By David Ettinger
Believers & Unbelievers
In my previous blog – “Gehazi and God’s ‘Unfairness’” – I mentioned that though I don’t understand, nor can explain, many of God’s ways, I accept them.
Unbelievers scoff at such an assertion, and I can understand that. Yet, this reality – accepting what we can’t always understand – is common among believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and I believe the reason for this lies in 1 Corinthians 2:12:
Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know [understand] the things freely given to us by God.
Let’s briefly look at this verse in its context and determine why we can accept the things of God so readily – whether we understand them or not – and unbelievers can’t.
2 Kinds of Wisdom
The Apostle Paul explains that the theme of 1 Corinthians Chapter 2 is the contrast between the wisdom of humanity and the wisdom of God (verses 4-5).
The first contrast Paul notes is in verse 6 when he says that the wisdom of humanity is “not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away.”
Paul focuses on political leaders such as kings to make his point. These rulers may be powerful, but their wisdom is flawed in that it is temporary and destined to disappear. Good leaders may offer help for today, but ultimately, when they and their wisdom pass, they are gone for good!
On the other hand, God’s wisdom is:
… hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (vv. 7-8).
Hidden wisdom? Hidden from what? Clearly, God’s wisdom – which is eternal – is hidden from not only unbelieving rulers, but all who reject God’s gift of salvation.
God’s wisdom – among which is the revelation of who He is and the gift of salvation He offers to all people – is something unbelievers cannot fathom. It is made available to them, but they don’t want it.
Therefore, in a way, they are co-conspirators with those who nailed the Lord Jesus to the cross. Had they accepted God’s wisdom, they would have embraced His Son and not rejected Him.
Of this wisdom of God, Paul paraphrases Isaiah 64:4:
Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the human heart,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him (v. 9).
In other words, human beings could never discover these truths based on their own human efforts. Human reason is totally inadequate to discover and understand the truth of God.
How We Received It
If by human endeavor we cannot receive God’s wisdom, then how do we acquire it? Paul tells us in verse 10:
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God makes known to us His truth. He reveals to us who He is, and gives us the capacity to accept those things which are “of” Him.
This is why believers can accept the notion of an all-powerful, infinitely intelligent Being who created all things, while some of the most brilliant men and women who ever lived continually search in vain to understand how the universe came about.
What comes naturally to born-again believers is complete nonsense to those who have not been granted God’s wisdom. This truth is punctuated by the above-mentioned v. 12:
Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know [understand] the things freely given to us by God.
Can’t Understand
This is also why when Christians see all the madness going on in the world, they should not ask, “How can people act that way and do these things? Can’t they see how wrong and sinful they are?”
Another question Christians need not ask is, “How can people not believe in God?” These questions need not be asked because Paul explains in verse 14 that (emphasis added):
… a natural [unsaved] person 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 discerned.
Indeed, unbelievers simply have no spiritual capacity to fathom the things Christians cherish, such things as:
- Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross;
- laying down our lives, if need be, for our Savior;
- serving others and elevating them above ourselves;
- the understanding of sin;
- the existence of Heaven and Hell;
- and rejecting the things of this world.
By contrast, believers “discern all things [spiritually] … for … we have the mind of Christ” (vv. 15-16).
This is Why
So yes, though we mortal believers cannot understand everything about God and explain why He does what He does, we have certainly been given the spiritual wisdom to accept that He is sovereign and has the right to do what He wants.
Unbelievers call us “foolish” – and far worse – for this, but it – God’s wisdom granted to us – is the reason why we love God, worship Him, obey Him, and accept all He does and says, even when we can’t explain it.
David Ettinger is a writer/editor at Zion’s Hope, Inc., and has written for Zion’s Fire magazine since its inception in 1990.
EttingerWriting.com 
Tom
June 27, 2024
Thanks for this good post, David. The Lord opens the eyes of His saved children to the truths of His Word. There are hundreds of millions of pseudo-(c)hristians who believe they must merit their salvation and to them the Bible is a closed book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
dettinger47
June 27, 2024
So sadly true, Tom.
LikeLike
Bruce Cooper
June 27, 2024
Excellent post, David! Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
dettinger47
June 27, 2024
Thank you, Bruce.
LikeLiked by 1 person