Chambersburg Bible Church

Text: 1 Corinthians 2:1-161 Corinthians 2:1-16
2 ¹ And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ³ And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: enticing: or, persuasible ⁵ That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. stand: Gr. be 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: ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: ⁸ Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 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. ¹⁰ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. ¹³ Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. judgeth: or, discerneth judged: or, discerned ¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. may: Gr. shall  

Topic: Examining the wisdom of God

We live in an information driven world. Never before in the history of the world has access to information been readily available. The creation and expansion of the Internet has dramatically increased the availability of information to almost anyone. If you can type it, or in some cases, even speak it, you can find it. People in this day and age have immediate, continuous access to information via the Internet in their very pocket! There is hardly a day that goes by that I do not tap into the Internet for some kind of information. The Internet is a gateway into the  understanding man’s wisdom, yet as good and as helpful as man’s wisdom can be, it falls short in that it can not explain the wisdom of God.

Listen Online!

Download mp3

1 Corinthians 1 draws a contrast between man’s wisdom and God’s wisdom. Paul states that what God considers wisdom, man calls foolishness. A contrast between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God is seen throughout the chapter with words such as Foolish/foolishness (6 times) and Wisdom/wise (8 times). The wisdom of God is mentioned 4 times in chapters 1 and 2 (1 Corinthians 1:21, 11 Corinthians 1:21, 1
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians ^{1 1} Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,  
Corinthians 1:24, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 11 Corinthians 1:30, 1
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians ^{1 1} Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,  
Corinthians 2:7)

• Identifying the wisdom of God  (1 Corinthians 1:1-51 Corinthians 1:1-5
  The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians ^{1 1} Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ² Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: ³ Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; ⁵ That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;  
  )
  • Wisdom of God Defined
    • “The wisdom of God” seems to make reference to a particular aspect of God’s omniscience
    • Word study
      • Romans 11:33Romans 11:33
        33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  
        – The wisdom of God is immense and unsearchable
      • 1 Corinthians 1:211 Corinthians 1:21
        21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  
        – The wisdom of God is His plan for saving those who believe
      • 1 Corinthians 1:24, 301 Corinthians 1:24, 30
        24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. ³⁰ But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:  
        – The wisdom of God is a Person, Jesus Christ
        • The wisdom of God includes the person and work of Jesus Christ
        • It is the power of God unto salvation for all who will believe
  • Wisdom of God Delivered/Demonstrated
    • The wisdom of God is not demonstrated through man’s abilities
    • The wisdom of God is demonstrated by the power of the Spirit.
      • The Spirit demonstrates (proves) that the gospel if truth
      • The Holy Spirit is responsible for changing lives
      • The wisdom of God is “Determined” – a deliberate act of His will (verse 2)
  • Application: Understand the how Paul felt! 2 Corinthians 3:52 Corinthians 3:5
    5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;  
    

• Understanding the wisdom of God (1 Corinthias 1:6-13)
  • It was a mystery of God (Verse 7)
    • Hidden
    • Veiled
  • It is revealed by God (Verse 10)
    • Unveil
    • Make known
  • It is received by Christians (Verse 12)
  • Application: Have you come to understand the wisdom of God through Salvation? (Jude 1:24, 25Jude 1:24, 25
    24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.  
    )