1 Corinthians 2:6-16
We’ve all done things out of ignorance that we later realized weren’t so wise. I remember when my wife, back when we were just teenagers, thought she was doing the right thing by adding more oil to her car. Not once, but seven or eight times, she kept pouring quarts of oil into the engine because the gauge on the dashboard wasn’t moving. Of course, there isn’t a gauge for oil levels, and the car ended up billowing thick white smoke from the excess oil. We still laugh about it today, but it’s a great example of how we can sometimes make decisions based on misunderstanding.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, tackles a similar issue but on a much grander scale. He contrasts the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God, particularly focusing on how Christ and Him crucified is perceived. To some, the message of the cross is foolishness, while to others, it is the power and wisdom of God.
The Folly of Human Wisdom
Paul emphasizes that the wisdom of this world is incapable of understanding the ways of God. This is not because the people of Paul’s time were unintelligent; in fact, the religious leaders were highly educated, well-read, and considered wise by worldly standards. However, when it came to recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, they failed because their wisdom was grounded in this world rather than in the divine.
They crucified Christ out of ignorance, thinking they were doing the right thing for their religion. They couldn’t see the true wisdom and power in what they were doing because it was hidden from them. As Paul points out, if they had understood, they would not have crucified “the Lord of Glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8).
The Wisdom Hidden in Plain Sight
Paul explains that the wisdom of God is a “secret and hidden wisdom” (1 Corinthians 2:7). This wisdom was decreed by God before the beginning of time but was not revealed until Christ’s crucifixion. The crucified Christ is the key to understanding this divine wisdom, but it remains hidden from those who rely solely on human wisdom.
The natural person, Paul says, does not accept the things of the Spirit of God because they are foolishness to him (1 Corinthians 2:14). Without the Holy Spirit, the message of the cross, the very heart of God’s wisdom, seems nonsensical.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is like a decoder ring for God’s wisdom. Before I became a Christian, the Bible was like gibberish to me. But after receiving the Holy Spirit, the scriptures came alive, and what once seemed foolish began to make perfect sense.
Paul reminds us that no one can comprehend the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). And the good news is that when we come to faith in Christ, we receive this very Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals to us the depths of God’s wisdom, allowing us to discern spiritual truths that are hidden from the world.
A New Perspective
Having the mind of Christ means that we share in Christ’s purpose, perspective, and understanding of God’s plan for the world. It’s no longer a mystery to us because the Holy Spirit illuminates the truth of God’s word, helping us to see, hear, and understand in ways we couldn’t before.
Application: Compassion Over Condemnation
This passage challenges us to have compassion for those who oppose Christian morals and beliefs. Their opposition often comes from ignorance—an inability to see, hear, and understand the wisdom of God. Instead of responding with anger, we should recognize their spiritual blindness and respond with grace, knowing that it is only through the Holy Spirit that anyone can truly understand God’s wisdom.
Yet, this doesn’t mean we stay silent. We are called to stand firm in our faith, to proclaim the gospel, and to make disciples, even if the world around us doesn’t understand.
As we navigate this world, let’s remember that the wisdom of God is not of this age but is eternal, powerful, and ultimately revealed through the Spirit. And it is this wisdom that we must hold on to, even when the world sees it as foolishness.
This blog post condenses the key points of your sermon, making it accessible while preserving the depth of the original message.