A GOD THAT HIDES HIMSELF -- Tomorrow:
"Truly, Thou art a God Who hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior" -- Isaiah 45:15
The "natural man" does not understand the things of the Spirit of God, but regards them as foolish. As it is written, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor 2:14).
It is the persuasion of some that "the natural man" is the person who is not an inspired Apostle, while the "spiritual man" is an inspired Apostle. In the words of Scripture, "This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you" (Gal 5:8). If the postulate referred to was correct, it would mean that any one who is not an Apostle would regard the "things of the Spirit of God" as foolishness. Further, such a person could not know those things, reconciled to God or not. Such a view is deserving of a harsh rebuke, and should be cast away from us as a filthy rag.
The "things of the spirit of God" are precisely defined as "the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him" (verse 9), and
"the things that are freely given to us of God" (verse 12). These are realities that have never entered into the heart of man independently of God's revelation of them. They are called "the things of the Spirit of God" because He has made them known. As it is written, "God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (verse 10). However, even after they have been made known, "the natural man" cannot receive them. He sees nothing in them worth pursuing. They are irrelevant absurdities to him.
The "natural man" is the individual limited to Adamic resources, just as the word implies; i.e., he possesses no capacities that were not communicated through Adam. Such also possesses no capacities that come to men by grace through faith. This is the person who is not born again, and does not have the Holy Spirit.
All such people, regardless of religious affiliation or mental prowess, are incapable of receiving the "things of the Spirit of God." Not only so, these things are actually "foolishness" to them. They cannot conceive of them coming from God, or being required by men. This condition prohibits the "natural man" from appreciating and embracing the "things" brought by God's Holy Spirit.
Spiritual realities, and the Lord Himself, are not only transcendent to the unregenerate, they are in sharp conflict with them. They do not comport with the value system of the "natural man," and thus appear absurd to him. This circumstance exists because of the transcendency of God.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for liberating me from the course of nature.