Title: Spiritually Appraised
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Blog Entry: 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy [ d ] Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” [ e ] But we have the mind of Christ. The first question we have to ask is, what are “these things” at the beginning of verse 13? Well we have to go back to verses 6-8 of this same chapter. 6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. “These things” are the “ wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory. One of the things that is easily missed is the connection between verses7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. And verse 14 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Do you see it? See this whole unit belongs together! Those who crucified Christ were spiritually discerned and actually killed the Lord of Glory. The natural man cannot understand the things of God. I will also add that those of us who are immature and leaning on our own wisdom can also do damage to what God is doing with His spirit in the Church. Were not the Corinthians acting like mere men? Leaning on their own understanding? We usually apply this text only to nonbelievers since that really is what it is talking about. But could we be making the same kind of mistakes as the spiritually discerned of the world who crucified Christ? I think the answer is obvious. I think this is really what Paul is driving home. See the Corinthian's were acting like “natural men” those who had not received the Spirit!! So Paul reminds them {us} that we have the “mind of Christ.” The Corinthian Church had become so divided that they were slicing and dicing the body of Christ. {Each other} Lets not do the same!!! With out the Spirit of God we cannot know the “ wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory.” 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” [ e ] But we have the mind of Christ.
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