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Bro. Turner:
 Does
1 Cor. 2:12-14 teach that only spiritually minded people can understand
the Scriptures; and how does one determine who is “spiritually?” D.
B.
Reply:
The
answer to the first question is “No!” and that will prove to the
Calvinist that I am not “spiritual.” These and others like them
teach that man is wholly dead and unresponsive to truth until “moved”
by a “work of Grace,” and they cite 1 Cor 2: and Rom. 8:7. (Of
course only the “spiritual” can understand these passages.)
Election and Predestination are at the root of this concept, but we
can not go into all of that here.
In
1 Cor. 1: Paul contrasts worldly wisdom with the wisdom of trusting
in the gospel of Christ. The so-called “wise” of this world are
pride-filled and reject Christ, while Christians “glory in the
Lord.” In Ch. 2: Paul says that when he brought the gospel to
Corinth, it was not with excellency of speech or wisdom— not with
enticing words of “man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the
Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom
of men, but in the power of God.” (vs. 1-5)
Worldly
wisdom, i.e., refusing to accept divine revelation— to believe
anything except that which man can “prove” in his own reasoning,
apart from revelation— can never reveal to us the things of God.
That is why Paul came “in demonstration of the Spirit...“ (See
above.) Now, Paul says “WE speak the wisdom of God.” He has
broadened the speaker (teacher) from
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to others like him, i.e. other
inspired men who spake as they were moved by The Holy Spirit.
The “we” and “us” of 1 Cor. 2:6-13 refers to the Apostles
and Prophets of the New Testament, not to those whom they taught, or
to those they teach today through the written word.
A
companion passage (Eph. 3:2-6) is more specific. “How that by
revelation he made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in
few words; whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in
the mystery of Christ.” Paul knew by revelation, but we know by reading
what he wrote. The others knew by revelation (the “us”
and “we” of 1 Cor. 2:) are the apostles and prophets. (Eph. 3:5)
The
context of 1 Cor, 1: 2: contrasts the “human wisdom” speaker
and those speakers who speak only what was revealed to them
by the Spirit of God; and it contrasts those who hear “requiring a
sign, and seeking human wisdom” (i.e., measuring the message by
worldly standards) and those who hear in faith, trusting the
message because of its origin. (“Your faith should not stand in
the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”) This is the setting
for vs. 14: “the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit...” (Cf. 3:19-23) He who trusts in human wisdom, apart from
revelation, can not know the truth.
Of
course, the greater one’s desire for truth— the more humble his
heart, and diligent his study— the more likely he is to learn
truth. But this does not make a direct operation of the H.S. a
prerequisite of faith.
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