1 Corinthians 2:8-10 “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” — these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”
Continuing Pastor Kyle’s message: The rulers of that age did not know the secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory, or else they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, the Lamb of God who was slain (as part of God’s Plan of Redemption and Salvation) to take away the sins of the world. Nobody has seen, heard or imagined what God has revealed to us through the [Holy] Spirit. The Apostle Paul was not just talking about Heaven in this passage. Our finite minds cannot fathom the infinite the goodness of God when we experience it when true Believers step into eternity in Heaven. But, Paul here was talking about live on this side of glory.
1 Corinthians 2:11-16 “For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
The indwelling Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of Believers, and being the One God in three persons of the Trinity, the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. The Spirit was given for revelation, interpretation and understanding of revealed spiritual truth. This is the gift of spiritual discernment because in regeneration of the human spirit and transformation of the soul at the Believer’s born-again conversion, they have the mind of Christ. Pastor Kyle gave us three truths from 1 Corinthians 2:4-16. (1) God’s love is for everyone who accepts it and it is infinite. We cannot truly comprehend how much God loves us or all they He has in store for us. The secret and hidden wisdom of God means that we can only catch glimpses of how much God loves us. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.’ Remarkably, Romans 5:7-8 “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
We remain in the fallen flesh on this side of eternity, and often fall pray to thoughts of God’s love changing by the godly performance of disciples of Jesus Christ with “saving faith”. But, love is an essential attribute of God; God is love; the question is “Who do we love, follow and obey?” The Gospel is not based on “do” (past, present or future), but is based on “done” (what God has done as a free gift through Christ, the Savior of the world). Our sin costed a life. Why?1 John 1:5 explains, “This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection].” Sin is defined as: “The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God's commands or law.” Sin, at its core, is wicked rebellion against God himself.
Because of the “Fall of Man” introduced sin into the world and the fallen flesh willfully sins still, Romans 3:23explains that, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is a righteous penalty for sin against the just and holy Creator God, which Romans 6:23a makes clear, “the wages of sin is death”. Ephesians 2:1 confirms, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” We have no excuse. Sin is serious, yet taken lightly by many today because they love their sin. God must punish sin. Death is God’s righteous wrath against sin, and what repentant born-again Believers are saved from when they accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Ephesians 2:4-8 tells us, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
How did God do this? 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].” Romans 6:23 simply states the gospel as: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We do not deserve God’s love, mercy or grace, and cannot earn our way to salvation in Heaven. That is why Jesus came. The Lord showed us how to live a sinless life. He suffered the punishment on the Cross that we deserved. He died the death that we should have died. He rose from the grave according to the Holy Scriptures, conquering sin and death, just as God planned and promised. God’s forgiveness and salvation is available to all. That is the Gospel and our part is to repent and accept the gift of God. God’s love is infinite, at all times, for everyone and God’s love was sealed in blood on the Cross, but not all will accept it; sadly, many reject it.
Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on God's truth in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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