Spiritual Understanding
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Gifted Sight!
1 Corinthians 2:14-16
Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567
For some the Bible is the linguistic medium in which God chooses to communicate His
personal love letter to humanity. The words are full of Spirit, life (John 6:63) and flawless truth
(Psalms 12:6; John 17:17). They are sharper than any two edged sword, for its precepts judge
the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12) not with the intent of destroying one in
hell (2 Peter 3:9) but to offer salvation to all whom believe (John 3:16) and partake in the living
waters and bread of life (John 7:38, 6:25-59)! Even though His word constantly convicts them
of their sins (2 Timothy 3:15-17) they still meditate (Psalms 119:47-48) and see it as a light
(Psalms 119:105) that through confession (1 John 1:9) and obedience (James 1:21-23) equips
them to rightly serve and please their Creator. To others the Bible is nothing more than
whimsical nonsense written by a bunch of sinful authors about a realm that cannot be seen and
therefore in their minds does not exist! For them the words do not leap off the page as if they
had any meaning but represent a bunch of sayings that merely restrict human freedom. They
see the Bible as nothing more than a mere fantasy of simpletons and bigots. How can two
different groups of people read the same love letter and yet one sees it as the source of their
lives and the other as yesterday’s trash? This sermon is going to answer that question by
exploring in 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 Apostle Paul’s statement that only those with the Spirit can
rightly discern and understand the word of God!
Natural Person’s Limitations (verse 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
Apostle Paul begins this section by stating that those whom do not have the Spirit of
God cannot help but see His words as mere “dreams of simpletons.” 1 It is not a lack of
intellect, 2 riches or even good deeds3 that keeps this “natural person” 4 from understanding or
1
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 474.
2
C. K. Barrett, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Black’s New Testament Commentary (London: Continuum,
1968), 77.
3
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 474.
4
Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
(Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 135–136.
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positively responding to God’s love
letter5 but their carnal nature and
reprobate minds. Their “soulish human
nature” 6 inherited from Adam7 has been
corrupted and entangled by sin
(Hebrews 12;1)8 and as a result is
incapable of comprehending the
significance of the light of God’s glory
(John 1:5)9 that shines all around us.
Such a person is “volitionally prejudiced”
against the truth concerning God
because their “unregenerate
appetites”10 to gratify the sinful desires
of their hearts has made them spiritually blind (James 1:14-15). While they can know of God
and therefore are accountable to respond rightly (Romans 1:20),11 until they possess a “higher
nature” than they received from Adam12 they will not be able to receive the wisdom of God’s
love letter “regardless of their intellectual abilities or human accomplishments (1:20).”13
It is not a lack of intellect that keeps the natural person from knowing God but the
attitude of his/her heart! Not only is said person unequipped to discern the activities and word
of God14 but in his/her “natural condition he/she cannot prefer Christ over their self-glorifying
attitude!”15 Even when they read about how “death can be destroyed, the grave swallowed up
5
Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
(Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 135.
6
W. Harold Mare, “1 Corinthians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 202.
7
Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
(Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 136.
8
Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2247.
9
Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2247.
10
David Brown, A. R. Fausset, and Robert Jamieson, A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the
Old and New Testaments: Acts–Revelation, vol. VI (London; Glasgow: William Collins, Sons, & Company, Limited,
n.d.), 289.
11
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
12
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 473.
13
David K. Lowery, “1 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F.
Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 510.
14
Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 7, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries
(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 63.
15
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
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and life and immortality brought to
life”16 by being forgiven,17 transformed
and adopted into God’s family; this
unmerited grace remains foolishness to
them and not worth understanding!18 It
is not that their ability to discern the
basic truths concerning God is lost19 but
that the “evil inclinations and wicked
principles” by which they live their
lives20 makes them unwilling to “enter
into the mind of God, in the spiritual
matters of His kingdom, and yield to
their force and power.”21 Morally such a
person refuses to assign the right value
22
to God’s love letter because that would mean giving up self-reliance, self-exaltation23 and the
autonomy of choosing24 to live their lives to gratify their own sinful pleasures. How foolish they
are to cherish low, earthly sinful values25 over the life saving power of the Gospel!
Not only does the natural person lack the nature to value God’s love letter but
according to Spurgeon they also lack the “organs” to do so.26 Imagine taking a blind person to
the Sistine Chapel and then wondering why he/she did not appreciate the amazing artwork or
imagine taking a deaf person to a theater performing Handel’s Messiah and wondering why
he/she did not enjoy the symphony? Why would such persons be willing to spend their time or
money to see what for them is unseeable or hear what for them is unhearable? 27 One of the
main reasons why the natural man perceives God’s love letter as mere foolishness is that
16
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 477.
17
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 477.
18
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 477.
19
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
20
C. K. Barrett, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Black’s New Testament Commentary (London: Continuum,
1968), 77.
21
Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2247.
22
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
23
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
24
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
25
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
26
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 477.
27
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 478.
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he/she cannot see or hear the value
and transforming power of His words!28
“The eye of the Christian is his faith;
but the natural man, being destitute of
a living faith in the living Saviour, is like
a man without eyes. He says it is
foolish; it is nothing to him.”29 For the
natural person to truly understand the
love letter takes an incredible leap of
faith that once his/her will is
surrendered to God, He will heal
his/her spiritual blindness and deafness
by transforming them into a redeemed
child and heir of His kingdom! 30
Spiritual Person’s Understanding (verses 15-16)
The moment a person becomes born again and the Spirit of God enters them they
become able to rightly discern the things
of God.31 No longer does such a person
evaluate God’s love letter based merely
on human standards which are only
interested in self-glorification32 but is
guided by the Spirit in the truth
concerning the spiritual things of God’s
kingdom.33 The Spirit whom knows
God’s thoughts is the infallible arbiter of
the wisdom of the cross34 and its radical
28
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 478.
29
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 478.
30
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 479.
31
Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 7, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries
(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 64.
32
Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Zondervan Study Bible: Built on the Truth of Scripture and
Centered on the Gospel Message, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015), 2331.
33
W. Harold Mare, “1 Corinthians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 203.
34
Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
(Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 136.
4|Page
indictment35 “of our desperate helplessness and on the other hand the all-sufficiency and
beauty of Christ crucified.”36 This does not mean that born again believers are infallible
interpreters of God’s love letter37 or that studying God’s word is no longer necessary,38 for
believers still sin and see dimly what will be made clear later (1 Corinthians 13:12). Unlike the
natural person the spiritual one is able to accept, obey and perceive the commands of God39
not as mere foolishness but words of love from their Creator, a source of infinite joy40 that
when following will lead to right living and pleasure in Him!41
In relation to the things of God “the power of spiritual discernment means freedom
from human scrutiny.” 42 John 3:20 states that the natural person who does evil will not
approach the light because of fear that
their evil deeds will be exposed. Such a
person not only hates the light but also
tends to hate those whom have received
the Spirit of God (John 15:8). We whom
are born again are not to be concerned
with “mere human judgments that
ridicule Jesus’ death”43 but are to focus
on giving every effort possible to use the
spiritual gifts God we have received to
please Him (Hebrews 13:21). Through
the power of the Holy Spirit we can judge
rightly about all things44 and therefore
our thoughts, words and deeds can fulfill His command to be Holy (1 Peter 1:16). To be able to
not only comprehend God’s love letter but to be obedient to God’s revelation (Philippians 2:5–
8)45 is truly a treasure and pearl of infinite value!
35
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
37
C. K. Barrett, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Black’s New Testament Commentary (London: Continuum,
1968), 77.
38
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
39
David K. Lowery, “1 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F.
Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 510.
40
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
41
Marion L. Soards, 1 Corinthians, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 62.
42
Marion L. Soards, 1 Corinthians, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 62.
43
Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Zondervan Study Bible: Built on the Truth of Scripture and
Centered on the Gospel Message, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015), 2331.
44
Marion L. Soards, 1 Corinthians, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 62.
45
David K. Lowery, “1 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F.
Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 510.
36
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At the end of this passage Apostle Paul rejoices born again believers have received the
mind of Christ.46 “The mind of Christ, is God’s profound wisdom regarding salvation through a
crucified Messiah which was hidden but
is now revealed by the Holy Spirit.”47
We as believers are not to view
ourselves as elitists that have obtained
special, revealed knowledge through
our own merit or superior intellect48 but
as redeemed masterpieces of God’s
grace that were once blind and now
see! Praise be to God that those who
have passed from death to life are now
able to, albeit within limits, “view and
assess things the way Christ does!”49
This means that our mindset50 is no
longer focused on gratifying our sinful
pleasures with the things of this world but on seeking first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)
that is both a present and future reality (Luke 1:20-37)!
How to Become Born Again
If the cross is foolishness to you and there is an eternity between you and the
regenerate, born again believer51 then please pay attention to the last portion of this sermon!
The same power that raised Christ52 from the dead can command your bones and very soul to
come to life.53 The words of the cross is not just about Christ’s crucifixion it is about yours!54
To become born of the Spirit you must see being part of God’s kingdom as being infinitely more
valuable than your self-exaltation and gratifying the sinful desires of your heart. Please do not
46
Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and
Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2248.
47 Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New
Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 2010), 138.
48
Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
(Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 138.
49
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
50
Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
(Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 138–139.
51
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 479.
52
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 479.
53
C. H. Spurgeon, “Natural or Spiritual?,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 7 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1861), 480.
54
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
6|Page
be fooled into thinking that entrance into
God’s kingdom can be obtained through
good deeds or by reading the Bible,
praying or attending church. While these
certainly go a long way towards fulfilling
Jesus’ command to follow Him, salvation
cannot be obtained without taking the
first and crucial step called faith! It is by
believing that Christ died to atone for
one’s sins and the surrendering of one’s
will to Christ that one becomes a new
creation and adopted into God’s family
(Romans 10:9). So, if you want to be part
of God’s family and read His love letter with the mind of Christ then pray from the heart this
prayer:
Lord Jesus please forgive me for wanting to live my life my way. While I am a
sinner not deserving to be saved, I plead to Your mercy to save a wretch like
me. I believe in my heart that You Jesus were crucified for my sins and were
raised from the dead so that I might be saved this very day! Jesus take control
and be the Lord of my life. I thank You for Your grace and mercy and for
accepting me as one of Your children. Now that I am saved teach me to follow
you from now and forever, amen!
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