1 Corinthians 9

1 Corinthians 9:1

Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified

1 Corinthians 2:1. It would not have been difficult for a man like Paul to win the Corinthians for the gospel through an impressive speech. He was an experienced speaker, who also knew how people in his time were thinking. He easily could have adapted himself to that way of thinking. With his talent he could have presented the gospel in an attractive and pleasant way. He then would have, however, not preached the testimony of God, but something they would have loved to hear. In that way he himself would have been honored. Paul refused that. The important thing for him was the testimony of God and not something of himself or of any other man.

1 Corinthians 2:2. Paul knew well whom he was dealing with when he went to the Corinthians. He knew that there was only one way to win them for Christ and that was by presenting Him as the crucified One. Do you see that he did not preach redemption in the first place, but the cross? Christ was the content of his preaching, but he preached Christ in His most humiliated condition. He presented Him as the crucified One. There is not much credit to be gained by that, is there? Indeed, there is no credit to be gained by that at all. The cross is the most disgraceful death you could ever think of. In such a way Paul is telling them they became believers at that time. That was not due to his excellence in argumentation, but because he preached Christ as the crucified One to them.

They had somewhat forgotten that and that’s why they got impressed again by different things that honor people. You came across those things in chapter 1, things like wisdom, esteem and might. Paul didn’t want to have anything to do with those things because for him those things were already judged in the cross of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:3. He didn’t come to them as a hero, as someone in whom they could glory or be proud of. Weakness, fear and much trembling were the feelings he had when he was with them. Those are not feelings that make you to be admired in this world. In the world you have to be tough and make yourself important and above all, not letting people walk all over you.

1 Corinthians 2:4. Because Paul did not seek his own interests or stand up for his own rights, he could be used by the Holy Spirit, Who could empower his words. For that reason, their faith was not in human power, but in God’s power. If your faith is supported by any human source, it will definitely fail some time.

1 Corinthians 2:5. No one, no matter how well-educated or wise he may be and how excellent his speech may be, could ever put the necessary strength to his words so that you can live. Only God’s power can keep you going and keep you on the right way and bring you safely to the final goal of your life. You can and should hold on to that.

1 Corinthians 2:6. Now the Corinthians should not think that Paul couldn’t speak with wisdom. He definitely could! But Paul also knew where he could do that. That was not with them, but among the mature or perfect. You might now say: ‘Oh, then he can’t speak to me either, for neither am I perfect.’ That is yet the question. Actually in the Bible the word ‘perfect’ is used in different ways.

Like in Hebrews 10 for example, “for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). There it is about your position before God. Through the offering of the Lord Jesus, His atoning death, God sees you as perfect because He imputes the perfect work of the Lord Jesus to you. No one can detract from the value of that offering before God. Therefore no one can detract something from your position before God. You are and remain perfect because God sees you in the perfect offering of Christ.

In Philippians 3 you read about a perfectness you do not have yet, but that lies in the future (Philippians 3:12). That has to do with your life on earth, where you may suffer and have pain. In heaven it will not be like that. There everything is perfect.

In Philippians 3 you also read about perfectness in a third way (Philippians 3:15) and this is also the way it is meant here. The perfect or mature ones who are meant here, are Christians who want to give Christ the first and only place in their lives. They don’t want to give room in their lives anymore to things concerning the world, such as wisdom, esteem and might. Because the Corinthians still gave room to those things, they couldn’t be considered “mature” or “perfect”.

Does this mean that you will not be interested in anything of the world anymore? That is not what it means, for your old nature, the flesh, will continually try to draw your attention to wisdom, esteem and might. Should you notice this in yourself – or if maybe someone else points that out to you – just confess that immediately to the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus loves to give you far more than just that as the Crucified One, He has put everything right with God for you. He loves you to enjoy what He is now in heaven as the glorified Man at God’s right hand. You can read about that in the letter to the Colossians and in the letter to the Ephesians. There you read about Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) and about “the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). Do you think that you would understand anything of that when you were still occupied with the wisdom of the world, or when you were still impressed by the rulers of this world? All of that will be totally put away; nothing will be left of that.

1 Corinthians 2:7. Although Paul cannot elaborate on it here, he does mention a few important things related to the wisdom of God.

First, this wisdom is “in a mystery”. That means that this wisdom is not visible. You cannot observe it in the world around you. But this wisdom is not only a mystery to the unbelievers; it is also a mystery to the believers who think and live worldly, or who still value the wisdom of the world in a way. The wisdom of God is a “hidden [wisdom]” for the intellect of man. He cannot understand that.

Second, this wisdom of God is an eternal matter. You cannot refer to a certain time in the past that God has received wisdom. It is a wisdom as eternal as He Himself.

Third, God has predestined this wisdom for us. Therefore He intentionally thought of you as someone to whom He wanted to give this wisdom. Could you imagine that without being mind-boggled and praising Him in your heart?

Fourth, it is a wisdom that serves to your glory. Of your own you did not have and have not any glory, nothing that is pleasant or attractive. That has changed through the wisdom of God. In God’s eye you now have glory. This glory is nothing else than God’s own glory with which He clothed you in the Lord Jesus. In it, His wisdom is exhibited.

How God has given you glory can be read in John 17. There the Lord Jesus says to His Father: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them” (John 17:22a). The more you are occupied with the Lord Jesus, the more the glory of God’s wisdom will radiate from your life. And that is what God would love to see.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:1-7 again.

Reflection: What attracts you more: the wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom in a mystery? Why?

1 Corinthians 9:2

Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified

1 Corinthians 2:1. It would not have been difficult for a man like Paul to win the Corinthians for the gospel through an impressive speech. He was an experienced speaker, who also knew how people in his time were thinking. He easily could have adapted himself to that way of thinking. With his talent he could have presented the gospel in an attractive and pleasant way. He then would have, however, not preached the testimony of God, but something they would have loved to hear. In that way he himself would have been honored. Paul refused that. The important thing for him was the testimony of God and not something of himself or of any other man.

1 Corinthians 2:2. Paul knew well whom he was dealing with when he went to the Corinthians. He knew that there was only one way to win them for Christ and that was by presenting Him as the crucified One. Do you see that he did not preach redemption in the first place, but the cross? Christ was the content of his preaching, but he preached Christ in His most humiliated condition. He presented Him as the crucified One. There is not much credit to be gained by that, is there? Indeed, there is no credit to be gained by that at all. The cross is the most disgraceful death you could ever think of. In such a way Paul is telling them they became believers at that time. That was not due to his excellence in argumentation, but because he preached Christ as the crucified One to them.

They had somewhat forgotten that and that’s why they got impressed again by different things that honor people. You came across those things in chapter 1, things like wisdom, esteem and might. Paul didn’t want to have anything to do with those things because for him those things were already judged in the cross of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:3. He didn’t come to them as a hero, as someone in whom they could glory or be proud of. Weakness, fear and much trembling were the feelings he had when he was with them. Those are not feelings that make you to be admired in this world. In the world you have to be tough and make yourself important and above all, not letting people walk all over you.

1 Corinthians 2:4. Because Paul did not seek his own interests or stand up for his own rights, he could be used by the Holy Spirit, Who could empower his words. For that reason, their faith was not in human power, but in God’s power. If your faith is supported by any human source, it will definitely fail some time.

1 Corinthians 2:5. No one, no matter how well-educated or wise he may be and how excellent his speech may be, could ever put the necessary strength to his words so that you can live. Only God’s power can keep you going and keep you on the right way and bring you safely to the final goal of your life. You can and should hold on to that.

1 Corinthians 2:6. Now the Corinthians should not think that Paul couldn’t speak with wisdom. He definitely could! But Paul also knew where he could do that. That was not with them, but among the mature or perfect. You might now say: ‘Oh, then he can’t speak to me either, for neither am I perfect.’ That is yet the question. Actually in the Bible the word ‘perfect’ is used in different ways.

Like in Hebrews 10 for example, “for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). There it is about your position before God. Through the offering of the Lord Jesus, His atoning death, God sees you as perfect because He imputes the perfect work of the Lord Jesus to you. No one can detract from the value of that offering before God. Therefore no one can detract something from your position before God. You are and remain perfect because God sees you in the perfect offering of Christ.

In Philippians 3 you read about a perfectness you do not have yet, but that lies in the future (Philippians 3:12). That has to do with your life on earth, where you may suffer and have pain. In heaven it will not be like that. There everything is perfect.

In Philippians 3 you also read about perfectness in a third way (Philippians 3:15) and this is also the way it is meant here. The perfect or mature ones who are meant here, are Christians who want to give Christ the first and only place in their lives. They don’t want to give room in their lives anymore to things concerning the world, such as wisdom, esteem and might. Because the Corinthians still gave room to those things, they couldn’t be considered “mature” or “perfect”.

Does this mean that you will not be interested in anything of the world anymore? That is not what it means, for your old nature, the flesh, will continually try to draw your attention to wisdom, esteem and might. Should you notice this in yourself – or if maybe someone else points that out to you – just confess that immediately to the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus loves to give you far more than just that as the Crucified One, He has put everything right with God for you. He loves you to enjoy what He is now in heaven as the glorified Man at God’s right hand. You can read about that in the letter to the Colossians and in the letter to the Ephesians. There you read about Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) and about “the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). Do you think that you would understand anything of that when you were still occupied with the wisdom of the world, or when you were still impressed by the rulers of this world? All of that will be totally put away; nothing will be left of that.

1 Corinthians 2:7. Although Paul cannot elaborate on it here, he does mention a few important things related to the wisdom of God.

First, this wisdom is “in a mystery”. That means that this wisdom is not visible. You cannot observe it in the world around you. But this wisdom is not only a mystery to the unbelievers; it is also a mystery to the believers who think and live worldly, or who still value the wisdom of the world in a way. The wisdom of God is a “hidden [wisdom]” for the intellect of man. He cannot understand that.

Second, this wisdom of God is an eternal matter. You cannot refer to a certain time in the past that God has received wisdom. It is a wisdom as eternal as He Himself.

Third, God has predestined this wisdom for us. Therefore He intentionally thought of you as someone to whom He wanted to give this wisdom. Could you imagine that without being mind-boggled and praising Him in your heart?

Fourth, it is a wisdom that serves to your glory. Of your own you did not have and have not any glory, nothing that is pleasant or attractive. That has changed through the wisdom of God. In God’s eye you now have glory. This glory is nothing else than God’s own glory with which He clothed you in the Lord Jesus. In it, His wisdom is exhibited.

How God has given you glory can be read in John 17. There the Lord Jesus says to His Father: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them” (John 17:22a). The more you are occupied with the Lord Jesus, the more the glory of God’s wisdom will radiate from your life. And that is what God would love to see.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:1-7 again.

Reflection: What attracts you more: the wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom in a mystery? Why?

1 Corinthians 9:3

Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified

1 Corinthians 2:1. It would not have been difficult for a man like Paul to win the Corinthians for the gospel through an impressive speech. He was an experienced speaker, who also knew how people in his time were thinking. He easily could have adapted himself to that way of thinking. With his talent he could have presented the gospel in an attractive and pleasant way. He then would have, however, not preached the testimony of God, but something they would have loved to hear. In that way he himself would have been honored. Paul refused that. The important thing for him was the testimony of God and not something of himself or of any other man.

1 Corinthians 2:2. Paul knew well whom he was dealing with when he went to the Corinthians. He knew that there was only one way to win them for Christ and that was by presenting Him as the crucified One. Do you see that he did not preach redemption in the first place, but the cross? Christ was the content of his preaching, but he preached Christ in His most humiliated condition. He presented Him as the crucified One. There is not much credit to be gained by that, is there? Indeed, there is no credit to be gained by that at all. The cross is the most disgraceful death you could ever think of. In such a way Paul is telling them they became believers at that time. That was not due to his excellence in argumentation, but because he preached Christ as the crucified One to them.

They had somewhat forgotten that and that’s why they got impressed again by different things that honor people. You came across those things in chapter 1, things like wisdom, esteem and might. Paul didn’t want to have anything to do with those things because for him those things were already judged in the cross of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:3. He didn’t come to them as a hero, as someone in whom they could glory or be proud of. Weakness, fear and much trembling were the feelings he had when he was with them. Those are not feelings that make you to be admired in this world. In the world you have to be tough and make yourself important and above all, not letting people walk all over you.

1 Corinthians 2:4. Because Paul did not seek his own interests or stand up for his own rights, he could be used by the Holy Spirit, Who could empower his words. For that reason, their faith was not in human power, but in God’s power. If your faith is supported by any human source, it will definitely fail some time.

1 Corinthians 2:5. No one, no matter how well-educated or wise he may be and how excellent his speech may be, could ever put the necessary strength to his words so that you can live. Only God’s power can keep you going and keep you on the right way and bring you safely to the final goal of your life. You can and should hold on to that.

1 Corinthians 2:6. Now the Corinthians should not think that Paul couldn’t speak with wisdom. He definitely could! But Paul also knew where he could do that. That was not with them, but among the mature or perfect. You might now say: ‘Oh, then he can’t speak to me either, for neither am I perfect.’ That is yet the question. Actually in the Bible the word ‘perfect’ is used in different ways.

Like in Hebrews 10 for example, “for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). There it is about your position before God. Through the offering of the Lord Jesus, His atoning death, God sees you as perfect because He imputes the perfect work of the Lord Jesus to you. No one can detract from the value of that offering before God. Therefore no one can detract something from your position before God. You are and remain perfect because God sees you in the perfect offering of Christ.

In Philippians 3 you read about a perfectness you do not have yet, but that lies in the future (Philippians 3:12). That has to do with your life on earth, where you may suffer and have pain. In heaven it will not be like that. There everything is perfect.

In Philippians 3 you also read about perfectness in a third way (Philippians 3:15) and this is also the way it is meant here. The perfect or mature ones who are meant here, are Christians who want to give Christ the first and only place in their lives. They don’t want to give room in their lives anymore to things concerning the world, such as wisdom, esteem and might. Because the Corinthians still gave room to those things, they couldn’t be considered “mature” or “perfect”.

Does this mean that you will not be interested in anything of the world anymore? That is not what it means, for your old nature, the flesh, will continually try to draw your attention to wisdom, esteem and might. Should you notice this in yourself – or if maybe someone else points that out to you – just confess that immediately to the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus loves to give you far more than just that as the Crucified One, He has put everything right with God for you. He loves you to enjoy what He is now in heaven as the glorified Man at God’s right hand. You can read about that in the letter to the Colossians and in the letter to the Ephesians. There you read about Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) and about “the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). Do you think that you would understand anything of that when you were still occupied with the wisdom of the world, or when you were still impressed by the rulers of this world? All of that will be totally put away; nothing will be left of that.

1 Corinthians 2:7. Although Paul cannot elaborate on it here, he does mention a few important things related to the wisdom of God.

First, this wisdom is “in a mystery”. That means that this wisdom is not visible. You cannot observe it in the world around you. But this wisdom is not only a mystery to the unbelievers; it is also a mystery to the believers who think and live worldly, or who still value the wisdom of the world in a way. The wisdom of God is a “hidden [wisdom]” for the intellect of man. He cannot understand that.

Second, this wisdom of God is an eternal matter. You cannot refer to a certain time in the past that God has received wisdom. It is a wisdom as eternal as He Himself.

Third, God has predestined this wisdom for us. Therefore He intentionally thought of you as someone to whom He wanted to give this wisdom. Could you imagine that without being mind-boggled and praising Him in your heart?

Fourth, it is a wisdom that serves to your glory. Of your own you did not have and have not any glory, nothing that is pleasant or attractive. That has changed through the wisdom of God. In God’s eye you now have glory. This glory is nothing else than God’s own glory with which He clothed you in the Lord Jesus. In it, His wisdom is exhibited.

How God has given you glory can be read in John 17. There the Lord Jesus says to His Father: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them” (John 17:22a). The more you are occupied with the Lord Jesus, the more the glory of God’s wisdom will radiate from your life. And that is what God would love to see.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:1-7 again.

Reflection: What attracts you more: the wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom in a mystery? Why?

1 Corinthians 9:4

Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified

1 Corinthians 2:1. It would not have been difficult for a man like Paul to win the Corinthians for the gospel through an impressive speech. He was an experienced speaker, who also knew how people in his time were thinking. He easily could have adapted himself to that way of thinking. With his talent he could have presented the gospel in an attractive and pleasant way. He then would have, however, not preached the testimony of God, but something they would have loved to hear. In that way he himself would have been honored. Paul refused that. The important thing for him was the testimony of God and not something of himself or of any other man.

1 Corinthians 2:2. Paul knew well whom he was dealing with when he went to the Corinthians. He knew that there was only one way to win them for Christ and that was by presenting Him as the crucified One. Do you see that he did not preach redemption in the first place, but the cross? Christ was the content of his preaching, but he preached Christ in His most humiliated condition. He presented Him as the crucified One. There is not much credit to be gained by that, is there? Indeed, there is no credit to be gained by that at all. The cross is the most disgraceful death you could ever think of. In such a way Paul is telling them they became believers at that time. That was not due to his excellence in argumentation, but because he preached Christ as the crucified One to them.

They had somewhat forgotten that and that’s why they got impressed again by different things that honor people. You came across those things in chapter 1, things like wisdom, esteem and might. Paul didn’t want to have anything to do with those things because for him those things were already judged in the cross of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:3. He didn’t come to them as a hero, as someone in whom they could glory or be proud of. Weakness, fear and much trembling were the feelings he had when he was with them. Those are not feelings that make you to be admired in this world. In the world you have to be tough and make yourself important and above all, not letting people walk all over you.

1 Corinthians 2:4. Because Paul did not seek his own interests or stand up for his own rights, he could be used by the Holy Spirit, Who could empower his words. For that reason, their faith was not in human power, but in God’s power. If your faith is supported by any human source, it will definitely fail some time.

1 Corinthians 2:5. No one, no matter how well-educated or wise he may be and how excellent his speech may be, could ever put the necessary strength to his words so that you can live. Only God’s power can keep you going and keep you on the right way and bring you safely to the final goal of your life. You can and should hold on to that.

1 Corinthians 2:6. Now the Corinthians should not think that Paul couldn’t speak with wisdom. He definitely could! But Paul also knew where he could do that. That was not with them, but among the mature or perfect. You might now say: ‘Oh, then he can’t speak to me either, for neither am I perfect.’ That is yet the question. Actually in the Bible the word ‘perfect’ is used in different ways.

Like in Hebrews 10 for example, “for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). There it is about your position before God. Through the offering of the Lord Jesus, His atoning death, God sees you as perfect because He imputes the perfect work of the Lord Jesus to you. No one can detract from the value of that offering before God. Therefore no one can detract something from your position before God. You are and remain perfect because God sees you in the perfect offering of Christ.

In Philippians 3 you read about a perfectness you do not have yet, but that lies in the future (Philippians 3:12). That has to do with your life on earth, where you may suffer and have pain. In heaven it will not be like that. There everything is perfect.

In Philippians 3 you also read about perfectness in a third way (Philippians 3:15) and this is also the way it is meant here. The perfect or mature ones who are meant here, are Christians who want to give Christ the first and only place in their lives. They don’t want to give room in their lives anymore to things concerning the world, such as wisdom, esteem and might. Because the Corinthians still gave room to those things, they couldn’t be considered “mature” or “perfect”.

Does this mean that you will not be interested in anything of the world anymore? That is not what it means, for your old nature, the flesh, will continually try to draw your attention to wisdom, esteem and might. Should you notice this in yourself – or if maybe someone else points that out to you – just confess that immediately to the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus loves to give you far more than just that as the Crucified One, He has put everything right with God for you. He loves you to enjoy what He is now in heaven as the glorified Man at God’s right hand. You can read about that in the letter to the Colossians and in the letter to the Ephesians. There you read about Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) and about “the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). Do you think that you would understand anything of that when you were still occupied with the wisdom of the world, or when you were still impressed by the rulers of this world? All of that will be totally put away; nothing will be left of that.

1 Corinthians 2:7. Although Paul cannot elaborate on it here, he does mention a few important things related to the wisdom of God.

First, this wisdom is “in a mystery”. That means that this wisdom is not visible. You cannot observe it in the world around you. But this wisdom is not only a mystery to the unbelievers; it is also a mystery to the believers who think and live worldly, or who still value the wisdom of the world in a way. The wisdom of God is a “hidden [wisdom]” for the intellect of man. He cannot understand that.

Second, this wisdom of God is an eternal matter. You cannot refer to a certain time in the past that God has received wisdom. It is a wisdom as eternal as He Himself.

Third, God has predestined this wisdom for us. Therefore He intentionally thought of you as someone to whom He wanted to give this wisdom. Could you imagine that without being mind-boggled and praising Him in your heart?

Fourth, it is a wisdom that serves to your glory. Of your own you did not have and have not any glory, nothing that is pleasant or attractive. That has changed through the wisdom of God. In God’s eye you now have glory. This glory is nothing else than God’s own glory with which He clothed you in the Lord Jesus. In it, His wisdom is exhibited.

How God has given you glory can be read in John 17. There the Lord Jesus says to His Father: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them” (John 17:22a). The more you are occupied with the Lord Jesus, the more the glory of God’s wisdom will radiate from your life. And that is what God would love to see.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:1-7 again.

Reflection: What attracts you more: the wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom in a mystery? Why?

1 Corinthians 9:5

Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified

1 Corinthians 2:1. It would not have been difficult for a man like Paul to win the Corinthians for the gospel through an impressive speech. He was an experienced speaker, who also knew how people in his time were thinking. He easily could have adapted himself to that way of thinking. With his talent he could have presented the gospel in an attractive and pleasant way. He then would have, however, not preached the testimony of God, but something they would have loved to hear. In that way he himself would have been honored. Paul refused that. The important thing for him was the testimony of God and not something of himself or of any other man.

1 Corinthians 2:2. Paul knew well whom he was dealing with when he went to the Corinthians. He knew that there was only one way to win them for Christ and that was by presenting Him as the crucified One. Do you see that he did not preach redemption in the first place, but the cross? Christ was the content of his preaching, but he preached Christ in His most humiliated condition. He presented Him as the crucified One. There is not much credit to be gained by that, is there? Indeed, there is no credit to be gained by that at all. The cross is the most disgraceful death you could ever think of. In such a way Paul is telling them they became believers at that time. That was not due to his excellence in argumentation, but because he preached Christ as the crucified One to them.

They had somewhat forgotten that and that’s why they got impressed again by different things that honor people. You came across those things in chapter 1, things like wisdom, esteem and might. Paul didn’t want to have anything to do with those things because for him those things were already judged in the cross of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:3. He didn’t come to them as a hero, as someone in whom they could glory or be proud of. Weakness, fear and much trembling were the feelings he had when he was with them. Those are not feelings that make you to be admired in this world. In the world you have to be tough and make yourself important and above all, not letting people walk all over you.

1 Corinthians 2:4. Because Paul did not seek his own interests or stand up for his own rights, he could be used by the Holy Spirit, Who could empower his words. For that reason, their faith was not in human power, but in God’s power. If your faith is supported by any human source, it will definitely fail some time.

1 Corinthians 2:5. No one, no matter how well-educated or wise he may be and how excellent his speech may be, could ever put the necessary strength to his words so that you can live. Only God’s power can keep you going and keep you on the right way and bring you safely to the final goal of your life. You can and should hold on to that.

1 Corinthians 2:6. Now the Corinthians should not think that Paul couldn’t speak with wisdom. He definitely could! But Paul also knew where he could do that. That was not with them, but among the mature or perfect. You might now say: ‘Oh, then he can’t speak to me either, for neither am I perfect.’ That is yet the question. Actually in the Bible the word ‘perfect’ is used in different ways.

Like in Hebrews 10 for example, “for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). There it is about your position before God. Through the offering of the Lord Jesus, His atoning death, God sees you as perfect because He imputes the perfect work of the Lord Jesus to you. No one can detract from the value of that offering before God. Therefore no one can detract something from your position before God. You are and remain perfect because God sees you in the perfect offering of Christ.

In Philippians 3 you read about a perfectness you do not have yet, but that lies in the future (Philippians 3:12). That has to do with your life on earth, where you may suffer and have pain. In heaven it will not be like that. There everything is perfect.

In Philippians 3 you also read about perfectness in a third way (Philippians 3:15) and this is also the way it is meant here. The perfect or mature ones who are meant here, are Christians who want to give Christ the first and only place in their lives. They don’t want to give room in their lives anymore to things concerning the world, such as wisdom, esteem and might. Because the Corinthians still gave room to those things, they couldn’t be considered “mature” or “perfect”.

Does this mean that you will not be interested in anything of the world anymore? That is not what it means, for your old nature, the flesh, will continually try to draw your attention to wisdom, esteem and might. Should you notice this in yourself – or if maybe someone else points that out to you – just confess that immediately to the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus loves to give you far more than just that as the Crucified One, He has put everything right with God for you. He loves you to enjoy what He is now in heaven as the glorified Man at God’s right hand. You can read about that in the letter to the Colossians and in the letter to the Ephesians. There you read about Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) and about “the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). Do you think that you would understand anything of that when you were still occupied with the wisdom of the world, or when you were still impressed by the rulers of this world? All of that will be totally put away; nothing will be left of that.

1 Corinthians 2:7. Although Paul cannot elaborate on it here, he does mention a few important things related to the wisdom of God.

First, this wisdom is “in a mystery”. That means that this wisdom is not visible. You cannot observe it in the world around you. But this wisdom is not only a mystery to the unbelievers; it is also a mystery to the believers who think and live worldly, or who still value the wisdom of the world in a way. The wisdom of God is a “hidden [wisdom]” for the intellect of man. He cannot understand that.

Second, this wisdom of God is an eternal matter. You cannot refer to a certain time in the past that God has received wisdom. It is a wisdom as eternal as He Himself.

Third, God has predestined this wisdom for us. Therefore He intentionally thought of you as someone to whom He wanted to give this wisdom. Could you imagine that without being mind-boggled and praising Him in your heart?

Fourth, it is a wisdom that serves to your glory. Of your own you did not have and have not any glory, nothing that is pleasant or attractive. That has changed through the wisdom of God. In God’s eye you now have glory. This glory is nothing else than God’s own glory with which He clothed you in the Lord Jesus. In it, His wisdom is exhibited.

How God has given you glory can be read in John 17. There the Lord Jesus says to His Father: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them” (John 17:22a). The more you are occupied with the Lord Jesus, the more the glory of God’s wisdom will radiate from your life. And that is what God would love to see.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:1-7 again.

Reflection: What attracts you more: the wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom in a mystery? Why?

1 Corinthians 9:6

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:7

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:8

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:9

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:10

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:11

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:12

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:13

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:14

What God Has Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this world, mainly the religious leaders of Israel, were completely blind. Because their eyes and mind were set on their own concern, their own honor and fame among the people, they were blind for the wisdom of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Who stood there before them and Who could be seen and touched. Therefore it is inconceivable that they would have crucified “the Lord of glory” if they would have had the slightest notion of Who He was and why He had come. You may have such a good knowledge of everything and know the Bible well, just as the pharisees and scribes did, but if you are filled with your own personal importance, you become blind for the glory of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 2:9. Then you will also lose sight of “what God has prepared for those who love Him”. The things that God has prepared for those who love Him, are not things you are able to observe with the natural eyes or to be heard with your ears. Neither are they things that have come out of man’s heart. Every input of the natural man, that is the man without God, is excluded here. It is about things that God had prepared.

1 Corinthians 2:10. If you read 1 Corinthians 2:9 superficially, you might think: ‘This is too lofty and too incomprehensible for us. It’s better not to be occupied with “what God has prepared”, it is after all, a hopeless task.’ But that is the result of reading superficially. For 1 Corinthians 2:10 says that “to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit”. Therefore there is no excuse for not immersing yourself in the things that God had prepared. The Spirit loves to tell you all about them. The point is that your heart is focused on God, whether you love Him, for He has prepared them “for those who love Him”. It is a fact that if you really love someone, you want to know him or her better. That is also the case with our love for God.

You wouldn’t know anything of the things that God has prepared for you if God did not reveal them. God could have kept them all to Himself and show them only to you when you would be with Him in heaven. But God did not do that. He revealed or made them known now already. He did that through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:11. Here the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God”. To clarify what he means, Paul makes a comparison with the spirit of the man. The truth is that no one knows the inner being of a man than his own spirit. Only you know by your own spirit what is happening inwardly. You are the only one who is aware of the questions and problems you are pondering on or why you are joyful and happy. All other people have no idea of that and are not able to know that. The only way that they could know is when you tell them.

In this same way God works to tell you what He has given to you. Only the Spirit of God knows what is going on in the depth of God’s heart, regarding His thoughts about and feelings for you personally.

1 Corinthians 2:12. That Spirit you have received! Therefore you are able to discover what the things are that God has given to you. You have received the precise ability to search those things. The spirit of the world – which you did not receive – you find back in what men have invented or what the devil has whispered in their ear. With that spirit you will absolutely not understand one bit of the things of God. The spirit of the world doesn’t know anything about it and is in no way related to the things of God. In fact the spirit of the world is in flat contradiction with the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13. From this verse you read about the means God uses to reveal to you what He has in His heart. To do that God doesn’t use human wisdom, for no man should receive glory for that. So no man could say: ‘How clever those people are, who can pass on such lofty things.’ What again is the issue here? It is about spiritual things. Who is the One Who could tell about them? Only the Spirit.

To tell us what is given to us by God, the Spirit uses spiritual words. What words are they? Are they unintelligible sounds? No, they are normal, ordinary words, but to which the Spirit gives a spiritual meaning.

1 Corinthians 2:14. Those are words that are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand it at all. Think about it. Does an unbeliever understand what you’re talking about when you tell him about your relationship with God and how your life has been changed since you’ve known the Lord Jesus? No, he does not, does he? Why not? You speak your mother’s tongue, the same language as the other one and yet you are not understood. That’s because the things of God’s Spirit are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised, and to appraise something spiritually you need to have the Spirit of God.

It’s about two totally different worlds. In the one world, the spiritual world, the Lord Jesus is centered and the language of the Spirit is being spoken. In the other world, the natural world, where man and his own concern are centered, the language of the flesh is being spoken. These two worlds have nothing in common.

1 Corinthians 2:15. Now you have become a believer, you can understand the way of living and thinking of people from the natural world, for you used to belong there. Now you are able to appraise all things, but he who does not have the Spirit, can neither appraise nor understand you. It is only possible through the Spirit to appraise all things.

To summarize this important teaching of the apostle about the revelation of the wisdom of God, we can say this: 1. First there is the revelation by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). 2. Then it is followed by the message, the way it reaches us: that happens through spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13). 3. Finally it is accepted by spiritual people (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous seems to sound rather proud. You would almost think that you have become equal to God. The last verse of this chapter brings clarity. There is no one who has ever known the mind or thinking of the Lord so that he would be able to teach the Lord about something. That would sound very impertinent. There are people who think that God did it all wrong. Once I heard someone say: ‘If I were God, then everything would have looked different.’ Such a person thinks that he could teach God something, but in fact he, of course, does not have the slightest notion of God.

But you as a believer have received the new life, a new nature. Christ is your life and therefore you have the mind of Christ. You are able now to see and appraise things as Jesus Christ always did and still does. It is important to know that therefore you are able to appraise everything because you have now received Christ as your life. You surely understand that you are to live close to the Lord Jesus in the practice of your faith life to also give room for ‘His mind’. That was what the Corinthians failed to do, as you will see in chapter 3.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:8-16 again.

Reflection: Which things do you read here about the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9:16

Spiritual and Fleshly

1 Corinthians 3:1. What Paul wanted very much to do with the Corinthians, he could not do unfortunately. He would have wanted to speak to the Corinthians as to “spiritual men”. The expression ”spiritual men” has nothing to do with a religious job. Sometimes people speak about ‘clergymen and laymen’. The clergymen are people like pastors and priests.

They have received a training for which they have passed an exam to be appointed by their own church as a ‘clergyman’. All other members of that church are ‘laymen’. Those are people who have had no training in theology. God has never meant such a distinction. Just to be not misunderstood: I don’t say that all pastors and priests are unbelievers. I know that some of them really love the Lord Jesus sincerely.

But to me it is about their ‘profession’ as a clergyman. That is something that you can’t find in the Bible.

Now you read in 1 Corinthians 3:1 about “spiritual men” and “men of flesh”. In both cases believers are meant. In the previous chapter we read of “natural men” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those are unbelievers. We have not only to do with a distinction between believers and unbelievers, but also with a distinction between believers. The latter is the issue here. You might have noticed this distinction already. You might also have the opinion that all believers are people who of course love the Lord Jesus and serve Him. What you possibly still have to discover is that you too from one moment to another can change from a spiritual person into a fleshly person. Therefore it is important to be fully aware of what Paul is saying here.

Whether you are spiritual or fleshly depends on your attitude of mind as a believer. You are spiritual when the Holy Spirit can lead your life and when He can focus your heart and ‘mind’ (do you remember 1 Corinthians 2:16?) on the Lord Jesus. Then you are willing to do all things in your life to the honor of God. You will make mistakes, but you will be willing to quickly put things right again. When you are fleshly however, you find yourself important or you are too occupied with how other people think of you. You yourself are in the center of your life and not Christ.

You really don’t have to live in sin to be fleshly. To be fleshly easily creeps into your life. The follow-up of this chapter makes that clear.

He who is fleshly looks like an infant, a little child. A little child is limited in his ability to understand. When adults talk with each other, he hears the words, but doesn’t understand what it is all about.

1 Corinthians 3:2. Little children should be approached on their own level. Therefore Paul couldn’t tell them more about the Person of Christ than that He was crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). He couldn’t talk with them about God’s wisdom, for they didn’t belong to the perfect or mature (i.e. full-grown or mature Christians). Just look up the section of chapter 2:6. They could only receive milk. Milk is indeed baby food. The solid food is for the mature or perfect.

In Hebrew 5 you find the same issue (Hebrews 5:11-14). There the believers were actually converted for a longer period of time, but they had not made progress in their faith life. The author of the letter to the Hebrews has to admonish them regarding that. That can easily happen to you. You may have a good start, you’re very enthusiastic and you love to read the Bible. But after a while you may notice that your impetus is weakening. Then you need to be nourished with the simple things of the Bible, for you cannot recognize the deeper truths.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4. In the case of the Corinthians, the deeper truths of the Bible couldn’t be told to them because they were still “fleshly”. As a proof of that they are reprimanded for being jealous and having division among them. Paul even adds to it that they behaved like “mere men”. He just means that they were behaving like the people in the world. That is serious. Their division in small groups, each with a favorite leader, is really walking like mere men.

That’s how it works in the world. In politics and in sport as well, everyone can decide which club or faction he wants to join. They criticize all other factions. Jealousy and dissension are the order of the day. Supporters of soccer clubs are attacking each other with chains, bats and knives. Politicians criticize each other in public debates to present themselves and assure themselves that their voters will continue to support them. This is not how it should be in God’s church. Everyone has his own place and task there.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7. Paul calls himself and Apollos just “servants” through whom the Corinthians became believers. Thankfully, they didn’t come to faith in Apollos or Paul. It was faith in God. Every servant had his own part in the work that God had done in the hearts of the Corinthians.

I don’t know how you became a believer. Apparently God has used some believers for that. You will always be grateful to those people and that is a good thing. But be careful not to honor them or run after them. The real servant of God doesn’t like it when people honor him. He will want to give all tribute, honor and glory to God alone, for He finally has given the increase. That’s how Paul talks here. That’s how Peter talks in Acts 10:25-26. In Revelation 19 you even read that an angel should not receive worship from us (Revelation 19:10). He even rejects it. The only One Who is worthy of worship is God!

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:1-7 again.

Reflection: How do you recognize in yourself whether your conduct is spiritual or fleshly?

1 Corinthians 9:17

Spiritual and Fleshly

1 Corinthians 3:1. What Paul wanted very much to do with the Corinthians, he could not do unfortunately. He would have wanted to speak to the Corinthians as to “spiritual men”. The expression ”spiritual men” has nothing to do with a religious job. Sometimes people speak about ‘clergymen and laymen’. The clergymen are people like pastors and priests.

They have received a training for which they have passed an exam to be appointed by their own church as a ‘clergyman’. All other members of that church are ‘laymen’. Those are people who have had no training in theology. God has never meant such a distinction. Just to be not misunderstood: I don’t say that all pastors and priests are unbelievers. I know that some of them really love the Lord Jesus sincerely.

But to me it is about their ‘profession’ as a clergyman. That is something that you can’t find in the Bible.

Now you read in 1 Corinthians 3:1 about “spiritual men” and “men of flesh”. In both cases believers are meant. In the previous chapter we read of “natural men” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those are unbelievers. We have not only to do with a distinction between believers and unbelievers, but also with a distinction between believers. The latter is the issue here. You might have noticed this distinction already. You might also have the opinion that all believers are people who of course love the Lord Jesus and serve Him. What you possibly still have to discover is that you too from one moment to another can change from a spiritual person into a fleshly person. Therefore it is important to be fully aware of what Paul is saying here.

Whether you are spiritual or fleshly depends on your attitude of mind as a believer. You are spiritual when the Holy Spirit can lead your life and when He can focus your heart and ‘mind’ (do you remember 1 Corinthians 2:16?) on the Lord Jesus. Then you are willing to do all things in your life to the honor of God. You will make mistakes, but you will be willing to quickly put things right again. When you are fleshly however, you find yourself important or you are too occupied with how other people think of you. You yourself are in the center of your life and not Christ.

You really don’t have to live in sin to be fleshly. To be fleshly easily creeps into your life. The follow-up of this chapter makes that clear.

He who is fleshly looks like an infant, a little child. A little child is limited in his ability to understand. When adults talk with each other, he hears the words, but doesn’t understand what it is all about.

1 Corinthians 3:2. Little children should be approached on their own level. Therefore Paul couldn’t tell them more about the Person of Christ than that He was crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). He couldn’t talk with them about God’s wisdom, for they didn’t belong to the perfect or mature (i.e. full-grown or mature Christians). Just look up the section of chapter 2:6. They could only receive milk. Milk is indeed baby food. The solid food is for the mature or perfect.

In Hebrew 5 you find the same issue (Hebrews 5:11-14). There the believers were actually converted for a longer period of time, but they had not made progress in their faith life. The author of the letter to the Hebrews has to admonish them regarding that. That can easily happen to you. You may have a good start, you’re very enthusiastic and you love to read the Bible. But after a while you may notice that your impetus is weakening. Then you need to be nourished with the simple things of the Bible, for you cannot recognize the deeper truths.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4. In the case of the Corinthians, the deeper truths of the Bible couldn’t be told to them because they were still “fleshly”. As a proof of that they are reprimanded for being jealous and having division among them. Paul even adds to it that they behaved like “mere men”. He just means that they were behaving like the people in the world. That is serious. Their division in small groups, each with a favorite leader, is really walking like mere men.

That’s how it works in the world. In politics and in sport as well, everyone can decide which club or faction he wants to join. They criticize all other factions. Jealousy and dissension are the order of the day. Supporters of soccer clubs are attacking each other with chains, bats and knives. Politicians criticize each other in public debates to present themselves and assure themselves that their voters will continue to support them. This is not how it should be in God’s church. Everyone has his own place and task there.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7. Paul calls himself and Apollos just “servants” through whom the Corinthians became believers. Thankfully, they didn’t come to faith in Apollos or Paul. It was faith in God. Every servant had his own part in the work that God had done in the hearts of the Corinthians.

I don’t know how you became a believer. Apparently God has used some believers for that. You will always be grateful to those people and that is a good thing. But be careful not to honor them or run after them. The real servant of God doesn’t like it when people honor him. He will want to give all tribute, honor and glory to God alone, for He finally has given the increase. That’s how Paul talks here. That’s how Peter talks in Acts 10:25-26. In Revelation 19 you even read that an angel should not receive worship from us (Revelation 19:10). He even rejects it. The only One Who is worthy of worship is God!

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:1-7 again.

Reflection: How do you recognize in yourself whether your conduct is spiritual or fleshly?

1 Corinthians 9:18

Spiritual and Fleshly

1 Corinthians 3:1. What Paul wanted very much to do with the Corinthians, he could not do unfortunately. He would have wanted to speak to the Corinthians as to “spiritual men”. The expression ”spiritual men” has nothing to do with a religious job. Sometimes people speak about ‘clergymen and laymen’. The clergymen are people like pastors and priests.

They have received a training for which they have passed an exam to be appointed by their own church as a ‘clergyman’. All other members of that church are ‘laymen’. Those are people who have had no training in theology. God has never meant such a distinction. Just to be not misunderstood: I don’t say that all pastors and priests are unbelievers. I know that some of them really love the Lord Jesus sincerely.

But to me it is about their ‘profession’ as a clergyman. That is something that you can’t find in the Bible.

Now you read in 1 Corinthians 3:1 about “spiritual men” and “men of flesh”. In both cases believers are meant. In the previous chapter we read of “natural men” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those are unbelievers. We have not only to do with a distinction between believers and unbelievers, but also with a distinction between believers. The latter is the issue here. You might have noticed this distinction already. You might also have the opinion that all believers are people who of course love the Lord Jesus and serve Him. What you possibly still have to discover is that you too from one moment to another can change from a spiritual person into a fleshly person. Therefore it is important to be fully aware of what Paul is saying here.

Whether you are spiritual or fleshly depends on your attitude of mind as a believer. You are spiritual when the Holy Spirit can lead your life and when He can focus your heart and ‘mind’ (do you remember 1 Corinthians 2:16?) on the Lord Jesus. Then you are willing to do all things in your life to the honor of God. You will make mistakes, but you will be willing to quickly put things right again. When you are fleshly however, you find yourself important or you are too occupied with how other people think of you. You yourself are in the center of your life and not Christ.

You really don’t have to live in sin to be fleshly. To be fleshly easily creeps into your life. The follow-up of this chapter makes that clear.

He who is fleshly looks like an infant, a little child. A little child is limited in his ability to understand. When adults talk with each other, he hears the words, but doesn’t understand what it is all about.

1 Corinthians 3:2. Little children should be approached on their own level. Therefore Paul couldn’t tell them more about the Person of Christ than that He was crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). He couldn’t talk with them about God’s wisdom, for they didn’t belong to the perfect or mature (i.e. full-grown or mature Christians). Just look up the section of chapter 2:6. They could only receive milk. Milk is indeed baby food. The solid food is for the mature or perfect.

In Hebrew 5 you find the same issue (Hebrews 5:11-14). There the believers were actually converted for a longer period of time, but they had not made progress in their faith life. The author of the letter to the Hebrews has to admonish them regarding that. That can easily happen to you. You may have a good start, you’re very enthusiastic and you love to read the Bible. But after a while you may notice that your impetus is weakening. Then you need to be nourished with the simple things of the Bible, for you cannot recognize the deeper truths.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4. In the case of the Corinthians, the deeper truths of the Bible couldn’t be told to them because they were still “fleshly”. As a proof of that they are reprimanded for being jealous and having division among them. Paul even adds to it that they behaved like “mere men”. He just means that they were behaving like the people in the world. That is serious. Their division in small groups, each with a favorite leader, is really walking like mere men.

That’s how it works in the world. In politics and in sport as well, everyone can decide which club or faction he wants to join. They criticize all other factions. Jealousy and dissension are the order of the day. Supporters of soccer clubs are attacking each other with chains, bats and knives. Politicians criticize each other in public debates to present themselves and assure themselves that their voters will continue to support them. This is not how it should be in God’s church. Everyone has his own place and task there.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7. Paul calls himself and Apollos just “servants” through whom the Corinthians became believers. Thankfully, they didn’t come to faith in Apollos or Paul. It was faith in God. Every servant had his own part in the work that God had done in the hearts of the Corinthians.

I don’t know how you became a believer. Apparently God has used some believers for that. You will always be grateful to those people and that is a good thing. But be careful not to honor them or run after them. The real servant of God doesn’t like it when people honor him. He will want to give all tribute, honor and glory to God alone, for He finally has given the increase. That’s how Paul talks here. That’s how Peter talks in Acts 10:25-26. In Revelation 19 you even read that an angel should not receive worship from us (Revelation 19:10). He even rejects it. The only One Who is worthy of worship is God!

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:1-7 again.

Reflection: How do you recognize in yourself whether your conduct is spiritual or fleshly?

1 Corinthians 9:19

Spiritual and Fleshly

1 Corinthians 3:1. What Paul wanted very much to do with the Corinthians, he could not do unfortunately. He would have wanted to speak to the Corinthians as to “spiritual men”. The expression ”spiritual men” has nothing to do with a religious job. Sometimes people speak about ‘clergymen and laymen’. The clergymen are people like pastors and priests.

They have received a training for which they have passed an exam to be appointed by their own church as a ‘clergyman’. All other members of that church are ‘laymen’. Those are people who have had no training in theology. God has never meant such a distinction. Just to be not misunderstood: I don’t say that all pastors and priests are unbelievers. I know that some of them really love the Lord Jesus sincerely.

But to me it is about their ‘profession’ as a clergyman. That is something that you can’t find in the Bible.

Now you read in 1 Corinthians 3:1 about “spiritual men” and “men of flesh”. In both cases believers are meant. In the previous chapter we read of “natural men” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those are unbelievers. We have not only to do with a distinction between believers and unbelievers, but also with a distinction between believers. The latter is the issue here. You might have noticed this distinction already. You might also have the opinion that all believers are people who of course love the Lord Jesus and serve Him. What you possibly still have to discover is that you too from one moment to another can change from a spiritual person into a fleshly person. Therefore it is important to be fully aware of what Paul is saying here.

Whether you are spiritual or fleshly depends on your attitude of mind as a believer. You are spiritual when the Holy Spirit can lead your life and when He can focus your heart and ‘mind’ (do you remember 1 Corinthians 2:16?) on the Lord Jesus. Then you are willing to do all things in your life to the honor of God. You will make mistakes, but you will be willing to quickly put things right again. When you are fleshly however, you find yourself important or you are too occupied with how other people think of you. You yourself are in the center of your life and not Christ.

You really don’t have to live in sin to be fleshly. To be fleshly easily creeps into your life. The follow-up of this chapter makes that clear.

He who is fleshly looks like an infant, a little child. A little child is limited in his ability to understand. When adults talk with each other, he hears the words, but doesn’t understand what it is all about.

1 Corinthians 3:2. Little children should be approached on their own level. Therefore Paul couldn’t tell them more about the Person of Christ than that He was crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). He couldn’t talk with them about God’s wisdom, for they didn’t belong to the perfect or mature (i.e. full-grown or mature Christians). Just look up the section of chapter 2:6. They could only receive milk. Milk is indeed baby food. The solid food is for the mature or perfect.

In Hebrew 5 you find the same issue (Hebrews 5:11-14). There the believers were actually converted for a longer period of time, but they had not made progress in their faith life. The author of the letter to the Hebrews has to admonish them regarding that. That can easily happen to you. You may have a good start, you’re very enthusiastic and you love to read the Bible. But after a while you may notice that your impetus is weakening. Then you need to be nourished with the simple things of the Bible, for you cannot recognize the deeper truths.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4. In the case of the Corinthians, the deeper truths of the Bible couldn’t be told to them because they were still “fleshly”. As a proof of that they are reprimanded for being jealous and having division among them. Paul even adds to it that they behaved like “mere men”. He just means that they were behaving like the people in the world. That is serious. Their division in small groups, each with a favorite leader, is really walking like mere men.

That’s how it works in the world. In politics and in sport as well, everyone can decide which club or faction he wants to join. They criticize all other factions. Jealousy and dissension are the order of the day. Supporters of soccer clubs are attacking each other with chains, bats and knives. Politicians criticize each other in public debates to present themselves and assure themselves that their voters will continue to support them. This is not how it should be in God’s church. Everyone has his own place and task there.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7. Paul calls himself and Apollos just “servants” through whom the Corinthians became believers. Thankfully, they didn’t come to faith in Apollos or Paul. It was faith in God. Every servant had his own part in the work that God had done in the hearts of the Corinthians.

I don’t know how you became a believer. Apparently God has used some believers for that. You will always be grateful to those people and that is a good thing. But be careful not to honor them or run after them. The real servant of God doesn’t like it when people honor him. He will want to give all tribute, honor and glory to God alone, for He finally has given the increase. That’s how Paul talks here. That’s how Peter talks in Acts 10:25-26. In Revelation 19 you even read that an angel should not receive worship from us (Revelation 19:10). He even rejects it. The only One Who is worthy of worship is God!

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:1-7 again.

Reflection: How do you recognize in yourself whether your conduct is spiritual or fleshly?

1 Corinthians 9:20

Spiritual and Fleshly

1 Corinthians 3:1. What Paul wanted very much to do with the Corinthians, he could not do unfortunately. He would have wanted to speak to the Corinthians as to “spiritual men”. The expression ”spiritual men” has nothing to do with a religious job. Sometimes people speak about ‘clergymen and laymen’. The clergymen are people like pastors and priests.

They have received a training for which they have passed an exam to be appointed by their own church as a ‘clergyman’. All other members of that church are ‘laymen’. Those are people who have had no training in theology. God has never meant such a distinction. Just to be not misunderstood: I don’t say that all pastors and priests are unbelievers. I know that some of them really love the Lord Jesus sincerely.

But to me it is about their ‘profession’ as a clergyman. That is something that you can’t find in the Bible.

Now you read in 1 Corinthians 3:1 about “spiritual men” and “men of flesh”. In both cases believers are meant. In the previous chapter we read of “natural men” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those are unbelievers. We have not only to do with a distinction between believers and unbelievers, but also with a distinction between believers. The latter is the issue here. You might have noticed this distinction already. You might also have the opinion that all believers are people who of course love the Lord Jesus and serve Him. What you possibly still have to discover is that you too from one moment to another can change from a spiritual person into a fleshly person. Therefore it is important to be fully aware of what Paul is saying here.

Whether you are spiritual or fleshly depends on your attitude of mind as a believer. You are spiritual when the Holy Spirit can lead your life and when He can focus your heart and ‘mind’ (do you remember 1 Corinthians 2:16?) on the Lord Jesus. Then you are willing to do all things in your life to the honor of God. You will make mistakes, but you will be willing to quickly put things right again. When you are fleshly however, you find yourself important or you are too occupied with how other people think of you. You yourself are in the center of your life and not Christ.

You really don’t have to live in sin to be fleshly. To be fleshly easily creeps into your life. The follow-up of this chapter makes that clear.

He who is fleshly looks like an infant, a little child. A little child is limited in his ability to understand. When adults talk with each other, he hears the words, but doesn’t understand what it is all about.

1 Corinthians 3:2. Little children should be approached on their own level. Therefore Paul couldn’t tell them more about the Person of Christ than that He was crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). He couldn’t talk with them about God’s wisdom, for they didn’t belong to the perfect or mature (i.e. full-grown or mature Christians). Just look up the section of chapter 2:6. They could only receive milk. Milk is indeed baby food. The solid food is for the mature or perfect.

In Hebrew 5 you find the same issue (Hebrews 5:11-14). There the believers were actually converted for a longer period of time, but they had not made progress in their faith life. The author of the letter to the Hebrews has to admonish them regarding that. That can easily happen to you. You may have a good start, you’re very enthusiastic and you love to read the Bible. But after a while you may notice that your impetus is weakening. Then you need to be nourished with the simple things of the Bible, for you cannot recognize the deeper truths.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4. In the case of the Corinthians, the deeper truths of the Bible couldn’t be told to them because they were still “fleshly”. As a proof of that they are reprimanded for being jealous and having division among them. Paul even adds to it that they behaved like “mere men”. He just means that they were behaving like the people in the world. That is serious. Their division in small groups, each with a favorite leader, is really walking like mere men.

That’s how it works in the world. In politics and in sport as well, everyone can decide which club or faction he wants to join. They criticize all other factions. Jealousy and dissension are the order of the day. Supporters of soccer clubs are attacking each other with chains, bats and knives. Politicians criticize each other in public debates to present themselves and assure themselves that their voters will continue to support them. This is not how it should be in God’s church. Everyone has his own place and task there.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7. Paul calls himself and Apollos just “servants” through whom the Corinthians became believers. Thankfully, they didn’t come to faith in Apollos or Paul. It was faith in God. Every servant had his own part in the work that God had done in the hearts of the Corinthians.

I don’t know how you became a believer. Apparently God has used some believers for that. You will always be grateful to those people and that is a good thing. But be careful not to honor them or run after them. The real servant of God doesn’t like it when people honor him. He will want to give all tribute, honor and glory to God alone, for He finally has given the increase. That’s how Paul talks here. That’s how Peter talks in Acts 10:25-26. In Revelation 19 you even read that an angel should not receive worship from us (Revelation 19:10). He even rejects it. The only One Who is worthy of worship is God!

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:1-7 again.

Reflection: How do you recognize in yourself whether your conduct is spiritual or fleshly?

1 Corinthians 9:21

Spiritual and Fleshly

1 Corinthians 3:1. What Paul wanted very much to do with the Corinthians, he could not do unfortunately. He would have wanted to speak to the Corinthians as to “spiritual men”. The expression ”spiritual men” has nothing to do with a religious job. Sometimes people speak about ‘clergymen and laymen’. The clergymen are people like pastors and priests.

They have received a training for which they have passed an exam to be appointed by their own church as a ‘clergyman’. All other members of that church are ‘laymen’. Those are people who have had no training in theology. God has never meant such a distinction. Just to be not misunderstood: I don’t say that all pastors and priests are unbelievers. I know that some of them really love the Lord Jesus sincerely.

But to me it is about their ‘profession’ as a clergyman. That is something that you can’t find in the Bible.

Now you read in 1 Corinthians 3:1 about “spiritual men” and “men of flesh”. In both cases believers are meant. In the previous chapter we read of “natural men” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those are unbelievers. We have not only to do with a distinction between believers and unbelievers, but also with a distinction between believers. The latter is the issue here. You might have noticed this distinction already. You might also have the opinion that all believers are people who of course love the Lord Jesus and serve Him. What you possibly still have to discover is that you too from one moment to another can change from a spiritual person into a fleshly person. Therefore it is important to be fully aware of what Paul is saying here.

Whether you are spiritual or fleshly depends on your attitude of mind as a believer. You are spiritual when the Holy Spirit can lead your life and when He can focus your heart and ‘mind’ (do you remember 1 Corinthians 2:16?) on the Lord Jesus. Then you are willing to do all things in your life to the honor of God. You will make mistakes, but you will be willing to quickly put things right again. When you are fleshly however, you find yourself important or you are too occupied with how other people think of you. You yourself are in the center of your life and not Christ.

You really don’t have to live in sin to be fleshly. To be fleshly easily creeps into your life. The follow-up of this chapter makes that clear.

He who is fleshly looks like an infant, a little child. A little child is limited in his ability to understand. When adults talk with each other, he hears the words, but doesn’t understand what it is all about.

1 Corinthians 3:2. Little children should be approached on their own level. Therefore Paul couldn’t tell them more about the Person of Christ than that He was crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). He couldn’t talk with them about God’s wisdom, for they didn’t belong to the perfect or mature (i.e. full-grown or mature Christians). Just look up the section of chapter 2:6. They could only receive milk. Milk is indeed baby food. The solid food is for the mature or perfect.

In Hebrew 5 you find the same issue (Hebrews 5:11-14). There the believers were actually converted for a longer period of time, but they had not made progress in their faith life. The author of the letter to the Hebrews has to admonish them regarding that. That can easily happen to you. You may have a good start, you’re very enthusiastic and you love to read the Bible. But after a while you may notice that your impetus is weakening. Then you need to be nourished with the simple things of the Bible, for you cannot recognize the deeper truths.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4. In the case of the Corinthians, the deeper truths of the Bible couldn’t be told to them because they were still “fleshly”. As a proof of that they are reprimanded for being jealous and having division among them. Paul even adds to it that they behaved like “mere men”. He just means that they were behaving like the people in the world. That is serious. Their division in small groups, each with a favorite leader, is really walking like mere men.

That’s how it works in the world. In politics and in sport as well, everyone can decide which club or faction he wants to join. They criticize all other factions. Jealousy and dissension are the order of the day. Supporters of soccer clubs are attacking each other with chains, bats and knives. Politicians criticize each other in public debates to present themselves and assure themselves that their voters will continue to support them. This is not how it should be in God’s church. Everyone has his own place and task there.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7. Paul calls himself and Apollos just “servants” through whom the Corinthians became believers. Thankfully, they didn’t come to faith in Apollos or Paul. It was faith in God. Every servant had his own part in the work that God had done in the hearts of the Corinthians.

I don’t know how you became a believer. Apparently God has used some believers for that. You will always be grateful to those people and that is a good thing. But be careful not to honor them or run after them. The real servant of God doesn’t like it when people honor him. He will want to give all tribute, honor and glory to God alone, for He finally has given the increase. That’s how Paul talks here. That’s how Peter talks in Acts 10:25-26. In Revelation 19 you even read that an angel should not receive worship from us (Revelation 19:10). He even rejects it. The only One Who is worthy of worship is God!

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:1-7 again.

Reflection: How do you recognize in yourself whether your conduct is spiritual or fleshly?

1 Corinthians 9:22

Spiritual and Fleshly

1 Corinthians 3:1. What Paul wanted very much to do with the Corinthians, he could not do unfortunately. He would have wanted to speak to the Corinthians as to “spiritual men”. The expression ”spiritual men” has nothing to do with a religious job. Sometimes people speak about ‘clergymen and laymen’. The clergymen are people like pastors and priests.

They have received a training for which they have passed an exam to be appointed by their own church as a ‘clergyman’. All other members of that church are ‘laymen’. Those are people who have had no training in theology. God has never meant such a distinction. Just to be not misunderstood: I don’t say that all pastors and priests are unbelievers. I know that some of them really love the Lord Jesus sincerely.

But to me it is about their ‘profession’ as a clergyman. That is something that you can’t find in the Bible.

Now you read in 1 Corinthians 3:1 about “spiritual men” and “men of flesh”. In both cases believers are meant. In the previous chapter we read of “natural men” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those are unbelievers. We have not only to do with a distinction between believers and unbelievers, but also with a distinction between believers. The latter is the issue here. You might have noticed this distinction already. You might also have the opinion that all believers are people who of course love the Lord Jesus and serve Him. What you possibly still have to discover is that you too from one moment to another can change from a spiritual person into a fleshly person. Therefore it is important to be fully aware of what Paul is saying here.

Whether you are spiritual or fleshly depends on your attitude of mind as a believer. You are spiritual when the Holy Spirit can lead your life and when He can focus your heart and ‘mind’ (do you remember 1 Corinthians 2:16?) on the Lord Jesus. Then you are willing to do all things in your life to the honor of God. You will make mistakes, but you will be willing to quickly put things right again. When you are fleshly however, you find yourself important or you are too occupied with how other people think of you. You yourself are in the center of your life and not Christ.

You really don’t have to live in sin to be fleshly. To be fleshly easily creeps into your life. The follow-up of this chapter makes that clear.

He who is fleshly looks like an infant, a little child. A little child is limited in his ability to understand. When adults talk with each other, he hears the words, but doesn’t understand what it is all about.

1 Corinthians 3:2. Little children should be approached on their own level. Therefore Paul couldn’t tell them more about the Person of Christ than that He was crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). He couldn’t talk with them about God’s wisdom, for they didn’t belong to the perfect or mature (i.e. full-grown or mature Christians). Just look up the section of chapter 2:6. They could only receive milk. Milk is indeed baby food. The solid food is for the mature or perfect.

In Hebrew 5 you find the same issue (Hebrews 5:11-14). There the believers were actually converted for a longer period of time, but they had not made progress in their faith life. The author of the letter to the Hebrews has to admonish them regarding that. That can easily happen to you. You may have a good start, you’re very enthusiastic and you love to read the Bible. But after a while you may notice that your impetus is weakening. Then you need to be nourished with the simple things of the Bible, for you cannot recognize the deeper truths.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4. In the case of the Corinthians, the deeper truths of the Bible couldn’t be told to them because they were still “fleshly”. As a proof of that they are reprimanded for being jealous and having division among them. Paul even adds to it that they behaved like “mere men”. He just means that they were behaving like the people in the world. That is serious. Their division in small groups, each with a favorite leader, is really walking like mere men.

That’s how it works in the world. In politics and in sport as well, everyone can decide which club or faction he wants to join. They criticize all other factions. Jealousy and dissension are the order of the day. Supporters of soccer clubs are attacking each other with chains, bats and knives. Politicians criticize each other in public debates to present themselves and assure themselves that their voters will continue to support them. This is not how it should be in God’s church. Everyone has his own place and task there.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7. Paul calls himself and Apollos just “servants” through whom the Corinthians became believers. Thankfully, they didn’t come to faith in Apollos or Paul. It was faith in God. Every servant had his own part in the work that God had done in the hearts of the Corinthians.

I don’t know how you became a believer. Apparently God has used some believers for that. You will always be grateful to those people and that is a good thing. But be careful not to honor them or run after them. The real servant of God doesn’t like it when people honor him. He will want to give all tribute, honor and glory to God alone, for He finally has given the increase. That’s how Paul talks here. That’s how Peter talks in Acts 10:25-26. In Revelation 19 you even read that an angel should not receive worship from us (Revelation 19:10). He even rejects it. The only One Who is worthy of worship is God!

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:1-7 again.

Reflection: How do you recognize in yourself whether your conduct is spiritual or fleshly?

1 Corinthians 9:23

To Build On the Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:8. Every believer, including you, is a servant. A servant is someone who receives orders from a person in charge. There is someone above him. God is above all His servants and He orders each servant what he has got to do. It is all about His work and all servants must be aware of that. If everyone is focused on his own concern, nothing of God’s work will be done. The servants must be one. They should not work against one another nor should they have their own audience, but they should rather cooperate with each other, work together.

1 Corinthians 3:9. The unity in the service for God is important. God knows how to reward everyone according to his conduct therein. When it says that we are “God’s” fellow workers, it means that we are fellow workers with one another and that we together are servants of God. It doesn’t mean that you are doing a certain task together with God. No, He is above you and together with other servants you can be busy for Him. That means that you should not focus on what people or groups expect from you or command you to do. Then you’re not concerned about God’s interests and His work, but the interests of people, which cause dissension with your fellow workers. In this way the unity disappears very soon.

In this verse you read about a “field” and a “building” right next to each other. Those are two very different things that you cannot interchange, can you? Yes, that’s right. But Paul moves over from one picture to the other picture. Both pictures actually present an area on which or in which God’s fellow workers work.

A ‘field’ is an area on which the worker is busy with the intention to harvest fruit from it. God very much wants to receive fruit. What Paul is saying here, is that the believers in Corinth together are the field. This also applies to all places where believers gather (just think of 1 Corinthians 1:2). God wants to receive the glory He is worthy of from the lives of all believers together.

God’s building is also about the believers as one whole. They form together God’s building. When you think of a building, you think of dwelling. God dwells in the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 of this chapter it is said like that. Also other things that have to do with a building are mentioned. You need a foundation, and also building materials and builders are needed.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11. First the foundation. That is laid by Paul. He doesn’t boast of that. He says that he has laid the foundation “according to the grace of God which was given to him”. The honor of this goes to God. The foundation is therefore not something he himself has invented. The foundation “is Jesus Christ”. As “a wise master builder” Paul has presented Him to the Corinthians and nothing else in his preaching. There is no other foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:12. Now the building can start. ‘But’, Paul warns, ‘take heed with what kind of material you build.’ The six building materials he mentions are divided into two groups. The first group contains three precious materials. They can pass the fire test. The second group contains three materials that are consumed by the fire and therefore are worthless for a good building. The mentality of the builder will determine with which material he is satisfied.

I already said: it is a picture. These pictures present something from which we can draw a spiritual lesson. As you know, the believers together form the church of God. In the Bible, the church of God is compared with a bride, a body, and also with a house. The comparison with the bride we will talk about later. Here it is about the church as a house. That is a rather more difficult picture than a body or bride because you can see the church as a house from two points of view.

Actually, you read in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by God and also as a house that is built by people. When it is about a house that is built by God, do you think that God will use materials that will be consumed by fire? That is impossible. When God is building a house, He uses only good materials. You can read about God building the church as a house for example in Matthew 16, Ephesians 2 and 1 Peter 2 (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5).

But you read also in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by people. This is how it is presented here: “But each man must be careful how he builds on it.” And then it is possible that wrong materials, which are not fire proof, are used.

You might somewhat sense what the materials present. Believers are presented as gold, silver and precious stones; wood, hay and straw are a picture of unbelievers.

How do you have to imagine the building? It may be as follows. You preach the gospel. People are attracted. There are people who acknowledge their guilt before God. You yourself are convinced that they are sincere and honest and you accept them as Christians. You baptize them and at that time they confess that they step out from the world (baptism is a funeral), while they then enter Christianity. By your action to baptize them, they enter the area of the house of God to which professing Christianity is also compared. In this way you contribute to the construction of the house of God. However, you may be mistaken, what is impossible with God. Therefore you should take heed how you build.

I realize that my explanation is rather brief, but I hope that the general intention and also the issue of this section are clear to you.

There is another way you can build. The way you pass on something from the Bible can be right or wrong. Do you pass on God’s thoughts or do you pass on your own thoughts? That is something that also applies to me immediately by writing all this to you. I continually have to ask myself whether I clarify God’s Word to you in the correct way. The same applies to our way of life. What example do we give? Do we also apply to ourselves what the Bible says about how God wants us to behave and look like? If we are willing to do all things according to God’s will, we will surely make God’s building stronger. Anywhere we do not do so, we weaken it.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15. There comes a day that everything we have learnt and done will be revealed. Your and my work will be tested in the fire. That means that God’s holiness will test everything that we have done and said. And He does not make mistakes in His judgments. What remains, He shall reward. We suffer loss by what will be consumed and will therefore not be rewarded.

Thankfully, we ourselves shall be saved. Our work can be wrong, but our salvation is assured in Christ. Let us make efforts to be builders who are building with good materials in the construction of God’s house.

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:8-15 again.

Reflection: How are you building?

1 Corinthians 9:24

To Build On the Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:8. Every believer, including you, is a servant. A servant is someone who receives orders from a person in charge. There is someone above him. God is above all His servants and He orders each servant what he has got to do. It is all about His work and all servants must be aware of that. If everyone is focused on his own concern, nothing of God’s work will be done. The servants must be one. They should not work against one another nor should they have their own audience, but they should rather cooperate with each other, work together.

1 Corinthians 3:9. The unity in the service for God is important. God knows how to reward everyone according to his conduct therein. When it says that we are “God’s” fellow workers, it means that we are fellow workers with one another and that we together are servants of God. It doesn’t mean that you are doing a certain task together with God. No, He is above you and together with other servants you can be busy for Him. That means that you should not focus on what people or groups expect from you or command you to do. Then you’re not concerned about God’s interests and His work, but the interests of people, which cause dissension with your fellow workers. In this way the unity disappears very soon.

In this verse you read about a “field” and a “building” right next to each other. Those are two very different things that you cannot interchange, can you? Yes, that’s right. But Paul moves over from one picture to the other picture. Both pictures actually present an area on which or in which God’s fellow workers work.

A ‘field’ is an area on which the worker is busy with the intention to harvest fruit from it. God very much wants to receive fruit. What Paul is saying here, is that the believers in Corinth together are the field. This also applies to all places where believers gather (just think of 1 Corinthians 1:2). God wants to receive the glory He is worthy of from the lives of all believers together.

God’s building is also about the believers as one whole. They form together God’s building. When you think of a building, you think of dwelling. God dwells in the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 of this chapter it is said like that. Also other things that have to do with a building are mentioned. You need a foundation, and also building materials and builders are needed.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11. First the foundation. That is laid by Paul. He doesn’t boast of that. He says that he has laid the foundation “according to the grace of God which was given to him”. The honor of this goes to God. The foundation is therefore not something he himself has invented. The foundation “is Jesus Christ”. As “a wise master builder” Paul has presented Him to the Corinthians and nothing else in his preaching. There is no other foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:12. Now the building can start. ‘But’, Paul warns, ‘take heed with what kind of material you build.’ The six building materials he mentions are divided into two groups. The first group contains three precious materials. They can pass the fire test. The second group contains three materials that are consumed by the fire and therefore are worthless for a good building. The mentality of the builder will determine with which material he is satisfied.

I already said: it is a picture. These pictures present something from which we can draw a spiritual lesson. As you know, the believers together form the church of God. In the Bible, the church of God is compared with a bride, a body, and also with a house. The comparison with the bride we will talk about later. Here it is about the church as a house. That is a rather more difficult picture than a body or bride because you can see the church as a house from two points of view.

Actually, you read in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by God and also as a house that is built by people. When it is about a house that is built by God, do you think that God will use materials that will be consumed by fire? That is impossible. When God is building a house, He uses only good materials. You can read about God building the church as a house for example in Matthew 16, Ephesians 2 and 1 Peter 2 (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5).

But you read also in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by people. This is how it is presented here: “But each man must be careful how he builds on it.” And then it is possible that wrong materials, which are not fire proof, are used.

You might somewhat sense what the materials present. Believers are presented as gold, silver and precious stones; wood, hay and straw are a picture of unbelievers.

How do you have to imagine the building? It may be as follows. You preach the gospel. People are attracted. There are people who acknowledge their guilt before God. You yourself are convinced that they are sincere and honest and you accept them as Christians. You baptize them and at that time they confess that they step out from the world (baptism is a funeral), while they then enter Christianity. By your action to baptize them, they enter the area of the house of God to which professing Christianity is also compared. In this way you contribute to the construction of the house of God. However, you may be mistaken, what is impossible with God. Therefore you should take heed how you build.

I realize that my explanation is rather brief, but I hope that the general intention and also the issue of this section are clear to you.

There is another way you can build. The way you pass on something from the Bible can be right or wrong. Do you pass on God’s thoughts or do you pass on your own thoughts? That is something that also applies to me immediately by writing all this to you. I continually have to ask myself whether I clarify God’s Word to you in the correct way. The same applies to our way of life. What example do we give? Do we also apply to ourselves what the Bible says about how God wants us to behave and look like? If we are willing to do all things according to God’s will, we will surely make God’s building stronger. Anywhere we do not do so, we weaken it.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15. There comes a day that everything we have learnt and done will be revealed. Your and my work will be tested in the fire. That means that God’s holiness will test everything that we have done and said. And He does not make mistakes in His judgments. What remains, He shall reward. We suffer loss by what will be consumed and will therefore not be rewarded.

Thankfully, we ourselves shall be saved. Our work can be wrong, but our salvation is assured in Christ. Let us make efforts to be builders who are building with good materials in the construction of God’s house.

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:8-15 again.

Reflection: How are you building?

1 Corinthians 9:25

To Build On the Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:8. Every believer, including you, is a servant. A servant is someone who receives orders from a person in charge. There is someone above him. God is above all His servants and He orders each servant what he has got to do. It is all about His work and all servants must be aware of that. If everyone is focused on his own concern, nothing of God’s work will be done. The servants must be one. They should not work against one another nor should they have their own audience, but they should rather cooperate with each other, work together.

1 Corinthians 3:9. The unity in the service for God is important. God knows how to reward everyone according to his conduct therein. When it says that we are “God’s” fellow workers, it means that we are fellow workers with one another and that we together are servants of God. It doesn’t mean that you are doing a certain task together with God. No, He is above you and together with other servants you can be busy for Him. That means that you should not focus on what people or groups expect from you or command you to do. Then you’re not concerned about God’s interests and His work, but the interests of people, which cause dissension with your fellow workers. In this way the unity disappears very soon.

In this verse you read about a “field” and a “building” right next to each other. Those are two very different things that you cannot interchange, can you? Yes, that’s right. But Paul moves over from one picture to the other picture. Both pictures actually present an area on which or in which God’s fellow workers work.

A ‘field’ is an area on which the worker is busy with the intention to harvest fruit from it. God very much wants to receive fruit. What Paul is saying here, is that the believers in Corinth together are the field. This also applies to all places where believers gather (just think of 1 Corinthians 1:2). God wants to receive the glory He is worthy of from the lives of all believers together.

God’s building is also about the believers as one whole. They form together God’s building. When you think of a building, you think of dwelling. God dwells in the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 of this chapter it is said like that. Also other things that have to do with a building are mentioned. You need a foundation, and also building materials and builders are needed.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11. First the foundation. That is laid by Paul. He doesn’t boast of that. He says that he has laid the foundation “according to the grace of God which was given to him”. The honor of this goes to God. The foundation is therefore not something he himself has invented. The foundation “is Jesus Christ”. As “a wise master builder” Paul has presented Him to the Corinthians and nothing else in his preaching. There is no other foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:12. Now the building can start. ‘But’, Paul warns, ‘take heed with what kind of material you build.’ The six building materials he mentions are divided into two groups. The first group contains three precious materials. They can pass the fire test. The second group contains three materials that are consumed by the fire and therefore are worthless for a good building. The mentality of the builder will determine with which material he is satisfied.

I already said: it is a picture. These pictures present something from which we can draw a spiritual lesson. As you know, the believers together form the church of God. In the Bible, the church of God is compared with a bride, a body, and also with a house. The comparison with the bride we will talk about later. Here it is about the church as a house. That is a rather more difficult picture than a body or bride because you can see the church as a house from two points of view.

Actually, you read in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by God and also as a house that is built by people. When it is about a house that is built by God, do you think that God will use materials that will be consumed by fire? That is impossible. When God is building a house, He uses only good materials. You can read about God building the church as a house for example in Matthew 16, Ephesians 2 and 1 Peter 2 (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5).

But you read also in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by people. This is how it is presented here: “But each man must be careful how he builds on it.” And then it is possible that wrong materials, which are not fire proof, are used.

You might somewhat sense what the materials present. Believers are presented as gold, silver and precious stones; wood, hay and straw are a picture of unbelievers.

How do you have to imagine the building? It may be as follows. You preach the gospel. People are attracted. There are people who acknowledge their guilt before God. You yourself are convinced that they are sincere and honest and you accept them as Christians. You baptize them and at that time they confess that they step out from the world (baptism is a funeral), while they then enter Christianity. By your action to baptize them, they enter the area of the house of God to which professing Christianity is also compared. In this way you contribute to the construction of the house of God. However, you may be mistaken, what is impossible with God. Therefore you should take heed how you build.

I realize that my explanation is rather brief, but I hope that the general intention and also the issue of this section are clear to you.

There is another way you can build. The way you pass on something from the Bible can be right or wrong. Do you pass on God’s thoughts or do you pass on your own thoughts? That is something that also applies to me immediately by writing all this to you. I continually have to ask myself whether I clarify God’s Word to you in the correct way. The same applies to our way of life. What example do we give? Do we also apply to ourselves what the Bible says about how God wants us to behave and look like? If we are willing to do all things according to God’s will, we will surely make God’s building stronger. Anywhere we do not do so, we weaken it.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15. There comes a day that everything we have learnt and done will be revealed. Your and my work will be tested in the fire. That means that God’s holiness will test everything that we have done and said. And He does not make mistakes in His judgments. What remains, He shall reward. We suffer loss by what will be consumed and will therefore not be rewarded.

Thankfully, we ourselves shall be saved. Our work can be wrong, but our salvation is assured in Christ. Let us make efforts to be builders who are building with good materials in the construction of God’s house.

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:8-15 again.

Reflection: How are you building?

1 Corinthians 9:26

To Build On the Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:8. Every believer, including you, is a servant. A servant is someone who receives orders from a person in charge. There is someone above him. God is above all His servants and He orders each servant what he has got to do. It is all about His work and all servants must be aware of that. If everyone is focused on his own concern, nothing of God’s work will be done. The servants must be one. They should not work against one another nor should they have their own audience, but they should rather cooperate with each other, work together.

1 Corinthians 3:9. The unity in the service for God is important. God knows how to reward everyone according to his conduct therein. When it says that we are “God’s” fellow workers, it means that we are fellow workers with one another and that we together are servants of God. It doesn’t mean that you are doing a certain task together with God. No, He is above you and together with other servants you can be busy for Him. That means that you should not focus on what people or groups expect from you or command you to do. Then you’re not concerned about God’s interests and His work, but the interests of people, which cause dissension with your fellow workers. In this way the unity disappears very soon.

In this verse you read about a “field” and a “building” right next to each other. Those are two very different things that you cannot interchange, can you? Yes, that’s right. But Paul moves over from one picture to the other picture. Both pictures actually present an area on which or in which God’s fellow workers work.

A ‘field’ is an area on which the worker is busy with the intention to harvest fruit from it. God very much wants to receive fruit. What Paul is saying here, is that the believers in Corinth together are the field. This also applies to all places where believers gather (just think of 1 Corinthians 1:2). God wants to receive the glory He is worthy of from the lives of all believers together.

God’s building is also about the believers as one whole. They form together God’s building. When you think of a building, you think of dwelling. God dwells in the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 of this chapter it is said like that. Also other things that have to do with a building are mentioned. You need a foundation, and also building materials and builders are needed.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11. First the foundation. That is laid by Paul. He doesn’t boast of that. He says that he has laid the foundation “according to the grace of God which was given to him”. The honor of this goes to God. The foundation is therefore not something he himself has invented. The foundation “is Jesus Christ”. As “a wise master builder” Paul has presented Him to the Corinthians and nothing else in his preaching. There is no other foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:12. Now the building can start. ‘But’, Paul warns, ‘take heed with what kind of material you build.’ The six building materials he mentions are divided into two groups. The first group contains three precious materials. They can pass the fire test. The second group contains three materials that are consumed by the fire and therefore are worthless for a good building. The mentality of the builder will determine with which material he is satisfied.

I already said: it is a picture. These pictures present something from which we can draw a spiritual lesson. As you know, the believers together form the church of God. In the Bible, the church of God is compared with a bride, a body, and also with a house. The comparison with the bride we will talk about later. Here it is about the church as a house. That is a rather more difficult picture than a body or bride because you can see the church as a house from two points of view.

Actually, you read in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by God and also as a house that is built by people. When it is about a house that is built by God, do you think that God will use materials that will be consumed by fire? That is impossible. When God is building a house, He uses only good materials. You can read about God building the church as a house for example in Matthew 16, Ephesians 2 and 1 Peter 2 (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5).

But you read also in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by people. This is how it is presented here: “But each man must be careful how he builds on it.” And then it is possible that wrong materials, which are not fire proof, are used.

You might somewhat sense what the materials present. Believers are presented as gold, silver and precious stones; wood, hay and straw are a picture of unbelievers.

How do you have to imagine the building? It may be as follows. You preach the gospel. People are attracted. There are people who acknowledge their guilt before God. You yourself are convinced that they are sincere and honest and you accept them as Christians. You baptize them and at that time they confess that they step out from the world (baptism is a funeral), while they then enter Christianity. By your action to baptize them, they enter the area of the house of God to which professing Christianity is also compared. In this way you contribute to the construction of the house of God. However, you may be mistaken, what is impossible with God. Therefore you should take heed how you build.

I realize that my explanation is rather brief, but I hope that the general intention and also the issue of this section are clear to you.

There is another way you can build. The way you pass on something from the Bible can be right or wrong. Do you pass on God’s thoughts or do you pass on your own thoughts? That is something that also applies to me immediately by writing all this to you. I continually have to ask myself whether I clarify God’s Word to you in the correct way. The same applies to our way of life. What example do we give? Do we also apply to ourselves what the Bible says about how God wants us to behave and look like? If we are willing to do all things according to God’s will, we will surely make God’s building stronger. Anywhere we do not do so, we weaken it.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15. There comes a day that everything we have learnt and done will be revealed. Your and my work will be tested in the fire. That means that God’s holiness will test everything that we have done and said. And He does not make mistakes in His judgments. What remains, He shall reward. We suffer loss by what will be consumed and will therefore not be rewarded.

Thankfully, we ourselves shall be saved. Our work can be wrong, but our salvation is assured in Christ. Let us make efforts to be builders who are building with good materials in the construction of God’s house.

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:8-15 again.

Reflection: How are you building?

1 Corinthians 9:27

To Build On the Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:8. Every believer, including you, is a servant. A servant is someone who receives orders from a person in charge. There is someone above him. God is above all His servants and He orders each servant what he has got to do. It is all about His work and all servants must be aware of that. If everyone is focused on his own concern, nothing of God’s work will be done. The servants must be one. They should not work against one another nor should they have their own audience, but they should rather cooperate with each other, work together.

1 Corinthians 3:9. The unity in the service for God is important. God knows how to reward everyone according to his conduct therein. When it says that we are “God’s” fellow workers, it means that we are fellow workers with one another and that we together are servants of God. It doesn’t mean that you are doing a certain task together with God. No, He is above you and together with other servants you can be busy for Him. That means that you should not focus on what people or groups expect from you or command you to do. Then you’re not concerned about God’s interests and His work, but the interests of people, which cause dissension with your fellow workers. In this way the unity disappears very soon.

In this verse you read about a “field” and a “building” right next to each other. Those are two very different things that you cannot interchange, can you? Yes, that’s right. But Paul moves over from one picture to the other picture. Both pictures actually present an area on which or in which God’s fellow workers work.

A ‘field’ is an area on which the worker is busy with the intention to harvest fruit from it. God very much wants to receive fruit. What Paul is saying here, is that the believers in Corinth together are the field. This also applies to all places where believers gather (just think of 1 Corinthians 1:2). God wants to receive the glory He is worthy of from the lives of all believers together.

God’s building is also about the believers as one whole. They form together God’s building. When you think of a building, you think of dwelling. God dwells in the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 of this chapter it is said like that. Also other things that have to do with a building are mentioned. You need a foundation, and also building materials and builders are needed.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11. First the foundation. That is laid by Paul. He doesn’t boast of that. He says that he has laid the foundation “according to the grace of God which was given to him”. The honor of this goes to God. The foundation is therefore not something he himself has invented. The foundation “is Jesus Christ”. As “a wise master builder” Paul has presented Him to the Corinthians and nothing else in his preaching. There is no other foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:12. Now the building can start. ‘But’, Paul warns, ‘take heed with what kind of material you build.’ The six building materials he mentions are divided into two groups. The first group contains three precious materials. They can pass the fire test. The second group contains three materials that are consumed by the fire and therefore are worthless for a good building. The mentality of the builder will determine with which material he is satisfied.

I already said: it is a picture. These pictures present something from which we can draw a spiritual lesson. As you know, the believers together form the church of God. In the Bible, the church of God is compared with a bride, a body, and also with a house. The comparison with the bride we will talk about later. Here it is about the church as a house. That is a rather more difficult picture than a body or bride because you can see the church as a house from two points of view.

Actually, you read in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by God and also as a house that is built by people. When it is about a house that is built by God, do you think that God will use materials that will be consumed by fire? That is impossible. When God is building a house, He uses only good materials. You can read about God building the church as a house for example in Matthew 16, Ephesians 2 and 1 Peter 2 (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5).

But you read also in the Bible about the church as a house that is built by people. This is how it is presented here: “But each man must be careful how he builds on it.” And then it is possible that wrong materials, which are not fire proof, are used.

You might somewhat sense what the materials present. Believers are presented as gold, silver and precious stones; wood, hay and straw are a picture of unbelievers.

How do you have to imagine the building? It may be as follows. You preach the gospel. People are attracted. There are people who acknowledge their guilt before God. You yourself are convinced that they are sincere and honest and you accept them as Christians. You baptize them and at that time they confess that they step out from the world (baptism is a funeral), while they then enter Christianity. By your action to baptize them, they enter the area of the house of God to which professing Christianity is also compared. In this way you contribute to the construction of the house of God. However, you may be mistaken, what is impossible with God. Therefore you should take heed how you build.

I realize that my explanation is rather brief, but I hope that the general intention and also the issue of this section are clear to you.

There is another way you can build. The way you pass on something from the Bible can be right or wrong. Do you pass on God’s thoughts or do you pass on your own thoughts? That is something that also applies to me immediately by writing all this to you. I continually have to ask myself whether I clarify God’s Word to you in the correct way. The same applies to our way of life. What example do we give? Do we also apply to ourselves what the Bible says about how God wants us to behave and look like? If we are willing to do all things according to God’s will, we will surely make God’s building stronger. Anywhere we do not do so, we weaken it.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15. There comes a day that everything we have learnt and done will be revealed. Your and my work will be tested in the fire. That means that God’s holiness will test everything that we have done and said. And He does not make mistakes in His judgments. What remains, He shall reward. We suffer loss by what will be consumed and will therefore not be rewarded.

Thankfully, we ourselves shall be saved. Our work can be wrong, but our salvation is assured in Christ. Let us make efforts to be builders who are building with good materials in the construction of God’s house.

Now read 1 Corinthians 3:8-15 again.

Reflection: How are you building?