The things of the Spirit.John Farley
Pastor-Teacher Sunday, April 14, 2019
The things of the Spirit1Co 2:4-5 Today we will learn why it is that believers can see what the worldly wise cannot see. 1Co 1:18 Why is the word of the cross foolishness to those who are perishing, but the power of God to us who are being saved? What accounts for the totally opposite assessments they make about the word of the cross? 1Co 2:6-16 There is a progression here as the text moves through four phases or subjects. First we learn in verses 6-10 that the wisdom preached is supernatural – it comes from God. This wisdom is hidden wisdom; it is a mystery, meaning that it was unknown throughout the ages - and is still unknown except by those to whom God willed to make it known – those who love Him. That leads to the second subject: How does God reveal His hidden wisdom to believers? Through the Spirit – that’s how! The night and day difference between us who are being saved and those who are perishing is simple: one has the Spirit of God, while the other does not. No human can know these things unless God shows them to him. The Spirit knows all of the thoughts of God, even the deepest, most hidden ones. Next, starting in verse 12, he returns to the preaching of the word of the cross. There is, first of all -revelation. God revealed these truths to the apostles. Second, the Spirit enabled them to know these things, thereby grasping the meaning of the message. Then third, the Spirit taught them Today, we have these words in written form – in the Bible. First, revelation. 2Ti 3:14-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God. All the words are God-breathed. 1Co 2:13 “explaining spiritual with spiritual” Explaining the things of the Spirit by means of words taught by the Spirit. So that what is known can now be spoken. 1Co 2:14-16 Here they are called the natural man and he who is spiritual. In chapter 2 Paul divides the human race into two categories: natural and spiritual. The spiritual have the Spirit of God. The natural do not have the Spirit of God. The natural man, first of all, will not accept the things of the Spirit of God. Second, he cannot understand them. You need the Spirit to understand them, and that is the one thing “Faced with God’s revelation, the unbeliever is like an ass at a concert.” (Calvin). The natural man is a different beast altogether than the man who has the Spirit. The verb means to investigate or examine. All is a great big word. This refers to natural things as well as spiritual things. 1Co 5:17 We are literally a different species than the unbeliever – the natural man. So the natural man cannot examine or investigate the one who is spiritual, any more than a donkey can understand or investigate his owner. The natural man knows nothing about how God thinks, so it is laughable that he would attempt to pass judgment on those who have the Spirit of God. Through the teachings of the apostles, we can know the mind or the thinking of Christ. Phi 2:1-12
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