Human Wisdom
From where does wisdom come?
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. - 1 Corinthians 2:1-13
We believe wisdom comes from experience. The trials and tribulations of our life can leave us wiser. We learn from our mistakes. We grow and know.
As children we are taught, but in all we learn, there is no true wisdom gained. Not until we try for ourselves, do we begin to know the depths of what we have been shown and taught.
Paul came to show, rather than to teach. He knew they would not truly comprehend the purpose of God's gift of His son without help from the Spirit.
He tells us there are two types of wisdom. Human wisdom is what we gain through our failings and successes. Spiritual wisdom is what comes from God.
God needs to prepare us for it. So, we pray for the Spirit to come and dwell within us, to receive that which only God can show us.
If we refuse the Spirit, we deny ourselves access to the only door that leads to that which God has prepared for us to know.
Through the Spirit, the life, death and resurrection of Christ makes sense. It is both a sacrifice and an example of how life prepares us and death transforms us.
Through Christ, all fear is replaced by faith, hope and love.
More to come...