Daily Archives: February 4, 2022

Spiritual Wisdom

February 4, 2022Sunday Evening SermonsDon

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.

Biblical Authority

February 4, 2022Sunday Morning SermonsDon

Biblical Authority

Pastor Don Carpenter

Baptist Basics / 2 Timothy 3:16; John 17:17; Acts 17:11; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20–21

Picture this scenario if you will. You wake up at three in the morning with a splitting headache. You must get relief right now. You stumble out of bead and struggle to get to the medicine cabinet. Every pulse of your heart brings an audible wave of pain radiating from the base of your skull, through your temples and settling behind your eye sockets. You must get relief and must get it now! You do not dare turn on the light for fear of more pain. Once you open the cabinet, you see shadows of perhaps a dozen different bottles and containers. It is a medicine cabinet… it has medicine… surely any bottle would be better than no medicine at all right? Wait a minute… It may be wise to know the difference between pain reliever, laxative, or a Beta Blocker for your heart. Yes it is all medicine, but you need the right one for you and for your symptoms. Even more important than taking the time to read and understand the label is that the label and the product match. If I have a bottle that says Aspirin, it would be dangerous if someone switched the aspirin with an antidepressant. Labels mean something.

In the next seven weeks we are going to take a dive into the meaning of the sign in front of our building: Evangelical Baptist Church. There are folks who shy away from labels and embrace the thought that “Christian” is a clear enough label. All though our series I want you to think of the story I just told… all medicine has its purpose, but not all medicine is appropriate for me. When I link up with a church and its doctrine, I want to know what is in it. So I need two things, I need to understand the meaning of the label, and I need to make sure that the product being offered is consistent with the label it wears. Today we launch a simple study through what is commonly known as the Baptist Acrostic.

B -iblical Authority

A Label Means Something

1Chris•tian \?kris-ch?n, ?krish-\ noun

1 a: one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ

Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). In Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Merriam-Webster, Inc.

• JW’s and Mormons self identify as Christians

• Catholics self identify as Christians

• While the label Christian is descriptive, it is all inclusive and fits some sects that Bible Believers would not embrace at all. We need a more specific label.

What is an Evangelical?

• The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.

• It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.

• Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.

• Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.

Who Is an Evangelical?

“Our community brings together Reformed, Holiness, Anabaptist, Pentecostal, Charismatic and other traditions.” – National Association of Evangelicals.

Who Is a Baptist?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) (Baptist)

bap•tist \?bap-tist, especially Southern ?bab- also ?b?b-dist\ noun13th century1: one that baptizes2 capitalized: a member or adherent of an evangelical … denomination marked by congregational polity and baptism by immersion of believers only—Baptist adjective

B -iblical Authority

Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as truth and that truth affects our practices. No human opinion or decree of any church group can override the Bible. It is not enough to insinuate that it weighs heavily in our decision making processes. The Bible dictates our decisions because it is the final authority.

McDaris, Zeb. Authentic Baptist . MFM. Kindle Edition.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

The Bible Is Inspired – “God Breathed”

2 Timothy 3:16 KJV

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2 Peter 1:20–21 KJV

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Bible Is Without Error

Matthew 5:17–18 KJV

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

John 10:35 (KJV)

If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

John 17:17 KJV

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Psalm 12:6–7 KJV

The words of the LORD are pure words: As silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

The Bible Is Powerful

Hebrews 4:12 KJV

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Romans 10:17 KJV

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1 Peter 1:23 KJV

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The Bible Is Superior

Matthew 15:3 KJV

But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

Colossians 2:8 KJV

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Consider Bill, who was just a young man at the time. He had tried preaching, but didn’t always feel the power of God or see any results. One of his contemporaries, Charles Templeton, got into academia and started to believe scripture as flawed and outdated. Bill wondered about all of this. A friend of his, Henrietta Mears, invited him to speak at a Christian retreat center called Forest Home. The night before, he went off alone into the nearby woods, put his Bible on a stump, and had an honest talk with God. He prayed, “O God! There are many things in this book I do not understand. There are many problems with it for which I have no solution. There are many seeming contradictions. There are some areas in it that do not seem to correlate with modern science. I can’t answer some of the philosophical and psychological questions Chuck and others are raising.”

And then he fell to his knees and the Holy Spirit moved in him as he said, “Father, I am going to accept this as Thy Word—by faith! I’m going to allow faith to go beyond my intellectual questions and doubts, and I will believe this to be Your inspired Word!”

He later wrote that, as he stood up, his eyes stung with tears, but he felt the power and presence of God in a way he hadn’t in months. “A major bridge had been crossed,” he said. The next day he preached with a new vitality. Mears noted, he “preached with authority” that she hadn’t seen before. And some 400 people made a commitment to Christ that day. A few weeks later he would preach the historic Los Angeles Crusade. It was planned to go three weeks, but ended up going eight. And the career of an upstart evangelist took off. The world found Billy Graham, as Billy found the Word of God.

[Summarized from https://billygraham.org/story/the-tree-stump-prayer-where-billy-graham-overcame-doubt/]

Labels matter. I am a Baptist! The first thing that should come to mind then when hearing that label is, oh… He believes the Bible is the Final Authority of Faith and practice… Guilty! That is who I am. When you have a theological migraine and reach for medicine in the cabinet, reach for the Baptist pills, you will know that they embrace Biblical Authority, the right medicine for you.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:55 PM February 4, 2022.