1 Corinthians, Chapter 2
© Copyright 2002 Darroll Evans, all rights
reserved
Paul did not go to Corinth filled with slick words and
flowery speech.
He came declaring his testimony concerning what Christ
Jesus had done.
The gospel is so plain and simple that most folks
don’t get it.
Paul declared the "testimony of God."
But what is that?
The testimony or mystery of God is that Jesus Christ
is the Savior of the world.
2 Corinthians 5:19a---"God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself."
Romans
11:32---“For God hath concluded them
all in unbelief, that he [through Christ] might have mercy upon all.”
Romans
11:36---“For of him, and through him,
and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”
Why is Jesus’ Messiahship
such a mystery?
Jesus Christ is preached around the world,
many Muslims, Hindus, and atheists can quote the Bible, and yet the words they
have memorized are mysteries to their hearts.
Unless the Holy Spirit opens their hearts to
understanding, those outside the family will not know the truth of Christ
Jesus.
We are His only because of His grace-filled
calling.
Paul determined in his heart not to preach anything
among the Corinthians except the crucified Christ.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the story on his saving
power. All else is commentary!
Why would Paul focus on the crucified Christ?
Because His crucifixion is the foundation of
Christianity!
If Christ was not crucified, hung on a tree, as
prescribed by Jewish Scripture, He would not have qualified to bear the sins of
the world.
If He did not bear the sins of the world, He could not
be the Savior of the world.
If he had not died for a criminal, Jesus could not
have been resurrected thereby conquering sin and death.
Christ died because the LORD laid on Him the iniquity
of us all!
The crucifixion resulted in a defeated Satan in the
resurrection!
Without the crucifixion we would have nothing to tell!
1
Corinthians 2:3-4
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing
words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
It was at Corinth that Paul teamed with fellow
tentmaker named Aquila and his wife Prescilla (Acts
18).
They made a wonderful team for Christ!
It was during Paul’s time in Corinth that he
suffered some sort of weakness.
We are never told what it was, and I really
do not feel we should speculate.
In any case, the feebleness caused Paul to preach
Christ not with boldness as in Philippians, but in fear and trembling.
As he wrote before, Paul did not preach using
enticing words filled with human wisdom.
Instead, he demonstrated the gospel in Spirit
and power.
My favorite modern Bible Teacher is the late
Dr. Manford George Gutzke.
He was extremely well educated, and yet his
commentaries are titled, "Plain Talk on".
He presented the plain gospel. Dr. Gutzke was a modern day Paul.
Evangelism is not salesmanship.
People are not saved through “enticing words
of man's wisdom.”
We are saved through a “demonstration of the
Spirit and of power!”
Paul followed his plan because he did not want the
faith generated among the Corinthians be based on the "the wisdom of
man."
Faith based on anything other than the power of God
will not last!
As ministers of Christ, we speak and act as
Christians.
We do not try to imitate the maturity or wisdom of
mankind.
All humanly devised things of this age will pass away.
Only the things of God will survive.
What we say concerning Christ and the ages to
come are mysteries to those that have not been called and chosen by God.
The truth of God is hidden in Christ, not in
languages.
The things of Christ were predestined,
foreordained!
Some think that they rule nations by divine
decree.
If the rulers of Paul’s day had any spiritual
insight they would not have crucified Christ.
If the rulers of our day had any spiritual
insight they would not drag His name in the mud of human politics.
Verse nine contains a statement that is beyond
understanding or commentary.
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him."
Human languages are incapable of describing what God
has prepared for us!
Verse 10 begins with “But!”
But, the Holy Spirit reveals the deep things of God to
those who love God.
In contrast, the Holy Spirit hides God’s deep things
from those who do not love Him.
There is a thought with men that nobody knows us as
well as our families.
Sadly that is not true.
Divorce is a testimony to the fact that husbands and
wives do not know each other.
Fifty percent of all marriages in America end in
divorce.
When, in the wedding ceremony, the minister asks,
"Do you take --- to be your husband or wife till death do you part,"
half of the half or 25% of all people who take that vow are lying.
Among men and women, you are the only One who
knows your thoughts.
With God, only the Holy Spirit is capable of
understanding the deep things.
1 Corinthians 2:12-13
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which
is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
As Followers of Christ, we have been given
the Holy Spirit of God that seals us until the day of redemption.
As Christians we are purposely drawn to the
things of Christ.
Although we may depart from Him for a season,
our hearts always return to God’s Truth, and that is
Christ Jesus.
Natural man, without Christ, cannot understand or
accept the things taught by the Holy Spirit.
That is why most Christian belief seems so out of sync
with non-Christians.
They really do not understand!
The only judgment that counts is the judgment
of God.
When God judges us to be innocent, none other
has any basis for adverse judgment.
Paul, speaking to this rambunctious Church
told them that they have mind of Christ.
In that our judgment will be true.
Why do we doubt that?