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The Revealed Wisdom of God:
Contrasting Divine Revelation with Human Reason
1 Corinthians 2:6–12 – Primary text
The Source of True Wisdom
Paul tells the Corinthians that
there are two kinds of wisdom: one is of this age and the
other is of God. The wisdom of the world is temporary and
limited. It is based on man’s reasoning, philosophy, and
speculation. But the wisdom Paul and the apostles speak is divine—it
is “the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our
glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7). This was God's eternal plan, not
something man could invent.
Human wisdom may solve worldly
problems, but it cannot uncover God's eternal plan of salvation.
God’s wisdom was hidden, meaning it could not be known unless
God chose to reveal it.
The Eternal Plan of
Redemption
God’s wisdom centers on the
gospel. Before the foundation of the world, He planned to send His
Son to redeem us (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:18–20). This plan was not
a reaction—it was foreordained. Jesus Christ is the central figure
in that plan, and His death was no accident.
Paul writes, “which none of
the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8). They had
access to the Scriptures. They witnessed the miracles. Yet they
rejected Him, blinded by pride and expectations of a different kind
of Messiah.
Revealed, Not Imagined
Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4 to show
how mankind on its own could never conceive of God’s plan: “Eye
has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man
the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” Many
apply this to heaven, but in this context Paul is speaking of the
blessings of the gospel. These things were prepared by God
but only revealed through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10).
The Spirit searches all
things, even the deep things of God. Only the Spirit of
God can fully know the mind of God. Just as no one knows a man’s
thoughts unless the man reveals them, so also no one knows God’s
mind unless God reveals it.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
in Revelation
Jesus promised the apostles that
the Holy Spirit would come and guide them into all truth
(John 16:13) and bring to their remembrance all things (John
14:26). These promises were for the apostles—not for us directly.
The Holy Spirit gave them inspired knowledge so they could record
the New Testament. That’s how we know the things freely given to us
by God (1 Corinthians 2:12).
Today, the Spirit does not
directly whisper to us or implant thoughts in our minds. He speaks
through the written Word (Ephesians 6:17). The apostles and inspired
prophets were guided into all truth. Therefore, what we need
for life and godliness has already been revealed (2 Peter 1:3). No
one today is receiving new revelations.
The Futility of Human Reason
Alone
Man’s wisdom cannot comprehend
God’s plan. The philosophers of Corinth had plenty of ideas, but
none of them led to salvation. Human speculation can never replace
divine revelation. “Man cannot direct his own steps”
(Jeremiah 10:23). Without God revealing His will, we would be lost
in darkness.
There are hundreds of religious
groups today, each with its own doctrine, all claiming inspiration.
But the Holy Spirit does not teach contradictions. If people were
truly led directly by the Spirit, there would be only one faith and
one gospel (Ephesians 4:4–6). The confusion comes when people reject
the revealed Word and trust their feelings instead.
Conclusion
We are finite. God is infinite.
We could not imagine His plan—but we can know it because it has been
revealed. The apostles received the Spirit, who revealed the gospel.
That message is now written down. Our job is to read it, believe it,
and obey it. Only then can we benefit from the wisdom of God and be
saved through His eternal plan.
Sermon Outline: The Revealed
Wisdom of God: Contrasting Divine Revelation with Human Reason
Introduction
1 Corinthians 2:6–12 introduces a contrast between worldly wisdom
and God's revealed wisdom.
The gospel was hidden from man but revealed by the Spirit.
I. Two Kinds of Wisdom (v. 6–7)
Man’s wisdom: temporary, limited, and powerless to save.
God’s wisdom: eternal, hidden until revealed.
II. God's Plan Ordained Before
the Ages (v. 7)
Redemption planned before creation (Ephesians 1:4).
The cross was central, not accidental.
III. The Ignorance of Earthly
Rulers (v. 8)
They crucified Christ because they did not know Him.
Prejudice and pride blinded them.
IV. What Could Not Be Imagined
(v. 9–10)
Isaiah 64:4 applied to the blessings of the gospel.
These truths were revealed, not invented.
V. The Holy Spirit’s Work in
Revelation (v. 10–12)
Spirit knows the mind of God.
Spirit revealed all truth to the apostles (John 14:26; John 16:13).
We have the written Word inspired by the Spirit.
VI. Why Human Wisdom Fails
It cannot know God without revelation (Jeremiah 10:23).
Denominational confusion shows the need for one revealed truth.
Conclusion
We are limited, but God has made His will known.
The Spirit’s revelation is preserved in Scripture.
Our duty is to study, believe, and obey.
Call to Action
Will you trust in your own
understanding, or will you humbly receive the wisdom that God has
revealed through His Spirit? The plan of salvation is not hidden—it
is written plainly in the Word. Today is the day to submit to that
wisdom. Be taught by the Spirit—not through feelings or human
reasoning, but through the Word He revealed. Obey the gospel, and
you will share in the glory God prepared from the beginning.
Key Takeaways
- God’s wisdom was hidden
but revealed by the Spirit through the apostles (1 Corinthians
2:7–10).
- Human wisdom alone
cannot uncover the plan of salvation (1 Corinthians 2:11–12).
- The Holy Spirit guided
the apostles into all truth (John 14:26; John 16:13).
- God’s Word is the
Spirit’s revelation, not man’s invention (2 Peter 1:20–21).
- We must rely on
Scripture, not subjective feelings or worldly ideas (Jeremiah
10:23).
Scripture Reference List
1 Corinthians 2:6–12 – Primary
text on the contrast between God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom
Ephesians 1:4 – God’s plan was in place before the foundation of the
world
1 Peter 1:18–20 – Christ was foreordained before time began
Isaiah 64:4 – Prophecy referenced by Paul about what man cannot know
apart from revelation
Hebrews 9:15–17 – Christ’s sacrifice extends salvation to all time
periods
John 14:26 – The Holy Spirit would remind the apostles of Jesus'
words
John 16:13 – The Spirit would guide the apostles into all truth
2 Peter 1:3 – We have all things that pertain to life and godliness
Jeremiah 10:23 – Man cannot direct his own steps without God
Prepared by Bobby Stafford of
the church of Christ at Granby, MO
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The
church of Christ
