1 Corinthians 2 - 12.5.23

Scripture

1 Corinthians 2:9 - 14

9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—

10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.  14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Observation

Paul writes to the church in Corinth after receiving reports of division in the church. Some in the church were having quarrels over who they follow in teaching (“I follow Paul” or “I follow Apollos”) which created divisions. Chapter 1 guides the church back to the foundation of Christ crucified and God’s power and wisdom. Chapter 2 continues with how God’s power and wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit. Paul knows the Corinthian church (and all of us) need to understand more about the Holy Spirit in our life.

Paul reminds us in verse 9 about what was written in Isaiah 64:4 - no eye has seen, heard, or human mind can conceive - of the things God has prepared for those who love him. These unseen, unheard, and things our mind can’t conceive all come from what the Holy Spirit reveals to us. He begins with this Scripture as a highlight of the Holy Spirit’s purpose and spiritual depth of His involvement in our life. It goes deep!

Our human minds think that by reading and studying anything, we could gain wisdom on that topic. That’s not the case with God. Knowledge and wisdom are two different things. We can have all the knowledge and experience in the world about the things of God but without God’s Spirit within us, we really can’t have God’s true wisdom or direction. It all comes from the Holy Spirit.

Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit to the Disciples during the Last Supper. He was trying to comfort and guide them about the upcoming events. He knew they would be discouraged and distraught after He left earth. In John 14:16 – 17 He says,  “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Sprit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” What a comfort to know the Holy Spirit is given to us, is an advocate and helper! I love how this verse calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of truth.” Real truth from the Holy Spirit can enable us to understand and comprehend God’s ways and apply Godly wisdom in our life.

Paul help us understand the Holy Spirit’s purpose in our life throughout this section of scripture: He reveals the unknown and even things we can’t conceive (vs 9), He searches all things including the thoughts of God (vs 10), He helps us understand what God has freely given us (vs 12), teaches us spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words (vs 13) and have God’s discernment (vs 14). Through the Holy Spirit we get an understanding of the deeper things of God, the spiritual side of life here on earth, and even the thoughts of God. The Holy Spirit is basically the conduit that channels everything God wants us to spiritually have, know, learn and live.

Application

There are many times where I’ve been unsure of the next step in life or in a decision. I can probably come up with a humanly wise decision but is it really God’s wisdom? Will the decision I make further His plan in my life, will it lead to the next step God has planned, or will it impact someone else for Christ? The only way to really know the answers to these questions is to see things through the Holy Spirit’s lenses. In life, I can’t see anything in front of me without my glasses. I’m literally blind as a bat without glasses. That’s how important they are to me! The same is true with the Holy Spirit. As a believer and follower of Christ, I can’t see God’s will, direction or have His wisdom without the Holy Spirit. We are given the Holy Spirit when we ask Christ to be our Lord and Savior but must be diligent to seek after and ask God for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, wisdom and direction in everything. We can keep our eyes and ears open to His promptings, His voice, and His wisdom.

Prayer

Lord, help me to always seek you and the Holy Spirit’s wisdom. Help me to hear your voice when prompted by the Holy Spirit. Guide me in your path, your direction and give me your wisdom in all that I do today and the future. I only want to seek you and live for you!

- Mary Oberg