One of the greatest blessings you and I possess as followers of Jesus, is His wisdom and His mind. Through Jesus we have a new perspective, new eyes, and a new outlook. There are things we are being divinely equipped to understand that the unbelieving world cannot comprehend.
The other day, I had to make a long drive. When I'm making a long drive, I try to use the time to make and return phone calls. I had been meaning to contact someone who works with international missionaries and learn more about his ministry, so I scheduled the call to take place during the drive. Unfortunately, about twenty minutes into the call, I started to lose reception and his voice started fading in and out. I didn't want to interrupt his train of thought, so I did my best to piece together what he was trying to say, but eventually I had to admit that I couldn't understand what he was attempting to tell me.
God communicates with humanity, and He wants us to understand what He's trying to say. Some of us hear His voice, and some of us don't. Some of us clearly understand what He's telling us, and some of us don't have a clue what He's saying.
Would you like to be counted among those who hear the voice of God and understand what He's telling you? In 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, the Apostle Paul explains how that process takes place and what is necessary for us to understand what God is saying.
I. Certain truths can only be received if they are revealed
"these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10, ESV)
In 1 Corinthians 2:8-9, Paul mentioned that the Lord has good things in store for those who love Him. These things are far beyond anything we have ever seen or could naturally imagine. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are guaranteed a place in God's eternal kingdom. As we walk by faith, our hearts develop confidence in the Lord and in His plan. We trust Him for things we have not yet seen.
Paul explains that this confident understanding we have regarding things we have not seen is directly connected to the fact that the Holy Spirit who lives within us has revealed these truths to us. This is a unique privilege because the Spirit does not live within everyone. Only those who trust in Christ are indwelled by the Holy Spirit (John 14:17), while the unbelieving world experiences the conviction of the Holy Spirit in an external way (John 16:8).
"even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:17)
"And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:" (John 16:8)
The unbelieving world experiences the Spirit working on them from the outside. Believers experience Him working on us from within. And as He does His work, He shows us things we would not naturally perceive.
Unbelievers can look at creation and come to the conclusion that there must be an Intelligent Designer who made what we see. Believers, however, can also trust the fact that what we see will be remade and will no longer be corrupted by sin. We believe this because the Spirit has revealed these specific details in Scripture about what's coming up next. We would never naturally figure that out. These truths can only be known because they have been divinely revealed.
Likewise, I believe that if we're walking in step with the Spirit, He will reveal things to us about our own lives and the lives of people we interact with that wouldn't be known any other way. I have seen Him do this many times in my life when He has made something clear to me about another person, or has made something hidden obvious to me when I'm trying to help someone in a counseling context. I believe that's evidence of His internal presence and His ministry of revelation.
II. Through the Spirit, we understand the plans and purposes of God
“For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11-12, ESV)
I was talking to a friend recently and he said to me, "You usually seem to be in a good mood, but have you ever angrily lashed out at someone?" His question made me think of a couple times when that's exactly what I've done. One particular time happened when I was a young pastor and a woman started publicly berating me because I didn't attend a viewing for one of her deceased relatives. I didn't even know about it until after it happened. After she lashed out at me, I replied to her and said, "I'm good at a few things, but one thing I'm terrible at is reading minds. Next time, if you want me to show up for something, it would help if you told me about it."
Do you have anyone in your life that seems to expect you to be able to read their mind? Why is that so frustrating? I think we're frustrated by that expectation because it's unreasonable and impossible. Paul confirms that in this passage when he says, "who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him?" We know what we're thinking, but others don't. Unless we reveal our inner thoughts, others will just be left guessing.
A similar thing could be said regarding God. Unless God reveals His thoughts to us, how will we know what He's thinking? But Paul teaches us in this passage that as believers in Jesus Christ who have the Holy Spirit living within us, we have been made able to understand God's plans and purposes. We've received the Spirit of God who makes us able to understand the things freely given to us by God. And as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:16, we have the mind of Christ. So with the Spirit of God and the mind of Christ, our capacity to comprehend deeper-level spiritual truths is made possible.
III. We are equipped to make known what the Spirit reveals to us
“And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13, ESV)
One of my favorite hours of the week is the mid-week Bible study we host at the church. In recent weeks, we've been going through the early chapters in Luke's gospel, and we're learning helpful things as we do so. That's also one of my favorite contexts in which to teach because it's a relaxed atmosphere that seems to foster helpful dialogue and discussion. It's an environment that genuinely promotes learning.
In a traditional educational environment, learning takes place when someone who is equipped to teach conveys information and takes the time to explain it. In the context of the church, one of the hardest things to convince people to do is teach or speak. Typically, the biggest obstacle that gets in their way is their own self-doubt. They doubt they're equipped to teach anything of value to someone else.
But if the Holy Spirit lives within you, you are equipped to impart spiritual truths to others. Paul stated that the things he was sharing with the church in Corinth were words that were taught to him by the Spirit. What is the Holy Spirit teaching you that He wants you to impart to someone else? What is He clarifying to your mind from His word that He wants you to pass along? And if you aren't willing to stand at a pulpit to do it, would you be willing to do it in some other way? A letter? A conversation? A social media post?
IV. Spiritual truths can only be understood in their fullness by those who are spiritual
“And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13, ESV)
In 1962, safety rules for riding motorcycles were written by the Honda Motor Company. As their products were gradually becoming more popular in the United States, they translated the rules from Japanese into English. Tell me if this translation makes sense to you...
At the rise of the hand by Policeman, stop rapidly. Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect him.
When a passenger of the foot, hooves in sight, tootle the horn trumpet melodiously at first. If he still obstacles your passage, tootel him with vigor and express by word of mouth, warning Hi, Hi.
Beware of the wandering horse that he shall not take fright as you pass him. Do not explode the exhaust box at him. Go smoothingly by.
Give big space to the festive dog that makes sport in roadway. Avoid entanglement of dog with wheel spokes.
Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there lurks the skid demon. Press the brake foot as you roll around the corners, and save the collapse and tie up.
Those safety rules are entertaining to read, but it would definitely help if they were interpreted more clearly. A native Japanese speaker wouldn't have even needed them to be translated because he would have understood them in their original form. Our ability to comprehend spiritual truth operates in a similar way.
Paul indicates in this passage that spiritual truths are understood by those who are spiritual, which likewise also indicates that spiritual truths are not understood by those who aren't spiritual.
So, here's my big question for you right now? Do you actually understand what God is trying to say or does the truth of His word remain foreign to your heart?
Many people, even professing believers, keep falling into the trap of believing worldly philosophies, cultural mantras, and the false teaching of today's talking heads, because they're trying to live with one foot in the world and the other foot in the kingdom of God. Where are your feet being planted? What makes sense to your mind? Do your core convictions (which will be demonstrated by your lifestyle) align with the clear teaching of God's word?
If you know Christ, please ask Him to clarify this for you. Ask Him to grant you a greater glimpse of what He sees, and the desire to ingest and apply His word to your life.
© John Stange, 2020
