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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | LEFT BEHIND? | Bible general Archive 1 | John Reformed | 60390 | ||
Hi Ray, The following is my undrstanding of 1 Cor 2:12-14 1 Cor 2:12 Now we (saints) have received, not the spirit of the world (a fallible, changing creaturely spirit), but the Spirit who is from God (an infallible immutable divine Spirit), so that we (saints) may know the things freely given to us by God, 1 Cor 2:13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 1 Cor 2:14 But a natural man (one endowed with only the faculties of nature) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. This is such a plain message, that I for one, can't see how it says anything more than is easily understood from a simple reading of it. Of course if it is taken literaly it has tremendous impact on our understanding of why and how some recieve the gospel and others reject it. I can only conclude that when God provides some with saving grace that the Spirit of enlightenment (The Holy Spirit) accompanies it (in fact I believe it is the Holy Spirit who actually applies salvation to those whom the Father has chosen). I don't know if I answered your question or not. In v. 12 "spirit" refers to a worldly spirit and "Spirit" refers to the 3rd Person of the Trinity. I don't know where else to go with that. John |
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2 | LEFT BEHIND? | Bible general Archive 1 | Ray | 60441 | ||
Hi John, I agree with what you have written, and have tried to retract my thoughts on the 1 Cor 2:14 thread. I still believe that we are to be filled with the holy spirit but here in 1 Cor 2:12 it is being said that we have received the Spirit who is from God, in the same way we have received Christ when we believed. From the heart, Ray |
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3 | LEFT BEHIND? | Bible general Archive 1 | John Reformed | 60483 | ||
Good Morning Ray, I need get ready for church, so I hope you don't mind if I just copy and paste a portion from a commentary to you. It may be helpfull. "For they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them." "The doctrine of the gospel," says he (Paul), "is insipid in the view of all that are wise merely in the view of man. But whence comes this? It is from their own blindness. In what respect, then, does this detract from the majesty of the gospel?" In short, while ignorant persons depreciate the gospel, because they measure its value by the estimation in which it is held by men, Paul derives an argument from this for extolling more highly its dignity. For he teaches that the reason why it is contemned is that it is unknown, and that the reason why it is unknown is that it is too profound and sublime to be apprehended by the understanding of man. What a superior wisdom this is, which so far transcends all human understanding, that man cannot have so much as a taste of it! While, however, Paul here tacitly imputes it to the pride of the flesh, that mankind dare to condemn as foolish what they do not comprehend, he at the same time shows how great is the weakness or rather bluntness of the human understanding, when he declares it to be incapable of spiritual apprehension. For he teaches, that it is not owing simply to the obstinacy of the human will, but to the impotency, also, of the understanding, that man does not attain to the things of the Spirit. Had he said that men are not willing to be wise, that indeed would have been true, but he states farther that they are not able. Hence we infer, that faith is not in one's own power, but is divinely conferred. "Because they are spiritually discerned." That is, the Spirit of God, from whom the doctrine of the gospel comes, is its only true interpreter, to open it up to us. Hence in judging of it, men's minds must of necessity be in blindness until they are enlightened by the Spirit of God. Hence infer, that all mankind are by nature destitute of the Spirit of God: otherwise the argument would be inconclusive. It is from the Spirit of God, it is true, that we have that feeble spark of reason which we all enjoy; but at present we are speaking of that special discovery of heavenly wisdom which God vouchsafes to his sons alone. Hence the more insufferable the ignorance of those who imagine that the gospel is offered to mankind in common in such a way that all indiscriminately are free to embrace salvation by faith. (John Calvin) I realize that many christians believe that unsaved people can freely choose to accept or reject the gospel message. To say that it is God alone that that has chosen is foreign to their democratic sense of fairness. But this line of reasoning elevates the will of man above that of God's will and implies that God is impotent in the face of human rebellion to save anyone. On the subject of free will, I do not contend that man does not have this faculty. He is free to choose according to the desire of his heart. But, tell me: What does the Bible say is the condition of the heart prior to faith? Gotta Go, John |
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