the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 4 of 5
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
We know that in the world an orator’s gift, a touch of brilliance, and "enticing words of man’s wisdom" can be sufficient to ensure the victory of any cause. But God does not use these natural abilities or propaganda skills to make known the faith (vv. 4, 5). Paul, in spite of his learning, did not catch people’s attention at Corinth by his wisdom, education or eloquence. He would have contradicted his teaching, for the cross of Christ which he proclaimed announces just the end of everything in which man takes pride. But far from losing anything, the believer has received at the same time the invisible things "freely given of God" – and the means of discerning and enjoying them: the Holy Spirit, the only agent whom God uses to communicate His mind (v. 12). What use is a piece of music without an instrument to play it, or a record without a record player? Then again what would be the effect of the finest concert on an audience composed of deaf people? Likewise the Spirit’s language cannot be understood by "the natural man". Conversely "he that is spiritual" can receive the "spiritual things by spiritual means" (vv. 13-15).
