Set Apart but Not Alone • 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
By Don Hicks
One of the Apostle Paul’s strongest arguments in the text for this Sunday’s lesson is: The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn’t have killed the Master of God’s designed life on a cross (1 Corinthians 2:8 MSG).
Since Paul wrote this around 50 A.D., when he describes “the experts of our day” he was referring to “rulers of this age” (CSB), meaning Jewish scholars and leaders. Many of the Jewish priests, scribes, and Pharisees who called for the crucifixion of Christ were still living and in leadership.
The timeless truths of the Bible (God-breathed truths of the living Word of God) are still true in this Year of Our Lord 2023. Here in this verse we will do no violence to God’s truths for us if we put 21st century leaders’ names in this group identified as “the experts of our day.”
Take this tool to interpret and apply this passage to our world today. Apply it directly to the United States of America, to our Mississippi home, and even to your town or county (be it Jasper, Rankin, Smith, Hinds, or the county in which you live).
Paul teaches us, But as it is written, “What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived — God has prepared these things for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:6-9 CSB).
Here is the most important question for you personally: Do these promises and truths of God’s Word apply to you? Paul tells us very clearly that good beyond what the heart of man can imagine, God has prepared for those who love him.
Let me ask you clearly and simply — Do you love God? Paul explains, God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10a CSB).God is love (1 John 4:8b ESV). He sent His Holy Spirit to lead us to live in His love.
Our Bible study for this Sunday is tutled, Set Apart but not Alone. Jesus Himself emphasized being with us always in His own words: And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20b CSB).
This wasn’t the first time Jesus had promised not to leave His followers alone. John in his Gospel quotes Jesus as saying, Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7 CSB).
These tremendous Scripture truths are hard to understand and even harder to share with others. In the New Testament passage just before our focal text, Paul tried to explain this difficulty, actually impossibility, without God’s help. (Note: this actually is a very good study of the Trinity.)
The proud Paul (aka Saul), a trained Jewish Rabbi — even a Pharisee — now humbly says: I didn’t try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did — Jesus crucified (1 Corinthians 2:1-2 MSG)… But the Message came through anyway. God’s Spirit and God’s power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4-5 MSG).
Let’s not let “the wise” of this world confuse or mislead us into thinking that a Christian World View is foolish, unwise, unscientific, or untrue. So that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:5 CSB).
There is only one truth whether you discover it though scientific study, careful observation, human history, from your parents as a child, or by a Holy Spirit-lead study of the Scriptures. Raw facts often need wisdom to be properly applied or used.
We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age… On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:6-7 CSB). Proverbs 9:10 tells us, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (CSB).
Paul helps us to understand this when he writes, Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit… In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God (1Corinthians 2:10 -11 CSB).
Our text closes with, But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16b CSB).
Hicks is missions director for Jasper Association in Bay Springs. He may be contacted at donaldwhicks@gmail.com.
