Sermon 14 - 1 Corinthians 2:6-9

Introduction

I concluded last week’s sermon with 1 Corinthians 2:5 “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” Paul rejected “excellency of speech” that is speaking with an air of superiority and “wisdom of men” that is incorporating enticing words to produce superficial followers in his preaching. His goal was for people’s faith to be standing within the sphere of the “power of God” and not the “wisdom of men.” The Apostle understood clearly the danger that exists in evangelizing. A person’s desire to reach someone may inadvertently cause them to use “enticing words” instead of depending in (within the sphere of) “demonstration of the Spirit and power.” In our burden to reach the lost with the Gospel we sidestep God’s power for the “wisdom of men.” We take this route because we have become pragmatist. There is a lot of success in changing the Gospel narrative to get people in the fold. The problem is we are getting people in the fold the wrong way. There is just one way into the fold. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This means that our reliance cannot be “in the wisdom of men” but “in the power of God.”

Relying completely “in the power of God” is difficult for our time and was difficult for Paul’s day. Even though 2000 years separate the two cultures, the thinking has not changed. Paul’s culture implemented the techniques of their day to draw larger crowds and our culture does the same today. The result may be larger crowds but less genuine conversion.

The sad reality today is that many people who use “enticing words” in evangelism appear to have more fervor than those relying “in the power of God.” Perhaps a reason for this is linked to our “fear and...trembling.” The anxiety associated with how people usually respond to the Gospel reduces our fervor and passion to tell them about “Jesus Christ, and His resurrection.” We know the impossibility of a man in his natural sinful state to want or choose the Gospel as Biblically presented (Matthew 19:26).

It is easy to read primarily in the Book of Acts how Paul started 9-13 churches across multiple continents, and wrote 13-14 epistles and say: “he had success where ever he went.” However, Paul faced stiff resistance in Gospel preaching. He testified in 2 Corinthians 11:23–28 of his trials in establishing churches: “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”

Regardless of Paul’s difficulty in getting the gospel to unreached people, he kept moving forward. Why? Paul did not lose sight of the power of God. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” A few verses later, he wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:23–24 “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” Even in seasons of “fear…and trembling” Paul continued speaking, declaring and preaching the cross! His confidence was not in men but God’s power to do the impossible.

A Christian who believes firmly in the power of God will not shy from preaching an unadulterated Gospel. Their confidence is not in themselves but the power of God, just like the Apostle Paul. However, having our eyes fixed in the wrong location, derails our passion for evangelism and takes our focus from the power of God to the sinfulness of man. This appears to be where the Corinthians were. Their eyes were not fixed on the power of God but the sinfulness of man. Instead of allowing the power of God to narrate their planting and watering of the Gospel, they permitted secular ideas and concepts to dictate the terms of their evangelism. The result was people were “stand(ing) in the wisdom of men” and not “in the power of God.” Therefore, Paul ties together the power and purpose of God to His wisdom in 1 Corinthians 2:6-10.

The power of God in wisdom

God’s wisdom is “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” God is the most brilliant being in the universe. There is not a being smarter or wiser than God. Consider the wisdom of God in creation. Scientist will have us believe that the universe was created through an explosion. An explosion could not have created our universe, which is a master piece in majesty, beauty and wonder. God created the vastness of our universe in six days, and 6000 years later, we know little about our universe. We do not even know how wide the universe is. A light year travels about 6 trillion miles per year. However, the universe expands at a speed greater than a light year; therefore, we can never know how wide the universe is because it expands faster than we can see. God knows. He knows because He is directly involved in the expansion. Isaiah 40:22 “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, And the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; That stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, And spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.” No one knows how many stars are in the universe. It is estimated that there are 100 billion stars in our galaxy, alone. Yet, no one knows for certain how many galaxies are in the universe. The estimates range from 100 - 200 billion galaxies. The point is there are trillions of stars, many of which have not been discovered. Yet, not only does God know how many stars there are, He knows each one by name: Psalm 147:4 “He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.”

Scientists are in awe at the vastness, complexities, order and disorder in the universe. Astronomers spend most of their lives studying, without scratching the surface of knowledge that can be learned in the universe. Yet, this vastness of knowledge was created in 6 days by the wise God. Even though God needed to be infinitely wise the create the universe, the creation of the universe pales in comparison to “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”

The wisest act of God is not creation; although, it takes out of this world wisdom to form man from dust (Genesis 2:7). The wisest of all the wise acts of God was the plan of redemption. Humanly speaking, God forming man out of dust was child’s play compared to God rescuing sinners. How can serial law breakers be justified before God without tarnishing the holiness and justice of God? The holiness of God says He cannot tolerate sin (Habakkuk 1:13 “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on iniquity: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, And holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?”). The problem is we are sinful (Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”); therefore, God cannot even behold or look upon us. The justice of God cannot declare a guilty person innocent. Abraham testified in Genesis 18:25 “That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Paul writes in Romans 2:8 “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness (outside of grace this is everyone), indignation and wrath.” A just God is compelled by His character to pour out His wrath against those who do not obey the truth.

God cannot simply forgive sin by the wave of His hand. Even though God sovereign freedom to do as He pleases, He “is subject to his own Word and therefore subject to the charge of inconsistency had he simply waved away human sin without some sort of price being paid.” Imagine “a person – or perhaps an angelic creature of some kind – might find cause to question the justice of God for “just forgiving” a sinner like David. David was a terrible sinner! What business does a man like that have in the Kingdom of Heaven? How can a just God “just wave away” sin? Would even a bad judge on the earth grant pardon to a convicted murderer and rapist? Would not the citizens of that Kingdom rise up and depose that wicked judge? How then can God be considered holy?

Therefore, God’s holiness and justice stands in the way of just waving sin off as if we have never sinned. God would not be God, if this is how He forgave sin. The dilemma is how can God forgive sin without violating His holiness and justice. Another way of saying this is how can God be just, holy and grace at the same time without dismissing any of these three attributes. Mankind does not have an answer for this. Their solution is to do enough good works in hopes of meriting favor with God. The Bible powerfully and clearly declares in Romans 3:10 “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Job was right when he said in Job 14:4 “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” How can a person do good works to merit favor with God coming from a lifestyle of unrighteousness? A person cannot. Jeremiah 13:23 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.”

God answered this eternal problem before the creation of the universe. His answer is “Jesus Christ, and His resurrection.” God’s holiness, justice and grace are completely satisfied through “Jesus Christ, and His resurrection.” The wisdom of man could have never come up with this plan because of our pride. Our pride would prevent us from conceiving a plan that does not include us as essential figures in our own salvation. Josh Squires wrote: “Pride is a prison that perpetuates anger, hurt, and foolishness while keeping at bay the restorative effects of conviction, humility, and reconciliation.” Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall.” “Not only would pride be your jailer, but it would also be your executioner.”

The origin of God’s wisdom (“Jesus Christ, and His resurrection”). 1 Corinthians 2:6 “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought.” The wisdom that is the power of God is not from this world. The word for “world” means “age.” Nor did plan of salvation come from the rulers of this age. In other words, Rome and the Caesar cannot be the solution to man’s problem. In the 21st century, the state or our leaders can never be the answer to solve man’s sinfulness.

The wisdom of man (Rome or America) could have never come up with God’s plan of redemption because of our pride. Our pride would prevent us from conceiving a plan that does not include us as essential figures in our own salvation. Josh Squires wrote: “Pride is a prison that perpetuates anger, hurt, and foolishness while keeping at bay the restorative effects of conviction, humility, and reconciliation.” Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall.” “Not only would pride be your jailer, but it would also be your executioner.”

We know that the origin of God’s wisdom in saving man did not come from this age or from the greatest minds. When and how did the testimony of God become a reality? First, the testimony of God, which is “Jesus Christ, and His resurrection” that displays His wisdom became the plan before creation. God’s wisdom in saving people was hatched in an age that had no time. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:7 “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.” God ordained the testimony of Christ before Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Prior to God uttering the first recorded words in temporal history (Genesis 1:3) “…Let there be light,” He had a decisive and victorious plan for His creation. Satan or sin did not throw a monkey wrench into God’s plan. There are some Dispensationalists that argue the Jews could have accepted Jesus as their King, thereby, Jesus avoiding the cross. His reign on earth could have begun during His first coming, and not His second coming. The only reason His crucifixion occurred was their rejection of Jesus. If this is true, then mankind detoured God’s plan.

However, the opposite is true. “Jesus Christ, and His resurrection” (the testimony and wisdom of God) was “ordained before the world.” We can not cause God to go in a different route. Jesus Christ came with one purpose: to be crucified, buried, and risen. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Salvation goes through the cross.

Peter said in Acts 2:23–24 “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” The reason wicked hand crucified Jesus was “by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.” The wisdom of God in saving sinners was determined before creation.

Second, how did the testimony of God become a reality. 1 Corinthians 2:5 “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” The wisdom of God operates within the sphere of His power. We attach labels to God that defines who He is. A label that we attach to God’s power is omnipotence. Omnipotence means all-powerful. Though it is easy to define omnipotence, sometimes it is easier for us to grasp an idea by application. What does it mean that God is all-powerful?

Psalm 115:3 “But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”

Isaiah 55:10–11 “For as the rain cometh down, And the snow from heaven, And returneth not thither, But watereth the earth, And maketh it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, But it shall accomplish that which I please, And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:”

Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”

The Hidden of God. 1 Corinthians 2:6–7 “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:” What was a mystery or hidden (“Jesus Christ, and His resurrection”) is no longer a mystery or hidden. An important word appears in both verses 6 and 7. The word is “speak.” God wants us to communicate “Jesus Christ, and His resurrection.” The medium of communication is our mouths. The voice that God has given us should be used to tell others about this “hidden wisdom.”

Ray Stedman wrote regarding how and where to find the hidden wisdom of God. “You cannot learn the hidden wisdom of God in school, for the schools have banned God from the campus. You will not learn it by watching TV news or reading the newspapers; media content is controlled and filtered by people who are perishing. You will not learn it by studying the history of the past, which is nothing more than yesterday’s news. You will not gain God’s wisdom by sitting in a lotus position and contemplating the lint in your navel. The hidden wisdom of God is revealed only by His Spirit and by understanding His word.”

We discover the beneficiaries of God’s wisdom through the pronoun “our.” The “our” are the “perfect” in v.6. The “perfect” in v.6 are those whose faith is in the power and wisdom of God. John MacArthur wrote: “Before time began, our heavenly Father determined to give us His saving wisdom that would lead ultimately to our eternal glorification.” Thomas Schreiner speaks of this glory as splendor and beauty. Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, 30 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us….Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

An influential German AnaBaptist during the4 early part of the 16th century wrote: “I also believe and confess eternal life that you, my God and Lord, shall give to Your believers and the elect ones after this miserable life, endowing them with certain, bright, and joyous contemplation of Your divine countenance, and satisfy all their desires with eternal rest, eternal peace, and eternal blessedness, which joy, rapture and delight no man can express or conceive here on earth.”

The Purpose of God’s wisdom

Paul’s writes of God’s purpose for revealing His wisdom in 1 Corinthians 2:8–9 “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

People will hate God - God allowed Satan to blind the eyes of the Jews and Romans so that Jesus would be rejected and crucified. If Jesus was not rejected, then He would not have been crucified, and if He was not crucified then we would still be in our sins.

The idea behind the word “knew” and “known” is knowledge gained by experience or intimacy. If they had experience Jesus in a relationally intimate way, then they would have never crucified Him. Instead, they would have loved Him. The reason the Jews and Romans did not love Jesus was not because God prevented them; rather, (John 3:19–20) “…light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

People will love God - The opposite is true with 1 Corinthians 2:8 “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” If people experience Jesus Christ in a relationally intimate manner then they would exalt and praise Him. Paul writes at the end of v.9 that the blessings of eternity is “for them that love Him.” God reveals His wisdom so that people can love Him! A Greek dictionary defines this word “love” as: “to have a great affection or care for or loyalty towards.” The wisdom of God does not just change our allegiance from darkness to light and from Satan to God, but changes our affections from hating the Light to loving the Light and from desiring the works of Satan to desiring God.

Recently, I read an article entitled, Do you have to love Jesus to be saved.” The author writes about his journey to faith. Early in his life, he heard preachers say that salvation is a free gift and to receive this gift you have to love Jesus. He would ask, “what does it mean to love Jesus?” There answers were: read your Bible, pray and go to church. Their answers did not make sense to him because it sounded like works not grace; therefore, he rejected the notion that you have to love Jesus to be saved. Later in life, he asked a theologian: “Can someone believe in Jesus and not love Him?” “‘Sure,’” he said as he gathered his notes from the talk. “‘There's a difference between believing in Jesus and being a disciple.’” The argument is you can believe Jesus Christ for eternal life and reject him as your Master or Lord.

First, there is no difference between believing in Jesus unto salvation and being His disciple. Salvation is not just believing in a message but believing in a Person. John wrote: John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” A person is not receiving Jesus if they are rejecting important aspects of His being or rejecting significant portions of His teaching. Stephen Um wrote: “One can understand Aristotelian ethics without knowing Aristotle. But Paul pushes it a step further and says that no one can really understand God until He begins to know God. In this way, knowing God is radically different than knowing about God.”

Second, salvation is not a mental accent but a heart driven passion. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Either, we treasure Jesus or we do not treasure Jesus. God’s wisdom is for people to treasure Jesus!

To prepare something amazing. 1 Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” The difference between a person who is condemned and a person who has wonderful things prepared for them is loving God! Loving God is possible because God first loved us (1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us”). What God has prepared for lovers of Jesus is beyond words and imagination. There is not anything in the universe that can compare to what He has prepared for us! Yet, God has given us glimpses of these things through the Holy Spirit revealing them through is word: 1 Corinthians 2:10 “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”

Conclusion