Bible Reflections From Scripture Union Volume OneSample

God Reveals by His Spirit
Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2:12

Paul had been arguing against a Corinthian/human attitude towards ‘wisdom’ that sees the Gospel as foolish. Paul now argues that God acted by means of His own Wisdom (1:21). He made Christ to become true Wisdom for us, and He revealed this through His Holy Spirit.

Paul makes three points: firstly, God’s wisdom was held ‘in mystery’, hidden from the present age; secondly, because we have been chosen by Him in grace, we are let in on the ‘secret’ through the Holy Spirit; thirdly, the difference therefore between ‘natural’ and ‘spiritual’ people is the ability or inability to understand God’s Wisdom and receive the Spirit’s revelation of God’s heart.

We need wisdom from the Holy Spirit. The Gospel cannot be grasped by the philosophical, humanistic reasoning of man, but only by the Holy Spirit of God.
He alone grants understanding of God’s will and ways.

We must be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking, like the Corinthians, that the gift of the Spirit leads to a special status among believers. Being ‘spiritual’ does not lead to elitism, but instead to a humble and deeper appreciation of God’s profound mystery of salvation.

Pray that God will grant each of us the mind of Christ through the Holy Spirit’s revelation. Pray we will be obedient and keep in step with the Spirit in our lives.