Freely Given Series

It is impossible for a lesser creature to understand a more advanced one. How can anything understand something more complex and advanced than itself? For a flea to understand a dog it would have to be at least as advanced as a dog. For a dog to understand a man it would have to be at least as advanced as a man. How much greater distance is there between Creator and creature. People can imagine what God might be like, and people have plenty of ideas about Him. Almost everyone has an opinion as to what God is or is not like, or as to whether He even exists. But People's opinions are irrelevant, because they can never be more than speculations. By one's own resources the creature cannot possibly comprehend his Creator.

Throughout time, many people have tried to comprehend the infinite and establish theories. Hypothesis and speculation are fine, but when it results in division among believers, that is a problem. 1 Corinthians 2 continues to deal with the problem of disunity in the church at Corinth and in particular with the continued allegiance to human philosophies and leaders that contributed to the disunity. Human wisdom was keeping believers from divine wisdom, and from spiritual growth and unity.

Spiritual discernment enables us to draw conclusions based on God’s perspective, make wise decisions in difficult circumstances, recognize the activities of God’s Spirit, distinguish the correct and incorrect use of Scripture, and identify and expose false teachers. But this does not just come. Not only must we ask God to give us his discernment as we serve him we must let that discernment guide us in our daily walk (Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). 1 & 2 Corinthians (p. 45). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.).

In discussing True Wisdom, Paul presents the case in: 1 Corinthians 2:6–16 that we can understand the things freely given by God from the Spirit of God. Therefore: (1) True Wisdom is not Humanly Discovered (1 Corinthians 2:6-9)and (2) True Wisdom is Divinely Revealed(1 Corinthians 2:10-16).

True Wisdom, which is Freely given by God is:

1) Not Humanly Discovered (1 Corinthians 2:6-9)

1 Corinthians 2:6-10 [6]Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. [7]But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. [8]None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. [9]But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" (ESV)

Yet, Paul said, among the mature we do impart/speak wisdom. Whereas false, human wisdom is a great hindrance to the gospel, true, divine wisdom flows from the gospel. With a crucified Messiah as its assumed content (1:23–24, 30 2:2, 8), Paul’s present concern is to explain the nature of this wisdom, which made it impossible for those in pursuit of merely human wisdom to recognize it as such (Fee, G. D. (1987). The First Epistle to the Corinthians (p. 102). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.).

To believers, “to those who are the called,” Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1:24). Mature (teleios) can mean “perfect” (KJV) or “complete,” but can also refer to a person who has full membership in a group, one who is fully initiated. Here Paul uses this term in the same way it is used in other forms by the writer of Hebrews (6:1; 10:14) to refer to salvation. Those who are mature are those who are redeemed and are completely trusting in Jesus Christ. The apostle is not saying that he speaks God’s wisdom only when he is with believers who are advanced in the faith, but only when he is among believers who are truly in the faith—the saved. True believers are the only ones among whom the gospel can be wisdom. To all others it is a stumbling block or foolishness (1:23). Obviously some Christians are better taught in and more obedient to God’s wisdom than are others. But for every Christian, “in all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him” (Eph. 1:8–9). While the Christ rejectors hear his message as foolishness, to believers it is wisdom—the wisdom of God. Those who have welcomed the message of the cross are mature, whereas the worldly-minded who reject it are not. (Morris, L. (1985). 1 Corinthians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 7, p. 58). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)