<1 Co 2> 6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 

<Col 1> 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 

<1 Co 2> 9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—

10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 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. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

1. Not that wisdom is not good.

• The gospel is not foolishness, but wisdom, just a different kind of wisdom.
• Not that wisdom per se is not good, but a certain kind of wisdom that is not good.
• The opposite of boasting in human wisdom is not to discard wisdom altogether, but to humbly seek the wisdom of God.
• God’s wisdom of saving mankind with the crucified Christ.

2. Who cannot understand the wisdom of God?

• 2 kinds of people: (1) Natural man, (2) Spiritual man.
• The natural man is “the person without the Spirit” <v14>.
• Prerequisite for understanding God’s wisdom is not a certain level of IQ, education, or experience.
• The natural man is spiritually dead (cf. Ep 2:1).
• The natural man doesn’t have an intellectual problem, but a spiritual problem, he cannot rightly perceive the value of Christ and His gospel.
• How to tell whether a person is truly wise?
  • By whether they recognize Jesus as the “Lord of glory” <v8>.

3. Who can understand the wisdom of God and have the mind of Christ?

• The spiritual man – “the person with the Spirit” <v15> (also “the mature” <v8>).
• Regenerated, spiritually alive and awakened.
• The spiritual man has the mind of Christ.
  • The mind of Christ obeys God’s will rather than human will.
  • Sacrificing, humbling, resisting evil.
• Process of “tearing down and rebuilding” to get the mind of Christ.

4. How can mere humans understand God’s wisdom?

• Cannot use human senses <v9>.
• <v10> “these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.”
• Importance of regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
• The Holy Spirit not just ‘reveals’ truths about God, but also makes us ‘value’ them and be ‘willing’ to accept them.
• The Holy Spirit helps us make correct judgment of all things.
• <v15> The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments.
• Have spiritual discernment not to condemn people, but to intercede for and bless them.
• The spiritual man has the duty to make gospel ‘understandable’ to the natural man.
  

Reflection:

1. Confirm for yourself whether you are a “spiritual man”? Why do you say so?
2. Do you think you are spiritually wise? Are you able to “make judgments about all things” by the enlightenment of the Spirit? How can you practise spiritual discernment in your everyday life?