THE MIND OF CHRIST Stated Another Way Permit me to state this another way. The message of Divine provision in Christ cannot be identified with our persons apart from the Spirit of God. There will be no confidence that they belong to us unless we ourselves are "spiritual." The "day" cannot "dawn" nor the "day star" arise in "your heart" through the means of academic excellence (2 Pet 1:19). Men do not become expert in the "heavenly places" by means of IQ and mental disciplines. Those imagining this to be the case need only review the prevailing lack of confidence and full assurance in the religious community, particularly among the scholastically astute. -- Tomorrow:
"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows 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 know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE SHOULD INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:11-16, NASB).
Devotion 14 of 28
Because "the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him," and because he cannot "know them, because they are spiritually discerned," the things God has reserved for those who love Him had to be revealed. Man's disciplined intellect could not discover them. Both the knowledge and understanding of them are beyond the perimeter of nature. In fact, the things of the Kingdom of God cannot be "seen" unless a person is "born again" -- which experience puts one beyond the border of nature. We have been "raised up" and "made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6).
Paul continues his explanation of this situation. "But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man" (1 Cor 2:15, NASB). The KJV, NKJV, and RSV read, "judges all things." The NIV says "makes judgments about all things," while the NRSV reads, "discern all things."
This passage correlates with First John 2:20: "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things" (1 John 2:20). This good word was certainly not addressed to any of the Apostles, all of which, except for John had been martyred by this time. However, regardless of how you view the date of writing, we have no letters from one Apostle to another. Their ministry was not to one another, but to the body of Christ (Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28).
Neither the First Corinthian nor First john passage affirms omniscience on the part of the believer. The point is that they have received the Holy Spirit, who leads and instructs them. There is no aspect spiritual life in which the Spirit is not active. it is in this sense that we read of judging, or discerning, all things, and knowing all things.
Indeed, is this privilege confined to the Apostles? The very thought is an absurdity! Spirituality is something experienced by every person "joined to the Lord," for "he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit" (1 Cor 1 Cor 6:17). It is the result of the work of the Spirit, enabling the individual to discern the message of the Spirit. The message was not only given by the Spirit, it is comprehended through His ministry. Without the strength given by the Holy Spirit, Christ cannot dwell in your heart by faith (Eph 3:16-17), and the revelation of the things "God has prepared for them that love Him" cannot be "spiritually discerned." In this way, all glory goes to the Lord, reserving no place for flesh to boast.
Only the person who is born again can obtain comfort and joy from the "exceeding great and precious promises" of God. Only when this occurs, do we "know the things God has prepared for those that love Him."
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ for providing a means to be proficient in judging and discerning spiritual things.