Spiritual Insight
May 5, 2024
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”
the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
1. Paul’s message of wisdom for the mature includes a ‘mystery that has been hidden’. This mystery appears to have been part of God’s eternal plan. What do you think that mystery is? Consider looking up and discussing the following passages: Romans 16:25-26, Ephesians 3:2-6, Colossians 1:25-27.
2. Verses 9-10 talk about how God’s plan included things mankind never dreamed of. How does this idea help you when you are experiencing difficult and confusing situations?
3. Within these verses, Paul mentions ‘God,’ ‘the Lord of glory’ and ‘the Spirit.’ Discuss how the trinity (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) exist and function together. Feel free to look for other scriptural passages that help answer this question.
Read 1 Corinthians 2:11-16
4. As best as you can describe it, what does it mean that we (followers of Jesus) have received the Spirit? (Romans 8:9-10, 1 Corinthians 3:16, John 14:15-18, Galatians 4:6-7)
5. John 14:25-27 sheds some light on what the role of the Holy Spirit is in our life. Discuss together how you can expect the Holy Spirit to be at work in your life?
6. Galatians 5:22-23 also speaks to what the Holy Spirit produces in the life of believers. What has been your experience in seeing the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ emerge in your life?
7. Paul concludes this passage by stating ‘We have the mind of Christ.’ What do you imagine that means? Based on this passage, how do we end up having the mind of Christ? How can we grow in our understanding of the mind of Christ.