Birth Before Belief

From Adam Clarke's commentary on 1 Corinthians 2:14...


But the natural man - Ψυχικος, The animal man - the man who is in a mere state of nature, and lives under the influence of his animal passions; for the word ψυχη, which we often translate soul, means the lower and sensitive part of man, in opposition to νους, the understanding or rational part. The Latins use anima to signify these lower passions; and animus to signify the higher. The person in question is not only one who either has had no spiritual teaching, or has not profited by it; but one who lives for the present world, having no respect to spiritual or eternal things. This ψυχικος, or animal man, is opposed to the πνευματικος, or spiritual man: and, as this latter is one who is under the influence of the Spirit of God, so the former is one who is without that influence.

The apostle did speak of those high and sublime spiritual things to these animal men; but he explained them to those which were spiritual. He uses this word in this sense, 1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 9:11; and particularly in 1 Corinthians 2:15; of the present chapter: He that is spiritual judgeth all things.

But the natural man - The apostle appears to give this - as a reason why he explained those deep spiritual things to spiritual men; because the animal man - the man who is in a state of nature, without the regenerating grace of the Spirit of God, receiveth not the things of the Spirit - neither apprehends nor comprehends them: he has no relish for them; he considers it the highest wisdom to live for this world. Therefore these spiritual things are foolishness to him; for while he is in his animal state he cannot see their excellency, because they are spiritually discerned, and he has no spiritual mind.

So Adam Clarke agrees that the natural man in this verse is the lost man, not a saved man in rebellion with God's word.

 

Salvation is of the Lord100%....because men who are unsaved will not seek God....psalm14-1-3...
Men who comply with God's requirement of repentance and faith,Do so because God grants it to them....He graces them with it.....in mercyTitus3:5.

 

Appeal to authority fallacy

 

No scripture,no understanding fallacy

 

First we know that faith comes from sola scriptura (Romans 1:16; 10:17) In I Corinthians beginning in chapter 1 Paul begins to compare the wisdom of this world against what God has revealed through His prophets. In 1:22 Paul makes clear what kind of worldly wisdom he is speaking of and who it is that relies on it. Paul goes on in 2:1 to describe what kind of speech he used so that the gospel would be understood devoid of any worldly wisdom.

The entire context of 2:14 is worldly wisdom vs. what God has revealed through His prophets.

 

Worldly wisdom is the thinking of unsaved rebellious men,even if they have a high I.Q.....they are criminally insane before a Holy Righteous God..Paul shows how a Spirit filled believer having his mind renewed cannot continue to behave like their unsaved ...there is a difference of necessity, or they need to examine themselves as to if they are really believers.

 

More like an appeal to using an author who exegeted scriptures properly!

 

Uh no that is not the way he put it. He said Clark agree's. He didn't try to make an argument and then quote someone to support it, we are supposed to trust his source simply because that source is seen as authoritative. (i.e. he wrote a commentary). Appeal to authority does not prove the point. Therefore it is a logical fallacy.

 

Even though that author is accepted and recognized as being an authority in the scriptures!

 

What he says may make the case, his authority status does not.

 

So there would be none that you view as being authoritarian as a source to use?

 

Believing a source is authoritative and proving that something is true are two different things.

 

So there would be no human author who understanding the scriptures truly?

 

Dude! Let me break this down for you. In a discussion between me and you, quoting someone else and saying "if he believes this then it proves my position is right" is a fallacy. It does not prove your position is right because some other individual said so. Does that help?

I suggest you research what logical fallacies are in debates.

 

IF someone is recognized as being an expert in something, doctrines, history, translation, would not that opinion carry much weight?

 

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. 1 Cor 2:14 ψυχικὸς B. governed by breath

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen 2:7

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; Rom 8:20 NKJV

Was, man, the creation, created a natural man, governed by breath, or a spiritual man?

Hope???

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 1 Cor 15:45.46 ψυχικόν


Afterward?

 

I do believe God through the power and working onf the Holy Ghost reproves men and draws them. But I believe we must respond when he enlightens us to see we are spiritually dead. Many times in my teenage years I attended Vbs and some Sunday School who believed you could repeat a prayer and be saved. I had prayed those prayers and have always believed in Jesus since I was big enough to understand, but only had a head knowledge and not a relationship. But the first time I realized that I was lost was at a relatives funeral when the gospel was preached. Many times after that in services, I felt convicted and knew the Lord was calling me or drawing me with cords of love. But, I wouldn't respond. Once I came to pray in the front of the church, not because of what any man told me to do, but because God was drawing me to that place. I even confessed when questioned had the Lord saved me, that he had. But there was no change and the Holy Spirit wasn't abiding in me because I wasn't willing to lay down self and trust in the Lord Jesus. Time went on and at times I felt I needed to talk to the Lord, but wouldn't respond. Then, one service when I was at the piano singing with the pastor, his wife and a few others at the beginning of church, the Holy Spirit came by and troubled my heart. Again I felt wretched and poor, I was telling myself and the Lord that now wasn't the time to come, the preacher hadn't preached yet and it wasn't the time when people went to pray. You see I was lost and couldn't understand God's ways. The strong drawing power begin to fade away and fear came over me. I knew I had opportunities many times before to come to Him, and I felt this was my last chance. So, I got rid of my song book and in my heart said lord if you'll wait I'm coming. I took about 3 steps and fell on my face before God willing to lay my life down and trust in him. In a moment of time, I felt a heavy load that I never realized I was carrying lift off from me. My sins were forgiven and I became a child of the King. The songs that I used to sing now mean something to me. I don't believe he would of saved me if I hadn't responded.