Wisdom from God • 1 Corinthians 1:20-25; 2:9-16
By Jessica McMillan
I like to read the comments on news articles posted on social media. It gives me insight into how people think and communicate about current issues, often including their religious perspectives. Recently, I was reading comments in response to a tragic and heartbreaking announcement. Many people offered their condolences and prayers, and one commenter simply said, “Don’t bother. It won’t work.”
The “peace that passes understanding” is foreign to non-believers because the truths of Christianity seem ludicrous to them. But because believers have access to the indwelling Holy Spirit, the wisdom of God makes sense. As Paul dealt with the division in the church over leadership, he called them to embrace the mind of Christ and not think as the world thinks. He reminded believers that the Holy Spirit reveals God’s truth to his people.
1 Corinthians 1:20-25
Worldly wisdom considers the message of the cross foolish, but what seems like nonsense to unbelievers is actually the wisdom and power of God. In verse 22, we are told that Jews demanded signs and Greeks looked for wisdom. Matthew 11:38-39, Mark 8:11, Luke 11:16, and John 6:30 are evidence that the Jews wanted to see signs and wonders. The Greeks were known for their emphasis on intellect and philosophies. We are not so different from these early cultures, though. Do we ask for signs for confirmation of God’s will? Do we also depend on our own thoughts and intellect instead of relying on faith? If we are honest, even believers struggle with not allowing worldly “wisdom” to affect our own trust and dependence on God.
1 Corinthians 2:9-11
The Holy Spirit reveals the mind of God and enables believers to understand biblical truths that cannot be grasped through intellect alone. Just as you and I only truly know our own thoughts, the Holy Spirit knows God’s thoughts. Since the Holy Spirit dwells within the hearts of believers, he reveals God’s truth found in Scripture and helps us to apply it to our daily lives. He does not give new revelation that adds to Scripture, but he gives us wisdom to understand it, believe it, and live it out in obedience.
1 Corinthians 2:12-16
Paul says that people cannot understand the things of the Spirit by their own power and understanding and that the person with the Spirit judges everything through discernment given by him. To have “the mind of Christ” does not mean that Christians are smarter or that they receive specific revelation from God about what is true and what is not. Instead, it means that our thinking patterns and perspectives are changed to align more with his character and motives. How we make decisions and treat others can seem like foolishness to those who don’t understand biblical truth, which can only be understood through the work of the Holy Spirit.
No matter how hard our culture tries to normalize sin or explain away the truth of the Gospel, the wisdom of the world will never satisfy the longings of the heart nor fill the void inside the soul of every human the way that Jesus does. We have been given the Holy Spirit, who opens our minds to understand God’s truth. Instead of looking for signs, trusting in our own intellect and strength, or following the world’s morals and values, may we trust the Holy Spirit, who opens our hearts and minds to understand the truth of God revealed in Christ.
McMillan is on faculty at NOBTS and is a member of Roseland Park Baptist Church, Picayune.
Comments are closed.