Featured Calvinism/Why God Hates

Here's the thing, no system is above the scriptures. Arminianism, Calvinism, Pelagianism/Semi-Pel, et al. I just believe TULIP better explains how God deals with people...

 

stop hiding behind SBM. ....what truth does the Apostle Paul write about that we need the Spirit of God to teach us that the natural man does not understand that this is not welcome them when someone tries to explain and teach him

 

so basically you cannot answer the first Corinthians 2

 

if you have to lie and twist words around to try to make your point you better work on being a Christian first because Christians do not need to that.

 

Definitely agree on that!!

 

(1) IMO, the doctrines of grace better elaborates on the gospel...the gospel being "God saves sinners".

(2) But it is crazy to say someone who doesn't embrace the doctrines of grace (and it is also crazy to limit doctrines of grace to five counter-points) doesn't believe the gospel.

(3) Calvinists and Arminians/non-Calvinist both believe the gospel (God saves sinners), we just don't agree on each other's elaboration of the gospel.

(4) Not endorsing each other's elaboration of the gospel does not mean one side does not believe the actual gospel. It is no different than two people believing a car drives but one believes it is because of an engine and the other because of Fred Flintstone's feet.

(5) I think HEALTY debate can come from a mutual understanding that both sides believe the essential gospel.

 

I tried to use something simple to address a more complex issue.

 

1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
--"We speak" Paul is using "we" as inclusive as he being one of the apostles. This is a carnal church. It is: "we", the apostles," ...

"perfect" telios, means complete or mature. Who is complete or mature?
It is the apostles. They are the mature, though there may be others as well.
The apostles speak the wisdom of Christ, the wisdom that is from above and teach that wisdom to the saints at Corinth.
Paul distinguishes his wisdom from the world's wisdom, from those that are false teachers in the church. Theirs will "come to nought."
The gospel is not a mystery. The word mystery means "hidden." The gospel was "hidden" to them before the cross. It is not a mystery any longer. It is not hidden. It is something Paul preaches daily. It was hidden to them that crucified our Lord. They didn't understand it. It is hidden to those that reject it.
Paul is contrasting the wisdom of the unsaved false teachers to the wisdom of the apostles or mature Christians. (worldly vs. spiritual).

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
--Paul refers to the senses of our body in referring to the glory to come.

1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
--How can a man know of things he has not seen, cannot hear, cannot comprehend? The unsaved man cannot understand these things, at least not in the way that a saved man. All men know how "the heavens declare the glory of God."
But there is a deeper wisdom that Paul is speaking of, the very wisdom of God: neither unsaved nor carnal Christian speaks of Godly wisdom. Remember that Paul is speaking of "us" the apostles being "perfect" or "mature." Mature Christians can impart their wisdom to carnal Christians.

In our day and age how is a mature Christian taught.
He learns the "deep things of God," as he studies the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit teaches him. Verse 10 and 11 speak about illumination. He illuminates our hearts. Note carefully here it speaks of the deep things of God.
It is evident that an unsaved person can pick up a tract or even a gospel or Bible, etc., and comprehend the gospel. The gospel is not "the deep things of God." That is not the message or teaching here.
Paul is contrasting the wisdom of the apostles compared to the wisdom of the false teachers (who very well knew what the gospel was, but no doubt had poisoned it with the law or works).

1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
--We cannot know the things of God apart from the Spirit of God. It is the Spirit that illuminates our hearts; opens up the truths of the Word to us.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
--Here is the contrast again. The world vs. the spiritual.
But we have the Holy Spirit that we might know the things that are freely given to us--which is the Word of God.
Again this refers to the deeper things of God. This is not the gospel. These verses should not be taken out of context to mean that a person cannot be saved without regeneration first. An unsaved person can pick up a tract and be saved through it. Hudson Taylor did.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
--This is what Paul does. He takes the Word of God and the truths that the Holy Spirit has opened to him, and teaches them.
"comparing spiritual...with spiritual" Let me quote Clarke on this:

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
--The natural man: natural, unspiritual, sensual, etc.
It does not have to refer to unsaved, but rather one who is not spiritual, and that is what the Corinthians were--unspiritual and carnal Christians.
--They had received the gospel.
But they could not receive the deeper things of God. That is exactly what Paul taught.

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
--Paul addresses them as "brothers in Christ," i.e. "brethren."
And yet they are Carnal Christians. They are carnal because they are not spiritual. He has taught them the gospel and other elementary principles but they have refused to go on further. They should be able to take meat--the deeper things of God--but they are carnal and the Spirit of God is unable to teach them the deeper things of God. They fit into the category of 2:14--the "natural man," because they aren't spiritual. They are carnal. They are natural. They are the opposite of those "desiring the spiritual."

In opposition to the Corinthian carnal Christians, Paul says:
1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

He that is spiritual judges all things.
We have the mind of Christ.
--These truths stuck out in stark contrast to the spiritual condition of the average Corinthian Christian. They certainly did not have the mind of Christ and were in no place to judge anyone of spiritual matters.

 

dhk

Those Christ died for Heb 10:14

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

The word perfect in 1 Cor 2:6 is the same word perfected in the above, only difference is one is a verb the other the adjective form !

All for whom Christ died receive from above a perfect Gift from above James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Thats the New Birth from above, and the Spirit makes them perfect to receive the Wisdom from God of the Gospel !

1 Cor 2:7

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

In case you dont know, Christ is the Wisdom of God 1 Cor 1:24

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Paul Preached Christ, the Wisdom of God, to them that are Perfect !

 

(ASV) We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought:

(CEV) We do use wisdom when speaking to people who are mature in their faith. But it isn't the wisdom of this world or of its rulers, who will soon disappear.

(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.

(ISV) However, when we are among mature people, we do speak a message of wisdom,

The word used for "perfect" in the KJV is "teleios" in the Greek. It also has the meanings of: complete, mature.
He was speaking wisdom to those that were mature in Christ.
No one, and I mean absolutely no one, except for Christ is perfect!
Who then was he speaking to? The wind??

 

Do you understand my reasoning and response ? Please explain back what my response was so I know you understand it though you may disagree !

 

Rom 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Rom 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
--Paul was a debtor. He owed it to the unsaved at Rome. He preached the gospel to the unregenerate at Rome. He went to the Jew first and then to the Gentiles. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
It alone can save.

1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
--Paul was not sent to baptize, not to the Christians, but rather to preach to the unsaved, to take the gospel to those who have not heard it. Things like baptism were left up to other pastors.

1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
--Those that are perishing are the unregenerate. Paul went to the unregenerate with the gospel. They were the foolish ones on their way to hell. They needed to be saved; born again. He had a heart for the lost, just as God did.

1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
What is the pleasure of God SBM? The pleasure of God is that by the preaching of the gospel the unregenerate will save. And who will be saved? Those that believe will be regenerated and saved.
Paul preaches the wisdom of God, the foolishness of preaching to these unregenerate people that they will be saved.
It can't get any clearer than that, can it?