…we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)
This verse and its surrounding context are at once a glorious promise, and a warning.
God teaches us in this passage that right understanding and joyful acceptance of his Word come only through his Spirit. Apart from his Spirit we can’t understand scripture, and we won’t accept it.
This is a glorious promise, because it says “we have received…the Spirit who is from God”. God has given us his Spirit to lead us into all truth, “that we might understand”. We have God’s promise that we can understand his Word to us! I’m not saying understanding is easy, or without effort. Elsewhere God tells us to “think over” what he has said, and he will give us understanding (2 Timothy 2:7). But he has promised that he will help us understand!
This passage is also a warning. Only two verses later the flip side of the above promise is presented.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Anyone who does not have the Spirit of God in them, will not understand or accept the things of God. In fact, they cannot!
So be careful who you listen to. A secular scholar may be well-educated and understand language and literature, but that will only get you so far. Understanding the spiritual truth contained in the bible requires the Spirit.
And it is not only the secular scholar we must be cautious of. There is also the teacher who claims Christ’s name, but is unregenerate. Though they claim to be Christian, if they are without the Spirit, what they teach will sound wise according to worldly wisdom, but will not lead you to Christ.
I’m thinking primarily of New Age (Oprah and Eckhart Tolle) and Prosperity Gospel (Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, etc.) teaching. My primary test when discerning a teacher’s authenticity as a Christian teacher, is this. Does their teaching lead me to Christ and stir up my desire for more of him? Or does the teaching lead me to, and stir up my desire for, the things Christ has made (i.e. wealth, health, temporal comfort, etc.)? If a teacher doesn’t lead me to Christ for the joy of knowing him alone, then that teacher is not correctly teaching the scripture, because Jesus himself said that’s where all scripture leads (John 5:39).
I’m not suggesting that every true teacher will hit a home run with every message or teaching, but in general, their teaching should make me long for Christ, not stuff.
I would rather listen to a teacher who is less than eloquent give me Jesus, than listen to the greatest orator of our day give me trifles.
Leave a Reply