July 4th, 2024
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.
It is interesting to think that everyone seems to be on their own journey to discover new knowledge and greater wisdom. Just think upon all of the people in the universities and higher academic circles. Think about those spending almost all their time reading and researching. They are on desperate pursuits to be well-informed and enlightened. Even for us who maybe aren't so inclined toward excessive education, our technological age has given us access to more information than ever before. And yet, even with all of that knowledge at our fingertips, we must know that all of it put together could never surpass the infinite worth of God and His gospel. All knowledge and all wisdom are ultimately found in Him and Him alone. We glory as Paul did in God's infinite mind and intelligence. "Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are His ways! (Romans 11:33)
Although this is the Bible truth, in some way or another we are all tempted to treasure the wisdom of this world over what has been given to us in Christ. How does this happen? The world tends to corrupt us in subtle ways, making us believe that perhaps what the Bible offers is foolish, irrelevant, or only meant for Sunday services. The world teaches that believing the Bible and or listening to God's commands is outdated and unfit for this modern society. Where does that lead us? Ultimately, toward human knowledge and human wisdom. Instead of fixing our thoughts on the true gospel of Christ, the world turns our affections to other gospels and other ways of saving ourselves. This unbelieving world is set on taking us captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental forces of this world rather than on Christ (Colossians 2:8). We are to be so careful of where we go for spiritual wisdom and counsel.
Where do you go for guidance in times of confusion? What do you research and read when you need some help and support? Some Christians would rather consult every other kind of person, medium and outlet before ever considering what the Holy Spirit has already supplied. Paul emphasizes in our passage that he did not use any kind of human wisdom or knowledge to teach the church about Christ. He understood that what was needed for the church is not cleverly devised words and more self-help tactics. What the Christian needs is for the Spirit of God to breath supernatural revelation upon their minds and hearts. What they need to feed on is God's word and God's truth revealed in holy Scripture.
I fear that we are too quick to phone a friend for advice, use the internet as ongoing support or depend on social media posts to train us for godliness. It seems as though the last thing we look to is for the Holy Spirit to teach us through the Word of God. But this is exactly what we need. We are cleansed and led by the washing of the water through the word (Ephesians 5:26). We are to let the word of Christ dwell richly in our hearts through the Spirit (Colossians 3:16). Human wisdom may help you to feel good about yourself for a moment but it will never change your heart in any spiritual way.
The Word of God is what the Holy Spirit uses to divinely govern and steward our spiritual lives. However, we might be obstructing His work by trying to follow every other kind of spiritual and worldly guide at the same time. We cannot have multiple masters, nor can we be led by multiple leaders. Either we are walking by the Spirit and led by the Spirit, or our flesh will seek other means (Galatians 5:16-17). If we want to gain true spiritual wisdom for our spiritual life, we must go right to the source of all spiritual fullness, this is Jesus Himself. This might mean cutting off all other voices so that we hear directly from the Holy Spirit in our lives. It might mean getting rid of those worldly sources we tend to run to for help and comfort. If we are honest, we are likely all too quick to lend our ears to everything and anything the world offers us. But remember our passage today, we have not been given the spirit of this world; it has nothing to offer us. We've been given the Spirit of God so that we may understand what the Lord has freely given us.