Discerning Godly Wisdom Through the Holy Spirit

Summary

In our journey through 1 Corinthians, we find Paul addressing the immaturity and division within the Corinthian church. The believers were caught up in worldly wisdom, seeking to align themselves with prominent leaders like Apollos, Paul, and Peter, rather than focusing on Christ. Paul reminds them that true wisdom is not found in eloquence or human intellect but in the message of Christ crucified. This wisdom is accessible only to the spiritually mature, those who can discern the difference between worldly and godly wisdom. Worldly wisdom is transient and often leads to destruction, while godly wisdom is eternal and complete, revealed by God through His Spirit.

Paul emphasizes that godly wisdom is not something we can figure out on our own; it is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, often misunderstood, is the third person of the Trinity, dwelling within believers and guiding them into all truth. To hear from the Holy Spirit, we must abide in Christ, spending time in prayer, Scripture, and fellowship with other believers. This abiding relationship allows us to recognize God's voice amidst the noise of the world.

Paul contrasts the natural person, who cannot understand spiritual truths, with the spiritual person, who discerns all things through the Spirit. The natural person sees godly wisdom as foolishness, unable to comprehend the depth of God's love and the sacrifice of Christ. For those who have accepted Christ, the Holy Spirit resides within, enabling them to live with the mind of Christ. This spiritual maturity is a journey, requiring us to listen to the right voices and grow in our relationship with God.

As we reflect on these truths, we must ask ourselves: Are we listening to the right voices? Are we allowing worldly wisdom to overshadow godly wisdom? Our relationship with God, nurtured through the Holy Spirit, is the key to discerning His voice and living out His wisdom in our lives.

Key Takeaways:

- Worldly vs. Godly Wisdom: Worldly wisdom is fleeting and often leads to destruction, while godly wisdom is eternal and complete, revealed by God through His Spirit. We must seek the wisdom that comes from God, which is not bound by time or human understanding. [03:37]

- Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, dwelling within believers to guide them into all truth. Understanding the Holy Spirit's role is crucial for discerning God's voice and living out His wisdom. [11:25]

- Abiding in Christ: To hear from the Holy Spirit, we must abide in Christ, spending time in prayer, Scripture, and fellowship with other believers. This abiding relationship allows us to recognize God's voice amidst the noise of the world. [14:19]

- Spiritual vs. Natural Person: The natural person cannot understand spiritual truths, seeing godly wisdom as foolishness. In contrast, the spiritual person, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, discerns all things through the Spirit. [25:46]

- Listening to the Right Voices: We must be discerning about the voices we listen to, ensuring that we are guided by the Holy Spirit rather than worldly influences. Our relationship with God, nurtured through the Holy Spirit, is key to discerning His voice. [33:53]

YouTube Chapters:

- [0:00] - Welcome
- [00:46] - Introduction to 1 Corinthians
- [01:42] - Corinthian Church's Immaturity
- [02:44] - Worldly vs. Godly Wisdom
- [03:37] - The Transience of Worldly Wisdom
- [04:29] - Secret and Hidden Wisdom of God
- [05:10] - Prophecy and God's Called Shot
- [06:46] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
- [08:26] - How God Reveals Wisdom
- [09:58] - Understanding the Holy Spirit
- [11:25] - The Holy Spirit's Indwelling
- [12:56] - Hearing from the Holy Spirit
- [14:19] - Abiding in Christ
- [16:00] - Recognizing God's Voice
- [18:38] - Discerning the Right Voices
- [20:04] - The Enemy's Deception
- [21:41] - The Importance of Godly Wisdom
- [24:13] - Running with the Spirit
- [25:46] - Spiritual vs. Natural Person
- [27:29] - The Gift of Salvation
- [29:15] - The Call to Spiritual Maturity
- [30:42] - Judged by God Alone
- [32:14] - Choosing Godly Wisdom
- [33:53] - Listening to the Spirit
- [35:28] - Conclusion and Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
- John 14:26
- Isaiah 29:14

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Observation Questions:

1. What were the divisions within the Corinthian church that Paul addressed, and how did they reflect immaturity? [01:42]

2. How does Paul describe the difference between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom in 1 Corinthians 2:6-7? [02:44]

3. According to the sermon, what role does the Holy Spirit play in revealing godly wisdom to believers? [11:25]

4. How does Paul contrast the natural person with the spiritual person in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15? [25:46]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. Why might the Corinthian church have been tempted to align themselves with worldly wisdom and prominent leaders instead of focusing on Christ? [01:42]

2. How does the sermon explain the concept of "abiding in Christ," and why is it essential for hearing from the Holy Spirit? [14:19]

3. What does it mean to have the "mind of Christ," and how does this relate to spiritual maturity? [30:42]

4. How can believers discern between the voice of the Holy Spirit and other competing voices in their lives? [33:53]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you might be relying more on worldly wisdom than godly wisdom? How can you shift your focus to seek godly wisdom? [03:37]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of abiding in Christ. What practical steps can you take this week to deepen your relationship with Christ through prayer, Scripture, or fellowship? [14:19]

3. Consider the voices you listen to daily. Are there any that might be leading you away from godly wisdom? How can you ensure that the Holy Spirit's voice is the one guiding you? [33:53]

4. The sermon discusses the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding believers. How can you become more attuned to the Holy Spirit's guidance in your daily decisions? [11:25]

5. Think about a recent decision you made. Did you seek godly wisdom in that decision? How might the outcome have been different if you had? [25:46]

6. The sermon mentions the importance of community and fellowship with other believers. How can you engage more deeply with your church community to grow in spiritual maturity? [16:00]

7. Reflect on the concept of having the "mind of Christ." What specific changes can you make in your thought patterns or actions to align more closely with this mindset? [30:42]

Devotional

Day 1: The Eternal Value of Godly Wisdom
In a world where knowledge and wisdom are often equated with power and success, it is crucial to distinguish between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom. Worldly wisdom, though appealing and seemingly beneficial, is transient and can lead to destruction. It is often rooted in human intellect and eloquence, which are limited and flawed. In contrast, godly wisdom is eternal and complete, revealed by God through His Spirit. This wisdom transcends human understanding and is not bound by time. It is accessible to those who seek it with a humble heart, recognizing that true wisdom comes from God alone. As believers, we are called to pursue this divine wisdom, allowing it to guide our decisions and shape our lives. [03:37]

1 Corinthians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on worldly wisdom? How can you begin to seek and apply godly wisdom in those areas today?

Day 2: The Guiding Presence of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, often misunderstood, plays a vital role in the life of a believer. As the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, guiding us into all truth and helping us discern God's voice. Understanding the Holy Spirit's role is crucial for living out God's wisdom. The Spirit reveals divine truths that are beyond human comprehension, enabling us to navigate life's complexities with clarity and purpose. To fully experience the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must cultivate a relationship with Him, inviting His presence into our daily lives and being attentive to His promptings. [11:25]

John 14:26 (ESV): "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

Reflection: How can you create space in your daily routine to listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance? What steps can you take to become more aware of His presence in your life?

Day 3: Abiding in Christ for Spiritual Clarity
To hear from the Holy Spirit and discern God's voice, we must abide in Christ. This abiding relationship involves spending time in prayer, immersing ourselves in Scripture, and engaging in fellowship with other believers. By doing so, we create an environment where we can recognize God's voice amidst the noise of the world. Abiding in Christ is not a passive activity but an intentional pursuit of intimacy with God. It requires us to prioritize our relationship with Him, allowing His presence to permeate every aspect of our lives. As we abide in Christ, we gain spiritual clarity and the ability to discern His will. [14:19]

John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: What specific practices can you incorporate into your daily life to deepen your abiding relationship with Christ? How can these practices help you discern God's voice more clearly?

Day 4: The Contrast Between Spiritual and Natural Understanding
The natural person, relying solely on human intellect, cannot understand spiritual truths. To them, godly wisdom appears as foolishness because it defies conventional logic and understanding. In contrast, the spiritual person, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, is able to discern all things through the Spirit's guidance. This spiritual maturity allows believers to comprehend the depth of God's love and the sacrifice of Christ. It is a journey that requires us to listen to the right voices and grow in our relationship with God. As we mature spiritually, we develop the mind of Christ, enabling us to live in alignment with His will. [25:46]

1 Corinthians 2:14-15 (ESV): "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one."

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself relying on natural understanding rather than spiritual discernment? How can you cultivate a deeper reliance on the Holy Spirit for understanding and decision-making?

Day 5: Discerning the Right Voices in a Noisy World
In a world filled with countless voices and opinions, it is essential to be discerning about the voices we listen to. The Holy Spirit, dwelling within us, is our guide, helping us to distinguish between worldly influences and God's truth. Our relationship with God, nurtured through the Holy Spirit, is key to discerning His voice. By prioritizing our connection with God and seeking His wisdom, we can navigate the complexities of life with confidence and clarity. Listening to the right voices requires intentionality and a commitment to align our lives with God's will. [33:53]

Proverbs 2:1-5 (ESV): "My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."

Reflection: What voices or influences in your life are competing with God's voice? How can you intentionally prioritize listening to the Holy Spirit and aligning your life with God's wisdom?

Quotes

1) "Paul is saying, there's immaturity among you if that is what you've fallen into. And so they are playing by the world's rules. And the letter to the church in Corinth, Corinth was a place of prosperity, right? It was somewhat cosmopolitan. It was a place where people gathered who thought of the right? And so not only is the church kind of have some division and conflict, within themselves, but they want to appear in a positive light to the community around them. And so they're playing by their rules to an extent, right? They're trying to appear wise. They're trying to appear powerful. And Paul reminds them as we laid into this week's passage, that's not how I did it. When I was there, when I was with you, I preached Christ and I preached him crucified. I wasn't trying to be eloquent. I was trying. I wasn't trying to impress you with how well-dressed I was or how smart I was. I was bringing to you the message of God and nothing else." [01:42] (68 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "Paul's talking about godly wisdom here, right? And what does godly wisdom look like? Godly wisdom is complete. It's not bound by time, right? God existed before all of creation and he knew all of the wisdom that was to exist before creation happened. So there's no aspect of he's got to learn what happened a week ago to build on that today or a month ago or 10 years ago or a thousand years ago. He knew it all from the beginning. And it's a complete wisdom. And the other thing, since God holds all of this wisdom, we know that that wisdom is revealed by God. It's not something that we figure out. It's something that God reveals to us." [05:10] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity, right? There's God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is fully God, and the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is a person, that it's not like the force out there, just some unknown flowing thing, but it is a member of the Trinity of God. And so then the question is, where is the Holy Spirit? And Scripture tells us that he lives in us. In John chapter 14, verse 17, it says, you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you. That's Jesus speaking, talking about when the Holy Spirit comes." [11:25] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "I've got to say, this is some of the more challenging parts of Scripture for me. I want it to just be enough for me to be grateful for what Jesus has done in my life. His feelings of love towards him, gratitude towards him, and leave it at that. But Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms that if we love him, we're going to show that love for him in our obedience to him. That there's an action that comes with it. It's not just a feeling. It's not just, oh, thank you, Lord, you've done wonderful things. I'm going to go my own way and do my own thing. It's, thank you for what you've done. Let me live in the way that you've shown me to live. There's an aspect of obedience." [14:19] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "We need to free up space to sit with the Lord and not only bring him the things that are on our hearts, that are troubling us, that we long for help on, but to spend time and allow his spirit to indwell us and speak to our hearts. And if all we ever do is go to the Lord and give him a quick, here's my list today, God, and run on, we miss the opportunity. We miss the opportunity to connect with God and allow his spirit to really speak to us as we abide with him." [16:00] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "The idea is this, is if you've come to that place where you've invited Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, that at the time that you did that, the Holy Spirit came to live within you, and that made you a spiritual person, right? We use the term being born again. That's what it is. We became spiritually alive because the spirit came to live within us. But those who have never made that choice to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they have not been able to do that. They have not the spirit of God within them. And that is the natural person. And the things that those of us who understand, who have the spirit of God within us, that seem wise, that we see that says that makes sense, the rest of the world looks at and goes, that's foolishness." [25:46] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "We have a choice between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom. And it comes down to this. We have a choice between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom. And it comes down to this. It comes down to who are you listening to? We discussed the natural person versus the spiritual person. But back in verse six, Paul made the point that it was among the mature, right? It's not just that there's a natural person and a spiritual person. And that if you have the Spirit of Christ within you, you're automatically mature. It doesn't work that way. Maturity comes spiritually in similar ways to as it comes physically, right? That as we grow, in our relationship with the Lord, we become more mature." [32:14] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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