And as it was
with them, so it is with me, brothers and sisters. When I appeared in your
presence, I did not practice eloquence or display great human wisdom, as I
proclaimed to you this great Gospel. But rather, as I interacted with you, I
resolved to know nothing, except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I
came to you in weakness and was anxious and fearful. The message I shared with
you was not seasoned with wise and persuasive words, but, rather, it was salted
with the power of the Holy Spirit; that you might not invest your faith in
human wisdom, but in the power of Almighty God.
However, we do
have spiritual wisdom to offer the truly mature among you, but is not the
wisdom of this culture, nor of the kings of this age; who are quickly passing
from the earth. No, we declare God’s innate wisdom, a mystery which was once
hidden, but that which God destined for us before He spoke the worlds and stars
into existence. The rulers of this age are utterly obtuse, and unable to grasp our
message. If they had had one iota of insight and discernment, they would not
have crucified the King of glory.
However, as it is
written:
“What eye has
never seen,
what ear has never heard,
what human mind has never conceived
the things God has in mind for them who love Him.”
what ear has never heard,
what human mind has never conceived
the things God has in mind for them who love Him.”
These are the
things God has revealed to us by His Spirit.
The Spirit of God
knows all things; the richest precepts of God. For who knows a person’s inmost
deliberations, except the spirit of the man? In the same manner no one can
perceive the mindset of the Father, except the Spirit of God.
And wonder of
wonders, the Spirit with which we have been gifted is not the spirit which
inhabits this world, but, rather, the Spirit which comes down from God. May we comprehend
that we have been endowed with the Gift of all gifts.
These are the
things we know and about which we speak. We speak not from mere human intellect,
but rather, our words are spiritual in nature; and we explain spiritual
realities using spiritual words and precepts.
The person who
lacks any measure of the Spirit does not comprehend nor accept the things which
flow from the Spirit of God, but regards them as nothing more, or less than
abject foolishness. And they will never understand such things because they can
only be discerned through the Spirit. However, the man who is
led by the Spirit has been afforded insight into the most wondrous of things, and
properly judges all things.
“Who, after all,
has known the mind of Almighty God
that he might instruct him?”
that he might instruct him?”
But
we think the very thoughts of Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment