Mind of Christ

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

What does it look like in God’s eyes for you and me to flourish?

Well according to this, when we live a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way we are flourishing.

And in America, to have “kings and people in high places” that will facilitate that - we must vote.

We are, after all, the government.

Secondly, Paul reminds us that God saved us and Third, that being saved changes everything.

It changes how we think and how we act.

We are no longer merely human.

We are no longer a part of the crowd.

We’re changed - different.

Everything about us changes.

Fourth, Paul reminds us that we have everything we need to follow Jesus - there is nothing hidden from us that would prevent us from doing it.

Fifth, he reminds us that we were saved by the power of the cross - by the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

That’s why we keep preaching the gospel - it is what saves us and gives us our power.

And today, Paul’s going to remind us, because we know the cross, we have the Spirit.

And since we have the Spirit, we have the Mind of Christ.

And since we have the mind of Christ, we know how to live - and by extension, we know how to vote like a Christian.

Our main point for today is the last part of verse 16:

But we have the mind of Christ.

Open you Bibles to 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.

If you are joining us by live stream, we are thrilled you chose to worship with us online.

We’d encourage you to get your Bible and follow along with us as well.

Our text is 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.

Hear now the word of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:6–16 ESV

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God 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 understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 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. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

If you read this passage quickly without really paying attention, it’s easy to miss the points Paul’s making.

In fact, it’s real easy to twist this text into something that it’s not.

Phrases like, “among the mature,” and “secret and hidden wisdom,” have opened the doors for people to say and do wacky things.

People say the Bible is just too hard for me to understand - it has “secret and hidden wisdom.”

That’s not what this means.

There are people who claim to be “the mature” and they have plumbed the depths of the “secret and hidden wisdom” of God.

Often it requires you to purchase a book or send a donation.

Sometimes it requires drinking kool-aid and living in a compound.

That’s not what this means either.

Paul says three things with these verses.

As Christians, we know what we are talking about.

As Christians, this is how we know.

As Christians, this is why we do what we do.

We know what we are talking about.

Verse 6, “Yet among the mature, we DO impart wisdom.”

You remember we said, and Paul said himself, that he’s not the most eloquent speaker in the world.

“I didn’t come with … lofty speech or wisdom.”

Those are his own words.

But just because I sound like a country hick doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m talking about.

“Among the mature, [I] DO impart wisdom.

Is this a snide put down?

“If you were mature, you’d know what I’m saying. Obviously I’m not the bumpkin, you are.”

Is that what he’s doing?

No, it’s not and here’s why.

The word “mature” here simply means saved.

And Paul is saying, to the saved, what we say is wisdom.

Now, is he saying that they aren’t saved?

No - what he’s telling them - and what he’s telling them and us - is we aren’t listening.

We’re distracted.

We’re listening to Pelosi and Schumer, McConnell and Biden and Trump.

And Bolsanaro and Lula, North Korea, South Korea, Russian, the Ukraine.

Syria, Iran, Israel, Netanyahu, The Fed, inflation, crime statistics.

Abortion, LGBTQ, Transgender, Drag Queen Story Hour and on and on.

If we were playing Jeopardy and verse 6 was the answer, our question would be: “Why are you listening to them?”

The wisdom they speak is of this age, why are you listening?

They rule with the wisdom of this age, why would that affect how you live, Christian?

Listen, listen, “[they] are doomed to pass away.”

And Paul is saying, mature people, saved people who are paying attention, they know this.

You know, that what they teach will lead you to destruction.

You know this.

1 Corinthians 2:7 “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.”

What is the secret and hidden wisdom of God?

It’s the fact that “before the ages,” God the Father purposed in His heart that He would send Jesus to be our Savior.

He did that “before the ages,” before time, before creation.

Why?

Why did He send Jesus?

Was it because “He didn’t want heaven without us?”

That couldn’t be it.

God is complete - He’s whole.

There is nothing for Him to want.

He is completely self-sustaining.

He is completely self-satisfied.

So why?

Why did He send Jesus?

He sent Jesus “…for our glory.”

We are created in the image of God to reflect the glory of God and when we are saved, what do we do?

We reflect His glory.

And we bask in that glory.

That’s pretty high-minded, let’s bring it down to earth.

What are some of the ways we experience the glory of God?

John 11:25–26 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

One of my best friends in college - His wife died Wednesday.

He’s hanging on to this with all his worth.

His love of 45 years - not here - but not gone.

You will never die.

This is important.

It will changes the way you make decisions.

Do you believe this?

Matthew 6:25–34 ESV

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Those who are mature - those who are saved and not distracted.

They believe this.

WE believe this.

That if we seek Him first, we get everything else.

This is important.

It will change how you make your decisions.

You remember this, right?

Paul is saying to the Corinthians and to the Christians of Jones County and Middle Georgia - you remember this, right?

You know what the world is selling you is wrong don’t you?

They don’t know Jesus.

They don’t understand.

They crucify Christ every day with their wisdom.

But you do know Jesus.

Now, here’s the $64,000 question: how can you you so sure you know?

This is how we know

Let’s walk through verses 9 - 13

1 Corinthians 2:9 “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—”

Paul’s quoting some of the Old Testament here asking a question, how knows the mind of God.

And the natural answer is no one and that’s partly right - but not completely.

1 Corinthians 2:10 “these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit...”

People who live by the wisdom of this age cannot see or hear or imagine what God has prepared for us.

They can guess - they can tell us their opinions.

They’ll even take the Bible and contort it to say all kinds of things that God wants.

But unless the Spirit reveals it to us - it’s garbage.

“For the Spirit searches everything,” everything means everything, right?

“…even the depths of God.”

His argument is, the Holy Spirit, being God is unbounded in power, knowledge or place.

So the Holy Spirit searches even the depths of God - every nook - every cranny.

in verse 11 Paul might as well have asked, “Who knows what you are thinking?”

Your answer has to be, “only me. I know what I’m thinking.”

So Paul says, if that’s the case, doesn’t it stand to reason that no one knows what God is thinking except God.

And since the Holy Spirit is God, He knows His own mind.

And now that we’ve recieved the Spirit of God.

How do we know we have the Spirit of God?

We are mature - we are saved - Jesus promised the Spirit to everyone who believes in Him - that’s us.

So since we have the Spirit of God “we might understand the things freely given to us by God.

In verse 13 Paul says, “it’s the Holy Spirit speaking in your spirit “spiritual truths.”

We mentioned the other week situations where we say, “God spoke to us.”

We didn’t hear an audible voice, but we knew.

Here’s your answer how.

God’s Spirit speaking to our Spirit.

People who are not Christian think that’s crazy.

In fact, they are afraid of it.

Listen to the political rhetoric.

“Evangelicals want to create a theocracy.”

We want to take away women’s rights.

We want to oppress anyone not like us.

We are hateful, bigoted, homophobic, transphobic, narrow minded buffoons.

Who are anti-science, and anti-education.

Ignorant.

Why the hate?

1 Corinthians 2:14 “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.”

They can’t understand - they don’t have the Spirit of God.

Now lets take these last two verses apart: 1 Corinthians 2:15-16

1 Corinthians 2:15–16 ESV

The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

This is important so listen up.

The Spiritual person judges all things.

Don’t let the word judge throw you here - it means examine.

And here’s what this means.

This means, the person who is saved by Christ will examine all things in the light of Jesus’ gospel.

Let’s talk about voting - I will not vote for someone who is pro-abortion - not going to happen.

Why?

Because the Lord is the God of life.

He’s shown me Psalm 139:13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”

An unborn baby is a work of God.

The Lord has shown me Exodus 20:13 ““You shall not murder.”

We are not to kill innocent life.

Psalm 127:4-5 “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

Children are a blessing from God.

John 6:33 “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.””

Jesus is the bread of God and He came to give life - not take life.

I take what the world says, and I judge it, I examine based on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Do you do that?

Do we do that on a day by day, moment by moment basis?

We aren’t saying, “What would Jesus do?”

We are saying, what does the Lord say about this?

What is His wisdom?

Now, when you do this, folks are going to howl.

But that doesn’t matter.

The Spiritual person is examined by no one.

The world can’t tell you you are wrong.

Why does that even matter?

“The profane person cannot understand holiness; but the holy person can well understand the depths of evil.” (Gordon Fee)

You can see their evil.

You know how what they teach and practice is an affront to the God and God’s order.

You know it.

You see it.

They cannot.

They don’t have the ability to dispute the truth of Jesus.

They can only work to crush it.

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

Or put another way, “Who is the person who wants to match wits with God?”

Who on this earth is smart enough?

Remember Job?

Remember him shaking his fist at God and telling him how wrong he was.

And demanding He come and explain Himself to Job because what God did didn’t make sense to him.

And what was God’s response?

Job 38:2 ““Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?”

“Where were you…when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Where were you when I made the sea and the clouds?

Have you seen with your eyes where dead people go?

Tell me how much it’s going to snow this year.

How much its going to rain a week from Thursday.

Can you stop the stars in the sky or feed the wild animals?

For four chapters the Lord questions Job until finally Job says, Job 42:1-6

Job 42:1–6 ESV

Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

How did Job gain that wisdom?

“I had heard of you,” I knew you by my reason.

“…but now my eye sees you,” you’ve shown me who you are.

That’s precisely Paul’s point.

“But we have the mind of Christ.”

What does that even mean?

It means the Spirit searches everything, even the mind of God.

That Spirit speaks to the spirit of everyone who is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.

John 16:13 ESV

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

The Spirit of truth has come.

That Spirit speaks to your Spirit and teaches you how Jesus thinks about things.

And because of that, you know what to do.

We know how to live.

We know how to vote.

You know how to do whatever you need to do.

We have the mind of Christ.

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