1 Corinthians 2:10-12 English Standard Version

¹⁰ these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ¹¹ 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. ¹² 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.

We ended with verse 11 yesterday and this is that verse in context. Note how those things graciously given by God to us, to the benefit of His Son, still need to be understood. That would be like being given a gift and never opening the box to discover what is inside and the purpose for the gift. What use is there in a gift not understood or used?

This leads us to ask what preceded these verses that Paul is revealing to us.

1 Corinthians 2:6-9 English Standard Version

Wisdom from the Spirit

⁶ Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. ⁷ But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ 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”—

Focus on the words “God decreed” and not on secrets and hidden wisdom. We can love secrets to the exclusion of using wisdom during the search. This is not an emotional plea to search out secrets. It is a promise from God to reveal in us those things we need to know with purpose. His decree is His Word and God is not a liar. He will keep His Word.

1 Corinthians 8:1b English Standard Version (ESV) we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.

Since knowledge puffs up and love builds up, then our focus should be on the love, not the knowledge.

John 15:10 English Standard Version (ESV) If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

1 John 2:10 English Standard Version (ESV) Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him^[it] there is no cause for stumbling.

John 8:31 English Standard Version

The Truth Will Set You Free

³¹ So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

The abiding presence, the Word, the Truth, and the Light are all required to conform us to the will of God for His Son Jesus Christ. Once we accept that what is happening to us is for His benefit, we might stop looking at this as things that benefit us.

1 John 2:14 English Standard Version (ESV) I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Have we overcome the evil one? Father is the mature state of a young man. Notice they have matured enough to know “Him” whereas the strong young men has the Word abiding and overcomes the evil one.

The maturing process or conformance, happens by the abiding presence of all three, word, truth and light. Each has its own effect upon the soul. It is not enough to focus on just one aspect of His abiding presence, it takes all three.

1 Corinthians 2:11 English Standard Version (ESV) 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.