THE MIND OF CHRIST -- 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 17 of 28
It is remarkable how much the "natural man" dominates church circles. From the Sunday school classroom to seminary halls, the "natural man" has found a resting place. He is consulted about Biblical interpretation and application. He develops strategies for the church, and provides official credentials that permit their recipients to speak authoritatively. However, all of this has not changed the Word of the Lord. The "natural man" still cannot comprehend "the things of the Spirit of God." They are still "foolishness" to him. The more "the natural man" is given prominence, the more vague the things of God become. There is way that "the natural man" can be sanctified, or made suitable leading the people of God.
If we choose to believe the delusion that "the natural man" is compared with Apostleship, we will have to live with the results. That would mean anyone but an Apostle is absolutely incapable of understanding the things of God. A non-Apostle is shut up to being hostile to God. Paul, in such a case, has arrogantly flaunted his Apostleship in the face of the Corinthian believers, who were incapable of seeing what he saw, and understanding what he understood. Nothing in our text remotely suggests that the things of the Spirit of God are made clear because they proceeded from the mouth or pen of an Apostle.
Our text affirms that Paul received the message by the Spirit of God. It did not come from "nature," so to speak, but from the Spirit. What is more, he delivered that message in "words" taught by the Spirit, thereby maintaining its purity. Those words were basically derived from Scripture, and elaborated on by inspiration. But that was not the end of the matter. The message received from the Spirit, and delivered through the Spirit, was also comprehended through the Spirit--"spiritually discerned." The "natural man" did not advantage from the message. It was foolishness to him, and thereby he rejected it in favor of other pursuits.
Nature is not capable of producing spiritual advantages. That is involved in our Lord's word to Nicodemus. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). Furthermore, just as surely as Christ has no concord with Belial, nature cannot harmonize with the Spirit. Nature is harmonious with the flesh, and thus promotes alienation, estrangement, and hostility toward God. The "mind of Christ" cannot be contained in the broken cistern of nature. Blessed is the person who knows this.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in Christ Jesus I thank You for declaring the coming demise of nature.