Taught 4/26/2009
1 Corinthians 2:10-16
The work of God ~ part 2
Open your Bible to…
1Th. 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.
Pray
Intro
√ The work of God ~ part 2
Last week we introduced chapter 2 where we found that Paul called the Corinthians to examine how the work of God, their salvation, was accomplished in their lives, he tells us that it was through the…
Power of God
Wisdom of God
Spirit of God
We didn’t have time to look at how God’s Spirit is involved in the work of salvation so we’ll do that this morning as we study verses 10-16.
√ The Spirit
This section of scripture reminds us of an important truth, that is, that our salvation is the result of the work of each member of the Trinity ~ the triune God.
The Father planned our salvation in eternity.
The Son provided for our salvation on the Cross.
The Spirit prompted us to recognize our need for a Savior.
By way of example…
As far as God the Father is concerned I was saved when He chose me in Christ before the foundation of the World (ref. Eph. 1:4)
As far as God the Son is concerned I was saved when He died for me on the Cross because He died for the sins of the whole world (ref. Col. 1:19-22).
But, the whole world isn’t saved! That’s where the Spirit comes in!
As far as God the Holy Spirit is concerned I was saved on April 5, 1976 when He quickened the Gospel message to my heart, convicted me of my need for a Savior, and I responded to the plan and provision of God for my salvation (ref. John 3:14-16).
But, the work of the Holy Spirit didn’t end when I was saved…
…His work in you and me continues all through our life as He works to mature us so as to make us like Christ.
Well, that’s Paul’s point here in vs. 10-16.
The believers at Corinth had received God’s free gift of salvation with joy but were now divided, defiled, and disgraced as a witness of Jesus because they were not submitted to the work of the Spirit in their lives.
Ap. The mature believer
God wants to grow us up to be like His Son.
He accomplishes that work through His Spirit.
In our study this morning Paul shares with us some of the ways in which the Spirit works to help us mature in our Christian witness.
We call it “sanctification”.
However, we can resist that work of the Spirit and effectively quench His ministry to us.
If we do that then we will never mature as a Christian and will be ineffective reaching others, including our loved ones, with the love of God.
The Spirit Searches God’s Thoughts (vs. 10-11)
1Cor. 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1Cor. 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
√ The Spirit searches God’s thoughts
Paul writes in vs. 10…
“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.”
Revealed what?
What we studied last week He has revealed His plan of redemption!
Remember that Paul told us that God’s plan was a mystery hidden in the words of the Old Testament prophets but not fully understood until Jesus came.
Then the dots were connected and the unsearchable wisdom of God was revealed through the teaching and ministry of Jesus.
But, even Jesus’ chosen apostles were still blind to God’s plan until Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to teach them the truths they had not yet comprehended.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” ~ John 14:26
Paul explains here in vs. 10-11 that the Spirit of God is the only One who knows the thoughts of God and that part of His ministry is to make those thoughts known to those who love God.
Ex. Knowing what another person is really thinking
It was always fascinating to me to listen to the different interpretations that students come up with to explain what a particular author really meant in his/her story.
Even among scholars there are vastly differing interpretations of the same works of fiction!
It can get pretty ridiculous as people often interpret an authors thoughts through the lens of their own prejudice rather than simply allowing the author to speak for himself.
For example, a whole generation in the 60’s who read J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” were sure that the forces of evil represented industrialization and that that the good people of Middle Earth represented naturalists despite Tolkien’s adamant and repeated denial of that interpretation!
The reality is that only Tolkien knew what he was thinking!
That’s Paul’s point here! That only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God and therefore is the only One who can reveal them to others.
Ap. Making His thoughts known
One of the overlooked ministries of the Holy Spirit is that He helps us to know and understand…
“…The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” ~ vs. 9
That is, as we grow in our faith the Holy Spirit continuously opens up our understanding of God’s loving thoughts and plans for us!
Our redemption, sanctification, and ultimately our glorification.
He brings to light the understanding of God’s word and helps us to see the application of it in our lives.
What you’ll discover is that the more you know God’s thoughts toward you…
…the more in love with Him you’ll be, the greater your joy, and the more content your life will be.
The Spirit Indwells Us (vs. 12)
1Cor. 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
√ The Spirit indwells us
Vs. 12 builds on the previous truth that the Spirit helps us to understand our spiritual blessings in Christ but it also adds…
“Now we have received…the Spirit from God”
Reminding us that the Holy Spirit actually dwells within us!
The Bible tells us that the moment we trust in Jesus for salvation that the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us (ref. Acts 2:38).
That we are now the Temple of God as His Spirit lives within us in similar fashion to how God dwelt in the Temple in Jerusalem. (ref. 1:Cor. 6:19-20)
That He is the down payment, or guarantee that we are truly saved! (ref. Eph. 1:13-14)
That He will never leave us! (ref. John 14:16)
The Holy Spirit is the Father’s gift to us who trust in His Son and makes us different than those who have not trusted in Jesus who have the “spirit of the world”.
√ We have new thoughts
Because the Spirit of God dwells within us you’ll find that your thoughts, desires, motivation, and goals in life will be different.
Whereas before you gave your life to Jesus your life was controlled by the thoughts of the world.
Your desires, goals, and motivation in life were more akin to Darwinian thought ~ protect, feed, and please your flesh!
But now that God’s Spirit lives in you He is changing the way you think and what you count as valuable.
Ex. Bike racing and the Olympics
The same is true in your life because God’s Spirit lives within you and will change your thoughts, desires, motivation, and goals to match the Fathers.
Ap. Don’t resist His work for that will quench the Holy Spirit.
When we quench the Holy Spirit we’re destined to misery because we’ll be trying to live like we’re still a part of the world when in fact we’re now children of God.
The Spirit Teaches Us (vs. 13)
1Cor. 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
√ The Spirit teaches
As we read in John 14:26 Jesus promised that the Spirit would teach us and lead us into all truth.
He does that by helping us as Paul writes to…
“…compare(ing) spiritual things with spiritual. “
That is, the Spirit takes what we all ready know and then relates it to something new, and then leads us into new truth and new applications of old truths.
Please don’t misunderstand what I just said!
I’m not saying that the Spirit is going to give you new revelation outside of what He’s already given us in the Bible!
That’s how cults and false doctrines start!
Rather, what I’m saying is that the Spirit teaches us by helping us to understand what God has already spoken to us in the Bible by linking together truths we already know with new truths that He wants us to apprehend.
Ex. Peter and the Gentiles
Read Acts chapters 10 & 11 and you find that God is teaching Peter a new truth…
…that the Gospel is for all men, Jews and Gentiles!
God does so through a series of supernatural events, a vision, the voice of the Spirit, and the strange appearance of the three men sent to Peter by Cornelius.
But, it wasn’t until the Spirit brought to Peter’s mind how all of these events were spoken of in Scripture that Peter connected the dots and understood this new truth…
“Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, “John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”’ ~ Acts 11:16
The Spirit connected the dots between the “word of the Lord” which Peter had heard…
…but did not understand the new truth until the Spirit opened his eyes.
Ap. Your growing theology
All your life you’re going to be learning new truths that the Spirit wants to teach you.
He does so by “comparing spiritual things with spiritual”.
As you read and study your Bible the Spirit will connect the dots for you to understand more about God and His plans for your life.
But, that means you have to spend time in His word!
I don’t want to lay a guilt trip on you but the reality is that you’re not going to be able to learn new truths and to grow in your faith if you’re not studying your Bible.
If you don’t have a regular time of study then I’d encourage you to start one today so that the Holy Spirit can take what you learn here at church and connect it with what He’s teaching you in your private study time.
The Spirit Matures Us (vs. 14-16)
1Cor. 2:14 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.
1Cor. 2:15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
1Cor. 2:16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
√ The Spirit matures us
Another of the ministries of the Spirit is to grow us to spiritual maturity so that we can discern truth from error, note vs. 15…
“But he who is spiritual judges all things”
The word “judge” means…
“to scrutinize, to investigate, interrogate, determine, to ask, question, discern, examine, judge, search.”
That is, as we walk with the Lord and are taught by the Spirit we develop the spiritual insight to recognize the difference between what is true and what is not.
Contrasted to the “natural” man that Paul speaks of in these verses who is unregenerate (not saved) and who does not have God’s Spirit dwelling in him and thereby cannot discern spiritual reality.
You might think of it this way, the person who is not saved would not, in fact cannot, receive the spiritual wisdom of God regardless of their intellectual abilities.
Like a deaf critic of Bach, or a blind critic of Rembrandt, so is the unregenerate critic of God’s word!
The lost person simply cannot discern truth from error.
Ex. Comparative religious studies
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the lost person (including very well educated professors) say something like…
“I think if you really look at all of the religions of Man you’ll discover that at their foundations they all share the same truths.”
Really!
You better look a little closer because what you’ll find is that Jesus doesn’t share that sentiment!
He says stuff like…
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” ~ John 14:6
And…
“All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.” ~ John 10:8
Or Peter who said…
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” ~ Acts 4:12
The point is that the lost person who believes that all religions are the same is demonstrating their lack of spiritual discernment.
√ God’s Spirit protects us from deceivers
With regard to believers the Spirit also helps us to discern between truth and error so that we don’t get caught up in spiritual deception.
He accomplishes that both through the revelation of God’s word, and through the inner promptings of His voice.
For example, when I was a brand new believer I heard a street preacher talking about sin, the Garden of Eden and God’s plan of redemption.
I listened for a while and watch him draw diagrams on his portable white board but something in me was unsettled.
It all sounded right but the Spirit was telling me that this guy wasn’t teaching the truth.
Later in the presentation I discovered that the guy was a “Moonie” a disciple of Sun Yun Moon.
While I didn’t have the Biblical base needed to refute his false teaching I knew he was teaching error because of the Spirit’s testimony within me.
Close
√ The work of God ~ part 2