Return to Studies in Corinthians
Presented, November 9, 2008 am
The Wisdom of God in a Mystery – Revealed
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
In this lesson we
want to notice HOW the gospel was revealed.
a.
Wisdom IS important – we
have discussed this in past lessons (1:18-31).
The problem was not that wisdom was needed but the source of
wisdom. We NEED wisdom to
fully grasp and apply God’s word (i.e. His wisdom).
That is what Paul meant as He began this section noting that he
did speak wisdom. But to
whom:
b.
The
need for maturity –
It was directed toward and accessible to those who are mature.
So what does he mean by mature
and who are the mature?
The mature here are those whose minds are ready to receive the truth.
They are described as:
i.
Having a
good and honest heart by Jesus (Luke 8:15)
ii.
Those
willing to come to the Light (John 3:21)
iii.
Willing to
accept the teachings of the apostles (1 Thess. 2:13, 1 Cor. 14:37)
iv.
Heb. 5:14
describes what they can do
v.
Phil. 3:15
says, “Let us therefore, as many as are mature, have this mind…”
Paul was speaking about his persistence as he pressed toward the
goal of heaven.
c.
We need to
seek maturity (i.e. grow up) so that we will NOT reject the truth of
God’s word. In this
text Paul notes that “the rulers of this age” had rejected this wisdom
and truth (7-8).
d.
Paul spoke the wisdom of God in a mystery (7) -
What is the mystery? In
the text it is described as the hidden wisdom of God ordained before the
ages. This mystery is
actually dealt with in a handful of other passages.
IT is NOT dealing with something that could not be understood at
that time, but something that in times prior to the Lord’s coming was
not fully grasped (Cf. 1 Pet. 1:10-12).
i.
Paul
spoke of this mystery in Ephesians 3:1-7
where he ties “the mystery” to a universal gospel available to all.
ii.
Colossians
1:26-27 – hidden from ages and generations, but now revealed to His
saints…
iii.
1 Tim.
3:16 summarizes this mystery, “And without controversy great is the
mystery of godliness…”
e.
This was
ONE of the things “the rulers of this age” rejected.
When Christ came, He introduced the mystery (salvation for all mankind)
but they, in their own wisdom, would not understand it.
Therefore, they crucified our Lord.
In our context they would be described as immature (the opposite of the
mature discussed above).
f.
We are
blessed to know that this mystery has now been fully revealed for us.
OUR task is to NOT reject it, as they did.
We should not appeal to the wisdom of man as we deal with God’s
message to us.
Paul realized this as he wrote to these brethren and he knew that it was
this knowledge that could unify these brethren.
a.
So how do
we know what God message to us is?
This text gives us a lesson as to how we have God’s inspired word
(cf. 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
b.
Prepared for those who
love Him (9)
When sin entered the world, God implemented His plan to redeem us (Gen.
3:15). In fact, Ephesians
3:11 lets us know that it was according to His eternal purpose.
1 Peter 1:20 notes that Christ
was foreordained even before the foundation of the world.
From that time in the garden and
forward, what we read throughout the Old Testament and in the nation of
God’s chosen people, Israel, this plan developing.
NOTE: It was this preparation that the prophets did not fully
understand.
c.
He
revealed it to the
apostles through His Spirit – the message God prepared He revealed to
us.
The promise Jesus made to His apostles in John 14:26 & 16:13 helps us to
see this.
Ephesians 3:3 which speaks of the mystery says, “How that by revelation
He made known to me the mystery…”
NOTE:
It is God’s message – It is the Holy Spirit in unity with God
the Father – He knows the Spirit of God (better than any man).
He is the revealer.
Our text notes that the Spirit searches the deep things of God and knows
them because He is of God, part of the Godhead.
He is able to reveal the Father (and His will) to us.
In fact, the only reason we know of the Father is because the
Spirit has revealed it to us.
We are again reminded of the fact that we MUST respect God’s boundaries.
We cannot go beyond what is written and still attribute to being
His wisdom (1 Cor. 4:6).
d.
The
Apostles
received the Spirit who is
from God (12) and His wisdom
John 20:22 as Jesus saw His apostles on the day He arose said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:1-4 describes them receiving the Spirit on the day of Pentecost
after which they revealed the message. Paul was an apostle out of
season, but he received the same message through the Spirit (Gal.
1:11-12).
e.
They spoke (and wrote) these things
(the wisdom of God) to us (13-14).
Note how vs. 13 mentions WORDS and speaking.
The message was COMMUNICATED!
What we have is God’s message to us.
It was revealed and received by the apostles and communicated to
us, first verbally then in writing.
That is why the apostles could both speak AND write with
authority. For example, 1
Cor. 14:37 where Paul called for this recognition.
Also note 1 Thess. 4:1 & 8, 2 Peter 3:1-2, 1 John 4:6, Jude 17
(note the different authors).
That is why all scripture is profitable (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
NOTE how the natural
man does not receive these things.
I think of personal interpretations and opinions toward the word.
We need to be careful before we start teaching our own views
(contrary to the truth).
Such are NOT spiritually discerned. NOTE
that the Apostles HAD the Holy Spirit and revealed the message of God –
ALL we have is their written word. Therefore, we must be careful not to
think beyond what is written.