Monthly Archives: February 2022

Watering, Working, Warning

Sunday Evening Sermons

Watering Working, Warning

Pastor Don Carpenter

A Beautiful Mess / 1 Corinthians 3:5–17

A fellow stopped at a gas station and, after filling the tank on his car, he paid the bill and bought a soft drink. He stood by his car to drink his cola and he watched a couple of men working along the roadside.

One man would dig a hole two or three feet deep and then move on. The other man came along behind and filled in the hole. While one was digging a new hole, the other was about 25 feet behind filling in the old. The men worked right past the fellow with the soft drink and went on down the road. “I can’t stand this,” said the man tossing the can in a trash container and heading down the road toward the men.

“Hold on,” he said to the men. “Can you tell me what’s going on here with this digging?”

“Well, we work for the government, ” one of the men said.

“But one of you is digging a hole and the other fills it up. You’re not accomplishing anything. Aren’t you wasting the People’s money?”

“You don’t understand, mister,” one of the men said, leaning on his shovel and wiping his brow. “Normally there’s three of us–me, Sam and Jesse.

”I dig the hole, Sam sticks in the tree and Jesse here puts the dirt back.

Now, just because Sam’s sick, that don’t mean that Jesse and I can’t work.”

When it comes to the church of Jesus Christ, sometimes people do not think very much, either. People attend church, but they don’t get what church is all about, or they are blinded by assumptions. They just dig holes instead of planting trees.

As we continue studying Paul’s letter to the “Beautiful Mess” that was the Church at Corinth, we continue to learn why the carnality of division is so silly. The Corinthian believers, like we often do, have split up following different personalities and styles. Paul is making the case that it is all the same Bible and the same work, and the same miracle of Grace that works in and through us in spite of our lack of merit.

Often in our churches, we get very secular in our thinking. It is not the effort, it is the results that matter… or so we say. Once again we will find that God is in charge of the results and the personnel assignments. We are simply to be good stewards of the everyday Grace and opportunities to serve that is our life after salvation.

Watering – Understanding Christian Partnership.

1 Corinthians 3:5–8 KJV
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

Personality is not the Key

Galatians 6:3 KJV
For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

1 Corinthians 15:10 KJV
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

The Type of Work is not the Key

1 Corinthians 2:2 KJV
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

1 Corinthians 3:8 KJV
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

God gives the increase – the labor does not necessarily guarantee the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:7 KJV
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

1 Corinthians 15:10 KJV
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1 Corinthians 1:4 KJV
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

Psalm 127:1 KJV
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

God gives the reward individually according to labor (not production)

Psalm 62:12 KJV
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: For thou renderest to every man according to his work.

Galatians 6:4 KJV
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Working – Building on the Same Foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:9–11 KJV
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Workers build upon each other’s efforts

Acts 18:27–28 KJV
And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

The foundation is Jesus, not a personality.

Galatians 2:6 KJV
But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

Matthew 16:18 KJV
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Warning: Each of us will give full account of our stewardship of life.

1 Corinthians 4:3 KJV
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

Accountable For Our Opportunities in Life

1 Corinthians 3:12–15 KJV
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

1 Peter 5:4 KJV
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Romans 12:6 KJV
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Accountable For Our Bodies

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 KJV
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Conclusion

We need to quit stressing over what does not matter. Anything good that happens is because God in His grace worked through us. So elevating one person over another and separating over it, is not Biblical. Watering and planting though different are the same, because without the touch o God neither produces anything. God is interested in our stewardship, not primarily the results. God handles the increase… we are accountable for our effort. I believe when we lose sight of this we get easy 1, 2 3 pray with me stuff. We also get external extrabiblical sanctification. It is much easier to cut your hair, shave your face, put on a tie or dress rather than letting the peace of God rule in your hearts. It is all about Grace. Jesus died and rose again because we cannot attain righteousness. We also cannot stand in our own righteousness after salvation. One plants, one waters, but God, in His grace gives the increase.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:36 PM February 25, 2022.

Two Ordinances

Sunday Morning Sermons

Two Ordinances

Pastor Don Carpenter

Baptist Basics

Two ordinances—baptism and the Lord’s Table (also called communion). These ordinances have no part in salvation and only serve as pictures of what Christ did for us. (See Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; Acts 2:38–43, 8:36–38; Romans 6:1–6)

Today, we’re going to talk about another confusing church word – GRACE. If you ask a child what grace is, you might hear him say, “Grace is what we say before we eat.” And that’s true. We do call that prayer before we eat “grace.” But for many, that’s about as far as the definition of grace goes.

Most of us have heard that acrostic for grace “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” That’s a nice way to remember the basics of what God’s grace actually is. But grace is much more than that.

Some have called it “God’s unmerited favor.”

One man said that “Grace is what God does within you, without you.”

Dr. J. H. Jowett defined it like this: “Grace is holy love, but it is holy love in spontaneous movement, going out in eager quest toward the unholy and the unlovely, that by the ministry of its own sacrifice it might redeem the unholy and the unlovely into its own strength and beauty.”

This is really a concise definition of grace, but even Dr. Jowett realized how far short he had come in trying to define grace.

To simplify the meaning of grace, we could say that grace is God’s undeserved blessing to an undeserving people.

(From a sermon by Carl Kolb, Isn’t Grace What We Say Before We Eat? 1/3/2010)

Grace is the focal point of the Gospel. It an integral element around which the entire story of the Bible revolves. Let us review a few essential points of the Gospel:

Everyone is a Sinner

Romans 3:10 KJV
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:23 KJV
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Proverbs 16:25 KJV
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.

There is a price on that sin.

Romans 6:23 KJV
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Revelation 21:8 KJV
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

You Can’t Pay the Price for Sin through works.

Galatians 2:21 KJV
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Romans 3:19–20 KJV
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Jesus Paid that Price

Romans 5:8 KJV
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Salvation then is accessed through Grace, not works.

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

So here is the million dollar question… since salvation is accessed through Grace not works, how do we access Grace? This is the subject of our message this morning.

B -Biblical Authority

A- Autonomy of the Local Church

P -Priesthood of all Believers

T – Two Ordinances

I

S

T

Welcome to the fourth message in Baptist Basics. We have been following the acrostic outlining a combined set of doctrines known as the Baptist Distinctives. Today we come upon one called “Two Ordinances”. As we have learned already, labels mean something. We are going to dig deeper and find that this is not just about Baptism and Communion, it is about answering the question, “How Does One Access Grace?”

Sacrament VS Ordinance

Sacrament

The following is taken from beginningCatholic.com , an official Catholic doctrine website.

The sacraments are chosen instruments of divine power.

The exact definition of a sacrament is that it is “an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.” We readily can see that there are three distinct ideas contained in that short definition:

Outward sign Instituted by Christ To give grace

Coming now to the third element in the definition of a sacrament, we have its essential purpose: “to give grace.”

What kind of grace do the sacraments give?

First and most important of all, they give sanctifying grace. Sanctifying grace is that marvelous supernatural life, that sharing-in-God’s-own-life that is the result of God’s Love, the Holy Spirit, indwelling in the soul.

To the soul cut off from God by original sin, Baptism brings sanctifying grace for the first time. Baptism opens the soul to the flow of God’s love, and establishes union between the soul and God.To the soul cut off from God by its own sin, by mortal sin, the sacrament of Reconciliation restores the sanctifying grace that has been lost. Reconciliation removes the barrier that has kept the Holy Spirit outside and once again gives entrance to God’s life-giving love.

So to summarize, Sacraments are thought to allow us to access Grace. Since Grace is essential to salvation, in the sacramental system, sacraments are essential to salvation. Now let us understand a different term.

Ordinance

Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and a few Protestant denominations use the term sacrament to refer to a rite through which God’s grace is conveyed to an individual. Many evangelical churches prefer the word ordinance, which can be defined as a “God-ordained ceremony.”

A sacrament is often thought of as being a means of God’s grace—as a worshiper performs a certain religious rite, he or she receives divine blessing, either for salvation or for sanctification. An ordinance is usually not considered a conduit of grace but simply a practice commanded to be performed by the Lord. In other words, a sacrament, at some level, involves a supernatural work of God. An ordinance is simply an act of man in obedience to God. – www.Gotquestions.org

So the terms are NOT interchangeable, even though some carelessly use them that way. A Sacrament is a means of accessing Grace, an Ordinance is a symbolic gesture pointing to a Grace event that has already taken place.

Sacrament = Access to Grace

Ordinance = Remembering the Grace event that already took place.

How To Access Grace According to Scriptures

Romans 5:1–2 KJV
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Grace is accessed by faith not by works.

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:21 KJV
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

• Everyone is a Sinner

• There is a price for that Sin

• You Cannot Pay that Price

• Jesus Paid that Price

• What are you going to do about it. One must transfer trust from dead works onto Jesus’ finished work on the Cross.

Romans 10:13–14 KJV
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

So then since Sacraments are thought to access Grace, which can only be accessed by faith, Ordinance is the Biblical Term.

The Ordinance of Baptism

Not Required For Salvation

1 Corinthians 1:17 KJV
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Luke 23:39–43 KJV
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Commanded By Jesus

Matthew 28:18–20 KJV
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Practiced By Believers

Acts 2:41–42 KJV
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Symbolizes Gospel Story

Romans 6:3–4 KJV
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Ordinance of Communion.

Commanded By Christ

Matthew 26:26–30 KJV
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

This is Picturing Belief, not the Consumption of Christ’s Flesh.

John 6:35 KJV
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

This is a Means of Remembrance, not Redemption.

1 Corinthians 11:24–25 KJV
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Labels mean something. When you say you are a Baptist it means something. When we say we celebrate the two Ordinances it means that we draw a distinction between Sacrament and Ordinance. It means we agree with the Bible that we cannot merit or earn Grace. The only way to access Grace required for salvation is by Faith Alone in Christ Alone. Grace is unmerited favor and thus is not merited through Communion or Baptism.

The boy stood defiantly. “Go ahead, give it to me.”

The principal looked at the young rebel and asked, “How many times have you been here?”

The child sneered rebelliously, “Apparently not enough.”

“And you have been punished each time?” the principal responded.

“Yeah, I been punished, if that’s what you want to call it. Go ahead. I can take whatever you dish out. I always have.”

“And no thought of your punishment enters your head the next time you decide to break the rules does it?”

“Nope, I do whatever I want to do. Ain’t nothin’ you people gonna do to stop me either.”

The principal looked at the teacher who stood nearby. “What did he do this time?”

“Fighting. He shoved Tommy’s face into the sandbox.”

The principal looked at the boy, “What did Tommy do to you?”

“Nothin’, I didn’t like the way he was lookin’ at me.”

The teacher stiffened, but a quick look from the principal stopped him as he quietly said, “Today, is the day you learn about grace.”

“Grace? Isn’t that what you old people do before you sit down to eat? I don’t need none of your stinkin’ grace.”

“Oh but you do,” said the principal. The principal studied the young man’s face and whispered, “Oh yes, you truly do…” The boy continued to glare as the principal continued, “Grace, in its short definition is unmerited favor. You cannot earn it. It is a gift, and is always freely given. It means that you will not be getting what you so richly deserve.”

The boy looked puzzled. “You’re not gonna whup me? You just gonna let me walk?” The boy studied the face of the principal, “No punishment at all? Even though I socked Tommy and shoved his face into the sandbox?”

“Oh, there has to be punishment. What you did was wrong, and there are always consequences to our actions. There will be punishment. Grace is not an excuse for doing wrong.”

“I knew it,” sneered the boy as he held out his hands. “Let’s get on with it.”

The principal nodded toward the teacher. “Bring me the belt.” The teacher presented the belt to the principal. He carefully folded it in two, and then handed it back to the teacher. He looked at the child and said, “I want you to count the blows.” The principal walked over to stand directly in front of the young man. He gently reached out and folded the child’s outstretched, expectant hands together and then turned to face the teacher with his own hands outstretched. One quiet word came forth from his mouth. “Begin.” The belt whipped down on the outstretched hands of the principal. Crack!

The young man jumped. Shock registered across his face, “One,” he whispered. Crack! “Two.” His voice raised an octave. Crack! “Three.” He couldn’t believe this. Crack! “Four.” Big tears welled up in the eyes of the rebel. “OK stop! That’s enough. Stop!” Crack! came the belt down on the hands of the principal. Crack! The child flinched with each blow, tears beginning to stream down his face. Crack! Crack!

“No, please,” the former rebel begged. “Stop, I did it, I’m the one who deserves it. Stop! Please. Stop…” Still the blows came. Crack! Crack! One after another.

Finally it was over. The principal stood with sweat glistening across his forehead and beads trickling down his face. Slowly he knelt down. He studied the young man for a second and then his swollen hands reached out to cradle the face of the weeping child and said, “Grace…”

Grace came to you through the sacrifice of Jesus of Nazareth who at Calvary received the punishment that you and I deserve for our sin. His back was whipped for the idols that we have bent our backs to. Nails were driven through His sinless hands for the things that we have done with our hands. Nails were driven through His feet for the paths that we have chosen to walk. He wore a crown of thorns for the things we have given our minds to. A lance was driven into his heart for the things we have held in our hearts. Truly we have received God’s grace. G-R-A-C-E= God’s Righteousness At Christ’s Expense! (Author Unknown, Adapted)

Have you come to the point in your life where you transferred your trust FROM Sacraments, works, rites, rituals or anything you can do, TO Jesus’ Death, Burial, and Resurrection? This is how you access Grace. This is why we have two Ordinances.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 7:56 PM February 24, 2022.

Prayer for Enlightenment

Wednesday Evening Sermons

A Prayer for Enlightenment

Pastor Don Carpenter

Greater Vision / Ephesians 1:15–17

Malcolm, a man with a terrible temper, was playing a round of golf with his pastor. After leaving three straight putts on the edge of the cup, Malcolm exploded. “I missed!” he screamed. “How could I miss?” With that he heaved his putter into a nearby lake, kicked a wheel on the golf cart and drove his fist into a nearby tree.

Pastor was shocked. “I have never seen such a terrible display of anger,” he said to the poor man. “Don’t you know that God doesn’t like it when we are angry? I have heard that there are angels whose one assignment is to search out people who express their anger so ferociously and to send lightning bolts from heaven to burn them to a crisp.”

Malcolm was embarrassed. Heeding the warning of Pastor, on the next few holes, he managed to control himself. However, on the last three holes his putting failed him again. When the last putt veered off to the right just in front of the hole, Malcolm went crazy. “I missed!” he screamed. “How could I miss?” He broke his club across his knee and threw it as far as he could, he kicked up several large clumps of dirt on the edge of the green, and once more drove his fist into a nearby tree.

Suddenly the sky grew dark as an ominous cloud passed over. There was a clap of thunder and an awesome burst of lightning-and the pastor was burned to a crisp!

An eerie silence filled the golf course. All that could be heard was a quiet voice from heaven: “I missed! How could I miss?”’

Contributed by David Lansdown

Often when we think of our relationship with God, we imagine ourselves constantly disappointing and angering our Savior to the point where we just may have to dodge lightening bolts on the golf course. The Apostle Paul was obsessed with believers truly understanding the depth of the love Jesus has for His own. There is four different passages where Paul from prison, prays for the believers he once helped come to Christ and grow as a body of believers. Each time, he did not pray for their prosperity or even their deliverance, but their spiritual enlightenment. Tonight we will launch a three week series studying one of these passages. We will see that there is more to learn once we have trusted Jesus as Savior… we are to dive deeper into the wisdom, revelation, and knowledge of Jesus Christ Himself.

Only True Believers Can Receive Deeper Enlightenment.

Ephesians 1:15–16 KJV
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Romans 1:8 KJV
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 KJV
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

John 13:34–35 KJV
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

True Christians love Christ and they also love their neighbours. More than that, they know that they cannot show their love to Christ in any other way than by showing their love to their neighbours. However orthodox a church is, however pure its theology, and however noble its worship and its liturgy, it is not a true church in the real sense of the term unless it is characterized by love for other people. There are churches which seldom make any public pronouncement which is not based on censorious criticism. They may be orthodox, but they are not Christian. The true Church is marked by a double love—love for Christ and love for others.1

1 Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (pp. 101–102). Westminster John Knox Pres

The Holy Spirit Is The Source of Spiritual Enlightenment.

Isaiah 11:2 KJV
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

John 14:25–26 KJV
These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:12–14 KJV
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Enlightenment Comes to the Heart of A Believer

Ephesians 1:17 KJV
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Psalm 119:18 KJV
Open thou mine eyes, That I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

The Wisdom of Christ

Colossians 1:9 KJV
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Colossians 2:3 KJV
In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

James 3:17–18 KJV
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Revelation of Christ

John 1:14 KJV
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1 Corinthians 2:10 KJV
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

The Knowledge of Christ

Matthew 11:28–30 KJV
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

“The Father wants us to be filled only with His Christ. Will you let Him deal so thoroughly in His love, until you are consumed with Him, having to continually depend upon Him, instead of anything of yourself? For God to take you deeper into Himself, He must expose all in you that is not of Himself. I hope that, as He shines in you, you will take Him as Grace, to deal completely, so He may possess you wholly, and bring you into His fullness in your lifetime.” Dr Yu Martyred in China 1956

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 2:26 PM February 23, 2022.

Failure To Thrive

Sunday Evening Sermons

Failure To Thrive

Pastor Don Carpenter

A Beautiful Mess / 1 Corinthians 3:1–4

 There is a tragic condition that some children suffer with called “Failure to Thrive.” The following is taken from the Johns Hopkins web site:

What is failure to thrive?

Children are diagnosed with failure to thrive when their weight or rate of weight gain is significantly below that of other children of similar age and sex. Infants or children that fail to thrive seem to be dramatically smaller or shorter than other children the same age. Teenagers may have short stature or appear to lack the usual changes that occur at puberty. However, there is a wide variation in what is considered normal growth and development.

Symptoms

In general, the rate of change in weight and height may be more important than the actual measurements.

Infants or children who fail to thrive have a height, weight and head circumference that do not match standard growth charts. The person’s weight falls lower than the third percentile (as outlined in standard growth charts) or 20 percent below the ideal weight for their height. Growing may have slowed or stopped after a previously established growth curve.

The following are delayed or slow to develop:

Physical skills, such as rolling over, sitting, standing and walking

Mental and social skills.

_____

As we continue to study Paul’s letter to the “Beautiful Mess” that was the Church at Corinth, we come upon a section where the Apostle really turns up the heat in his rebuke of these believers. He spent chapter 2 explaining how silly it is to have divisions when whatever we have learned is spiritually imparted, and not the result of our own intellectual prowess. 

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Three: Be Wise about … the Local Church (1 Corinthians 3)

Paul already explained that there are two kinds of people in the world—natural (unsaved) and spiritual (saved). But now he explained that there are two kinds of saved people: mature and immature (carnal). A Christian matures by allowing the Spirit to teach him and direct him by feeding on the Word. The immature Christian lives for the things of the flesh (carnal means “flesh”) and has little interest in the things of the Spirit. Of course, some believers are immature because they have been saved only a short time, but that is not what Paul is discussing here.

Paul was the “spiritual father” who brought this family into being (1 Cor. 4:15). During the eighteen months he ministered in Corinth, Paul had tried to feed his spiritual children and help them mature in the faith. Just as in a human family, everybody helps the new baby grow and mature, so in the family of God we must encourage spiritual maturity.

What are the marks of maturity? For one thing, you can tell the mature person by his diet. As I write this chapter, we are watching our grandson and our granddaughter grow up. Becky is still being nursed by her mother, but Jonathan now sits at the table and uses his little cup and (with varying degrees of success) his tableware. As children grow, they learn to eat different food. They graduate (to use Paul’s words) from milk to meat.

Tonight we are going to look at a spiritual tragedy that happens when Believers cannot stomach anything other than the milk of the Word, and therefore are spiritually malnourished. They can be seen as having the Spiritual condition of Failure To Thrive.. a danger of Carnality.

Still Babes In Christ

1 Corinthians 3:1–2 KJV

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Carnality Stunts Growth

 In verse 1, he calls them sarkinoi. This word comes from sarx, which means ?esh—a word that is so common in Paul. Now, all Greek adjectives ending in -inos mean made of something or other. So, Paul begins by saying that the Corinthians are made of ?esh. That was not in itself a rebuke; human beings by their very nature are made of ?esh, but they must not stay that way. The trouble was that the Corinthians were not only sarkinoi, they were sarkikoi, which means not only made of ?esh but dominated by the ?esh. To Paul, the ?esh is much more than merely a physical thing. It means human nature apart from God, that part of men and women, both mental and physical, which provides a point of entry for sin. So, the fault that Paul ?nds with the Corinthians is not that they are made of ?esh—all human beings are—but that they have allowed this lower side of their nature to dominate all their outlook and all their actions.1

1 Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Corinthians (3rd ed., pp. 35–36). Westminster John Knox Press.

 “Carnal” (3:1, 3).—This is a harsher word than its Greek equivalent, for we apply it only to an excessive dominance of the bodily appetites. In Paul it seems to refer to the whole tendency of life and thought, as governed by lower impulses and worldly motives rather than by the spirit. Thus in the present passage “jealousy and strife” prove the existence of a carnal temper, for these subserve no higher than earthly ends, and are impossible to genuine spirituality.1

1 Drummond, J. (1899). The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians, Corinthians, Galatians, Romans and Philippians (O. Cone, G. L. Cary, & H. P. Forbes, Eds.; p. 73). G. P. Putnam’s Sons; The Knickerbocker Press.

Spiritual Life But Failing to Thrive.

1 Peter 2:2 KJV

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Matthew 4:4 KJV

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Hebrews 5:14 KJV

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Psalm 119:103 KJV

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

The Word of God is our spiritual food: milk (1 Peter 2:2), bread (Matt. 4:4), meat (Heb. 5:11–14), and even honey (Ps. 119:103). Just as the physical man needs a balanced diet if his body is to be healthy, so the inner man needs a balanced diet of spiritual food. The baby begins with milk, but as he grows and his teeth develop, he needs solid food.

It is not difficult to determine a believer’s spiritual maturity, or immaturity, if you discover what kind of “diet” he enjoys. The immature believer knows little about the present ministry of Christ in heaven. He knows the facts about our Lord’s life and ministry on earth, but not the truths about His present ministry in heaven. He lives on “Bible stories” and not Bible doctrines. He has no understanding of 1 Corinthians 2:6–7.

1 Corinthians 2:6–7 KJV

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Milk = Christ’s Earthly Ministry

Meat = Christ’s Current Heavenly High Priestly Ministry.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Three: Be Wise about … the Local Church (1 Corinthians 3)

The usual answer is that “milk” represents the easy things in the Word, while “meat” represents the hard doctrines. But I disagree with that traditional explanation, and my proof is Hebrews 5:10–14. That passage seems to teach that “milk” represents what Jesus Christ did on earth, while “meat” concerns what He is doing now in heaven. The writer of Hebrews wanted to teach his readers about the present heavenly priesthood of Jesus Christ, but his readers were so immature, he could not do it (note Heb. 6:1–4).

WIERSBE

Hebrews 5:10–14 KJV

Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 

Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Symptoms of Carnality

1 Corinthians 3:3–4 KJV

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

James 3:13–16 KJV

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

2 Corinthians 12:20 KJV

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

 What is it about their life and conduct that makes Paul level such a rebuke at them? It is their partisan attitude, their strife and their factions. This is extremely signi?cant because it means that you can tell what a person’s relationship with God is by looking at the way that person relates to others. If someone is at variance with others and is a quarrelsome, argumentative, troublemaking type, that person may be a diligent church-attender, even a church of?ce-bearer, but not a child of God. But if someone is at one with others, and has relationships that are marked by love and unity and concord, then that person is on the way to being one of God’s children.1

1 Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Corinthians (3rd ed., p. 36). Westminster John Knox Press.

 Greek culture sometimes divinized heroes into gods; some scholars have also claimed that initiates to some mystery cults were said to become gods. Later traditions divinized philosophers, and philosophers often claimed that people could be divinized by virtue, because they considered the soul a divine part within each person. Although some Jewish writers in the Greek world adopted the language of deification, the principle of one God generally kept Jews and Christians from following this concept that far (Gen 3:5). Here Paul says: If you follow humans, then you are not only not divine; you are not even following the Spirit of God.1

1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (1 Co 3:4). InterVarsity Press.

 There is another way to determine maturity: the mature Christian practices love and seeks to get along with others. Children like to disagree and fuss. And children like to identify with heroes, whether sports heroes or Hollywood heroes. The “babes” in Corinth were fighting over which preacher was the greatest—Paul, Apollos, or Peter. It sounded like children on the playground: “My father can fight better than your father! My father makes more money than your father!”

 When immature Christians, without spiritual discernment, get into places of leadership in the church, the results will be disastrous. More than one brokenhearted pastor has phoned me, or written me, asking what to do with church officers who talk big but live small.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 578). Victor Books.

Conclusion:

Carnality is the condition that exists when we allow our flesh to rule in spite of the fact that Jesus’ blood has broken sin’s chains around our souls.  

Romans 6:1–2 KJV

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

The message of the Gospel gives us hope and assurance that we no longer need to cower under the controlling arm of our flesh. Jesus’ blood has made us free! We simply need to recon or count these things to be so. Rom 6.12-13

Romans 6:12–13 KJV

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Recognize the symptoms of Carnality that cause the Spiritual Condition of Failure to Thrive. Confess it, forsake it, and live in the Grace God has provide in the Gospel to live free and grow as we were designed to do.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:58 PM February 19, 2022.

Eliminate All Hurry

Wednesday Evening Sermons

Eliminate All Hurry

Pastor Don Carpenter

Redeeming Your Time / Ephesians 5:15–17; Luke 14:28–30

Today is the last day of a series called, Redeeming Your Time. A quick recap:

In Ephesians 5:15-17, God commands us to “redeem the time.” Why? So that we can do “the will of the Lord.” Over the past few weeks, we have explored six timeless time management principles from the life of Christ as portrayed in the gospels:

? Principle #1: Start with the Word

? Principle #2: Let Your Yes Be Yes

? Principle #3: Dissent From the Kingdom of Noise

? Principle #4: Prioritize Your Yeses

? Principle #5: Accept Your Unipresence

? Principle #6: Embrace Productive Rest

Eliminate All Hurry: To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must embrace productive business while ruthlessly eliminating hurry from our lives.

Jesus Was Busy

Throughout this series, we have talked about how although life is drastically different now than in the first century, Jesus did have many of the same time management challenges we face today.

One of the most common words used in the Gospel of Mark is “immediately.” No less than forty times does Mark employ this word to make an inescapable point: The life of Jesus and his disciples was busy:

One time, Jesus was too busy to eat and his family thought he was “out of his mind”

Mark 3:20–21 KJV

And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 

And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

John 11:9 KJV

Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

The Cambridge Bible commentary translates Jesus’s words as follows: “Are there not twelve working-hours in which a man may labour without fear of stumbling? I have not yet reached the end of my working-day, and so can safely continue the work I came to do. The night cometh, when I can no longer work; but it has not yet come.”

When that night did come, Jesus prayed to the Father saying,

John 17:4 KJV

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

As we have seen over the past four weeks, Jesus was highly motivated to finish his work as a means of glorifying the Father, and that led him to be wildly productive and busy.

Jesus Was Not Hurried

But while Jesus was certainly busy, the gospels never show him hurried. What’s the difference between busyness and hurry? I love how pastor John Ortberg puts it in his book, Soul Keeping:

“…there is a world of difference between being busy and being hurried. Being busy is an outward condition, a condition of the body. It occurs when we have many things to do. Busy-ness is inevitable in modern culture….By itself, busy-ness is not lethal. Being hurried is an inner condition, a condition of the soul. It means to be so preoccupied with myself and my life that I am unable to be fully present with God, with myself, and with other people. I am unable to occupy this present moment. Busy-ness migrates to hurry when we let it squeeze God out of our lives.”[1]

Busyness is having a lot of meetings on your calendar. Hurry is scheduling those meetings back-to-back forcing you to sprint from one meeting to the next without enough time to hear your own thoughts. Busyness is having a lot of errands to run. Hurry is getting mad about choosing the “wrong line” at the grocery store because you have no margin for the thirty seconds you lost by choosing lane 3 instead of 4. Busyness is attending three Bible studies a week. Hurry is not having enough time and stillness to listen to God’s voice in between those studies.

Almost all of us are busy and hurried. And that’s a problem because that is not the way of Jesus and is thus not the model for redeeming our time.

So, what is causing all of our hurry in the first place? There are many answers to that question, some external and some internal. But perhaps most practically, our hurry stems from our failure to “count the cost” of our time.

 • [1] John Ortberg, Soul Keeping: Caring for the Most Important Part of You (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 170. Kindle.

 Jesus uses this accounting terminology with his disciples in the gospel of Luke:

Luke 14:28–30 KJV

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 

Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 

Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Sounds like a typical Tuesday for most of us—biting off way more than we can chew in a 24-hour time period.

Jesus himself models this application in the gospel of Mark:

Mark 11:11 KJV

And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

Mark 11:15 KJV

And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

OK, so Jesus’ plan all along was to overturn some tables and drive out the vendors who were turning the temple into a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:17). So why not do this the night before? Why wait until the next day?

Of course, we can’t answer those questions definitively, but given Jesus’s track-record as a busy but unhurried guy, here’s my guess: I think Jesus had counted the cost of his time. He decided not to cram any more activity into what had already been a busy day (see Mark 11:1-10). You can almost hear him muttering to himself “It can wait.” Could Jesus have squeezed in a little table flipping before he retired for the night? Sure, but he chose not to. He had counted the cost and knew that adding anything else to his already busy day would have tipped the scales from busy to hurry.

To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must, like Jesus, embrace being busy and productive toward his aims in the world, while ruthlessly eliminating hurry from our lives.

Conclusion:

We’ve come a long way in this series, exploring these seven timeless time management principles from the life of Christ. Here’s the full list:

? Principle #1: Start with the Word

? Principle #2: Let Your Yes Be Yes

? Principle #3: Dissent From the Kingdom of Noise

? Principle #4: Prioritize Your Yeses

? Principle #5: Accept Your Unipresence

? Principle #6: Embrace Productive Rest

? Principle #7: Eliminate All Hurry

Before we close, I want to say a few words about discipline. As we’ve seen the past few weeks, Jesus himself was disciplined with his time here on earth. He was intentional about glorifying the Father by “finishing the work” he was given to do (see John 17:4).

Jesus’s example shows us that discipline is a virtue and this is a theme the writers of scripture carry throughout the New Testament. For example, the apostle Paul writes:

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 KJV

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

As Christ-followers, we don’t run through life “in an aimless fashion.” We are called to “self-discipline in everything” or what Paul also calls “self-control” when listing the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). Discipline is a byproduct of a Spirit-filled, Christlike life.

But listen up as we bring this series to a close—as with any good thing, we can easily make discipline an ultimate thing and thus turn it into an idol. Discipline is a gift, but it can also be a curse.

Let me encourage you to be on the lookout for two signs that you’ve crossed over to the dark side of discipline and turned this good gift into an idol:

We are   unable to extend grace to others who are less disciplined than ourselves.

We can’t forget that everything we have—including our ability to be disciplined as we redeem our time—has been graciously given to us. James 1:17 says that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father.” Our ability to be disciplined in redeeming our time is a gift of grace, just like salvation, “so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:9).

We are   unable to extend grace to ourselves.

I’m going to remind you again: the gospel frees us from the need to be productive. God doesn’t need us to finish our to-do lists. He loves and accepts us “no matter how many good things we do” and no matter how productive we are. It is Jesus that started the work IN US and Jesus who will finish it.

Philippians 1:6 KJV

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 2:06 PM February 16, 2022.

Spiritual Wisdom

Sunday Evening Sermons

Spiritual Wisdom

Pastor Don Carpenter

A Beautiful Mess / 1 Corinthians 2:6–16

A group of Christians gathered in a church auditorium for an evening Bible Study. Some were talking while waiting for the study to begin. One man began to share with the leader about a church breakfast he’d attended. A well known Bible scholar had been invited to speak at the breakfast. During the course of his remarks the scholar stated that he had recently gained new insight into a verse of Scripture that had puzzled him for years. “When I heard this,” the man said to the Bible Study leader, “I thought to myself, ‘If this scholar who has written commentaries and books and who has studied the Bible for years is just now understanding a verse of Scripture, how can I, an ordinary church member, understand the truth?”’

“You know,” replied the leader, “rather than being discouraged by the scholar’s remarks, I’m encouraged. It just goes to show that understanding God’s truth doesn’t depend on our intellectual ability or number of theological degrees earned. Rather, God’s truth is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

Tonight we continue studying the letter Paul wrote to “Beautiful Mess” which was the church at Corinth. We have seen that Paul is amazed at the work of Grace in this assembly, but that there are some things that must be addressed. One thing that he spends several chapters on is the matter of unity and carnal division.

In our passage this evening Paul spends a little more time explaining what true spiritual wisdom and where it comes from.

Paul argues that the Spirit is necessary to understand God’s wisdom, since it cannot be perceived through human nature. Paul wants the Corinthians to recognize their need for true wisdom from God’s Spirit before he resumes his appeal for unity beginning in 3:1 (see 1:10).1

1 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (1 Co 2:6–16). Lexham Press.

We Speak Wisdom

1 Corinthians 2:6 (KJV)

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect…

Paul hastens to explain that he does not oppose genuine wisdom; but this wisdom is beyond human understanding and can be accepted only by those who know God’s heart through the Spirit.1

1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (1 Co 2:6–16). InterVarsity Press.

Philosophers used the term for “mature” or “perfect” (KJV) here for those who had progressed to an advanced stage in wisdom. (Its use for full initiates to the mystery cults is less relevant here.) The contrast in 2:6–9 is between temporal wisdom of those great in this age and God’s eternal wisdom.1

1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (1 Co 2:6). InterVarsity Press.

We Do Not Speak Worldly Wisdom

1 Corinthians 2:6 (KJV)

…yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

1 Corinthians 1:20 KJV
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Proverbs 28:5 KJV
Evil men understand not judgment: But they that seek the LORD understand all things.

James 3:13–15 KJV
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

We Speak the Wisdom Of God

What Was Once Hidden

1 Corinthians 2:7–9 KJV
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Salvation was purchased by the Son, but it was planned by the Father. Those who talk about “the simple Gospel” are both right and wrong. Yes, the message of the Gospel is simple enough for an illiterate pagan to understand, believe, and be saved. But it is also so profound that the most brilliant theologian cannot fathom its depths.

There is a “wisdom of God” in the Gospel that challenges the keenest intellect. However, this wisdom is not for the masses of lost sinners, nor is it for the immature believers. It is for the mature believers who are growing in their understanding of the Word of God. (The word perfect in 1 Cor. 2:6 means “mature.” See 1 Cor. 3:1–4.) Perhaps here Paul was answering those in the church who were promoting Apollos, who was an eloquent and profound preacher (Acts 18:24–28).

1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 574). Victor Books.

Planned For Our Glory

This wisdom involves God’s ordination (v. 7). This means that God made the plan, set it in motion, and will see to it that it will succeed. The great plan of redemption was not a hasty afterthought on the part of God after He saw what man had done. Though all of this boggles our minds, we must accept the Bible truth of divine election and predestination. Even the death of Jesus Christ was ordained of God (Acts 2:22–23; 1 Peter 1:18–20), though men were held responsible for the wicked deed. One of the secrets of an effective prayer life is to lay hold of God’s purposes by faith (Acts 4:23–31).1

1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 574). Victor Books.

Hidden From the Unsaved World

This wisdom is hidden from the unsaved world (v. 8). Who are “the princes of this world [age]” that Paul mentions? Certainly the men who were in charge of government when Jesus was on earth did not know who He was (Acts 3:17; 4:25–28). When Jesus on the cross prayed “Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), He was echoing this truth. Their ignorance did not excuse their sin, of course, because every evidence had been given by the Lord and they should have believed.

But there is another possibility. Paul may have been referring to the spiritual and demonic rulers of this present age (Rom. 8:38; Col. 2:15; Eph. 6:12ff). This would make more sense in 1 Corinthians 2:6, for certainly Pilate, Herod, and the other rulers were not recognized for any special wisdom. The wisdom of this age has its origin in the rulers of this age, of which Satan is the prince (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Of course, the spiritual rulers would have to work in and through the human rulers. So perhaps we must not press the distinction (John 13:2, 27).

But if this interpretation is true, then it opens up a challenging area of consideration. The satanic forces, including Satan himself, did not understand God’s great eternal plan! They could understand from the Old Testament Scriptures that the Son of God would be born and die, but they could not grasp the full significance of the cross because these truths were hidden by God. In fact, it is now, through the church, that these truths are being revealed to the principalities and powers (Eph. 3:10).

Satan thought that Calvary was God’s great defeat; but it turned out to be God’s greatest victory and Satan’s defeat! (Col. 2:15) From the time of our Lord’s birth into this world, Satan had tried to kill Him, because Satan did not fully understand the vast results of Christ’s death and resurrection. Had the demonic rulers known, they would not have “engineered” the death of Christ. (Of course, all of this was part of God’s eternal plan. It was God who was in control, not Satan.)1

1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 574–575). Victor Books.

Wisdom Applied to the Believer’s Life Today

Finally, this wisdom applies to the believer’s life today (v. 9). This verse is often used at funerals and applied to heaven, but the basic application is to the Christian’s life today. The next verse makes it clear that God is revealing these things to us here and now.

Isaiah 64:4 KJV
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, Neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, What he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

This verse is a quotation (with adaptation) from Isaiah 64:4. The immediate context relates it to Israel in captivity, awaiting God’s deliverance. The nation had sinned and had been sent to Babylon for chastening. They cried out to God that He would come down to deliver them, and He did answer their prayer after seventy years of their exile. God had plans for His people and they did not have to be afraid (Jer. 29:11).

Paul applied this principle to the church. Our future is secure in Jesus Christ no matter what our circumstances may be. In fact, God’s plans for His own are so wonderful that our minds cannot begin to conceive of them or comprehend them! God has ordained this for our glory (1 Cor. 2:7). It is glory all the way from earth to heaven!1

1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 575). Victor Books.

We Speak Wisdom Revealed By The Spirit.

2:10 to us God has revealed them God has shown the hidden wisdom of God to those who follow Christ (v. 7). Paul argues that people desiring to know more or have greater wisdom should seek to walk more closely with Christ, as God reveals His eternal work to people this way.1

1 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (1 Co 2:10). Lexham Press.

1 Corinthians 1:24 KJV
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Only God’s Spirit knows what is in his heart, but because believers have God’s Spirit, they can know his heart too. This was a radical statement for most of ancient Judaism, because most Jewish teachers did not believe that the Spirit was active in their day. “Spirit” had a broad variety of meanings, including “attitude,” “disposition”; hence “spirit of the world” need not refer to any particular spiritual being (unlike God’s Spirit).1

1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (1 Co 2:10–13). InterVarsity Press.

2 Corinthians 4:4 KJV
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The reason we are given the Spirit of God is that we might know the truth freely given to us.

2:10–13. Only God’s Spirit knows what is in his heart, but because believers have God’s Spirit, they can know his heart too. This was a radical statement for most of ancient Judaism, because most Jewish teachers did not believe that the Spirit was active in their day. “Spirit” had a broad variety of meanings, including “attitude,” “disposition”; hence “spirit of the world” need not refer to any particular spiritual being (unlike God’s Spirit).1

1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (1 Co 2:10–13). InterVarsity Press.

Only Those With The Spirit Can Comprehend Things Taught By The Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 KJV
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:21 KJV
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

We Have The Mind of Christ

Rabbi Slostowski, a professor at a seminary in Tel Aviv, hated the Lord Jesus Christ. So great was his resentment that he sharply criticized a young student who was reading a Hebrew New Testament. The young man replied by giving him the copy. That night, the rabbi, alone in his room, stayed up until three in the morning reading about the Nazarene who claimed to be the Messiah. The Holy Spirit guided him into all truth, and later he confessed, “I have already found more than 200 passages of the New Testament that prove beyond a doubt that Jesus is truly the Messiah.” Oh, the power of the Holy Spirit to bring light where there is only darkness. He is truly awesome.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 7:34 PM February 4, 2022.