Scripture

My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Observation

Paul did not come to Corinth with lofty words and human wisdom. He had decided to know only Christ crucified. He wanted the church there to see the power of God and just trust Him rather than human wisdom.

There is a wisdom that comes from God, but it is not accessible to the rulers of the age. God’s wisdom comes as a revelation from the Spirit of God who searches everything even the deep things of the Lord.

We have received the Spirit of God rather than the spirit of the world. And the words to describe these hidden things of God must be words from the Spirit not the words of human wisdom.

The unspiritual reject spiritual gifts because they do not understand them. But we have the mind of Christ.

Application

This is one of those difficult passages that one needs to wrestle with to really understand.

Paul is trying to draw a distinction between human wisdom and the wisdom that comes from the Spirit of God. They are totally opposed to each other.

As christians we need to be led by the Holy Spirit, relying on the gifts of the Spirit and not just human wisdom. When we were saved we received the Holy Spirit not the spirit of this world, so why rely on worldly thinking when we have the mind of Christ.

The christian life is about depending on the Holy Spirit for all things, learning to discern the voice of God, learning to minister in the power of God and with the grace of God.

Prayer

Holy Spirit come and overwhelm me. Grant me your wisdom and the grace to daily depend on you alone. Amen.

Scripture

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Observation

Paul appeals to the church at Corinth to agree with one another, being one in mind, for the sake of Jesus. Instead of being dived into factions loyal to different teachers, they must be united in their faith.

Paul’s role is not to baptise people but to preach the gospel, the message of foolishness to those who are perishing, but the power of God to those being saved.

Application

When christians major on doctrinal differences or give certain preachers celebrity status, division is certain to follow. We all want to be in the right.

We need to put Christ at the centre of our thinking, not pet doctrines or favourite speakers.

It is Christ who saves us not Joyce Meyer or Joel Osteen. It is His sacrifice on the cross that cancels my sin not the atonement theory or my belief about the rapture.

We must seek to honour one another as members of the family for whom Christ died, even if we have different ideas about aspects of what that means.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the power of the cross through which I am saved. Help me Father to love other members of your kingdom, especially when we disagree. Amen.