, as He did with the authors of the Bible.
- =3= By illumination, as He does with those who come to Christ for salvation.
- Therefore, without the New Testament, it is impossible to understand Gods “mysteries”.
- There are 11 Biblical mysteries that are revealed in the New Testament:
The Eleven Biblical Mysteries
|
The Mystery Revealed |
The Explanation of the Mystery |
Scripture |
| =1= The Mystery of the Kingdom of God | There are two kingdoms at work in this world, the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. They are opposed to each other. The kingdom of God exists in heaven, in the hearts of believers, and will exist on earth for 1000 years, and in eternity future. | Mat 13:11 Mar 4:11 Luk 8:10 |
| =2= The Mystery of Israels Blindness | Because of Israels rejection of Christ, God has placed on them spiritual blindness that will endure until the second coming of Christ when all Jews finally accept Jesus Christ as their savior. | 2Cor 3 Rom 11:25 |
| =3= The Mystery of Iniquity (Sin) | The mystery is that God permits sin to exist in this world even though He is all powerful and could destroy all sin and all sinners in a heartbeat, but He does not. Instead he will permit iniquity in this world for His purposes. | 2The 2:7 Mat 13:33 |
| =4= The Mystery of Babylon | The false world religious system called Babylon has existed from the time of Genesis and has endured through the ages. It will finally be manifested in the Tribulation period as a religious system that controls the world. | Rev 17-18 |
| =5= The Mystery of the Rapture of the Church | At some point in time Jesus Christ will descend from heaven to gather all believers in Jesus Christ and to remove them from this world. | 1The 4:13-18 1Cor 15:51-52 |
| =6= The Mystery of the Church as one Body of Believers | Gods plan is that Jews and Gentiles be one universal church in Jesus Christ. | Eph 3:1-11 Eph 6:19 Gal 4:3 |
| =7= The Mystery of the Church as the Bride of Christ | Gods church on earth is a mixed group of born-again believers, who live in all levels of spiritual immaturity and struggle, will be a spotless bride of purity and perfection at the second coming of Christ. | Eph 5:28-32 |
| =8= The Mystery of the 7 Stars in Christs Right Hand | The Lord Jesus Christ holds the pastors of His church in His hand. He controls them and works through them. | Rev 1:20 |
| =9= The Mystery of Christ Living in Us | When a person receives Jesus Christ in his heart, he receives the indwelling Holy Trinity. | Gal 2:20 Col 1:26-27 |
| =10= The Mystery of Christ, the Fullness of the Godhead Bodily | Jesus Christ, during his 33 ? years on earth, contained the presence of the Holy Trinity of God living in a human body. | Col 2:2,9 1Cor 2:7 |
| =11= The Mystery of Gods Likeness Restored to Man in Christ | The born-again experience in Jesus Christ gives man the possibility of becoming like Christ. | 1Tim 3:16 |
- All the wisdom and power of God existed in the physical body of Jesus Christ. If the leaders at that time had seen it, they would not have crucified Him. (8)
- The wisdom of the world is obtained by hearing and seeing.(10)
- Paul quotes from Isa 64:4 to show us that mans wisdom and Gods wisdom have always been at odds one against the other, and that the non-believer will never understand it.
- This is the reason the Christian must walk by faith. If he walks by hearing, seeing, and feeling, he is walking by mans wisdom.
- God wants to reveal His wisdom to those who belong to Him, but not all Christians are at a level where they can understand Gods wisdom because of carnality.
- How does the believer in Jesus Christ understand spiritual truth?
- The Holy Spirit knows the spirit of man better than man knows himself.
- God reveals His truth by means of the Holy Spirit
- In other words, no one can know Gods thoughts except the Holy Spirit.
- Every believer in Jesus Christ is given the Holy Spirit to indwell the believer.
- The indwelling Holy Spirit reveals Gods thoughts to the believer internally.
- Therefore, the believer in Jesus Christ knows the thoughts of God because he has the Holy Spirit who reveals them to those who are born again.
- Read Joh 16:13-14
- Therefore, the believer has the mind of Christ in Him, if he will just listen. (16)
- Paul has contrasted Gods wisdom with the wisdom of the world. We can better relate to this contrast if we see it set side by side.
Worldly Wisdom and Gods Wisdom Contrasted
|
Worldly Wisdom |
Godly Wisdom |
| Worldly wisdom is enticing (4) | Godly wisdom is demonstrated by power (4) |
| The wisdom of the world comes to nothing (6) | The wisdom of God is eternal (7) |
| The wisdom of the world crucified Christ (8) | The wisdom of God is a mystery revealed for our glory (7) |
| The princes of the world did not know Gods mysteries (8) | The Holy Spirit knows the deep mysteries of God (10) |
| The limited spirit of man only knows worldly wisdom (11) | Only the Holy Spirit knows the things of God (11) |
| The worldly man does not receive the Spirit of God and does not have Gods wisdom. (12) | Only the believer receives the Spirit of God who knows the wisdom of God. (12) |
| Mans worldly wisdom is taught by enticing words of men. (13) | Gods wisdom is taught by the power of the Holy Spirit. (13) |
| The natural man who is a non-believer thinks that the wisdom of God is foolishness. (14) | The spiritual man who understands the wisdom of God is able to discern all things and judge his own life. (15) |
| The non-believer cannot know or understand the things of God. (14) | The believer has the mind of Christ and can understand the things of God. (16) |
- God the Father?
- God has a wisdom that confounds the wisdom of man and the world.
- God desires to reveal His thoughts and wisdom to men who will receive it.
- God does not reveal his mysteries and wisdom to non-believers.
- God ordained mysteries from the foundation of the world.
- Jesus Christ, the Son?
- Jesus Christ was crucified to conform to the wisdom of God.
- Jesus Christs crucifixion purchased for us the ability to receive Gods mind, His wisdom, and His Spirit..
- The Holy Spirit of God?
- The Holy Spirit reveals and demonstrates the power of God in the world.
- The Holy Spirit searches the deep things of God.
- The Holy Spirit teaches the believer the mind of God.
- The Holy Spirit enables the believer to know and understand the deep mysteries of God.
- The wisdom in the Word of God is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.
- Read 2Tim 3:16
- What does it mean that the Bible is the inspired Word of God?
- The Holy Spirit came upon the author and moved him to write.
- The Holy Spirit gave the thoughts to the authors mind.
- The Holy Spirit gave the exact words that the author must write.
- The Holy Spirit guided the authorities to include in the Bible the appropriate books.
- The Holy Spirit caused the reproduction and protection of the Bible to come down through the ages to us today.
- The Holy Spirit breathes life into the spoken Word when it is read so that it produces life in the person who hears it.
Because the role of the Holy Spirit is to teach believers the mind of God, why is it that so many Christians have no concept of the mind of God or an understanding of the Word of God?
- Read Eph 4:30 and 1The 5:19 for the answer.
HOMEWORK
1CORINTHIANS 3
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.
- Application of 1Cor 2
- To what extent has Christs crucifixion changed your life?
- == you are saved by the blood of Christ shed on Calvary.
- == you are forgiven of your sins by the atonement purchased through Christs crucifixion.
- == you are identified with Christ and His crucifixion in water baptism.
- == you are living your life following Christs crucifixion example by crucifying the desires of the flesh and living separated unto God.
- Read Gen 1:27
- What does it mean when it says that man was created in Gods image?
