The Bible study on 1 Cor 2:6-16 continued looking at Paul’s exposition of the differences between human wisdom and God’s wisdom. Human wisdom can only reflect human knowledge and perspectives, which will focus on temporal matters only. God’s wisdom (which may be described as a ‘mystery’, but which does not mean that it is only accessible to some kind of esoteric elite; simply, that it has now been revealed through the death and resurrection of Christ) is cross-centred (see 1 Cor 1:22-24, Col 1:19), eternal (see Jer 10:12), intended for our good (for our glory) and supernatural. It was not understand by the rulers of the day (or they would not have crucified Christ!) and indeed cannot be understood in any experiential way by those in whom the Spirit of God does not dwell. 2 Cor 4:4 reminds us that the god of this age has blinded the eyes of unbelievers and ‘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.’ (1 Cor 2:14, see also Acts 17:18, Acts 18:15)
Those who are mature (growing spiritually because they are being transformed by the renewing of their minds) are aware, however, that spiritual truths – even the ‘deep things of God’ – are revealed by God’s Spirit, because He knows the purposes and will of God, just as a person cannot ever be fully known by another, but only by one’s own spirit. Because of this, we are attuned to spiritual matters and can make spiritual judgments. This does not mean that we can arrogantly pontificate on all kinds of subjects, but rather that our value judgments are moulded by God’s word rather than by our own thoughts. Paul does not mean to imply we are above judgments, either: later in this letter, he commands believers to judge the flagrantly disobedient in their midst (1 Cor 5:3-5), to evaluate those who claim to bring words from the Lord (1 Cor 14:29), and to examine themselves to see if they are behaving appropriately enough to take the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11:27-32). Here, he is talking of being unjustly evaluated by non-Christians (or by Christians employing worldly standards), who have no authority to criticise believers for their misbehaviour, since they themselves do not accept the standards they employ in making their judgments.
God has clearly prepared amazing things for His people! (1 Cor 2:9-10) These verses are often used at funerals to indicate the glories awaiting us in heaven, but Isaiah (quoted here) was referring to present-day blessings. Eph 1:3 reminds us of the many spiritual blessings God has poured out on us: salvation, forgiveness, redemption, eternal life, hope, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, to name just a few. These blessings may not be prized (or even acknowledged) by the world, but to those in whom Christ dwells by His Spirit, they are real and ever more precious and form the basis of our ongoing instruction and walk with God.