1 Corinthians 2:1-5 | Bible Study

 

Father God, thank you so much for this opportunity that we have to read and study your holy word and we are thankful Lord to begin to study out 1st Corinthians chapter 2 today. In Christ's name we pray, amen. 

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

The 2nd chapter of 1st Corinthians begins with the word "And", so Paul is continuing on with what he was talking about in the first chapter, but will now expound a bit more on his purpose in writing to them and defending his Apostleship as well. Here he says that he did not come to them with worldly wisdom or an excellent speech. Rather, he spoke to them plainly, declaring the testimony of God. As believers, we are also to speak with others about the gospel in plainness of speech. We want to be clear and keep things simple so that they can understand it, regardless of their level of education. Sometimes believers think that they must be great speakers or use big fancy theological language to convey the gospel with others, but this isn't necessary at all. In fact, it often will just make you prideful and might confuse unbelievers or weaker brethren. 

Paul didn't go to the Corinthians to try to IMPRESS them. He went to rebuke them for their carnal behavior and to get their thinking back in alignment with the grace message. They needed corrections in their thinking and behavior. 

Many preachers in Christendom today are ALL about impressing people with their own "words of wisdom" and with their carnal, seductive and hypnotizing displays in church (strobe lights, loud music, coffee shops in the church, expensive or hip and modern clothing, or things like a "mystical", religious appearance like long flowing robes or huge, elaborate churches with statues and stained glass windows, candles glowing everywhere, gregorian chants, giant crucifixes, etc). This does nothing for people! What people need is God's word rightly divided. 

Another common thing in Christendom are the biblical scholars, theologians and apologists. Sadly, many times, these people do not preach nor teach Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery. In fact, they are most often completely clueless about it! They might sound wise, but often are not.

Then, there are also those who preach and teach newage and self-help philosophies, pop psychology, or who are overly focused on politics, current world events, social justice and other such things and are preaching that in churches instead of God's word rightly divided. But preachers are to preach God's word rightly divided. 

1 Corinthians 2:2

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

The Corinthians were so carnally-minded that Paul had to just stick with the most basic things regarding the gospel. So many believers today are this way. I know so many personally who only know Christ crucified but they do not know anything else beyond his death, burial and resurrection. They don't know about their identity in Christ or how to walk in the Spirit. And then some of the few who do know a bit more, don't understand more advanced doctrine like why God is forming the church the Body of Christ and that we will inherit the heavenly places and other such teachings. In fact, I get strange looks from them if I even briefly mention some more advanced doctrine (I try not to share advanced doctrines though with those who are not interested in learning more advanced doctrines). They are not taught these things in Christendom but have filled their minds with "Christianeze" lingo and gospel cliches and popular modern teachings that are often not even biblical at all. Certainly, we've all been ignorant at one time, but some of these people have been saved for many years or even have been reading the Bible and attending church for many years. It's just sad. Many people don't even know the most basic things! Some churches don't even preach Christ's death, burial and resurrection at all! They focus more on "your best life now", or some other philosophy of man. But, this is why I have this ministry, in the hopes of teaching believers (specifically women) at least the basic foundational doctrines so that they can mature spiritually through the word. 

1 Corinthians 2:3

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

Weakness, fear and trembling sounds like anxiety. I occasionally get anxiety because I have a sensitive nervous system (ever since I was a little girl) and my symptoms of anxiety sometimes include feeling weak, fearful, sick, sweaty and shaky. But, why was Paul having anxiety and is that really what he's saying here? Is it okay if believers get anxious?

First of all, believers still have fleshly bodies. It's normal and natural to sometimes get anxious or nervous. When we have our glorified bodies at the rapture, we will no longer have anxiety ever again. Anxiety can be the result of a variety of things - trauma, overwhelming situations or circumstances, fear, nutrient deficiencies, an illness, among other things. Some people are also naturally more prone to anxiety or nervousness if they have a sensitive nervous system like I do. What helps me is meditating on God's word and regular Bible study. I also need to not overwhelm my nervous system with things like caffeine, too much sugar, really loud noises, crowded places, etc. A hot bath or shower helps, going for walks in nature, enjoying a relaxing hobby or listening to peaceful gospel hymns helps me too. In 1 Timothy 5:23 Paul tells Timothy to "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." I personally believe that this was to help calm down Timothy's nervousness which was effecting his digestive system, however I could be wrong. A little wine can calm the nervous system however alcohol can also be really bad for certain digestive issues like gastritis and colitis which makes me think that his stomach issues were related to his anxiety and that his "often infirmities" may have been other side effects of having occasional anxiety or it could have been in reference to the problems he kept having with people in his ministry. Timothy, at the time, was dealing with some difficult people who were perhaps causing him some grief. If you've ever had a time in life with a lot of stress, you might have noticed it effecting your stomach and digestion and perhaps also your nervous system. I personally don't drink alcohol at all. I've found other natural ways to deal with stress and anxiety. 

Here, I believe that Paul did have some anxiety or nervousness because he was deeply concerned about whether or not these professing Christians really were saved. They behaved so carnally that perhaps he wasn't quite sure! And even if they were, he needed to correct them and perhaps he had a little nervousness about that. Also, even if the majority were believers, some of them might have still been spiritually lost. This can be true of any church which is why preachers need to give a clear gospel message regularly even among those who are professing Christians. 

Paul says he came in weakness, and not just in humility. Paul was always humble when he preached the gospel, but weakness suggests something a little different, which is why I think he may have had anxiety about it, plus he says that he had some fear - I believe this fear was really a fear that perhaps these Corinthians, or at least some of them, were still spiritually lost and on their way to hell. He would have wanted to present the gospel to them again which is perhaps why he said he only gave them the most basic doctrine, the Gospel unto justification. And then again, trembling is what can occur in the physical body with anxiety or nervousness. 

1 Corinthians 2:4

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

Paul was in no way a show-off. He completely understood that when we share the gospel with others we need to share God's word and not man's wisdom. God's word is what people need to hear, not the wisdom of men. The Corinthians had itching ears however, meaning that they wanted to hear man's wisdom and even preferred it. This is most of Christendom today. Mega-churches are packed with people wanting to hear man's wisdom that pleases their flesh. But it isn't just mega-churches where this occurs. I remember that before I came to understand God's word rightly divided I was attending Catholic mass. A trend that was becoming popular among Catholics was to go back to a traditional Latin mass. It was taught that the Latin mass somehow had "more spiritual power" to it than a regular mass. Yet most people in America do not speak or understand Latin! They just like how it SOUNDS and how the traditional Latin mass LOOKS. This is really UNGODLY. We are to worship God in Spirit and in truth. This means that we worship God when we have His Spirit in our spirit after believing the gospel, and we get God's word built up in our inner man. You cannot get sound grace doctrine built up in your inner man if you are listening to a service that you can't even understand (there are many other issues with the Catholic mass too besides this!). Other churches, groups and denominations also prefer man's wisdom and religious ceremonies over God's word rightly divided. 

Again, Paul is saying he didn't come to them with man's wisdom. He even says he didn't come to them with "enticing words" of man's wisdom. In the Websters 1828 dictionary it defines enticing as: To incite or instigate, by exciting hope or desire; usually in a bad sense; as, to entice one to evil. Hence, to seduce; to lead astray; to induce to sin, by promises or persuasions.

Paul wasn't using his own wisdom, or the wisdom of ANY man, to preach the gospel. He very simply preached THE WORD OF GOD. Some preachers seduce people with their own wisdom. They claim that it is for the purpose of soul winning or teaching godliness, but it's usually just to puff themselves up, to look good and smart, to get money from people or to eventually have power over them. But these were NOT Paul's intentions at all and he did not use his own wisdom but preached God's word rightly divided.  

Paul preaching the word of God to them was for their salvation if they were not saved, and for their edification and correction in thinking and behavior as believers. The word of God that he preached to them was and is powerful. It saves our souls if we believe it; it corrects our thinking and renews our minds as we study it and it gets down into our hearts as we believe and meditate upon it. It allows Christ to live in and through us, which means that we then walk in the Spirit instead of after the flesh. The power of God is the word; both the written word of God rightly divided and the Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ who lives in us as believers. They are essentially one and the same. When you read and study God's word rightly divided, you are beholding the face of Christ and you are also being conformed to His image as you believe His word. 

2Co 3:18 KJV - 

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:5

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

The reason why Paul preaches the word of God rightly divided and not his own wisdom, or the wisdom of any men, is because he wants for these Corinthian believers to stand in the power of God. When we read, study and believe God's word rightly divided it works effectually in us.

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 next time you hear a sermon and they don't use any scripture, or they use very little scripture, or they are not rightly dividing the scriptures, just remember that it's basically a worthless sermon no matter how popular it might seem to be. It's not even worth your time!

HOMEWORK: Read the entire chapter. Look for a key verse in this chapter. Look also for any repetitive words in this chapter and define them.

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