How to Receive the Life-Giving Wisdom Of The Lord

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

The hidden wisdom of God can be obtained and the apostle Paul shares how we can freely obtain such wonderful wisdom.

Introduction

What is man’s wisdom versus the wisdom of the Lord?  Man has always thought very highly of itself, but our wisdom cannot stand against the Lord!  I hope you take a moment to join me for this week’s lesson, as mankind lives in need of God’s wisdom.  This week’s Sunday School commentary covers 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.

First Letter to the Corinthian Church

Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthian church after he had first come to the Corinthians and established the church (Acts 18).  While Paul and his traveling group were in Corinth, he met Aquila and Priscilla and stayed with them for quite some time.  

Acts 18:4 tells us that Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath while he was there, persuading both Jews and Greeks.  However, it was in Corinth where the Jews’ opposition to his preaching led Paul to commit himself to ministering to the Gentiles (Acts 18:6).

Corinth, being in ancient Greece, was also the den of idol worship with Greeks worshiping the Greek gods.  In fact, when he was in Athens, prior to coming to Corinth, he spoke to the Areopagus.  Paul spoke of how the Greeks were very religious and very philosophical–they had built many objects of their worship, including an altar to the “UNKNOWN GOD” (Acts 17:22-23).

So, the young Gentile church that Paul had established was truly in the midst of wordliness and wickedness, to which Paul had to train them up.  In his first letter, he addressed a number of things, including spiritual gifts, the great gift of love, and, as we will see in this week’s lesson, the power and wisdom of God.  

The “Hidden” Wisdom

Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 that the wisdom he spoke of was the wisdom of God.  Paul called this wisdom, “‘The hidden wisdom’ that the Lord had ordained (established) before the ages for our glory.”

Does this mean that God hid this wisdom from mankind?  Not necessarily.  God does not hide His wisdom from mankind.  The question that mankind has always needed to answer is whether or not it wants to know God’s wisdom.

In 1 Corinthians 2:8, Paul makes it clear where mankind has often stood when it comes to God’s wisdom.  Paul stated that “none of the rulers of this age” knew it, and that if they had known it, they wouldn’t have crucified Christ.  I feel we really need to consider what Paul is stating in these opening verses of our lesson.

Why did the rulers of this age not know (recognize) God’s wisdom?  If you were to take a look at the book of Genesis, you would see that mankind showed little interest in knowing God.  

Let’s take Cain as an example to show mankind’s lack of interest in establishing and craving a relationship with God.  When both Cain and Abel presented their offerings to God, Abel brought forth the best he possessed, while Cain put little to no thought in his offering.  God was pleased with Abel’s offering but did not respect Cain’s offering (Gen. 4:3-5).

The Lord rebuked Cain in a manner so that Cain could bring forth his best the next time around.  Let’s understand that God did not condemn Cain; He showed Him mercy and gave Him a second chance to get right.  God, I want you to understand, was opening the doors of fellowship to Cain!

What did Cain do with that opportunity?  He grew envious and jealous of his brother.  In his envy, Cain chose to murder his brother, rather than he God’s rebuke and enter into fellowship with him.  For his choice, Cain was cursed by the Lord (Gen. 4:6-12).

In another example, the Pharaoh of Moses’ day was a ruler, and he chose to dismiss God.  When Moses stood before him with God’s demand, the Pharaoh said to him, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go (Ex. 5:1-2).”

Even today, the Lord is revealed to mankind–He is not hidden.  God’s truth and wisdom, I want you to understand, has not been hidden from anybody.  We choose whether or not we want to receive His wisdom or not.  Sadly, many of us hide His wisdom from ourselves!

The Revelation of God’s Wisdom

Paul’s desire for those of Corinth was for them to find wisdom by going to the source of wisdom.  He began to express this to the Corinthians by quoting Isaiah 64:4, which speaks to the new day that the Lord is preparing for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).  

Now, mankind has always desired a paradise–a place of beauty and peace.  “Rulers” try to do their best to establish such a place, and if it hasn’t become clear to you, they often try to do it for themselves.  Think of old emperors like Nebuchadnezzar, for example, who built empires to live in wealth for themselves, not for others.

Even today, the wealthiest of the wealthy are trying to live in paradise but their paradise is a place in the world.  Many are grinding and hustling in the work, and in their careers, trying to make heaven on earth.  Satan, when he tempted Christ, offered him the idea of ‘heaven on earth’ (Matt. 4:8-9).

No matter how much one may desire it, heaven can’t be found on earth.  Earth, while a beautiful world, is a world corrupted by sin.  The world is corrupted by sin because the heart of man is sinful and his actions are sinful.  

Going back to the days of Noah, Genesis 6:5, tells us that the Lord saw that every intent of the thoughts of mankind’s heart was only evil continually.  There will be no evil in the eternal day to come in the kingdom of the Lord (Rev. 21:3-4).

The truth of the world and the day of eternity has been revealed to us by God.  Paul wrote, “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:10).”

I must add to what Paul has said in this statement.  The wisdom of God first came to me from God.  God spoke to the prophets, and the prophets then passed His message on to the people.  

When the people refused to listen, the Father sent His only begotten Son, in the flesh, to further reveal His wisdom to the people.  The only begotten Son was crucified, rose from the grave, and then He ascended.  However, as He promised, the only begotten Son then sent to mankind the Spirit of truth.  The Spirit of truth now dwells in the hearts of those who choose to receive Him, and He guides us into all truth (John 16:13).

So, to be clear, the wisdom that Paul was sharing with the Corinthian believers was not truth that he was making up.  God’s wisdom dwells in the hearts of those who are of sincere faith!  And in guiding us into all truth, Jesus said that the Spirit of truth declares to us of what is Christ and the Father.

Man’s Wisdom Versus God’s Wisdom

In persuading the Corinthians to heed God’s wisdom, Paul asked an all-important question that I feel should be asked of mankind today.  In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul asked, “Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?”

Let me ask that question in a way that you may understand even better:  Can man be God’s boss?  Now, the believer will answer no.  Why is it that we would answer no?  

The believer would answer from a place of understanding that God is the Maker and Creator of all things.  As the Creator of all things, we understand that wisdom and might are His (Dan. 2:20).  We also understand that He is the one who establishes the times (Dan. 2:21) and He has set the ordinance (laws) of all things (Job 38:31-33).

Someone with the mindset of a Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar will fail to understand that the Lord sits high and looks low (Is. 55:9).  Many believe that they ought to be able to demand what God gives to them and when He does.  Yes, some believe that they know better than God and can bless themselves better than God.

Yet, what man sees as a blessing is temporary and unhealthy.  For example, a worldly paradise is a temporary blessing because the world is not only temporary, but the physical life of a man is even more temporary.  

Man desires wealth, riches, and gold, but they are also temporary.  One can live lavishly, but that also is vanity because, without God, such a life leads to eternal condemnation. Jesus shared the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 to teach such a lesson.

The way of God is a way that leads to life everlasting in His kingdom.  His desire is for one who receives His only begotten Son to be raised with Him at the last day and enter His paradise (John 6:40).  And I will remind you that in God’s paradise, death does not remain, nor does hurt, harm, or sorrow.

The point that Paul was trying to get across to the Corinthians was to trust God’s wisdom over man’s idea of wisdom.  He understood very well that there would be those who would question him and his wisdom, which we see him address in 1 Corinthians 2:11-15.

God Will Impart His Wisdom

The first question Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 2:11 raises a really good point for those who would doubt “his” revelation of God’s wisdom.  Paul asked, “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?”

I cannot know what is in your spirit unless you tell me or show me.  You cannot know what is in my spirit unless I tell you or I show you.  I believe that this logic is logic that everyone can understand, right?

So, Paul took that logic and stated, “No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”  Now, at first glance, you may think to yourself, “Paul is admitting to his critics that he can’t know the things of God.”  You could even imagine some of his biggest critics would smile at this statement.  There are many critics of those who minister who often ask how we can speak with such authority about God.  

We speak with such authority over the word because it has been given to us by Christ (Matt. 28:19-20).  Yet, one ought to also remember that the Holy Spirit has been given to all who sincerely believe in Christ.  

With that in mind, Paul said to the Corinthians, “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 (1 Cor. 2:12).”  Paul then told the Corinthians that they spoke not according to man’s wisdom but in the wisdom taught by the Spirit.

You see, the spirit of the world cannot understand the Holy Spirit.  The spirit of the world will never understand the Holy Spirit because they are of two different doctrines.  

To the one who is of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, worldliness has become foolishness to them.  I am one who often couldn’t care less about the desire of material riches and wealth.  This is my point of view because material riches do nothing to help me inherit the kingdom of God.

To the one who is of the spirit of the world and lives by worldly doctrine, my mindset is foolishness to them.  Of this, Paul wrote, “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 (1 Cor. 2:14).”

Now, is there a possibility that one who is of the worldly doctrine to be able to one day understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit?  Absolutely.  To do so, they would have to repent (turn away) from the worldly doctrine and learn the Spirit’s doctrine.  This is what all who repent have done, including myself.

I will repeat what I said at the beginning of this commentary – God will not keep His wisdom from anyone.  In Matthew 7:7, Jesus said that when one asks, it will be given; If one seeks, they will find; If someone knocks, it will be opened to them.  All the Lord asks is for one to take off their blinders and come to Him and receive His wisdom.