January 21, 2017 THE GREAT DIVIDE
1 Corinthians 2:11-12: “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God,”
The second chapter of 1 Corinthians makes a clear distinction between the spirit of the world and the Spirit of God which has been given to believers; there is no blending or mixing of the two. As we relate to non-believers, we must remember that they cannot understand or relate to things of the Spirit-the things of God-because they are void of the Spirit of God. Verse fourteen tells us that: “the natural man, does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” Because the rulers of Jesus day did not understand the wisdom or Spirit of God, they crucified Jesus (verse 8). However, the miracle that every believer has received is that he or she has been given the Spirit of God, and now that we have the Spirit of God, we are able to understand the things of God. Having the Spirit of God within us, we are able to know truth, we are able to discern what is right and what is wrong, we have understanding and wisdom, we know the words we should speak, and we are able to keep God’s perspective on life. The Spirit of God residing in us takes us out of the limitations of human wisdom and understanding and joins us to God Himself. How God has chosen to work has an element of mystery about it, as we see in verse seven that tells us that the wisdom of God was hidden, but now, in Christ He has made known His wisdom to those who receive Him. In verse ten, talking about the things of God, we read: “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depth of God.” And in verse twelve: “Now we have received, not the things of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God.” As His people, we do lack; He is not withholding anything we need in order to experience abundant life-right now. 1 Corinthians 3:1 is a warning to believers admonishing them mature in the faith and not remain “babes in Christ.” Some of the believers were still “fleshly,” were jealous, and still living like mere men. For us, let us not be guilty of remaining as babes in Christ, but let us grow in Christ, let us understand what it means for the Spirit of God to live in us.
1 Corinthians 1:30: “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,”
1 Corinthians 3:16: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
Blessings,
Buddy
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