Sermon Direct Link
9/10/23
Rev. Clint Smith
Paul preached a simple message. He shared God’s sacred secrets with the Corinthian Church.
Paul preached Jesus’ redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection to the Corinthian Church. He did not use the wisdom or rhetoric of the Jewish or Greek culture.
Paul was in a weakened state when he ministered to the people of Corinth. Paul had been blinded, stoned as to death, arrested, beaten, accused, and mocked prior to his visit with the people of Corinth. Acts 9; 1616-40; 17:1-34; 18:1-11
Paul shared the Gospel which he knew was the power of God. (Romans 1:16) The Holy Spirit powerfully moved Paul to preach the Gospel and gave the listeners a heart and mind to believe by faith the message preached. Ephesians 2:8,9
Paul was clear – it is not the wisdom of man which saves but it is the Christ-centered Gospel which brings about faith in an individual. Those who are spiritually maturing in their faith have access to the sacred secrets of God. God is the revealer of His secrets.
The ancient wisdom of God is and always will be hidden from the unrighteous until it is revealed by God to those who by faith believe. The insanity of sin blinded unbeliever’s who crucified the Lord of glory. Isaiah 64:4
The Holy Spirit is the teacher of the redeemed. God’s wisdom motivates Christians into deeper states of maturity.
The natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the teachings and revelations of the Holy Spirit. The wisdom of God is absurd and illogical to the unbeliever. Unbelievers are incapable of understanding God’s wisdom because it must be spiritually discerned and they are unqualified to judge spiritual matters.
The spiritually mature Christian questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals to him. The unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature. Believers have the mind of Christ. Isaiah 40:13
