1st Corinthians 2 study

1 Corinthians 2  (KJV)

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:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

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.

16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

Faslely, many Christians have bought into the lie that one must attend a Bible college or seminary in order to be a Pastor. This is inbred into us when we attend the stated meetings of whatever denomination we belong to. Why are we told that one must attend a Bible college or seminary? Because they say that the only way we can truly understand the Bible is to learn more about history and philosophy and all the technical theological terms. Greek philosophy is often intermixed in these mortuaries of supposed Bible learning. Let's see,  in the early Church there was no such thing as Bible colleges or seminary or theologians.  The apostles were fisherman, a tax collector, a physician. Paul the apostle counted his religious education as nothing. 

The training and the equipping of the saints is supposed to be done at the local church not a Christian University or a seminary. Many theologians talk about the Bible and the various doctrines ad nauseam but do they live it out in, the streets, in the market place, in the other various public squares. They understand Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew but do they have the Holy Spirit in them that allowed the apostles to rejoice after they were scourged for their testimony of Jesus Christ. They counted themselves worthy to suffer for his name. Give me a humble villager who only knows one language and speaks in simplicity yet is sold out uncompromisingly for Christ, willing to forsake all for the pearl of great price than a haughty theologian who knows 5 languages and uses impressive words, yet goes home to his 5 bedroom house and has 2 luxury cars and doesn't know the first thing about what's it like to be hated and persecuted for the Lord.

What is the fruit of Bible colleges/seminary and theologians? 

Frozen Doctrine: Unwilling to let go of unbiblical doctrines even in the face of plain sense scripture because you trust in your degree and have put your denominations theologian on a pedastol instead remembering the scripture that says that it is the Holy Spirit that guides us into all truth. 

Pride: A certain haughtiness and arrogance towards those who didn't go to Bible college thinking you can't learn from them thereby commiting the sins of the pharisees. Knowledge puffeth up charity buildeth up.

Man worship: An unbalanced view of the theologian/s that you learned under. Almost having the view that they are God's gift to Christianity. Are you more impressed with those who speak the word of God with man's wisdom and philosophies and knowing all the biblical languages or the man/woman who knows the word but is still learning yet is out soul winning for Christ and being persecuted and hated yet is being faithful?

Verse 1- Paul declares that when he came with the testimony of Jehovah (notice, not his testimony) it was done with the Holy Spirit and not in man's understanding of what constitutes wisdom or excellent speech. If a Pastor or theologian starts using complicated words and explains doctrine in an unclear esoteric philosophical manner then he is not speaking with God's wisdom but rather man's wisdom. 

Verse 2- Paul preached a simple message of Christ crucified on the cross and didn't yearn to know anything about those in Corinth other than Christ in them. Today's Pastor's often go and on about their testimony yet it is the testimony of Jesus Christ that saves us, his incarnation, his death, burial and bodily ressurection. This is the gospel that saves unto eternal life. Do we really need to know about each others past lives in the world? Be wary of those in the Church that want to know too much about your past when you were In the world. They should be wanting to know what Christ is doing in your life. Also, be wary of those that often talk about their past lives in the world and are not letting you know what Christ is doing in them.

Verse 3-Look at Paul's humility,  a total reliance on Christ for his strength and not of himself. 

Verse 4 - Paul's desire was not to impress the Corinthians with eloquent speech or sophisticated words lest their faith rely on his abilities as a speaker.  He soley relied on the Holy Spirit for the hearers in Corinth to experience God's power. Theologians often do the very opposite of this.

Verse 5- Where does your faith stand? Is it in God and his infallible word or in the commandments and doctrines of man with their human wisdom and philosophies?

Verse 6- The wisdom of Presidents, Kings and the intellectuals of this world come to nothing but that wisdom which is perfect- The simple message of the cross, is what saves men unto eternal life. 

Verse 7- Jehovah ordained the message of Christ crucified on the cross before the creation of the world.  Jesus dying on the cross was never a "plan B" but has always been the plan in order to bring men unto salvation. It was a mystery that was revealed by God and apart from Him no one can understand it.

Verse 8- Just as today, the princes of Jesus time knew not the mystery of God which ordained the incarnation, death, burial and  bodily ressurection of Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world. That's why you have the politicians of Babylon making ungodly sodomite/lesbian pseudo marriage decrees because they know not the mystery of God which is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Verse 9- Wow!! For us who love Christ (not just in word but also in deed) we have a mansion awaiting us in the Holy City the New Jerusalem which is in heaven. We have a heavenly hope not an earthly one in some supposed 1,000 year paradise Utopia with Christ reigning on an earthly throne instituting animal sacrifices when his ransom sacrifice in the Cross was forever and once for all! Our 1,000 year reign with Christ will be in Heaven and then pur eternal home will be in this very earth made new.

Verse 10- Only the Holy Spirit can reveal these things to us- The simple message of the cross,  the mansion in the heavenly Mount Zion, the deep things of God. If you have the Holy Spirit in you then you have no need of a theologian who can't possibly show you the deep things of God because he has put his trust in his own understanding and knowledge. The Holy Spirit searches all things not man!

Verse 11-The Holy Spirit is what reveals the gospel to man who apart from that, cannot perceive it.

Verse 12- Once we are Born Again, we no longer have the spirit of this world/age but rather the Holy Spirit which is the Spirit of God. Having died to the world, we no longer think and act like those of the world as we now have God's Spirit in us which gives us freely the things that are of Him.

Verse 13- Does your Pastor or if you go to a Bible college your resident theologian,  use the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth to describe sin or the words which the wisdom of man teacheth? For example:

The Holy Ghost teaches that homosexuals are called sodomites, filthy dreamers,  defilers of the flesh, abusers of themselves with mankind, those who go after strange (queer) flesh, natural brute beast and that the sin of homosexuality is an abomination. The Holy Ghost teaches that homosexuals have been given over by God to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient and unseemly thereby receiving in themselves the error which was meet, think of aids and other diseases that affect the colon. The Holy Ghost teaches that these men and women continue in their reprobate lifestyle because they have pleasure in unrighteousness. The Holy Ghost teaches that homosexuals are given over to vile affections. The Holy Ghost teaches that homosexuals go against the natural use of the woman-man God intended use of sexual intercourse for the burning of lust for each other. The Holy Ghost teaches that whatever is filthy let it be filthy still. The Holy Ghost teaches not to let leaven in the Church and not to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. The Holy Ghost teaches that many will be offended in last days and that the word of God is an offense to those perishing. The Holy Ghost teaches that those who practice sodomy/lesbianism are dogs. The Holy Ghost teaches that God will send them a strong delusion in the last days that they should believe a lie because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. 

Man's (False teachers and theologians Included) wisdom teaches that homosexuality is called "gay", same-sex attraction, and that homosexuality is no different than other sins. They say maybe homosexuals are pre programmed towards that lifestyle and they refer to homosexuals as though they may be their own gender unto itself. Man's wisdom teaches that homosexuals are no different from other sinners and that all we need to do is love them and they will come to Christ. Man's wisdom teaches that it is the breakdown of the Christian marriage institution that has led to the rise of homosexuality and now the implementation of homosexual pseudo marriage. Man's wisdom says that possibly, homosexuals are born with a chromosome that makes them lean towards the same sex. Man's wisdom teaches that let's just let them come to our church gatherings and love on them. Man's wisdom teaches not to offend them. Man's wisdom teaches not to hurt their feelings. Man's wisdom teaches that it may, be okay certain circumstances to attend their pseudo weddings. Man's wisdom teaches that all they need is for us to accept them and they will come to God.

Verse 14- The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit as they are foolishness to him. When a Pastor or a theologian waters down the word of God and uses man's wisdom instead to describe spiritual things, then that will tell you right there that they are unregenerate and not Born Again. Only those filled with the Holy Spirit can can discern spiritual things. This will be evident in how they endure sound doctrine and if they themselves use the words that the Holy Ghost teaches to describe sin and other spiritual things. If they use words that are of man's wisdom, understanding and philosophy then they are not filled with the Holy Spirit but rather they are unregenerate. They, being professed teachers of the things of God should know better and it is no wonder this happens, for even satan transforms himself as an angel of light.

Verse 15- We who are spiritual judge all things because our obedience is complete, so that we can then slay all other disobedience. We ourselves cannot be judged by any man because we are approved by Jehovah. 

Verse 16- Theologians often speak on the Lord's behalf yet not having the mind of Christ due to their trust in human philosophy,  wisdom, knowledge and understanding they speak presumptiously and we should not fear them. However, we who are Born Again and use the words that the Holy Ghost teaches to describe sin and other spiritual things have the mind of Christ. These presumptious theologians need to repent, that is if their conscience isn't already seared with a hot iron, and need to learn from the simple brother and sister who have the mind of Christ.