Paul told the Corinthians that he was not interested in speaking to them with polished speeches (1 Corinthians 2:1). He actually had the capacity to impress them if he had wanted to. After all he studied as a disciple of Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law of Moses (Acts 22:3). However, he counted all his knowledge as nothing for the cause of knowing Christ.
Philippians 3:8- Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant–dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ (MSG)
This should show us that the number of certificates bagged on earth does not qualify you to rule or reign with Christ. We must stop running after the wrong things. The way we live our lives now determines the honour that will be given to us in the age to come.
When there is a lack of wisdom, people tend to counter the things of God, some without even knowing. Even today, some people counter Paul even when Peter had warned against doing this in 2 Peter 3:15-16 Our good brother Paul, who was given much wisdom in these matters, refers to this in all his letters, and has written you essentially the same thing. Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. Irresponsible people who don’t know what they are talking about twist them every which way. They do it to the rest of the Scriptures, too, destroying themselves as they do it.
Paul says in “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-2
The Fleshly Desires Hinders Maturity
The Corinthians were very fleshly Christians. At some point, Paul could not tell them some of the mature things of the Kingdom he wanted to share with them. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh… Because of this, he preached to them about the death which is found in Christ. To remind them that working with Christ required a death to the flesh. 2 Corinthians 4:11- For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
He purposely went out of his way not to impress the Corinthians. There was a decision made by Paul- he decided to know nothing except the crucifixion of Christ. This is the same battle every Christian faces; the choice between impressing men and living for God. The question is: do you want to be in charge over your life or do you want the Holy Spirit to? The wisdom of God is a completely different ball game from that of the wisdom of men. It does not appear attractive externally. It even makes people seem ridiculous. Now the world may consider you as the foolish one when you live for obeying God and His words. Have peace, there will come a time when the so called wise ones of this age will come to nothing and the truly wise ones will be discovered. Proverbs 11:29 says “… the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.” Noah was considered a fool for building an ark while others were drinking and enjoying life. When the floods came, the one who was truly wise was known (Genesis 6). The same thing happened with Jesus. He was crucified in the most humiliating way, however, now He has been given authority over everything. Philippians 2:8-9“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.”
Wisdom of Men vs. Power of God
1 Corinthians 2:5- “and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
This shows us that the demonstration of power is the same as God’s power. There are two options available: man’s wisdom or God’s power. The problem with the wisdom of men is the source! Do not build your house upon the wisdom of men otherwise it will be destroyed. The wisdom of men is perishable. It comes to nothing and will definitely pass away; Galatians 6:8 says For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Luke 12:33 says Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. Solomon’s Wisdom:
A Lesser Wisdom
Jesus said in Luke 11:31 that there was something greater than Solomon’s wisdom. Today we are all still excited about Solomon’s wisdom, instead of looking for that which is greater. The focus should stop being on trying to learn the wisdom of Solomon. Solomon’s wisdom ended up in accumulation of gold and other material things 1 Kings 10:14, 26 – Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold… And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. If you keep looking up to Solomon for wisdom, you might make the same mistake he made. It is crying out “God I want to know you” while your heart is running after other things. Those distractions will end up turning away your attention from God completely. Solomon’s wisdom ends messed up. May the Lord have mercy on us!
