God has a plan to bring unity out of our division. When you look at the world, you see two systems: the wisdom of the world, and the Mystery of God. We see two spirits: the spirit of this world, and the Holy Spirit. We see two people: the natural person and the spiritual person.
In this week’s MDWK and podcast, we’re diving into God’s Word to discover why we can be full of hope as we continue our study of 1 Corinthians in chapter 2.
Grasping the Mystery of God means embracing many seeming paradoxes:
Paul said he went to the people of Corinth in weakness, but his message was full of power.
1 Cor. 2:3 – I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling.
The Paradoxes of Following Jesus
- Paul felt weak, but God is strong.
- We see unseen things.
- We conquer by surrendering.
- We find rest under a yoke.
- We lead by serving.
- We are made great by becoming small.
- We are exalted when we are humble.
- We become wise by being fools for Christ.
- We are made free by becoming bondservants.
- We gain strength when we are weak.
- We triumph through defeat.
- We find victory by glorying in our weaknesses.
- We live by dying.
God’s wisdom is a choice we make each day to live for Jesus.
6 Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God, His plan that was previously hidden, even though He made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 1 Corinthians 2:6-7
The wisdom of the world looks solid. Whether it’s the business world or the government, it looks like it will stand. But, it won’t last. Even when it comes to finances. No matter how much you make, it’s soon forgotten. If you choose to chase after money or success, it will all pass away. The reason it won’t last is that it’s all built on selfishness.
The mystery that Paul is talking about is not secret, but something to be discovered and understood. It’s a mystery because it’s so hard to grasp by the natural mind. What Jesus was planning wasn’t understood by his disciples until he rose again!
Question: Why does God keep some things hidden from us?
Just think about this: Before time started, God chose you to be with Him for eternity! God is working out His plan in your life every single day.
But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 1 Corinthians 2:8
Look at what the rulers did to Jesus. They didn’t get it back then and they never will even today.
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
God has so much good ahead for you, you can’t even imagine it all.
For the unbeliever, this world is the best it’s ever going to get. But for the believer, this world is the worst. It’s going to get so much better! That gives us hope and encourages us to press ahead. Now we can gladly deal with the problems that we are facing. We can stand in the face of temptation because this world is not all there is.
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
Hope is what draws and carries us ahead. It’s above us. It comes from God. We have a hope for tomorrow, and later today, and eternity. Hope is certain! It’s not a wish or a whim. It is an anchor.
Have you heard it said that something is too good to be true? The hope we have in Jesus is too true to not see God’s hope for your life.
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.
12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.[f] 14 But people who aren’t spiritualcan’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,
“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?”
But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:10-16
There are two ways we can choose to live. One is a spirit of competition and the other way is one that has nothing to do with tearing each other apart
God’s way is built on peace, love, and grace. These eternal spiritual qualities seem foolish to the world that wants to tear down.
Whatever you do, don’t be fooled by the counterfeit. Don’t get caught up in the shiny and the good looking, but totally empty on the inside.
What will you choose today? The world’s system or God’s system. It is your choice today!