|
 The
"natural man" of 1 Cor. 2:14 is the man who refuses to
accept anything as true which he cannot prove with human
resources. Put another way, he will not accept the word of
inspiration accounting it true because of its source. He
"cannot" know spiritual things — not because the
human mind is incapable of believing truth made available
through inspiration —but because he refuses to walk by faith
— he insist on accepting only that which his human experiences
will approve. To him truth is subjective.
Look
at the context! In 1 Cor. 1:17 Paul says he preaches "not
with wisdom of words, least the cross should be made of no
effect". Then follows a series of statements which contrast
what men count great -- worldly wisdom, philosophy, pomp and
worldly glory -- with the debasing servitude of Christ to
mankind, by his death on the cross. v. 28 says God chose this
course that "no flesh should glory in his presence."
God is not a pawn of man’s research — He cannot be
"found" in our laboratories — God must come to us.
But how does He come to us? Paul says (1 Cor. 2:) he declared
the testimony of God. Paul’s preaching was not with man’s
wisdom, "but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
that your faith (emph. mine, rt) should not stand in the wisdom
of men, but in the power of God" vs. 4-5). God is presented
to man in the inspired message, delivered and confirmed by the
Holy Spirit. God is accepted or received to the extent that man
relies upon the revelation, rather than upon human wisdom for
his information. "Faith cometh by hearing" (Rom.
10:17).
The
same mental facilities and capacities are used to accept
revealed
|
|
information, as are used to accept the conclusions of
human research. In both cases the "natural" (i.e., the
inherent) capacities of man are applied. This
"natural" man is preached to, hears, and obeys God’s
truth. The gospel God gave, is suited to the man God made. But
the "natural man" of 1 Cor. 2:14 is the
"foolish" man of chapter one. He is the man who, being
preached to, will accept and believe only that which his (or
human) experiences approve.
"Eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard" (2:9-f)..." But God hath
revealed them unto us." The "us" and
"we" of these verses are distinct from those to whom
"we" preach, (compare Ch. 1). The reference is to
inspired men to whom God delivered truth. These men speak
"not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which
the Holy Ghost teacheth;" and there were two classes of
hearers: (1) those who received it as the word of God (1 Th.
2:13) and whose faith, therefore, stood in the power of God; and
(2) those who measured the message by human standards, found it
"foolish," and rejected it. The later is the
"natural man" here the "we" and
"us" are identified as apostles and prophets in Eph.
3:2-6.
Those
who make "spiritually discerned" a mystical
confirmation of truth via an "inner themselves as the
"spiritual" ones, they accept a type of reasoning by
which they brand light" or "feeling" actually
make man the final standard. In their misguided zeal to picture
themselves the "natural man" of 1 Cor. 2:14.
[Previous
Article]
[Next
Article]
|
