A Wise God and Carnal Christians
Book of 1 Corinthians, Chapters 2 and 3
What is "wisdom"? According to the dictionary, "wisdom" is the right use of knowledge.
Then, this being true, there must be a wrong use of knowledge.
Scriptural wisdom comes from our Creator and is in opposition to carnal blindness: Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Wisdom is the knowledge of things in their proper nature and relations with the power of using them in the most useful manner.
This wisdom can come only from God!
Jesus Christ in His glory shows us the power of God.
Jesus Christ in His humanity shows us the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
The world says the preaching of the Word of God is foolishness, but preaching the truth of God is far wiser than all the wisdom of mankind.
1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
We know that many in this Church at Corinth had forsaken the Lord to chase the world, and though Paul could not return to this church at that time, he had written this Epistle.
*****1Co 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.
1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1Co 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
The Church of Corinth was deeply divided.
They could not decide what kind of preacher they wanted.
They were undecided about which one of God's servants contributed most to the church.
They did not understand what preaching really is.
We must understand what preaching is all about!
1) A prophet of God revealed God to man.
2) The preacher's job is to reveal man to God.
Heb 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Preachers are to follow our Great High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ with the power to lead each sinner to Christ.
Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Because the Lord Jesus had no sin and He died for all our sin, we can be freed from all our sin.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
We can see that each Preacher is to preach Jesus and the work that He did for our salvation.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Sound preaching is not eloquence.
Sound preaching is not about superiority. Not elevation, preeminence, not rising above his congregation.
Sound preaching is not human wisdom or philosophy.
Sound preaching is declaring the testimony of God, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified for us!
Jesus Christ, "all in all". All other subjects, political and philosophical, are insignificant.
Preaching is about saving souls!
The success of the Gospel does not depend upon the skill of the preacher, but on the demonstration of the Holy Spirit.
*****1Co 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:
1Co 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:
1Co 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.
Those who are perfect are those who understand the Doctrines of Christianity.
Those who are perfect are those who are no longer "babes in Christ".
Those who are perfect are those who understand the mysteries of godliness.
The Apostle Peter wrote: 2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Rom 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Rom 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
Had this evil world understood the reason Christ came to this earth, we had better believe they would not have crucified our Savior.
They would have locked Him away.
The truth is, this evil world does not understand the truth of God, the Gospel, today, after all these years.
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not going away!
To those of us who are saved, we understand the truth of God is that only those whose name is written down in the Lamb's Book of Life will get to see and take part in the things God has prepared for His children.
*****1Co 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.
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 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.
Only the Holy Spirit knows all things of God, and He will come to live in every believer in the salvation work of the Lord Jesus Christ and share His wisdom with us.
Just as no one really knows what is on our mind unless we say, it is the same with Jehovah.
This is what the Bible teaches us, what is on the mind of our Creator, our God.
We can know nothing about our God unless He tells us.
We cannot penetrate the Spirit world without God's assistance.
No person has ever seen God, no matter what some people have claimed.
As Christians, we see God in our hearts, but we will one day see Him face to face.
We will be able to see Him because of the work Jesus Christ did to reconcile us to our Heavenly Father.
The mysteries of the Gospel are no longer mysteries to true Christians.
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
We know how to get to Heaven!
We know how to earn rewards while we are still upon this earth.
We know that we have a job to do while we are still in these bodies.
We know we are to assemble with like-minded Christians.
We know we are to be witnesses of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We know the next sound from Heaven will be the Trumpet of Gabriel calling us home.
Every gift of wisdom we receive after we are saved comes by the Holy Spirit!
Rom 11:33 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!
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
The spirit of the world, which we did not receive, can only tell us what men have invented or what the Devil has whispered in their ears.
With the spirit of the world, no one can know anything related to the things of God.
The spirit of the world is in contradiction with the things of God!
*****1Co 2:12 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.
1Co 2:13 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.
There are only two types of people on this Earth!
1) The Spiritual man, whose spirit is the temple and dwelling place of the Spirit of God. We can know the thoughts of God because we are living in union with His eternal mind. All God's gifts are freely given.
1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
1Jn 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
2) There is the natural man who possesses only the intellect and conscience of ordinary humanity and who is under the power of the Devil. The natural man will have to pay his way into the filth of the Devil.
The natural man receives not the things of the Holy Spirit. He cannot receive them, and he cannot know them.
Just as the deaf man cannot enjoy music and the blind man cannot enjoy beauty, the natural man cannot know the truth of our Creation nor the truth of our Creator.
We know that the Holy Spirit has given us all the Word of God, and we also know that the world rejects the truth of God the Holy Spirit!
The spirit of the natural man is dead to God!
If we never have a revelation of the Holy Spirit after we are saved, we know that He has already given us the truth of God.
Only the Word of God can interpret the Word of God.
All we have belongs to God!
*****1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
Paul is saying that these brethren of the Church at Corinth were still acting like men in the flesh rather than Jesus Christ.
They were living as though they were nothing but flesh, they were still living at the human level of life.
They had never gotten beyond the affairs and the material things of this life.
Many Christians still live this way today and remain baby Christians all the days of their salvation.
We know the flesh has no good things about it: Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
When we are in the flesh, we cannot please God: Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
When we are under the Spirit of God, we are removed from being under the influence of the flesh: 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Even a Born-Again child of God can be carnal for a season!
*****1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
We all know that the more we read and study the Bible the more we will grow in the Spirit.
It is those who refuse to read and study the Scriptures who get caught, who so easily bring the world into the Church because they have remained baby Christians.
They are divided by their own beliefs, and they bring that division into the Church.
It is carnal Christians who are the downfall of many churches!
Carnality brings envy and strife. Envy leads to jealousy, and jealousy leads to division!
Carnality begins when the members of the Church walk and act like the men of the world!
Whole denominations are divided today because of baby Christians are bringing the world into the Church.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
There is only one remedy: Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
We give ourselves to the Lord just so we can serve Him.
Not as slaves but as willing servants who honor the truth of God!
*****1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Those who minister the Word of God are never to be lords over God's people!
They are here to give us the LORD's message, but that message will never be different from the Word of God that He has already given to us.
We are never to forget that the LORD is in the soul-winning business, and this is the same occupation as the Church.
Ministers are the instruments of God for this purpose!
Ministers are not to be praised other than for preaching the truth of God, the message of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gospel is always to be the focus of their attention; anything else is second to this.
The building of schools is second.
The building of hospitals is second.
Feeding the world is second.
Soul winning and discipleship are to be the main functions of the Church period!
The servants of God are nothing compared to God.
No preacher or pastor or whatever they are called has any cause for glory, praise, honor, or recognition.
There is no reason for any servant of God to feel pride until all the work is done.
We are to respect our pastor.
We are to love our pastor.
We are to thank God for our pastor.
We can esteem our pastor because he has the most difficult job on this earth.
Our pastor preaches four times a week to the Church.
He leads Bible College one night, which is separate from this.
He often goes to other churches and preaches even more times.
We know that one pastor waters because someone before him has spread the seed.
We can be a part of this, but we must never hinder the work of the ministers of God!
The growth of the Church is in the hands of God.
We are to honor and praise the Lord and not our pastors and preachers!
2Co 3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2Co 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2Co 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
2Co 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
If our Lord Jesus is not sufficient, then the Church will soon perish from this world.
*****1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
All preachers and pastors or whatever they are called in the many denominations, are equal in God's eyes if they preach and teach the truth of God's Word.
Every one of them is personally responsible to God.
Each one will be rewarded for what they have done and not what some other minister has done.
Trying to be like others is not his job.
His job is to be what our Heavenly Father called him to do.
Not one of them has been called to go against the truth of God's Word. (Let that sink in)
We are all called to be the ministers of God's Word!
We are all to be coworkers with God.
As much as we can, we are all to be more like Christ Jesus as we grow in the Word of God.
So, those who plant the Seed of God and those who water the Seed of God are one tool in God's Hand.
Joh 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Joh 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
Joh 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the sole Agent of God's salvation plan.
I know that this statement will upset a lot of religions, but this is the truth of the Word of God.
This is why Christianity differs from religion!
Some would say that God requires us to spread the Gospel, but the truth is that God wants us to give ourselves freely to the work of Jesus Christ.
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
We are God's fellow workers.
We are God's husbandry.
We are God's building.
We are laborers together with our Savior!
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Source of all that concerns His Church, and we are His Church.
We never belong to our Pastor or any pastor or preacher, or evangelist, or the Pope, but we belong to God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.
It is a family affair to spread the Gospel!
Mat 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
The truth then is that many of God's family lack the compassion to be a laborer in God's family.
The Pastor and all believers are to be workers together with our Holy God!
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
The Lord Jesus is the only foundation of the true Church.
*****1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Though Jesus Christ is rejected by the world and religion, He is the only foundation of God's Church.
Mat 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Jesus Christ is the same Stone that will fulfill prophecy.
Dan_2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
All foundations, whether they be of the remnants of all previous world powers, will fall to the humble Shepherd who will be King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ Himself is the only foundation upon which men can build their lives.
*****1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
There are two types of preaching that we hear today.
1) One type of preaching leads to permanent results.
This preaching is for the glory of God and builds upon Jesus Christ.
This preaching is for the well-being of mankind.
This preaching leads to permanent results.
This preaching leads to rewards for that preacher.
2) The other type of preaching is not according to the knowledge of God or Jesus Christ.
This preaching is for the glory of the preacher.
This preaching is not for the well-being of man.
These preaching leads to fuel for the fires of Hell.
This preacher will burn in the hottest part of Hell, closest to the Devil.
1Pe_4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
The inspection of the Church is very near.
The Church began so that it could be finished by the time of the Rapture of the Church.
The Lord Jesus is soon coming to approve or disapprove of those in the Church.
Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Then our Lord and Savior will accept the true Church into His Heavenly family while those who belong to Satan will burn!
Amen
